And all evasions so uncertain

To save himself for better fortune;
That he resolv'd, rather than yield,
To die with honour on the field,

60

And sell his hide and carcass at
A price as high and desperate

As e'er he could. This resolution
He henceforth put in execution,
And bravely threw himself among
i' th' greatest throng.

The

enemy

But what could single valour do,

Against so numerous a foe?

Yet much he did, indeed too much

To be believ❜d, where th' odds were such.

But one against a multitude,

Is more than mortal can make good;

For while one party he oppos'd,

His rear was suddenly inclos'd,

And no room left him for retreat,

Or fight against a foe so great.

65

70

75

For now the mastives, charging home,
To blows and handygripes were come:
While manfully himself he bore,

80

And setting his right foot before,

He rais'd himself, to show how tall
His person was above them all.
This equal shame and envy stirr'd

I' th' enemy, that one should beard

So many warriors, and so stout,

85

As he had done, and stav'd it out,
Disdaining to lay down his arms
And yield on honourable terms.
Enraged thus, some in the rear

90

Attack'd him, and some ev'ry where,
Till down he fell; yet falling fought,
And, being down, still laid about:

As Widdrington in doleful dumps,

95

Is said to fight upon his stumps.

But all, alas! had been in vain,
And he inevitably slain,

If Trulla and Cerdon, in the nick,
To rescue him had not been quick:

For Trulla, who was light of foot,

As shafts which long-field Parthians shoot,

100

As some report), was got among

The foremost of the martial throng;
There pitying the vanquish'd Bear,

She call'd to Cerdon, who stood near,

110

Viewing the bloody fight: to whom,

Shall we, quoth she, stand still hum-drum,
And see stout Bruin all alone

I would, quoth he, venture a limb
To second thee, and rescue him:
But then we must about it straight,
Or else our aid will come too late;
Quarter he scorns, he is so stout,

And therefore cannot long hold out.

120

This said, they wav'd their weapons round 125 About their heads, to clear the ground;

And joining forces, laid about

So fiercely, that th' amazed rout

Turn'd tail again, and straight begun,

As if the devil drove, to run.

130

Meanwhile th' approach'd the place where Bruin

Was now engag'd to mortal ruin;

The conqu❜ring foe they soon assail'd,

First Trulla stav'd, and Cerdon tail'd,

Until their mastives loos'd their hold;

135

And yet, alas! do what they could,

The worsted Bear came off with store
Of bloody wounds, but all before,
For as Achilles, dipt in pond,

Had one ear (which in ducatoons

Is half the coin) in battle par'd

Close to his head; so Bruin far'd:

150

But tugg'd and pull'd on th' other side,

Like scriv❜ner newly crucified:

Or like the late corrected leathern

Ears of the circumcised brethren.

155

But gentle Trulla, into th' ring

He wore in 's nose, convey'd a string,
With which she march'd before, and led
The warrior to a grassy bed,

As author's write, in a cool shade,
Which eglantine and roses made;
Close by a softly murm'ring stream,
Where lovers us'd to loll and dream.
There leaving him to his repose,
Secured from pursuit of foes,

160

And wanting nothing but a song,

165

And a well-tun'd Theorbo hung

Upon a bough, to ease the pain

His tugg'd ears suffer'd with a strain
They both drew up, to march in quest
Of his great leader, and the rest.

For Orsin (who was more renown'd
For stout maintaining of his ground
In standing fight, than for pursuit,
As being not so quick of foot)
Was not long able to keep pace

With others that pursu'd the chase;
But found himself left far behind,
Both out of heart and out of wind:

170

175