Laden with which, as well as tir'd

With conqu❜ring toil, he now retir❜d
Unto a neighb'ring castle by,
To rest his body, and apply

Fit med'cines to each glorious bruise

He got in fight, reds, blacks and blues,

To mollify th' uneasy pang

Of ev'ry honourable bang,

Which b'ing by skilful midwife drest,

He laid him down to take his rest.

300

305

But all in vain. He'ad got a hurt

On th' inside, of a deadlier sort;

310

By Cupid made, who took his stand

Upon a widow's jointure-land;

(For he in all his am'rous battles,

No advantage finds like goods and chattels,)

Drew home his bow, and, aiming right,

315

(That belly that so oft did ake,

And suffer griping for her sake;

Till purging comfits and ants eggs

325

Had almost brought him off his legs,)

Us'd him so like a base rascallion,

That old Pyg-(what d' y' call him)—malion

That cut his mistress out of stone,

Had not so hard a hearted one.

She had a thousand jadish tricks,

Worse than a mule that flings and kicks;

'Mong which one cross-grain'd freak she had,

330

As insolent as strange and mad:

She could love none but only such
As scorn'd and hated her as much.
'Twas a strange riddle of a lady,
Not love, if any lov'd her: hey-day!
So cowards never use their might,

335

But against such as will not fight.

340

So some diseases have been found

Only to seize upon the sound.

He that gets her by heart must say her
The back-way, like a witch's prayer.

Meanwhile the Knight had no small task,
To compass what he durst not ask;

345

He loves, but dares not make the motion:

Her ignorance is his devotion:

Like caitiff vile, that for misdeed

Rides with his face to rump of steed;

350

Or rowing scull, he's fain to love,
Look one way, and another move:
Or like a tumbler that doth play

His game, and look another way,

Just so does he by matrimony.

But all in vain, her subtle snout

355

Did stir his stomach, and the pain
He had endur'd from her disdain,
Turn'd to regret, so resolute,

$65

That he resolv'd to wave his suit,
And either to renounce her quite,

Or for a while play least in fight.

This resolution b'ing put on,

He kept it some months, and more had done; 370

But being brought so nigh by fate,
The victory he achiev'd so late
Did set his thoughts agog, and ope
A door to discontinu'd hope,

That seem'd to promise he might win
His dame, too, now his hand was in;
And that his valour, and the honor
H' had newly gain'd might work upon
These reasons made his mouth to water

her:

875

With am'rous longings to be at her.

380

Quoth he, unto himself, Who knows

But this brave conquest o'er my foes

May reach her heart, and make that stoop,

As I but now have forc'd the troop?

If nothing can oppugn love,

And virtue envious ways can prove,
What may not he confide to do
That brings both love and virtue too?
But thou bring'st valour too and wit,
Two things that seldom fail to hit:
Valour's a mouse-trap, wit a gin,

Which women oft are taken in.

Then Hudibras, why should'st thou fear
To be, thou art a conqueror?

385

890

Fortune th' audacious doth juvare,
But lets the timidous miscarry.
Then while the honor thou hast got
Is spick and span new, piping hot,
Strike her up bravely thou hadst best,
And trust thy fortune with the rest.

895

400

Such thoughts as these the Knight did keep,

More than his bangs, or fleas, from sleep.

And as an owl that in a barn

Sees a mouse creeping in the corn,

Sits still, and shuts his round blue eyes,

405

Ralpho, dispatch; to horse, to horse!

And 'twas but time; for now the rout
We left engag'd to seek him out,
By speedy marches were advanc'd

415

Up to the fort where he ensconc'd;

And all th' avenues had possest

About the place, from east to west,