What Adam dream'd of when his bride Came from her closet in his side; Whether the devil tempted her Who first made music malleable: All this, without a gloss or comment, He could unriddle in a moment, In proper terms, such as men smatter, 1 When they throw out and miss the matter. 180 185 Decide all controversies by And prove their doctrine orthodox By apostolic blows and knocks; 200 Call fire, and sword, and desolation, A godly thorough reformation, And still be doing, never done; As if religion were intended For nothing else but to be mended. 205 And finding somewhat still amiss: 210 More peevish, cross, and splenetic, Than dog distract, or monkey sick; The wrong, than others the right way: As if they worshipp'd God for spite. One way, and long another for: In them, in other men all sin. 215 220 Rather than fail, they will defy That which they love most tenderly; Quarrel with minc'd pies, and disparage 225 Their best and dearest friend, plumb-porridge; And blaspheme custard through the nose. Like Mahomet's, were ass and widgeon; To whom our Knight, by fast instinct 230 Of wit and temper, was so linkt, As if hypochrisy and nonsense 235 Had got th' advowson of his conscience. Thus was he gifted and accouter'd, We mean on the inside, not the outward. That next of all we shall discuss: Then listen, Sirs, it follows thus: 240 His tawny beard was th' equal grace Both of his wisdom and his face; In cut and die so like a tile, A sudden view it would beguile: 245 With grisly type did represent Declining age of government; And tell with hieroglyphic spade, Its own grave and the state's were made. Like Samson's heart-breakers, it grew In time to make a nation rue; 250 Though it contributed its own fall, 255 To wait upon the public downfal. It was monastic, and did grow In holy orders by strict vow; Of rule as sullen and severe, As that of rapid Cordeliere: T' oppose itself against the hate! And vengeance of th' incensed state: In whose defiance it was worn, Revil'd, and spit upon, and martyr'd; 260 265 270 But when the state should hap to reel, 'Twas to submit to fatal steel, And fall, as it was consecrate, A sacrifice to fall of state; Whose thread of life the fatal sisters 275 Did twist together with its whiskers, And twine so close, that time should never, In life or death, their fortunes sever; But with his rusty sickle mow Both down together at a blow. 1 So learned Taliacotius, from The brawny part of porter's bum, His back, or rather burden, show'd, 280 285 Upon his shoulders through the fire; 290 Which now had almost. upper Hand of his head, for want of crupper. To poise this equally, he bore A paunch of the same bulk before; 295 |