HU DIBRA S. IN THREE PARTS. PART III. CANTO II. T The Saints engage in fierce contests To share their facrilegious preys HE learned write, an infect breeze Is but a mongrel prince of bees, That falls before a storm on cows, And ftings the founders of his houfe, From This Canto is entirely independent of the adventures of Hudibras and Ralpho: neither of our heroes make their appearance: other characters are introduced, and a new vein of fatire is exhibited. The Poet steps out of his road, and fkips from the time wherein these adventures B 2 From whofe corrupted flesh that breed Upon their mothers got their fons, That empire any other way; 10 15 So adventures happened to Cromwell's death, and from thence to the diffolution of the Rump Parliament. This conduct is allowable in a fatirift, whofe privilege it is to ramble wherever he pleafes, and to ftigmatize vice, faction, and rebellion, where and whenever he meets with them. He is not tied down to the obfervance of unity of action, time, or place, though he has hitherto had a regard to fuch decorums: but now, and here only, he claims the privilege of a fatirift, and deviates from order, time, and uniformity, and deferts his principal actors: he purposely fends them out of the way, that we may attend to a lively reprefentation of the principles and politics of Prefbyterians, Independents, and Republicans, upon the dawning of the Reftoration. He fets before us a full view of the treachery and underminings of each faction; and fure it is with pleasure we fee the fears and commotions they were in upon the happy declenfion of their tyrannical power and government. All thefe occurrences Tully and faithfully related in this Canto, and the al facts are warranted by history. So Prefbyter begot the other Upon the Good Old Cause, his mother, Then bore them, like the devil's dam, Their constant actions, plainly' appears. 20 25 ૩૦ 35 O' th' King's revenue, and the Church's, But all divided, fhar'd, and gone, That us'd to urge the Brethren on; Which forc'd the ftubborn'ft for the Caufe, To cross the cudgels to the laws, 40 That what by breaking them they 'ad gain'd, By their support might be maintain'd; Like thieves, that in a hemp-plot lie, Secur'd against the Hue-and-cry; For Prefbyter and Independent Were now turn'd Plaintiff and Defendant; B 3 45 Laid Laid out their apoftolic functions. On carnal Orders and Injunctions; Worfe than the Dragon and St. Michael, For when, like brethren, and like friends,. And every partner to poffefs His church and ftate joint-purchases, In which the ableft Saint, and best, Upon his outward man and 's heirs ; 55. 60 65 70 Degraded from the right of Saints.. This being reveal'd, they now begun 75 With law and confcience to fall on, And |