This said, he to his engine flew,
Plac'd near at hand, in open view,
And rais'd it 'till it levell'd right
Against the glow-worm tail of kite.

450

Then peeping thro',-Bless us! (quoth he)
It is a planet now I see;

And, if I err not, by his proper
Figure, that's like tobacco-stopper,
It should be Saturn: yes, 'tis clear
'Tis Saturn, but what makes him there?
He's got between the Dragon's tail,
And farther leg behind o' th' Whale;
Pray heav'n divert the fatal omen,
For 'tis a prodigy not common:

And can no less than the world's end,
Or nature's funeral, portend.

With that he fell again to pry,

Thro' perspective more wistfully,

455

460

is

v. 453, 454, 455. And, if 1 err not, by his proper — Figure, that's like tobacco stopper,—It should be Saturn,-] If a tobacco-stopper turned so, as to have a round knob shooting out with two ends, (and there are many such) it will be like the print we have of Saturn in many books of astronomy. (Dr. W. W.)

Dr. Harris, (see Astronomical Dialogues, p. 134, 135.) calls this but a mere ridicule: "Though (he says) it has it's use; for it impresses itself, and the thing stronger in the memory than perhaps a more just and serious description would have done."

v. 461, 462. And can no less than the world's end-Or nature's funeral, portend] Spenser thus describes the fears of the vulgar, upon the appearance of a blazing star;

Still as she fledd her eye she backward threw,

As fearing evill that poursewed her fast;
And her faire yellow lockes behind her flew,
Loosely disperst with puff of every blast:

465

470

When by mischance the fatal string,
That kept the tow'ring fowl on wing,
Breaking, down fell the star :-Well shot!-
Quoth Whachum, who right wisely thought
H' had levell'd at a star, and hit it;
But Sidrophel, more subtle-witted,
Cry'd out,-What horrible and fearful
Portent is this, to see a star fall;
It threatens nature, and the doom
Will not be long before it come!
When stars do fall, 'tis plain enough,
The day of judgment's not far off:
As lately 'twas reveal'd to Sedgwick,
And some of us find out by magic.

475

All as a blazing starre doth farre outcast

His hearie beames, and flaming lockes dispredd,

At sight whereof the people stand aghast;

But the sage wisard telles, as he has redd,

That it importunes death and dolefull dreryhedd.

Faerie Queene, B. 3. C. 1. st. 16.

(Vide Wolfii Lection. Memorab. par. post. p. 950.)

Vide Wolfii Lection. Memorab. sub Ann. 765. par. 1. p. 200. Hoc tempore stellæ de cœlo delapsœ sunt: significantes Papam & Clericos, ac Ecclesiæ optimates de negotüs cœlestibus, quorum cura sola solis illis demandata esset, desciscere, & terrenis mundi rebus se involvere.

480

485

Then since the time we have to live
In this world's shorten'd, let us strive
To make our best advantage of it,
And pay our losses with our profit.
This feat fell out not long before
The Knight, upon the forenam'd score,
In quest of Sidrophel advancing,
Was now in prospect of the mansion :
Whom he discov'ring, turn'd his glass,
And found far off, 'twas Hudibras.
Whachum (quoth he) look yonder, some
To try, or use our art are come :
The one's the learned Knight; seek out,
And pump 'em what they come about.

490

v. 477. As lately 'twas reveal'd to Sedgwick] William Sedgwick, a whimsical enthusiast, sometimes a Presbyterian, sometimes an Independent; and at other times an Anabaptist: sometimes a prophet, and pretended to foretell things out of the pulpit to the destruction of ignorant people; at other times pretended to revelations, and upon pretence of a vision that doomsday was at hand, he retired to the house of Sir Francis Russel in Cambridgeshire: and finding several gentlemen at bowls, called upon them to prepare for their dissolution; telling them, that he had lately received a revelation, that doomsday would be some day the week following; upon which they ever after called him Doomsday Sedgwick. (Wood's Athena Oxon. part 2. col. 335, 336. first edit.)

v. 491. The one's the learned Knight] It appears, from Lilly's Life, that he and the Knight were acquainted; so that from hence, and the Knight's figure, he might well know him at a distance: I need not observe (for every reader will readily do it) how naturally Whachum makes a discovery of the Knight's business from Ralpho, and how artfully he communicates it to Sidrophel. Upon this discovery is founded the Knight's surprize, and his learned debate with the conjurer, which is gradually worked up to such a warmth, as necessarily involves the Knight in a fourth engagement, whereby he happily gains a second victory. (Mr. B.)

Whachum advanc'd, with all submiss'ness T'accost 'em, but much more their bus'ness:

He held the stirrup while the Knight

From leathern bare-bones did alight;
And taking from his hand the bridle,
Approach'd the dark Squire to unriddle:
He
gave him first the time o' th' day
And welcom'd him, as he might say:

495

500

He ask'd him whence they came, and whither
Their bus'ness lay? Quoth Ralpho,-Hither.
Did you not lose?-Quoth Ralpho,-Nay;
Quoth Whachum-Sir, I meant your way!
Your Knight—Quoth Ralpho,-Is a lover, 505
And pains intol❜rable doth suffer:

For lover's hearts are not their own hearts,
Nor lights, nor lungs, and so forth downwards.
What time?Quoth Ralpho,-Sir, too long,
Three years it off and on has hung—

Quoth he,-I meant what time o' th' day 'tis ;
Quoth Ralpho,-Between seven and eight 'tis.
Why then (quoth Whachum) my small art
Tells me, the Dame has a hard heart;

510

Or great estate- -Quoth Ralph,—A jointure, 515 Which makes him have so hot a mind t' her.

Mean while the Knight was making water,

Before he fell upon the matter;

Which having done, the Wizard steps in,

To give him suitable reception;

But kept his bus'ness at a bay,

Till Whachum put him in the way;

520

Who having now, by Ralpho's light,
Expounded th' errand of the Knight;
And what he came to know, drew near,
To whisper in the conj'rer's ear,

Which he prevented thus :-What was't,
(Quoth he,) that I was saying last,
Before these gentlemen arriv'd?

525

Quoth Whachum,-Venus you retriev❜d 530
In opposition with Mars,

And no benigne friendly stars

Tallay th' effect. Quoth Wizard,—So!
In Virgo? Ha! Quoth Whachum,-No-
Has Saturn nothing to do in it?-

One tenth of's circle to a minute

"Tis well (quoth he) -Sir, you'll excuse
This rudeness, I am forc'd to use;

535

v. 530. Quoth Whachum,—Venus you retriev'd] Whachum having pumped Ralph, and learnt of him the business they came about, tells it to his master in astrological cant: Mars and Venus are the lover, and his mistress in opposition. She is not Virgo, therefore a widow. (Dr. B.)

One tenth of's circle

v. 535, 536. Has Saturn nothing to do in it? to a minute] The planet Saturn is thirty years (or thereabout) going round the Zodiac: three years being the tenth of his circle, the Conjurer told the Knight he knew his errand. Saturni circuitus absolvitur solummodo intra annos proxime triginta. Gassendi Astronomia, lib. 3. cap. 2. "The time of his revolution (says Dr. Harris, Astronomical Dialogues, p. 131.) is about thirty years, or more exactly speaking in ten thousand seven hundred and fifty nine days, six hours, and thirty six minutes. Then lost is sullen Saturn's ample bounds,

Who once in thirty years the world surrounds.

(J. Taylor's Works, p. 132.)

v. 539, 540. It is a scheme and face of heav'n — As th' aspects are dispos'd this even] See this piece of grimace exposed, Scot's Discovery of Witchcraft, book 11. chap. 21.