That all that we determine here, The doubts of law and justice by. 297 225 230 Quoth she,—What is it you wou'd swear? 235 (As schools are wont) for your fair T avoid all scruples in the case, eyes: By Sidrophel the witch, and haunted Who took my Squire and me for two; 240 245 v. 252. Loud as the Stentrophonick voice] Stentor, a famous crier in the Grecian army, who had a voice as loud as fifty men's put together. Στέντορι εἰσαμένη μεγαλήτορι χαλκεοφώνῳ. Homeri Iliad. lib. 5. v. 785. Heaven's Empress mingles with the mortal crowd, Before I'd hardly time to lay Th' hast broke perfidiously thy oath, 250 255 Where th' hadst so great a prize at stake: 260 Stentor the strong, endued with brazen lungs, Vide Juvenal, Sat. 13, 112. Tu miser exclamas, ut Stentora vincere possis. Mr. Dryden. Vide Erasmi Adag. Chil. 2. Cent. 3. Prov. 37. Isaac Bickerstaff, Esq. (see Tatler, No. 37.) observes of Tom Bellfrey, that he carried a note four furlongs, three rood, and six poles farther than any man in England. And Dr. Derham (Physico-Theology, book 4. chap. 3. p. 134. edit. 1727.) makes mention of a Dutchman, who brake rummer glasses with the strength of his voice. Mr. Butler probably alludes to the speaking-trumpet, which was much improved by Sir Samuel Morland in the year 1671, (seven years before the publication of this third part.) See Philosophical Transactions. vol. 5, No. 79. p. 3056. Ibid. The speaking trumpet was formerly called the Stentorophonictube. See Harris's Lexicon Technicum. (ED.) Unless thou presently make haste; 270 Time is, Time was!-and there it ceas'd. To stand upon my guard and scout, 275 280 v. 278. -chaste contemplative bardashing] Bulwer says, the Turks call effeminate youths, who have no beards, bardasses, that is, sodomitical boys. Artificial Changeling, scene 12. p. 209. (ED.) v. 280. and scout] A sneer probably upon Sir Samuel Luke's office, as a scout-master. v. 282. And th' under-witch, his Caliban] See an account of the monster Caliban, son to the witch Sycorax, under subjection to Prospero, Duke of Milan, (a famous magician) who thus describes him : Then was this island (Save for the son that she did litter here A freckled whelp, hag-born) not honour'd with A human shape. Shakespear's Tempest, vol. 1. p. 15, &c. Spectator, No. 279. With scourges (like the Furies) arm'd, Who now transform'd himself t' a bear, My weapon down his throat to run, To hide himself from being found. 285 290 295 v. 289. Transform'd himself t' a bear] Alluding to the fable of Proteus's changes. Ovidii Metamorph. lib. 8. 730, &c. As thou, blue Proteus, ranger of the seas, Now like a hateful, gliding snake art seen, A bull with horned head, a stone, or spreading green; Or in a flood do'st flow a watery way, Dissembling streams, or in bright fire dost play. Ovid's Metamorphoses, translated by Mr. Sewell, &c. 2d edit. p. 253. (Vide Virgilii Georgic. lib. 4. p. 405, &c.) v. 293, 294. but he broke loose,-And turn'd himself into a goose] See Amarillis's account of the transforming well, Fletcher's Faithful Shepherdess, act 2. p. 23. act 3. sc. 1. p. 27. edit. 4to. v. 295, 296. Div'd under water, in a pond,-To hide himself from being found] Alluding to the account of Proteus: ——aut in aquas tenues dilapsus abibit. Virgilii Georgic. lib. 4. 410. Prepar'd with equal haste and rage, Abus'd, as you have been, b' a witch, With drugs convey'd in drink or meat, Kill pigs and geese with powder'd glass 300 305 310 315 And choak with fumes of guinea-pepper; 320 .301, 302. But bravely scorning to defile-My sword with feeble blood and vile, &c.] Thus the Boiarens of Novogrod used their slaves, who had seized their towns, lands, houses, and wives in their absence; and when they met their masters in a warlike manner, the latter determined to set upon them with no other weapons but their horse-whips, to put them in mind of their servile condition, and to terrify them; and so marching and lashing all together with their whips, they gave the onset, which seemed so terrible in the ears of their villains, that they fled all together, like sheep before the drivers. (See Dr. Giles Fletcher's Account of Russia. Purchase his Pilgrims, part 3. lib. 3. p. 418, 419.) |