But if this bold adventure e'er
Do chance to reach the widow's ear,
It may, b'ing destin'd to assert
Her sex's honour, reach her heart:
And as such homely treats (they say)
Portend good fortune, so this may.
U VESPASIAN being daub'd with dirt,
Was destin'd to the empire for't;
And from a Scavenger did come
To be a mighty Prince in Rome:
And why may not this foul address

875

880

Presage in love the same success?

Then let us straight, to cleanse our wounds,

885

Advance in quest of nearest ponds;

And after (as we first design'd)

Swear I've perform'd what she enjoin'd.

THE ARGUMENT.

The Knight, with various Doubts possest,
To win the Lady goes in quest
OfSidrophel, the Rosy-Crucian,
To know the Dest nies' Resolution;

With whom b'ing met, they both chop I.cgick
About the Science Astrologick,

Till falling from Dispute to Fight,
The Conj'rer's worsted by the Knight.

D

OUBTLESS the pleasure is as great
Of being cheated as to cheat;

As lookers-on feel most delight,
That least perceive a jugler's slight;
And still the less they understand,
The more th' admire his slight of hand.

Some with a noise, and greasy light,
Are snapt, as men catch larks by night;
Ensnar'd and hamper'd by the soul,
As nooses by their legs catch fowl.
Some with a med'cine, and receipt,
Are drawn to nibble at the bait;
And tho' it be a two-foot trout,
'Tis with a single hair pull'd out.

Others believe no voice t' an organ
So sweet as lawyer's in his bar-gown,
Until with subtle cobweb-cheats

Th' are catch'd in knotted law, like nets;
In which, when once they are imbrangled,

The more they stir, the more they're tangled;
And while their purses can dispute,

There's no end of th' immortal suit.

10

15

20

What shall and what shall never be ;
And, as those vultures do forebode,
Believe events prove bad or good:

A flam more senseless than the roguery
Of old aruspicy and augʼry.
That out of garbages of cattle

Presag'd th' events of truce or battle ;.
From flight of birds, or chickens pecking,
Success of great'st attempts would reckon :
Though cheats, yet more intelligible
Than those that with the stars do fribble..
This HUDIBRAS by proof found true,
As in due time and place we'll shew:

25

30

35

For he, with beard and face made clean,

B'ing mounted on his steed agen,

40

(And RALPHO got a cock-horse too

Upon his beast, with much ado)
Advanc'd on for the Widow's house,
To acquit himself, and pay his vows;
When various thoughts began to bustle,
And with his inward man to justle.
He thought what danger might accrue
If she should find he swore untrue;
Or if his squire or he should fail,
And not be punctual in their tale:
It might at once the ruin prove

45

50

Both of his honour, faith, and love.

But if he should forbear to go,

She might conclude l' had broke his vow;
And that he durst not now for shame

55

Appear in court to try his claim.