THE

PREFACE.

T

HOUGH fomewhat has already been faid in the way of Preface, by the writer of Mr. Butler's Life; yet it may not be amifs, to give the Reader a fhort account of the purport and design of these Notes.

They are chiefly Hiftorical, and Explanatory, with a small mixture of Critical ones by my Friends. The last are defign'd to illustrate some few of the Poetical Beauties of Hudibras, and to prove that it is at least equal to the most celebrated Poems in the English Language: and it's conformity in fome refpects to Epic Poetry, will be evinc'd, and comparisons here and there drawn from Homer, Virgil, and Milton.

But these are so few, that it is much to be lamented, that the Poet has not yet met with an Addifon, a Prior, a Pope, or a Swift, to do him justice in this respect.

The Historical and Explanatory Notes are intended to clear up the Hiftorical parts of the

Poem; which have in a great measure been pass'd over in the former Annotations.

And the Reader 'tis hop'd, will better apprehend, and relish the Satire couch'd in this Poem, when he is acquainted with the Perfons and Tranfactions, at which it is levell❜d.

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Though Hudibras has pafs'd many Editions, the Real Perfons fhadow'd under borrow'd and fictitious Names, have never yet been discover'd any of them: This has engaged the generality of Readers, to think, that thofe Renown'd Champions, Crowdero, Orfin, Talgol, Magnano, Cerdon, Colon, and the Brave Heroine Trulla, were only Imaginary Perfons; from whence many have concluded thefe Adventures to be Romantic and Fabulous, inftead of True Hiftory: But in the course of these Notes, I fhall endeavour to obvi

ate that Error; and hope to prove that the great

eft part of the Poem contains a Series of Adventures that did really happen: all the real Persons fhadow'd under fictitious Characters will be brought to view from Sir Roger L'Eftrange, who being perfonally acquainted with the Poet, undoubtedly received the Secret from him.

Under the Perfon, whom he calls Hudibras, whom he makes the Hero of this Poem, the Author gives us the true Character of a Prefbyterian Committee-man and Justice of the Peace, who,

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notwithstanding they themselves were guilty of all forts of Wickedness, yet pretended to be fo scrupulous, that they could not in Conscience permit the Country People to use the Diversions they were sometimes accustom'd to, of Dancing round a May-pole, Bear-baitings, Riding the Skimmington, and the like.

The Character therefore of the Knight might fuit many of those busy, meddling, pragmatical Fellows, who were put into Committees then set up in every County, and the Commiffions of the Peace, that they might opprefs all fuch as were believed to be Friends to the King, and the Ancient Government in Church and State; and who acted like fo many petty Tyrants in all Parts of the Nation: However, we can hardly doubt, but the Author had one particular Person in view, whofe Adventures he gives us under the Name of Hudibras, who actually endeavour'd to fupprefs a Bear-baiting, and set a Fidler in the Stocks, and was on that occafion vilified, and abus'd by the Mob. It has been fuggested by a reverend and learned Perfon, to whom I fhall acknowledge my obligations, before I finish this Preface; That notwithstanding Sir Samuel Luke of Wood-End in the Parish of Cople, in Bedfordshire, has generally been reputed the Hero of this Poem; yet from the Circumftances of his being compared to Sir Samuel

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Samuel Luke, Part 1. Canto 1. line. 906, &c. it is scarce probable, that he was intended, it being an uncommon thing to compare a Perfon to himself: that the Scene of Action was in Western Clime; whereas Bedfordshire is North of London; and that he was credibly inform'd by a Bencher of GraysInn, who had it from an Acquaintance of Mr. Butler's, that the Perfon intended, was Sir Henry Rofewell of Ford-Abbey in Devonshire. These indeed would be probable Reasons, to deprive Bedfordshire of its Hero, did not Mr. Butler in his Memoirs of 1649. give the fame Description of Sir Samuel Luke; and in his Dunstable Downs exprefly ftyle Sir Samuel Luke, Sir Hudibras. And from the fham Second Part, publish'd 1663. it appears, that the Bear-baiting was at Brentford, which is Weft of London. and this might induce him to fay, Part 1. Canto 1. v. 677.

In Western Clime there is a Town, &c.

The design of the Author in writing this Poem, was to expose the Hypocrify and Wickedness of thofe, who began and carried on the Rebellion, under a Pretence of promoting Religion and Godlinefs; at the fame time that they acted against all the precepts of Religion. But in order to understand the several Difputes between the Knight and Squire, it may be proper to give an abstract of their Forms of Church Government and Wor

fhip, which may be a Clue to guide us through several parts of the Poem, which to the generality of Readers may be thought not a little intricate. And first, to give some account of the Presbyterian Scheme of Church Government, as they endeavoured to have it fet up here; and likewise of the Independent Scheme, (whom the Anabaptifts alfo, fuch as Ralph was, agreed with in this Point, though they differ'd about Infant Baptifm, who were also for a fort of Church Government, but very different from That of the Prefbyterians.) I think This the more neceffary, because little of it is to be found in our Hiftories of thofe Times: and without fome knowledge of their several Schemes, many things, particularly the Rubs the Squire gives the Knight in this Poem, and the Dif putes between them, are not to be understood.

According to the Presbyterian Scheme, every Parish was to have a Paftor or Minifter, and Two Ruling Elders, who were Lay-Men, to be chofen by the Parishioners, and one or more Deacons to be chofen in the fame manner, who were to receive the Alms collected at the Church Doors, and to distribute them as directed by the Minifter, and Ruling Elders: and they had a Scribe to regifter what they did. It was a standing Maxim, That in all cafes, there fhould be Two Ruling Elders to One Minifter, and these governed by the whole

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