'Twas Presbyterian true blue; For he was of that stubborn crew Of errant faints, whom all men grant To be the true Church Militant; And prove their doctrine orthodox, 195 200 Which religion he profeffed was more eligible than that he endeavoured to demolish. Whether the Poet has been juft in the pourtrait must be left to every reader's ebfervation. Ver. 193, 194.] Where Prefbytery has been eftablifhed, it has been ufually effected by force of arms, like the religion of Mahomet: thus it was established at Geneva in Switzerland, Holland, Scotland, &c. In France, for fome time, by that means, it obtained a toleration much blood was shed to get it established in England; and once, during that Grand Rebellion, it seemed very near gaining an eftablishment here. : Ver. 195, 196.] Upon thefe Cornet Joyce built his faith, when he carried away the King, by force, from Holdenby: for when his Majefty afked him for a fight of his inftructions, Joyce faid, He should fee them prefently; and fo drawing up his troop in the inward court, Thefe, Sir, (faid the Cornet) are my in"ftructions." Ver 199, 200.] Many inftances of that kind are given by Dr. Walker, in his Sufferings of the Epifcopal Clergy. Which always must be carry'd on, 205 210 215 220 All Ver. 207, 208.] The religion of the Prefbyterians of those times confifted principally in an oppofition to the Church of England, and in quarreling with the most innocent cuftoms then in ufe, as the eating Chriftmas-pies and plum-porridge at Christmas, which they reputed finful. Ver. 213, 214.] They were fo remarkably obftinate in this refpect, that they kept a faft upon Christmasday. Ver. 215, 216.] Added in 1674. All piety confifts therein In them, in other men all fin: Rather than fail, they will defy 225 That which they love moft tenderly; Quarrel with minc'd pies, and disparage Their best and dearest friend, plum-porridge; Fat pig and goofe itself oppofe, And blafpheme custard through the nose. 230 Like Mahomet's, were afs and widgeon, To whom our Knight, by fast instinct 235 Had got th' advowson of his confcience. We mean on th' infide, not the outward: Then liften, Sirs, it follows thus. 240 His Ver. 235, 236.] Dr. Bruno Ryves gives a remarkable inftance of a fanatical confcience in a captain who was invited by a foldier to eat part of a goofe with him; but refufed, because, he said, it was ftolen: but being to march away, he who would eat no ftolen goose, made no fcruple to ride away upon a ftolen mare; for, plundering Mrs. Bartlet of her mare, this hypocritical captain gave fufficient teftimony to the world that the old Pharifee and new Puritan have confciences of the felf-fame temper, "To strain at a gnat, and swallow 66 a camel. His tawny beard was th' equal grace The nether orange, mix'd with grey. 245 Ver. 241.] Mr. Butler, in his defcription of Hudibras's beard, feems to have had an eye to Jaques' defcription of the Country Juftice, in Shakespeare's play, As you like it. It may be asked, why the Poet is fo particular upon the Knight's beard, and gives it the preference to all his other accoutrements? The answer feems to be plain; the Knight had made a vow not to cut it till the Parliament had fubdued the King; hence it became neceffary to have it fully defcribed. Ver. 257. It was monaftic.] Altered to canonic, 1674. Restored, 1704. 'Twas bound to fuffer perfecution, And martyrdom, with refolution; But when the ftate fhould hap to reel, And fall, as it was confecrate, 265 ༡༢༧ A facrifice to fall of state, Whose thread of life the Fatal Sisters 275 Did twift together with its whiskers, And twine fo clofe, that Time fhould never, Ver. 281.] Gafper Taliacotius was born at Bononia, A. D. 1553, and was Profeffor of Phyfic and Surgery there. He died 1599. His ftatue ftands in the Anatomy Theatre, holding a nofe in its hand. He wrote a treatife in Latin called Chirurgia Nota, in which he teaches the art of ingrafting nofes, ears, lips, &c. with the proper inftruments and bandages. This book has paffed through two editions. |