But to that purpose first surrender
The fiddler, as the prime oftender,[1]
Th' incendiary vile, that is chief
Author, and engineer of mischief;670
That makes division between friends,
For profane and malignant ends.
He and that engine of vile noise,
On which illegally he plays,
Shall, dictum factum, both be brought675
To condign punishment, as th' ought.
This must be done, and I would fain see
Mortal so sturdy as to gainsay:
For then I'll take another course,
And soon reduce you all by force.680
This said, he clapt his hand on sword,
To show he meant to keep his word.
But Talgol, who had long supprest
Inflamed wrath in glowing breast,
Which now began to rage and burn as685
Implacably as flame in furnace.
Thus answer'd him: Thou vermin wretched,[2]
As e'er in measled pork was hatched;
Thou tail of worship, that dost grow
On rump of justice as of cow;690
How dar'st thou with that sullen luggage
O' th'self, old iron,[3] and other baggage,
With which thy steed of bones and leather
Has broke his wind in halting hither;
- ↑ Alluding to the fable of the trumpeter, who was put to death for setting people together by the ears without fighting himself. It is meant to ridicule the clamours made by parliament against supposed evil counsellors; by which Strafford, Laud, and others were sacrificed.
- ↑ The speech, though coarse, and becoming the mouth of a butcher (see Canto II. l. 295), is an excellent satire upon the justices of the peace in those days, who were often shoemakers, tailors, or common livery servants. Instead of making peace with their neighbours, they hunted impertinently for trifling offences, and severely punished them. "But it may be asked (says Grey) why Talgol was the first in answering the knight, when it seems more incumbent upon the bearward to make the defence? Probably Talgol might then be a Cavalier; for the character the poet has given him does not infer the contrary, and his answer carries strong indications to justify the conjecture."
- ↑ Meaning his sword and pistols.
