And laid about him, till his nose
From thrall of ring and cord broke loose.900
Soon as he felt himself enlarg'd,
Through thickest of his foes he charg'd,
And made way through th' amazed crew,
Some he o'erran, and some o'erthrew.
But took none; for, by hasty flight,905
He strove t' avoid the conquering Knight,
From whom he fled with as much haste
And dread as he the rabble chased.
In haste he fled, and so did they,
Each and his fear[1] a several way.910
Crowdero only kept the field.
Not stirring from the place he held,
Though beaten down, and wounded sore,
I' th' fiddle, and a leg that bore
One side of him, not that of bone,915
But much its better, th' wooden one.
He spying Hudibras lie strow'd
Upon the ground, like log of wood,
With fright of fall, supposed wound,
And loss of urine, in a swound;[2]920
In haste he snatch'd the wooden limb,
That hurt i' th' ankle lay by him,
And fitting it for sudden fight,
Straight drew it up t' attack the Knight;
For getting up on stump and huckle,[3]925
He with the foe began to buckle,
Vowing to be reveng'd for breach
Of crowd and shin upon the wretch,
Sole author of all detriment
He and his fiddle underwent.930
But Ralpho, who had now begun
T' adventure resurrection[4]
- ↑ That is, that which he feared.
- ↑ The twofold effect of the Knight's fear.
- ↑ Put here for "knee;" the word means "hip."
- ↑ A ridicule on the Sectaries who were fond of using Scripture phrases.
Wars, it being common for those of either party, at a distressful juncture, to come to the king or parliament with some unreasonable demands; and if they were not complied with, to throw up their commissions, and go over to the opposite side: pretending, that they could not in honour serve any longer under such unsoldier-like indignities.
