Page:Hudibras - Volume 1 (Butler, Nash, Bohn; 1859).djvu/189

And tho' th' art of a diff'rent church,
I will not leave thee in the lurch.^[1]
This said, he jogg'd his good steed nigher,765
And steer'd him gently toward the Squire;
Then bowing down his body, stretch'd
His hand out, and at Ralpho reach'd;
When Trulla, whom he did not mind,
Charg'd him like lightning behind. 770
She had been long in search about
Magnano's wound, to find it out;
But could find none, nor where the shot
That had so startled him was got:
But having found the worst was past 775
She fell to her own work at last,
The pillage of the prisoners,
Which in all feats of arms was hers:
And now to plunder Ralph she flew,
When Hudibras his hard fate drew 780
To succour him; for, as he bow'd
To help him up, she laid a load
Of blows so heavy, and plac'd so well,
On th' other side, that down he fell.
Yield, scoundrel, base, quoth she, or die, 785
Thy life is mine, and liberty:
But if thou think'st I took thee tardy,
And dar'st presume to be so hardy,
To try thy fortune o'er afresh,
I'll wave my title to thy flesh,790
Thy arms and baggage, now my right:^[2]
And if thou hast the heart to try't,
I'll lend thee back thyself awhile,
And once more, for that carcase vile,
Fight upon tick.—Quoth Hudibras, 795
Thou offer'st nobly, valiant lass,
And I shall take thee at thy word.
First let me rise, and take my sword;

1. This is a sneer at the Independents, who, when they got possession of the government, deserted their old allies, the Presbyterians, and treated them with great hauteur.
2. The application of the "law of arms," as expounded in the old romances, to this case, is exquisitely ludicrous.