That sword, which has so oft this day
Through squadrons of my foes made way,800
And some to other worlds dispatch'd,
Now with a feeble spinster match'd,
Will blush with blood ignoble stain'd,
By which no honour's to be gain'd.
But if thou'lt take m' advice in this,805
Consider, while thou may'st, what 'tis
To interrupt a victor's course,
B' opposing such a trivial force.
Tor if with conquest I come off.
And that I shall do sure enough,810
Quarter thou canst not have, nor grace,[1]
By law of arms, in such a case;
Both which I now do offer freely.
I scorn, quoth she, thou coxcomb silly,
Clapping her hand upon her breech,815
To show how much she priz'd his speech,
Quarter or counsel from a foe:
If thou canst force me to it, do.
But lest it should again be said,
When I have once more won thy head,820
I took thee napping, unprepar'd,
Arm, and betake thee to thy guard.
This said, she to her tackle fell,
And on the Knight let fall a peal
Of blows so fierce, and prest so home,825
That he retir'd, and follow'd 's bum.
Stand to't, quoth she, or yield to mercy,
It is not fighting arsie-versie[2]
- ↑ L'Estrange records a parallel to this at the siege of Pontefract. An officer having had his horse shot under him, saw two or three common soldiers with their muskets over him as he lay on the ground, ready to beat out his brains; the officer, with great presence of mind, told them to strike at their peril, for if they did, he swore a great oath he would not give quarter to a man of them. This so surprised them that they hesitated for an instant, during which the officer got up and made his escape.
- ↑ That is, wrong end uppermost, or b———e foremost. So Ray, quoting Ben Jonson, has:—
Passion of me, was ever man thus cross'd?
All things run arsi-vearsi, upside down.
See Handbook of Proverbs, p. 143.
