CANTO I.]
HUDIBRAS.
279
Who now transform'd himself t' a bear,Began to roar aloud, and tear; 290When I as furiously press'd on,[1]My weapon down his throat to run. Laid hold on him; but he broke loose, And turn'd himself into a goose,Div'd under water, in a pond, 295To hide himself from being found; In vain I sought him; but as soon As I perceiv'd him fled and gone, Prepar'd, with equal haste and rage, His under-sorc'rer to engage; 300But bravely scorning to defile My sword with feeble blood, and vile, I judg'd it better from a quick-Set hedge to cut a knotted stick,With which I furiously laid on; 305Till, in a harsh and doleful tone, It roar'd, hold, for pity, Sir, I am too great a sufferer,[2]Abus'd as you have been b'a witch,But conjur'd int' a worse caprich,[3] 310Who sends me out on many a jaunt, Old houses in the night to haunt, For opportunities t' improve Designs of thievery or love;With drugs convey'd in drink or meat, 315All feats of witches counterfeit; Kill pigs and geese with powder'd glass, And make it for enchantment pass; With cow-itch[4] meazle like a leper,And choke with fumes of guinea pepper; 320Make lechers, and their punks, with dewtry,[5]Commit fantastical advowtry;
- ↑ Some editions read: When I furiously—
- ↑ O, for pity, is a favourite expression, frequently used by Spenser.
- ↑ That is, whim, fancy, from the Italian capriccio.
- ↑ Cowage, or Cow-itch (Mucuna pruriens), a plant introduced from the East Indies in 1680, the pod of which is covered with short hairs, which, if applied to the skin, cause great itching. It is still sometimes used by country lads and lasses in various ways, to tease each other with.
- ↑ Dewtry is the old English name for Datura, a plant belonging to the
