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HUDIBRAS.
[PART III.
His flea, his morpion, and punese,[1]He 'ad gotten for his proper ease,And all in perfect minutes made,By th' ablest artists of the trade; 440Which, he could prove it, since he lost, He has been eaten up almost,And altogether, might amountTo many hundreds on account;For which he 'ad got sufficient warrant 445To seize the malefactors errant, Without capacity of bail,But of a cart's or horse's tail;And did not doubt to bring the wretches To serve for pendulums to watches, 450Which, modern virtuosi say,Incline to hanging every way.[2]Beside, he swore, and swore 'twas true, That ere he went in quest of you,He set a figure to discover 455If you were fled to Rye or Dover; And found it clear, that to betray Yourself and me, you fled this way; And that he was upon pursuit,To take you somewhere hereabout. 460He vow'd he'd had intelligenceOf all that pass'd before and since; And found, that ere you came to him, Y' had been engaging life and limb About a case of tender conscience, 465Where both abounded in your own sense; Till Ralpho, by his Light and Grace, Had clear'd all scruples in the case, And prov'd that you might swear, and own Whatever's by the Wicked done: 470For which, most basely to requiteThe service of his Gifts and Light,
