378
HUDIBRAS.
[PART III.
For Oliver had gotten ground,
T' enclose him with his warriors round;
Had brought his providence about,
And turn'd th' untimely[1] sophists out. 1260
Nor had the Uxbridge bus'ness less[2]
Of nonsense in 't, or sottishness;
When from a scoundrel holder-forth,
The scum, as well as son o' th' earth,
Your mighty senators took law, 1265
At his command were forc'd t' withdraw,
And sacrifice the peace o' th' nation
To doctrine, use, and application.
So when the Scots, your constant cronies,
Th' espousers of your cause and monies,[3] 1270
Who had so often, in your aid,
So many ways been soundly paid,
Came in at last for better ends,
To prove themselves your trusty friends,
You basely left them, and the church 1275
They'd train'd you up to, in the lurch,
And suffer'd your own tribe of Christians
To fall before, as true Philistines.[4]
This shows what utensils you 've been,
To bring the king's concernments in; 1280
Which is so far from being true,
That none but he can bring in you;
T' enclose him with his warriors round;
Had brought his providence about,
And turn'd th' untimely[1] sophists out. 1260
Nor had the Uxbridge bus'ness less[2]
Of nonsense in 't, or sottishness;
When from a scoundrel holder-forth,
The scum, as well as son o' th' earth,
Your mighty senators took law, 1265
At his command were forc'd t' withdraw,
And sacrifice the peace o' th' nation
To doctrine, use, and application.
So when the Scots, your constant cronies,
Th' espousers of your cause and monies,[3] 1270
Who had so often, in your aid,
So many ways been soundly paid,
Came in at last for better ends,
To prove themselves your trusty friends,
You basely left them, and the church 1275
They'd train'd you up to, in the lurch,
And suffer'd your own tribe of Christians
To fall before, as true Philistines.[4]
This shows what utensils you 've been,
To bring the king's concernments in; 1280
Which is so far from being true,
That none but he can bring in you;
- ↑ Untimely here means unseasonable.
- ↑ Christopher Love, a violent Presbyterian, who preached a sermon at Uxbridge during the treaty held there, introducing many reflections upon his Majesty's person and government, and stirring up the people against the king's commissioners. He was afterwards executed (in 1651) for treason, by means of Cromwell and the Independents.
- ↑ The Scots, in their first expedition, 1640, had £300,000 given them for brotherly assistance, besides a contribution of £850 a day from the northern counties. In their second expedition, 1643, besides much free quarter, they had £19,700 monthly, and received £72,972 in one year by customs on coals. The Parliament agreed to give them £400,000 on the surrender of the king.—Dugdale.
- ↑ The Scots made a third expedition into England for the rescue of the king, in 1648, under the Duke of Hamilton. They entered a fourth time under Charles II., expecting the Presbyterians, their own brethren, to support them. But the latter joined Cromwell and the Independents; thus occasioning the portion of the true church to fall before the Independent army, whom they reckoned no better than Philistines.
