CANTO III.]
HUDIBRAS.
411
That does the feat, with braver vigours,
In words at length, as well as figures;
Is judge of all the world performs
In voluntary feats of arms,
And whatsoe'er 's achiev'd in fight, 425
Determines which is wrong or right;
For whether yon prevail, or lose,
All must be try'd there in the close;
And therefore 'tis not wise to shun
What you must trust to ere ye 've done. 430
The law that settles all you do,
And marries where you did but woo;
That makes the most perfidious lover,
A lady, that's as false, recover;[1]
And if it judge upon your side, 435
Will soon extend her for your bride,[2]
And put her person, goods, or lands,
Or which you like best, into your hands,
For law's the wisdom of all ages,
And manag'd by the ablest sages, 440
Who, tho' their bus'ness at the bar
Be but a kind of civil war,
In which th' engage with fiercer dungeons
Than e'er the Grecians did, and Trojans;
They never manage the contest 445
T' impair their public interest,
Or by their controversies lessen
The dignity of their profession;
Not like us brethren, who divide
Our commonwealth, the Cause, and side;[3] 450
And tho' we 're all as near of kindred
As th' outward man is to the inward,
We agree in nothing, but to wrangle
About the slightest fingle-fangle,
In words at length, as well as figures;
Is judge of all the world performs
In voluntary feats of arms,
And whatsoe'er 's achiev'd in fight, 425
Determines which is wrong or right;
For whether yon prevail, or lose,
All must be try'd there in the close;
And therefore 'tis not wise to shun
What you must trust to ere ye 've done. 430
The law that settles all you do,
And marries where you did but woo;
That makes the most perfidious lover,
A lady, that's as false, recover;[1]
And if it judge upon your side, 435
Will soon extend her for your bride,[2]
And put her person, goods, or lands,
Or which you like best, into your hands,
For law's the wisdom of all ages,
And manag'd by the ablest sages, 440
Who, tho' their bus'ness at the bar
Be but a kind of civil war,
In which th' engage with fiercer dungeons
Than e'er the Grecians did, and Trojans;
They never manage the contest 445
T' impair their public interest,
Or by their controversies lessen
The dignity of their profession;
Not like us brethren, who divide
Our commonwealth, the Cause, and side;[3] 450
And tho' we 're all as near of kindred
As th' outward man is to the inward,
We agree in nothing, but to wrangle
About the slightest fingle-fangle,
- ↑ That, is, the law will recover a lady though she be as false as the most perfidious lover.
- ↑ Meaning to levy an extent upon the lady: seize her for your use in satisfaction of the debt.
- ↑ Take part on one side or the other. Whereas we who have a common interest, a common cause, a common party against the Royalists and Episcopalians, weaken our strength by internal divisions among ourselves
