416
HUDIBRAS.
[PART III.
Where, in all governments and times,
He 'd been both friend and foe to crimes,
And us'd two equal ways of gaining,
By hind'ring justice, or maintaining,[1]
To many a whore gave privilege, 585
And whipp'd, for want of quarterage;
Cart-loads of bawds to prison sent,
For b'ing behind a fortnight's rent;
And many a trusty pimp and crony
To Puddle-dock,[2] for want of money: 590
Engag'd the constables to seize
All those that wou'd not break the peace;
Nor give him back his own foul words,
Though sometimes commoners, or lords,
And kept 'em prisoners of course, 595
For being sober at ill hours;
That in the morning he might free
Or bind 'em over for his fee.
Made monsters fine, and puppet-plays,
For leave to practise in their ways; 600
Farm'd out all cheats, and went a share
With th' headborough and scavenger;
And made the dirt i' th' streets compound,
For taking up the public ground;[3]
The kennel, and the king's high-way, 605
For being unmolested, pay;
Let out the stocks and whipping-post,
And eage, to those that gave him most;
Impos'd a tax on bakers' ears,[4]
And for false weights on chandelers; 610
Made victuallers and vintners fine
For arbitrary ale and wine.[5]
He 'd been both friend and foe to crimes,
And us'd two equal ways of gaining,
By hind'ring justice, or maintaining,[1]
To many a whore gave privilege, 585
And whipp'd, for want of quarterage;
Cart-loads of bawds to prison sent,
For b'ing behind a fortnight's rent;
And many a trusty pimp and crony
To Puddle-dock,[2] for want of money: 590
Engag'd the constables to seize
All those that wou'd not break the peace;
Nor give him back his own foul words,
Though sometimes commoners, or lords,
And kept 'em prisoners of course, 595
For being sober at ill hours;
That in the morning he might free
Or bind 'em over for his fee.
Made monsters fine, and puppet-plays,
For leave to practise in their ways; 600
Farm'd out all cheats, and went a share
With th' headborough and scavenger;
And made the dirt i' th' streets compound,
For taking up the public ground;[3]
The kennel, and the king's high-way, 605
For being unmolested, pay;
Let out the stocks and whipping-post,
And eage, to those that gave him most;
Impos'd a tax on bakers' ears,[4]
And for false weights on chandelers; 610
Made victuallers and vintners fine
For arbitrary ale and wine.[5]
- ↑ Butler served some years as clerk to a justice. The person who employed him was an able magistrate, and respectable character: but in that situation he might have had an opportunity of making himself acquainted with the practice of trading justices.
- ↑ There was a gaol at this place for petty offenders.
- ↑ Did not levy the penalty for a nuisance, but compounded with the offender by accepting a bribe.
- ↑ That is, took a bribe to save them from the pillory. Bakers were liable to have their ears cropped for light weights.
- ↑ For selling ale or wine without licence, or by less than the statutable
