HUDIBRAS.
437
Your heels degraded of your spurs,[1]
And in the stocks close prisoners:
Where still they 'd lain, in base restraint, 15
If I, in pity 'f your complaint,
Had not, on hon'rable conditions,
Releast 'em from the worst of prisons;
And what return that favour met,
You cannot, tho' you wou'd forget; 20
When being free you strove t' evade
The oaths you had in prison made;
Forswore yourself, and first denied it,
But after own'd, and justified it;
And when you'd falsely broke one vow, 25
Absolv'd yourself, by breaking two.
For while you sneakingly submit,
And beg for pardon at our feet;[2]
Discourag'd by your guilty fears,
To hope for quarter, for your ears; 30
And doubting 'twas in vain to sue,
You claim us boldly as your due,
Declare that treachery and force,
To deal with us, is th' only course;
We have no title nor pretence 35
To body, soul, or conscience,
But ought to fall to that man's share
That claims us for his proper ware:
These are the motives which, t' induce,
Or fright us into love, you use; 40
A pretty new way of gallanting,
Between soliciting and ranting;
Like sturdy beggars, that intreat
For charity at once, and threat.
But since you undertake to prove 45
Your own propriety in love,
As if we were but lawful prize
In war, between two enemies,
And in the stocks close prisoners:
Where still they 'd lain, in base restraint, 15
If I, in pity 'f your complaint,
Had not, on hon'rable conditions,
Releast 'em from the worst of prisons;
And what return that favour met,
You cannot, tho' you wou'd forget; 20
When being free you strove t' evade
The oaths you had in prison made;
Forswore yourself, and first denied it,
But after own'd, and justified it;
And when you'd falsely broke one vow, 25
Absolv'd yourself, by breaking two.
For while you sneakingly submit,
And beg for pardon at our feet;[2]
Discourag'd by your guilty fears,
To hope for quarter, for your ears; 30
And doubting 'twas in vain to sue,
You claim us boldly as your due,
Declare that treachery and force,
To deal with us, is th' only course;
We have no title nor pretence 35
To body, soul, or conscience,
But ought to fall to that man's share
That claims us for his proper ware:
These are the motives which, t' induce,
Or fright us into love, you use; 40
A pretty new way of gallanting,
Between soliciting and ranting;
Like sturdy beggars, that intreat
For charity at once, and threat.
But since you undertake to prove 45
Your own propriety in love,
As if we were but lawful prize
In war, between two enemies,
