Whom he discov'ring, turu'd his glass,
And found far off 'twas Hudibras.
Whachum, quoth he, Look yonder, some
To try or use our art are come: 490
The one's the learned Knight;[1] seek out,
And pump 'em, what they come about.
Whachum advanc'd with all submiss'ness
T' accost 'em, but much more their bus'ness:
He held the stirrup, while the Knight 495
From Leathern Bare-bones[2] did alight;
And, taking from his hand the bridle,
Approach'd the dark Squire to unriddle.
He gave him first the time o' th' day,[3]
And welcom'd him, as he might say: 500
He ask'd him whence they came, and whither
Their bus'ness lay?—Quoth Ralpho, Hither.
Did you not lose?[4]—Quoth Ralpho, Nay.
Quoth Whachum, Sir, I meant your way?
Tour Knight—Quoth Ralpho, Is a lover, 505
And pains intol'rable doth suffer;
For lovers' hearts are not their own hearts,
Nov lights, nor lungs, and so forth downwards.
What time?—Quoth Ralpho, Sir, too long,
Three years it off and on has hung— 510
Quoth he, I meant what time o' th' day 'tis.
Quoth Ralpho, Between seven and eight 'tis.
Why then, quoth Whachum, my small art
Tells me the Dame has a hard heart,
Or great estate.—Quoth Ralph, A jointure, 515
Which makes him have so hot a mind t' her.
- ↑ It does not appear that Hudibras knew Sidrophel; but from lines 1011 and 1012, it is plain that Sidrophel knew Hudibras. It is extremely doubtful whether Lilly was personally acquainted with Sir Samuel Luke.
- ↑ In the early editions, Butler prints this word in italics, meaning a sly hit at that conspicuous member of Cromwell's First Parliament, Praisegod Barebones, the Leather-Seller.
- ↑ He bade him good evening: see line 540, on next page.
- ↑ He assumes that they came to inquire after something stolen or strayed. In these lines we must observe the artfulness of Whachum, who pumps the Squire concerning the Knight's business, and afterwards relates it to Sidrophel in the presence of both of them, but in the cant terms of his own profession, a contrivance already alluded to in note on line 336, at p. 225.
