And by your Doom must be allow'd To be, or be no more, a Crowd. For though success did not confer Just Title on the Conquerer ; Though Dispensations were not strong Conclusions, whether right or wrong; Although Out-goings did not confirin, And owning were but a meer term': Yet as the wicked have no right To th’ Creature, though usurp'd by mnight, The property is in the Saint, From whom th' injurjonsly detain't ; Of him they hold their Luxuries, Their Dogs, their Horses, Whores and Dice; Their Riots, Revels, Masks, Delights, Pimps, Buffoons, Fidlers, Parasites; All which the Saints have Title to.. And ought t'enjoy, if th' had their due: What we take from them is no inore Than what was ours by Right before. Forįwe are their true Landlords still, And they our Tenants but at Will.
· At
At this the Knight begun to rouse,
And by degrees grow valorous.
He star'd about, and seeing none
Of all his Foes remain, but one,
He snatcht his Weapon, that lay near him,
And from the ground began to rear him
Vowing to make Crowdero
pay
For all the rest that ran away.
But Ralpho now in colder Blood,
His Fury mildly thus withstood :
Great Sir, quoth he, your mighty Spirit
Is rais'd too high, this Slave does merit
To be the Hangman's Bus’ness, fooner
Than from your hand to have the Honour
Of his Destruction ; I that am
A Nothingness in Deed and Name,
Did scorn to hurt his forfeit Carcass,
Or ill intreat his Fiddle or Cafe
Will
you, Great Sir, that Glory blot
In cold Bloud, which you gain’d in hot?
Will you employ your Conqu’ring Sword,
To break a Fiddle and your Word ?
For
For though I fought, and overcame,
And Quarter gave, 'twas in your
Name.
For Great Commanders always own
What's prosperous by the Soldier done.
To save, where you have power to kill,
Argues your Pow'r above
your Will;
And that your Will and Pow'r have less
Than both might have of Selfishness.
This Pow'r which now alive with Dread
He treinbles at, if he were Dead,
Would no more keep the Slave in Awe
Than if you were a Knight of Straw:
For Death would then be his Conqueror :
Not
you,
and free him from that Terror.
If Danger from his Life accrue,
Or Honour from his Death to you;
Twere Policy and Honour too,
To do as you resolv'd to do:
But, Sir, 'twould wrong your Valour much,
To say it needs or fears a Crutch.
Great Conquerors greater Glory gain
By Foes in Triumph led, than slain :
The
The Laurels that adorn their Brows
Are pulld from living, not dead Boughs.
And living Foes the greatest Fame
Of Cripple slain can be but lame.
One half of him's already slain,
The other is not worth your Pain;
Th’Honour can but on one side light,
As Worship did when y' were dubb'd Knight.
Wherefore I think it better far,
To keep him Prisoner of War;
And let him faft in Bonds abide,
At Court of Justice to be try’d:
so bold or crafty,
There may be Danger in his Safety;
If
any
Member there dislike His Face, or to his Beard have Pique ; Orif his Death will save, or yield, Revenge or Fright, it is reveal'd Though he has Quarter, ne’ertheless Y' have Pow'r to hang him when you please ; This has been often done by some Of our great Conquerors, you know whom :
And
And has by most of us been held
Wise Justice, and to some reveald
For Words and Promises that yoke
The Conqueror, are quickly broke ;
Like Sampson's Cuffs, though by his own
Direction and Advice put on.
For if we should fight for the Cause
By Rules of Military Laws,
And only do what they call Just,
The Cause would quickly fall to dust.
This we among our felves
our felves may speak,
But to the Wicked or the Weak,
We must be cautious to declare,
Perfe£tion Truths, such as these are.
This said, the high, outragious Mettle
Of Knight, began to cool and settle.
He lik’d the Squire's Advice, and soon
Resolv'd to see the Bus'ness done :
And therefore charg’d him first to bind
Crowdero's Hands on Rump behind,
And to its formet Place and Use
The Wooden Member to reduce :
But
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