Make true and false, unjust and just,
Of no Ufe but to be difcuft.

Difpute and fet a Paradox,

Like a strait Boot upon the Stocks,
And stretch it more unmercifully,
Than Helmont, Mountaign, White, or Tully,'
So th' Ancient Stoicks in their Porch

With fierce Dispute maintain'd their Church,
Beat out their Brains in Fight and Study,
To prove that Virtue is a Body;
That Bonum is an Animal,

:

Made good with ftout Polemick Braul
In which, fome Hundreds on the Place
Were flain outright, and many a Face
Retrench'd of Nose, and Eyes, and Beard,
To maintain what their Sect averr'd.

All which the Knight and Squire in Wrath
Had like t' have fuffer'd for their Faith; T
Each striving to make good his own,
As by the Sequel fhall be shown.
The Sun had long fince in the Lap
Of Thetis taken out his Nap,

And

And like a Lobfter boil'd, the Morn

From Black to Red began to turn.

When Hudibras, whom Thoughts and Aking 'Twixt fleeping kept all Night, and waking, Began to rub his droufie Eyes,

And from his Couch prepar'd to rife:
Refolving to dispatch the Deed,

He vow'd to do with trufty Speed.
But first, with knocking loud and bauling,
He rouz'd the Squire, in Truckle lolling;
And, after many Circumstances,

Which vulgar Authors in Romances
Do use to spend their Time and Wits on,
To make impertinent Defcription,
They got (with much ado) to Horfe,
And to the Caftle bent their Courfe,
In which, he to the Dame before
To fuffer Whipping duly fwore:
Where now arriv'd, and half 'unharneft,
To carry on the Work in earneft;
He ftopt, and paus'd upon the fudder,
And with a serious Forehead plodding,

Sprung

part 2. page, $8.

Sprung a new Scruple in his Head,

Which firft he scratch'd, and after faid;
Whether it be direct infringing

An Oath, If I fhou'd wave this fwinging,
And what I've fworn to bear, forbear,
And fo b' Equivocation swear;

Or whether 't be a leffer Sin

To be forfworn, than act the thing,
Are deep and fubtil Points, which muft,
T' inform my Confcience, be difcuft.
In which to err a Tittle may
To Errours infinite make way:
And therefore I defire to know
Thy Judgment e'er we farther
Quoth Ralpha, Since you do injoin't

go.

I shall enlarge upon the Point.
And for my own part do not doubt,
Th' Affirmative may be made out ;
But first to state the Cafe aright,
For beft advantage of our Light;
And thus 'tis: Whether 't be a Sin
To claw and curry your own Skin,