Has all his Flames and Raptures double,
And hangs or drowns with half the trouble;
While those who fillily pursue
The Simple, Downright Way and True,
Make as unlucky Applications,
And steer against the stream their Paffions.
Some forge their Mistresses of Stars :
And when the Ladies prove averse,
And more untoward to be
Than by Caligula the Moon,
Cry out upon the Stars for doing
Ill Offices, to cross their wooing;
When only by themselves they're hindred,
For trusting those they made her Kindred :
And still, the harsher and hide-bounder
The Damfels prove, become the fonder.
For what mad Lover ever dy'd,
To gain a foft and gentle Bride?
Or for a Lady tender-hearted,
In purling Streams or Hemp departed?
Leap'd headlong int' Elyzium,
Through th' Windows of a dazling Room?
But for fome crofs ill-natur'd Dame,
The am'rous Fly burnt in his Flame.
This to the Knight could be no News,
With all Mankind fo much in ufe;
Who therefore took the wiser Course,
To make the most of his Amours,
Refolv'd to try all forts of ways,
As follows in due Time and Place.
No fooner was the Bloody Fight
Between the Wizzard and the Knight,
With all th' Appurtenances, over,
But he relaps'd again t' a Lover:
As he was always wont to do
When h' had discomfited a Foe,
And us'd the only Antique Philters
Deriv'd from old Heroick Tilters.
But now Triumphant and Victorious,
He held th' Achievment was too glorious
For fuch a Conqueror, to meddle
With Petty Constable, or Beadle;
Or fly for Refuge to the Hoftefs
Of th' Inns of Court and Chanc'ry, Justice 3
Who might, perhaps, reduce his Caufe
To th' Ordeal Tryal of the Laws;
Where none escape, but fuch as branded
With red-hot Irons have past bare-handed;
And if they cannot read one Verfe
I' th' Pfalms, muft fing it, and that's worse.
He therefore judging it below him,
To tempt a Shame the Devil might owe him,
Refolv'd to leave the Squire for Bail
And Mainprize for him, to the Gaol,
To answer, with his Veffel, all
That might difaftrously befal.
And thought it now the fittest Juncture
To give the Lady a Rencounter,
T'acquaint her with his Expedition,
And Conqueft o'er the fierce Magician;
Describe the manner of the Fray,
And fhew the Spoils he brought away;
His bloody Scourging aggravate,
The Number of the Blows and Weight.
All which might probably fucceed,
And gain Belief h' had done the Deed.
Which he refolv'd t' enforce, and fpare
No pawning of his Soul to fwear;
But, rather than produce his Back,
To fet his Confcience on the Rack:
And in pursuance of his urging
Of Articles perform'd, and Scourging,
And all things elfe upon his part,
Demand Delivery of her Heart,
Her Goods, and Chattels, and good Graces,
And Perfon, up to his Embraces. La
Thought he, the ancient Errant Knights
Won all their Ladies Hearts in Fights:
And cut whole Gyants into Fritters,
To put them into amorous Twitters;
Whose stubborn Bowels fcorn'd to yield
Until their Gallants were half kill'd:
But when their Bones were drub'd fo fore
They durft not move one Combate more,
The Ladies Hearts began to melt,
Subdu'd with Blows their Lovers felt.
So Spanish Heroes with their Lances,
At once wound Bulls and Ladies Fancies:
A 4
And he acquires the nobleft Spouse
That widows greateft Herds of Cows;
Then what may I expect to do,
Who've quell'd fo vaft a Buffalo?
Mean while the Squire was on his way,
The Knight's late Orders to obey;
Who fent him for a strong Detachment,
Of Beadle, Conftable and Watchmen, du
T'.attack the Cunning man for Plunder
Committed falfly on his Lumber;
When he, who had fo lately fack'ḍ
The Enemy, had done the Fact, de lla
Had rifled all his Pokes and Fobs wan
Of Gimcracks, Whims cand Figgumbobs,
Which he by hook or crook had gather'd,
And for his own Inventions father'd
And when they should, at Gaol-delivery,
Unriddle one another's Thievery,
Both might have Evidence enough,
To render neither Halter-proof.
He thought it defperate to tarry,
And venture to be acceffary;
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