He tumbled down, and, as he fell,

Did Murther! murther! murther!' yell.
This startled their whole body so,

That if the knight had not let go
His arms, but been in warlike plight,
He 'ad won, the second time, the fight;
As, if the squire had but fallen on,
He had inevitably done:

But he, diverted with the care
Of Hudibras his wound, forbare
To press th' advantage of his fortune,
While danger did the rest dishearten.
For he with Cerdon being engaged
In close encounter, they both waged
The fight so well, 'twas hard to say
Which side was like to get the day.
And now the busy work of death
Had tired them so, they 'greed to breathe,
Preparing to renew the fight,
When the disaster of the knight,
And th' other party, did divert
Their fell intent, and forced them part.
Ralpho pressed up to Hudibras,
And Cerdon where Magnano was,
Each striving to confirm his party
With stout encouragements and hearty.
Quoth Ralpho, Courage, valiant Sir,
And let revenge and honour stir
Your spirits up; once more fall on,
The shattered foe begins to run:
For if but half so well you knew
To use your victory as subdue,
They durst not, after such a blow
As

you have given them, face us now;

* Dr. Nash thinks this has some reference to Prince Rupert, who was generally successful at his first onset, but sometimes lost his advantage by too long a pursuit.

But from so formidable a soldier,

Had fled like crows when they smell powder.
Thrice have they seen your sword aloft
Waved o'er their heads, and fled as oft;
But if you let them re-collect

Their spirits, now dismayed and checked,
You'll have a harder game to play,
Than yet ye 'ave had, to get the day.'

Thus spoke the stout squire, but was heard

By Hudibras with small regard.
His thoughts were fuller of the bang
He lately took, than Ralph's harangue;
To which he answered, 'Cruel fate
Tells me thy counsel comes too late.
The clotted blood within my hose,
That from my wounded body flows,
With mortal crisis doth portend
My days to appropinque* an end.
I am for action now unfit,
Either of fortitude or wit;
Fortune, my foe, begins to frown,
Resolved to pull my stomach down.
I am not apt, upon a wound,
Or trivial basting, to despond;
Yet I'd be loth my days to curtail;
For if I thought my wounds not mortal,
Or that w' had time enough as yet
To make an honourable retreat,
"Twere the best course; but if they find
We fly, and leave our arms behind
For them to seize on, the dishonour,
And danger too, is such, I'll sooner
Stand to it boldly, and take quarter,
To let them see I am no starter.
In all the trade of war no feat

Is nobler than a brave retreat:

* To approach, or draw near-another specimen of the knight's pedantry.

For those that run away, and fly,
Take place at least o' th' enemy.'

This said, the squire, with active speed,
Dismounted from his bony steed,

To seize the arms, which, by mischance,
Fell from the bold knight in a trance.
These being found out, and restored
To Hudibras, their natural lord,

As a man may say, with might and main
He hasted to get up again.

Thrice he essayed to mount aloft;
But, by his weighty bum, as oft
He was pulled back; till having found
Th' advantage of the rising ground,
Thither he led his warlike steed,
And having placed him right, with speed
Prepared again to scale the beast,
When Orsin, who had newly dressed
The bloody scar upon the shoulder
Of Talgol, with Promethean powder,
And now was searching for the shot
That laid Magnano on the spot,
Beheld the sturdy squire aforesaid
Preparing to climb up his horse-side;
He left his cure, and laying hold
Upon his arms, with courage bold
Cried out, ''Tis now no time to dally,
The enemy begin to rally;

Let us that are unhurt and whole
Fall on, and happy man be's dole.'*
This said, like to a thunderbolt,
He flew with fury to th' assault,
Striving th' enemy to attack
Before he reached his horse's back.

Share, portion :

He all in all, and all in every part,

Doth share to each his due, and equal dole impart.

FLETCHER.-Purple Island, vi.

Ralpho was mounted now, and gotten
O'erthwart his beast with active vaulting,
Wriggling his body to recover

His seat, and cast his right leg over;
When Orsin, rushing in, bestowed
On horse and man so heavy a load,
The beast was startled, and begun
To kick and fling like mad, and run,
Bearing the tough squire, like a sack,
Or stout king Richard,* on his back;
Till stumbleing, he threw him down,
Sore bruised, and cast into a swoon.
Meanwhile the knight began to rouse
The sparkles of his wonted prow'ss;
He thrust his hand into his hose,
And found, both by his eyes and nose,
"Twas only choler, and not blood,
That from his wounded body flowed.
This, with the hazard of the squire,
Inflamed him with despiteful ire;
Courageously he faced about,
And drew his other pistol out,
And now had half way bent the cock,
When Cerdon gave so fierce a shock,
With sturdy truncheon, 'thwart his arm,
That down it fell, and did no harm;
Then stoutly pressing on with speed,
Essayed to pull him off his steed.
The knight his sword had only left,
With which he Cerdon's head had cleft,
Or at the least cropped off a limb,
But Orsin came, and rescued him.
He with his lance attacked the knight
Upon his quarters opposite:

* Richard III., whose dead body, after the battle of Bosworth Field, was flung across the back of a horse, and in that manner, besmeared with blood and dirt, conveyed to Leicester.

But as a bark that in foul weather,
Tossed by two adverse winds together,
Is bruised and beaten to and fro,

And knows not which to turn him to;
So fared the knight between two foes,
And knew not which of them t' oppose;
Till Orsin, charging with his lance
At Hudibras, by spiteful chance
Hit Cerdon such a bang, as stunned
And laid him flat upon the ground.
At this the knight began to cheer up,
And, raising up himself on stirrup,
Cried out, Victoria! lie thou there,
And I shall straight despatch another
To bear thee company in death;

But first I'll halt a while, and breathe.'
As well he might; for Orsin, grieved
At the wound that Cerdon had received,
Ran to relieve him with his lore,
And cure the hurt he gave before.
Meanwhile the knight had wheeled about,
To breathe himself, and next find out
Th' advantage of the ground, where best
He might the ruffled foe infest.

This being resolved, he spurred his steed,
To run at Orsin with full speed,
While he was busy in the care
Of Cerdon's wound, and unaware;
But he was quick, and had already
Unto the part applied remedy;
And seeing th' enemy prepared,
Drew up, and stood upon his guard;
Then, like a warrior, right expert
And skilful in the martial art,
The subtle knight straight made a halt,
And judged it best to stay th' assault,
Until he had relieved the squire,
And then, in order, to retire;

I. BUTLER.

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