284
HUDIBRAS.
[PART III.
His flea, his morpion, and punese,[1]
He 'ad gotten for his proper ease,
And all in perfect minutes made,
By th' ablest artists of the trade; 440
Which, he could prove it, since he lost,
He has been eaten up almost,
And altogether, might amount
To many hundreds on account;
For which he 'ad got sufficient warrant 445
To seize the malefactors errant,
Without capacity of bail,
But of a cart's or horse's tail;
And did not doubt to bring the wretches
To serve for pendulums to watches, 450
Which, modern virtuosi say,
Incline to hanging every way.[2]
Beside, he swore, and swore 'twas true,
That ere he went in quest of you,
He set a figure to discover 455
If you were fled to Rye or Dover;
And found it clear, that to betray
Yourself and me, you fled this way;
And that he was upon pursuit,
To take you somewhere hereabout. 460
He vow'd he'd had intelligence
Of all that pass'd before and since;
And found, that ere you came to him,
Y' had been engaging life and limb
About a case of tender conscience, 465
Where both abounded in your own sense;
Till Ralpho, by his Light and Grace,
Had clear'd all scruples in the case,
And prov'd that you might swear, and own
Whatever's by the Wicked done: 470
For which, most basely to requite
The service of his Gifts and Light,
He 'ad gotten for his proper ease,
And all in perfect minutes made,
By th' ablest artists of the trade; 440
Which, he could prove it, since he lost,
He has been eaten up almost,
And altogether, might amount
To many hundreds on account;
For which he 'ad got sufficient warrant 445
To seize the malefactors errant,
Without capacity of bail,
But of a cart's or horse's tail;
And did not doubt to bring the wretches
To serve for pendulums to watches, 450
Which, modern virtuosi say,
Incline to hanging every way.[2]
Beside, he swore, and swore 'twas true,
That ere he went in quest of you,
He set a figure to discover 455
If you were fled to Rye or Dover;
And found it clear, that to betray
Yourself and me, you fled this way;
And that he was upon pursuit,
To take you somewhere hereabout. 460
He vow'd he'd had intelligence
Of all that pass'd before and since;
And found, that ere you came to him,
Y' had been engaging life and limb
About a case of tender conscience, 465
Where both abounded in your own sense;
Till Ralpho, by his Light and Grace,
Had clear'd all scruples in the case,
And prov'd that you might swear, and own
Whatever's by the Wicked done: 470
For which, most basely to requite
The service of his Gifts and Light,
