What œstrum, what phrenitic mood 495 Makes you thus lavish of your blood, &c. &c. In name of king and parliament, I charge ye all, no more foment This feud, but keep the peace between Your brethren and your countrymen ; 665 670 He, and that engine of vile noisé, Shall, dictum factum, both be brought 675 To condign punishment, as they ought. But Talgol, who had long supprest 680 Which now began to rage and burn as 685 Thus answer'd him: Thou vermin wretched How dar'st thou with that sullen luggage 690 695 No subtle question rais'd among Those out-o'-their wits, and those i' th' wrong; But if th' hast brain enough in scull 731 To keep itself in lodging whole, And cudgels to thy hide and bones;" Tremble, and vanish, while thou mayst, 735 Three times he smote on stomach stout, From whence at length these words broke out. Was I for this intitled Sir, And girt with trusty sword and spur, For fame and honour to wage battle, Thus to be brav'd by foe to cattle?' 741 Not all that pride that makes thee swell Decay'd old age in tough lean ware, And stop the gangrene in stale pork ; Because by bullock ne'er withstood; 745 750 Though arm'd with all thy cleavers, knives,755 And axes made to hew down lives, Shall save or help thee to evade The hand of justice, or this blade, 760 739. "Three times." If the figure of Hudibras be attentively examined in the map, it will be seen in fact to have three outlines of face one before the other and nearly parallel; a circumstance referred to in this line, in 943, and very frequently hereafter. Nor shall these words of venom base, Go unreveng'd, though I am free. Thou down the same throat shall devour 'em, Like tainted beef, and pay dear for 'em. Nor shall it e'er be said, that wight With words far bitterer than wormwood, 765 770 That would in Job or Grizel stir mood. This said with hasty rage he snatch'd His gunshot, that in holsters watch'd; And bending cock, he levell'd full 775 Against th' outside of Talgol's scull; 780 And 'twixt the spring and hammer thrust Instead of shield, the blow receiv'd. The gun recoil'd, as well it might, Not us'd to such a kind of fight, 790 And shrunk from its great master's gripe, Knock'd down and stunn'd with mortal stripe. Then Hudibras, with furious haste, Drew out his sword; yet not so fast, But Talgol first with hearty thwack Twice bruis'd his head, and twice his back. 795 800 And though the sword, some understood, 805 In force had much the odds of wood, 'Twas nothing so; both sides were balanc'd So equal, none knew which was valiant'st: Though iron hew and mangle sore, Wood wounds and bruises honour more. And now both knights were out of breath, Tir'd in the hot pursuit of death; 810 Whilst all the rest amaz'd stood still,.. 815 Expecting which should take, or kill. |