Page:Hudibras - Volume 1 (Butler, Nash, Bohn; 1859).djvu/150

74 Meanwhile th' incomparable Colon, To aid his friend, began to fall on; Him Ralph encounter'd, and straight grew A dismal combat 'twixt them two: Th' one arm'd with metal, th' other wood; This fit for bruise, and that for blood. With many a stiff thwack, many a bang, Hard crab-tree and old iron rang; While none that saw them could divine To which side conquest would incline: Until Magnano, who did envy That two should with so many men vie, By subtle stratagem of brain Perform'd what force could ne'er attain; For he, by foul hap, having found Where thistles grew on barren ground, In haste he drew his weapon out, And having cropp'd them from the root, He clapp'd them under th' horse's tail, With prickles sharper than a nail. The angry beast did straight resent The wrong done to his fundament, Began to kick, and fling, and wince, As if h' had been beside his sense, Striving to disengage from thistle, That gall'd him sorely under his tail; Instead of which he threw the pack Of Squire and baggage from his back, And blund'ring still with smarting rump, He gave the Knight's steed such a thump As made him reel. The Knight did stoop, And sat on further side aslope. This Talgol viewing, who had now, By flight, escap'd the fatal blow, He rally'd, and again fell to 't; For catching foe by nearer foot, He lifted with such might and strength, As would have hurl'd him thrice his length,