Page:Hudibras - Volume 1 (Butler, Nash, Bohn; 1859).djvu/153

CANTO II.] From heavy squelch, and had got up Upon his legs, with sprained crup, Looking about beheld the bard To charge the Knight entranc'd prepar'd, He snatch'd his whinyard up, that fled When he was falling off his steed, As rats do from a falling house, To hide itself from rage of blows; And wing'd with speed and fury, flew To rescue Knight from black and blue. Which ere he could achieve, his sconce The leg encounter'd twice and once; And now 'twas rais'd, to smite agen, When Ralpho thrust himself between; He took the blow upon his arm, To shield the Knight from further harm; And joining wrath with force, bestow'd O' th' wooden member such a load, That down it fell, and with it bore Crowdero, whom it propp'd before. To him the Squire right nimbly run, And setting conqu'ring foot upon His trunk, thus spoke: What desp'rate frenzy Made thee, thou whelp of sin, to fancy Thyself, and all that coward rabble, T' encounter us in battle able? How durst th', I say, oppose thy curship 'Gainst arms, authority, and worship, And Hudibras or me provoke, Though all thy limbs were heart of oak, And th' other half of thee as good To bear our blows as that of wood? Could not the whipping-post prevail, With all its rhet'ric, nor the jail,