Page:Hudibras - Volume 1 (Butler, Nash, Bohn; 1859).djvu/166

90 Such feats already he 'as achiev'd, In story not to be believ'd, And 'twould to us be shame enough, Not to attempt to fetch him off.
 * I would, quoth he, venture a limb

To second thee, and rescue him; But then we must about it straight, Or else our aid will come too late; Quarter he scorns, he is so stout, And therefore cannot long hold out. This said, they wav'd their weapons round About their heads, to clear the ground; And joining forces, laid about So fiercely, that th' amazed rout Turn'd tail again, and straight begun, As if the devil drove, to run. Meanwhile th' approach'd th' place where Bruin Was now engag'd to mortal ruin: The conqu'ring foe they soon assail'd; First Trulla stav'd, and Cerdon tail'd, Until the mastiffs loos'd their hold: And yet, alas! do what they could, The worsted bear came off with store Of bloody wounds, but all before: For as Achilles, dipt in pond, Was anabaptiz'd free from wound, Made proof against dead-doing steel All over, but the pagan heel;