Page:Hudibras - Volume 1 (Butler, Nash, Bohn; 1859).djvu/191

CANTO III.] Shall serve thy turn.—This stirr'd his spleen More than the danger he was in, The blows he felt, or was to feel, Although th' already made him reel. Honour, despight, revenge, and shame, At once into his stomach came; Which fir'd it so, he rais'd his arm Above his head, and rain'd a storm Of blows so terrible and thick, As if he meant to hash her quick. But she upon her truncheon took them, And by oblique diversion broke them; Waiting an opportunity To pay all back with usury, Which long she fail'd not of; for now The Knight, with one dead-doing blow, Resolving to decide the fight, And she with quick and cunning slight Avoiding it, the force and weight He charg'd upon it was so great, As almost sway'd him to the ground: Ko sooner she th' advantage found, But in she flew; and seconding, With home-made thrust, the heavy swing, She laid him flat upon his side, And mounting on his trunk astride, Quoth she, I told thee what would come Of all thy vapouring, base scum. Say, will the law of arms allow I may have grace, and quarter now? Or wilt thou rather break thy word, And stain thine honour, than thy sword? A man of war to damn his soul, In basely breaking his parole.