Page:Hudibras - Volume 1 (Butler, Nash, Bohn; 1859).djvu/270

174 When Hudibras, whom thoughts and aching 'Twixt sleeping kept all night and waking, Began to rouse his drowsy eyes, And from his couch prepar'd to rise; Resolving to despatch the deed He vow'd to do with trusty speed: But first, with knocking loud and bawling, He rous'd the Squire, in truckle lolling; And after many circumstances, Which vulgar authors in romances Do use to spend their time and wits on, To make impertinent description, They got, with much ado, to horse, And to the castle bent their course, In which he to the dame before To suffer whipping-duty swore: Where now arriv'd, and half unharnest, To carry on the work in earnest, He stopp'd and paus'd upon the sudden, And with a serious forehead plodding, Sprung a new scruple in his head, Which first he scratch'd, and after said; Whether it be direct infringing An oath, if I should wave this swingeing, And what I've sworn to bear, forbear, And so b' equivocation swear;