Page:Hudibras - Volume 1 (Butler, Nash, Bohn; 1859).djvu/279

CANTO II.] But to confine the bad and sinful, Like mortal cattle in a pinfold. A saint's of th' heav'nly realm a peer; And as no peer is bound to swear, But on the gospel of his honour, Of which he may dispose as owner, It follows, tho' the thing be forgery And false th' affirm, it is no perjury, But a mere ceremony, and a breach Of nothing, but a form of speech, And goes for no more when 'tis took Than mere saluting of the book. Suppose the Scriptures are of force, They're but commissions of course, And saints have freedom to digress, But vary from 'em as they please; Or misinterpret them by private Instructions, to all aims they drive at. Then why should we ourselves abridge, And curtail our own privilege? Quakers, that like to lanthorns, bear Their light within them, will not swear; Their gospel is an accidence, By which they construe conscience, And hold no sin so deeply red As that of breaking Priscian's head,