Page:Hudibras - Volume 1 (Butler, Nash, Bohn; 1859).djvu/289

CANTO II.] Impartial justice, in his stead did Hang an old weaver that was bed-rid: Then wherefore may not you be skipp'd, And in your room another whipp'd? For all philosophers, but the Sceptic, Hold whipping may be sympathetic. It is enough, quoth Hudibras, Thou hast resolv'd, and clear'd the case; And canst, in conscience, not refuse, From thy own doctrine, to raise use: I know thou wilt not, for my sake, Be tender-conscienc'd of thy back: Then strip thee of thy carnal jerkin, And give thy outward fellow a firking; For when thy vessel is new hoop'd, All leaks of sinning will be stopp'd. Quoth Ralpho, You mistake the matter. For in all scruples of this nature, No man includes himself, nor turns The point upon his own concerns. As no man of his own self catches The itch, or amorous French achès; So no man does himself convince, By his own doctrine, of his sins: And though all cry down self, none means His own self in a literal sense: Besides, it is not only foppish, But vile, idolatrous, and popish, For one man out of his own skin To firk and whip another's sin;