Page:Hudibras - Volume 1 (Butler, Nash, Bohn; 1859).djvu/295

CANTO II.] Have I, quoth he, been ta'en in fight, And for so many moons lain by 't, And when all other means did fail, Have been exchang'd for tubs of ale? Not but they thought me worth a ransom Much more consid'rable and handsome; But for their own sakes, and for fear They were not safe, when I was there; Now to be baffled by a scoundrel, An upstart sect'ry, and a mungrel, Such as breed out of peccant humours Of our own church, like wens or tumours, And like a maggot in a sore, Wou'd that which gave it life devour; It never shall be done or said: With that he seiz'd upon his blade; And Ralpho too, as quick and bold, Upon his basket-hilt laid hold, With equal readiness prepar'd, To draw and stand upon his guard. When both were parted on the sudden, With hideous clamour, and a loud one, As if all sorts of noise had been Contracted into one loud din; Or that some Member to be chosen, Had got the odds above a thousand; And, by the greatness of his noise, Prov'd fittest for his country's choice.