As Lookers-on feel most Delight,
That least perceive a Jugler's Slight;
5 And still the less they understand,
The more th' admire his Slight of Hand.
Some with a Noife, and greasy Light,
Are fnapt, as Men catch Larks by Night,
Enfnar'd and hamper'd by the Soul,
10 As Nooses by the Legs catch Fowl.
Some with a Med'cine, and Receipt,
Are drawn to nibble at the Bait;
And tho' it be a two-foot Trout,
"Tis with a fingle Hair pull'd out.

15

Others believe no Voice t' an Organ So fweet as Lawyer's in his Bar-gown; Until with fubtle Cobweb-cheats, Th' are catch'd in knotted Law, like Nets: In which, when once they are imbrangled, 20 The more they stir, the more they're tangled;

*.3, 4. As Lookers-on feel most Delight,-That leaft perceive a Fugler's Slight.] See the Art of Jugling expofed. Scot's Discovery of Witchcraft, book 13. chap. 22 to 34 inclufive.

4.8. Are fnapt, as Men catch Larks by Night.] By the Low-Bell. See Baily's Dictionary.

4.25. Apply to Wizards, &c.] Run after, in the Editions of 1664.

4. 27. And as thofe Vultures do forbode.] Alluding to the Opinion, that Vultures repair beforehand, to the Place where Battles will be fought. Of this Opinion Pliny feems to be. Nat. Hift. lib. 10. cap. 6. See a Confutation of it, Notes upon Creech's Lucretius 1714. vol. 1. p. 366. These Birds of Prey have fometimes devour'd one another. Vide Chronic. Chronicor. Politic. lib. 2. p.115.

.29, 30. A Flam more fenfeless than the Roguery-Of old Arufpicy and Aug'ry.] See Dr. Kennet's Roman Antiquities, part 2. chap. 3 and 4. Chronic. Chronicor. Ecclefiaftic. lib. 2. p. 406. See Judicial Aftrology expos'd, Sir John Mandevile's Voyage and Travels, Edit. 1727.

P. 199..

And while their Purfes can difpute,

There's no End of th' immortal Suit.
Others ftill gape t' anticipate
The Cabinet-Defigns of Fate,
25 Apply to Wizards, to fore-fee

What fhall, and what fhall never be.
And as thofe Vultures do forbode;
Believe Events prove bad or good.

A Flam more fenfelefs than the Roguery 30 Of old Arufpicy and Aug'ry,

That out of Garbages of Cattle

Prefag'd th' Events of Truce, or Battle;
From Flight of Birds, or Chickens pecking,
Success of great'ft Attempts would reckon :
35 Though Cheats, yet more intelligible,

Than those that with the Stars do fribble.
This Hudibras by Proof found true,
As in due Time and Place we'll fhew:

p. 199, 200. In the Play, intitled, Two Noble Kinsmen, by Fletcher and Shakespear, Act 1. Edit. 1634. p. 2. from the beit Autho rities both ancient and modern, by Dr. James Young, Sidrophel Vapulans, or Quack Aftrologer tofs'd in a Blanket, from p. 20 to 52 inclufive. Spectator N° 105. And Augury expos'd, Scot's Difcovery of Witchcraft, chap. 1. 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20.

.33, 34. From Flight of Birds, and Chickens pecking,-Success of great' ft Attempts would reckon.] See the Opinions of the Romans in this Cafe, Dr. Kennet's Roman Antiquities, part 2. chap. 3. and the Folly of fuch as were of this Opinion expos'd. Ben Fobnfon's Malque of Augurs, vol. 1. p. 88. Scot's Difcovery of Witchcraft, book 11. p. 193, &c. Spectator N° 7.

.35, 36. Yet more intelligible-Than thofe that with the Stars do fribble.] Gaffendus (fee his Vanity of Judiciary Afrology, p. 106.) calls the whole Art of Aftrology a myfterious Nothing; a Fiction more vain, than Vanity itself.

A 2

*.45

For he with Beard and Face made clean,
40 Being mounted on his Steed agen;
(And Ralpho got a Cock-Horse too
Upon his Beaft, with much ado)
Advanc'd on for the Widow's House,
T'acquit himself, and pay his Vows;
45 When various Thoughts began to bustle,
And with his inward Man to justle,
He thought what Danger might accrue,
If the fhould find he fwore untrue:
Or if his Squire, or he should fail,
50 And not be punctual in their Tale;
It might at once the Ruin prove
Both of his Honour, Faith, and Love.
But if he should forbear to go,

She might conclude h' had broke his Vow;
55 And that he durft not now for Shame
Appear in Court, to try his Claim.
This was the Pen'worth of his Thought,
To pafs Time, and uneafy Trot.

Quoth he, in all my paft Adventures,

60 I ne'er was fet fo on the Tenters;

*.45, 46. When various Thoughts began to bufile,—And with bis inward Man to juftle.] New Scruples began to fpring up in the Knight's Brain: It is correfpondent with his Character to be perpetually troubled with Cafes of Confcience, and accordingly the Poet has drawn him fo from the Beginning to the End of the Poem. (Mr. B.)

4.57. This was the Pen'worth of his Thought.] The Sum, or Whole of it.

2

Or taken tardy with Dilemma,

That ev'ry Way I turn, does hem me ;
And with inextricable Doubt,

Besets my puzzled Wits about:

65 For tho' the Dame has been my Bail, To free me from enchanted Jail: Yet as a Dog, committed close

For fome Offence, by chance breaks loose, And quits his Clog; but all in vain, 70 He ftill draws after him his Chain:

;.

So though my Ankle fhe has quitted,
My Heart continues still committed;
And like a bail'd and main-priz'd Lover,
Altho' at large, I am bound over.
75 And when I fhall appear in Court,
To plead my Caufe, and anfwer for't,
Unless the Judge do partial prove,
What will become of Me and Love?
For if in our Account we vary,
80 Or but in Circumftance mifcarry;
Or if the put me to ftrict Proof,
And make me pull my

Doublet off,

. 61. Or taken tardy with Dilemma.] An Argument in Logic, confifting of two or more Propofitions, fo difpofed, that deny which you will of them, you will be prefs'd; and grant which you will of them, the Conclufion will involve you in Difficulties, not easy to be got over.

.73. And like a bail'd and main-priz'd Lover.] Alluding to his being freed from the Stocks by his Miftrefs. See Bail and Mainprize, Jacob's Law Dictionary.

To fhew, by evident Record,

Writ on my Skin, I've kept my Word,
85 How can I e'er expect to have her,
Having demurr'd unto her Favour?
But Faith, and Love, and Honour loft,
Shall be reduc'd t' a Knight o' th' Poft?
Befide, that firipping may prevent
90 What I'm to prove by Argument`;
And justify I have a Tail,

And that Way too, my Proof may fail,
Oh! that I cou'd enucleate,

And folve the Problems of my Fate;

.88. Knight o' th' Poft.] One who for Hire will fwear before a Magiftrate, or in a Court of Judicature, whatfoever you would have him. See Baily's Dictionary, folio edit.

4.95. Or find by Necromantick Art.] Necromancy was an Art or Act of Communicating with Devils, and doing furprizing Feats by their Affiftance and particularly by calling up the Dead. See a remarkable Inftance in the famed Romance of Heliodorus Bishop of Tricca, Ethiopicor. lib. 6. p. 300, &c. edit. Lugduni 1611.

. 96. How far the Deft'nies take my Part.] Of all the Scruples and Qualms of Confcience that have hitherto perplex'd our Knight, it must be confefs'd, that thefe with which he is now affaulted are the most rational, and beft grounded: His Fears are juft, and his Arguments unanfwerable; and the Dilemma with which he is incumber'd, makes him naturally wifh, that all his Doubts were remov'd by a Prognoftication of his future Fortune. Ralpho understanding the Knight's Mind, takes this Opportunity to mention Sidrophel, who from this Occafion is happily introduced into the Poem. (Mr. B.)

. 103, 104.

-Yet 'tis profane,And finful when Men fwear in vain.] Thefe wretched Hypocrites, tho' Perjury was with them a venial Sin, when it ferv'd their Purpose, as appears from the foregoing Canto; and indeed from all the impartial Hiftorians of thofe Times. Yet to carry an outward Face of Religion, they were very punctual in the Punishment of profane and common Swearing: And according to Sir Robert Howard [Committee, &c. act. 2. c. 1. p. 53] were more fevere in the Punishment of

Swearing