Hudibras

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 edition. Excerpt: ... HUDIBBAS. PART II--CANTO I. THE ARGUMENT. The knight, being clapped by th' heels in prison, The last unhappy expedition, Love brings his action on the case, And lays it upon Hudibras, How he receives the lady's visit, And cunningly solicits his suit, Which she defers; yet on parole. Redeems him from th' enchanted hole. BUT now, t' observe romantique method, Let rusty steel a while be sheathed; And all those harsh and rugged sounds Of bastinados, cuts, and wounds, 5 Exchanged to love's more gentle style, To let our reader breathe a while: In which, that we may be as brief as Is possible, by way of preface. Is't not enough to make one strange, o That some men's fancies should ne'er change, But make all people do and say The same things still the self-same way 1 Some writers make all ladies purloined, And knights pursuing like a whirlwind. 15 Others make all their knights, in fits Of jealousy, to lose their wits; Till drawing blood o' th' dames, like witches, They 're forthwith cured of their capriches. Some always thrive in their amours, 20 By pulling plaisters off their sores; As cripples do to get an alms, Just so do they, and win their dames. Some force whole regions, in despite 0' geography, to change their site; 25 Make former times shake hands with latter, And that which was before, come after; But those that write in rhyme still make The one verse for the other's sake; For one for sense, and one for rhyme, 30 I think's suflicient at one time. But we forget in what sad plight We lately left the captived knight And pensive squire, both bruised in body, And conjured into safe custody. 35 Tired with dispute, and speaking Latin, As well as basting and bear-baiting, And desperate of any course, To free himself by wit or force, His only...