Hudibras Samuel Butler (free novels to read TXT) đ
- Author: Samuel Butler
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When Cerdon gave so fierce a shock,
With sturdy truncheon, âthwart his arm,
That down it fell, and did no harm:
Then stoutly pressing on with speed,
Assayâd to pull him off his steed.
The Knight his sword had only left,
With which he Cerdonâs head had cleft,
Or at the least cropt off a limb,
But Orsin came, and rescuâd him.
He, with his lance, attackâd the Knight
Upon his quarters opposite:
But as a bark, that in foul weather,
Tossâd by two adverse winds together,
Is bruisâd, and beaten to and fro,
And knows not which to turn him to;
So farâd the Knight between two foes,
And knew not which of them tâoppose;
Till Orsin, charging with his lance
At Hudibras, by spiteful chance,
Hit Cerdon such a bang, as stunnâd
And laid him flat upon the ground.
At this the Knight began to cheer up,
And, raising up himself on stirrup,
Cryâd out, Victoria! lie thou there,
And I shall straight dispatch another,
To bear thee company in death;
But first Iâll halt a while, and breathe:
As well he might; for Orsin, grievâd
At thâ wound that Cerdon had receivâd,
Ran to relieve him with his lore,
And cure the hurt he gave before.
Meanwhile the Knight had wheelâd about,
To breathe himself, and next find out
Thâ advantage of the ground, where best
He might the ruffled foe infest.
This bâing resolvâd, he spurrâd his steed,
To run at Orsin with full speed,
While he was busy in the care
Of Cerdonâs wound, and unaware;
But he was quick, and had already
Unto the part applyâd remedy;
And, seeing thâ enemy preparâd,
Drew up, and stood upon his guard.
Then, like a warrior right expert
And skilful in the martial art,
The subtle Knight straight made a halt,
And judgâd it best to stay thâ assault,
Until he had relievâd the Squire,
And then in order to retire;
Or, as occasion should invite,
With forces joinâd renew the fight.
Ralpho, by this time disentrancâd,
Upon his bum himself advancâd,
Though sorely bruisâd; his limbs all oâer
With ruthless bangs were stiff and sore.
Right fain he would have got upon
His feet again, to get him gone,
When Hudibras to aid him came:
Quoth he (and callâd him by his name,)
Courage! the day at length is ours;
And we once more, as conquerors,
Have both the field and honour won:
The foe is profligate, and run.
I mean all such as can; for some
This hand hath sent to their long home;
And some lie sprawling on the ground,
With many a gash and bloody wound.
Caesar himself could never say
He got two victories in a day,
As I have done, that can say, Twice I
In one day, Veni, Vidi, Vici.
The foeâs so numerous, that we
Cannot so often vincere
As they perire, and yet enow
Be left to strike an after-blow;
Then, lest they rally, and once more
Put us to fight the busâness oâer,
Get up, and mount thy steed: Dispatch,
And let us both their motions watch.
Quoth Ralph, I should not, if I were
In case for action, now be here:
Nor have I turnâd my back, or hangâd
An arse, for fear of being bangâd.
It was for you I got these harms,
Adventâring to fetch off your arms.
The blows and drubs I have receivâd
Have bruisâd my body, and bereavâd
My limbs of strength. Unless you stoop,
And reach your hand to pull me up,
I shall lie here, and be a prey
To those who now are run away.
That thou shalt not (quoth Hudibras;)
We read the ancients held it was
More honourable far, servare
Civem, than slay an adversary:
The one we oft to-day have done,
The other shall dispatch anon:
And though thâ art of a different church,
I will not leave thee in the lurch.
This said, he joggâd his good steed nigher,
And steerâd him gently towards the Squire;
Then bowing down his body, stretchâd
His hand out, and at Ralpho reachâd;
When Trulla, whom he did not mind,
Chargâd him like lightening behind.
She had been long in search about
Magnanoâs wound, to find it out;
But could find none, nor where the shot,
That had so startled him, was got:
But having found the worst was past,
She fell to her own work at last,
The pillage of the prisoners,
Which in all feats of arms was hers;
And now to plunder Ralph she flew,
When Hudibras his hard fate drew
To succour him; for, as he bowâd
To help him up, she laid a load
Of blows so heavy, and placâd so well,
On tâ other side, that down he fell.
Yield, scoundrel base (quoth she,) or die:
Thy life is mine, and liberty:
But if thou thinkâst I took thee tardy,
And darâst presume to be so hardy,
To try thy fortune oâer afresh,
Iâll wave my title to thy flesh;
Thy arms and baggage, now my right;
And if thou hast the heart to try ât,
Iâll lend thee back thyself a while,
And once more, for that carcass vile,
Fight upon tick.â âQuoth Hudibras,
Thou offerâst nobly, valiant lass,
And I shall take thee at thy word.
First let me rise and take my sword;
That sword which has so oft this day
Through squadrons of my foes made way,
And some to other worlds dispatchâd,
Now with a feeble spinster matchâd,
Will blush with blood ignoble stainâd,
By which no honourâs to be gainâd.
But if thouâlt take mâ advice in this,
Consider whilst thou mayâst, what âtis
To interrupt a victorâs course,
Bâ opposing such a trivial force:
For if with conquest I come off,
(And that I shall do, sure enough,)
Quarter thou canst not have, nor grace,
By law of arms, in such a case;
Both which I now do offer freely.
I scorn (quoth she) thou coxcomb silly,
(Clapping her hand upon her breech,
To show how much she prizâd his speech,)
Quarter or counsel from a foe;
If thou canâst force me to it, do.
But lest it should again be said,
When I have once more won thy head,
I took thee napping, unpreparâd,
Arm, and betake thee to thy guard.
This said, she to her tackle fell,
And on the Knight let fall a peal
Of blows so fierce, and pressâd so home,
That he retirâd, and followâd âs bum.
Stand to ât (quoth she) or yield to mercy:
It is not fighting arsie-versie
Shall serve thy turn.â âThis stirrâd his spleen
More than the danger he was in,
The blows he felt, or was to feel,
Although thâ already made him reel.
Honour, despight, revenge and shame,
At once into his stomach came,
Which firâd it so, he raisâd his arm
Above his head, and rainâd a storm
Of blows so terrible and thick,
As if he
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