Hudibras Part 24

121 f Or Heav'n itself a Sin resent, &c.] In regard children are capable of being inhabitants of Heaven, therefore it should not resent it as a crime to supply store of inhabitants for it.

173 g You wound like Parthians while you fly, &c.] Parthians are the inhabitants of a province in Persia: They were excellent hors.e.m.e.n, and very exquisite at their bows; and it is reported of them, that they generally slew more on their retreat than they did in the engagement.

188 h Than Philip Nye's Thanksgiving Beard ] One of the a.s.sembly of Divines, very remarkable for the singularity of his beard.

237 i To what a Height did Infant Rome, &c.] When Romulus had built Rome, he made it an asylum, or place of refuge, for all malefactors, and others obnoxious to the laws to retire to; by which means it soon came to be very populous; but when he began to consider, that, without propagation, it would soon be dest.i.tute of inhabitants, he invented several fine shows, and invited the young Sabine women, then neighbours to them; and when they had them secure, they ravished them; from whence proceeded so numerous an offspring.

252 k Till Alimony or Death them parts.] Alimony is an allowance that the law gives the woman for her separate maintenance upon living from her husband. That and death are reckoned the only separations in a married state.

THE LADY'S ANSWER TO THE KNIGHT.

THAT you're a beast, and turn'd to gra.s.s, Is no strange news, nor ever was; At least to me, who once you know, Did from the pound replevin you, When both your sword and spurs were won 5 In combat by an Amazon.

That sword, that did (like Fate) determine Th' inevitable death of vermine, And never dealt its furious blows, But cut the throats of pigs and cows, 10 By TRULLA was, in single fight, Disarm'd and wrested from its knight; Your heels degraded of your spurs, And in the stocks close prisoners; Where still they'd lain, in base restraint, 15 If I, in pity of your complaint, Had not on honourable conditions, Releast 'em from the worst of prisons And what return that favour met You cannot (though you wou'd) forget; 20 When, being free, you strove t' evade The oaths you had in prison made; Forswore yourself; and first deny'd it, But after own'd and justify'd it And when y' had falsely broke one vow, 25 Absolv'd yourself by breaking two.

For while you sneakingly submit, And beg for pardon at our feet, Discourag'd by your guilty fears, To hope for quarter for your ears, 30 And doubting 'twas in vain to sue, You claim us boldly as your due; Declare that treachery and force, To deal with us, is th' only course; We have no t.i.tle nor pretence 35 To body, soul, or conscience; But ought to fall to that man's share That claims us for his proper ware.

These are the motives which, t' induce Or fright us into love, you use. 40 A pretty new way of gallanting, Between soliciting and ranting; Like st.u.r.dy beggars, that intreat For charity at once, and threat.

But since you undertake to prove 45 Your own propriety in love, As if we were but lawful prize In war between two enemies, Or forfeitures, which ev'ry lover, That wou'd but sue for, might recover, 50 It is not hard to understand The myst'ry of this bold demand, That cannot at our persons aim, But something capable of claim.

'Tis not those paultry counterfeit 55 French stones, which in our eyes you set, But our right diamonds, that inspire And set your am'rous hearts on fire.

Nor can those false St. Martin's beads, Which on our lips you lay for reds, 60 And make us wear, like Indian dames, Add fuel to your scorching flames; But those true rubies of the rock, Which in our cabinets we lock.

'Tis not those orient pearls our teeth, 65 That you are so transported with; But those we wear about our necks, Produce those amorous effects.

Nor is't those threads of gold, our hair, The periwigs you make us wear, 70 But those bright guineas in our chests, That light the wild fire in your b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

These love-tricks I've been vers'd in so, That all their sly intrigues I know, And can unriddle, by their tones, 75 Their mystick cabals and jargones; Can tell what pa.s.sions, by their sounds, Pine for the beauties of my grounds; What raptures fond and amorous O' th' charms and graces of my house; 80 What extasy and scorching flame, Burns for my money in my name; What from th' unnatural desire To beasts and cattle takes its fire; What tender sigh, and trickling tear, 85 Longs for a thousand pounds a year; And languis.h.i.+ng transports are fond Of statute, mortgage, bill, and bond.

These are th' attracts which most men fall Inamour'd, at first sight, withal 90 To these th' address with serenades, And court with b.a.l.l.s and masquerades; And yet, for all the yearning pain Y' have suffer'd for their loves in vain, I fear they'll prove so nice and coy 95 To have, and t' hold and to enjoy That all your oaths and labour lost, They'll ne'er turn ladies of the post.

This is not meant to disapprove Your judgment in your choice of love; 100 Which is so wise, the greatest part Of mankind study 't as an art; For love shou'd, like a deodand, Still fall to th' owner of the land; And where there's substance for its ground, 105 Cannot but be more firm and sound Than that which has the slightest basis Of airy virtue, wit, and graces; Which is of such thin subtlety, It steals and creeps in at the eye, 110 And, as it can't endure to stay, Steals out again as nice a way.

But love, that its extraction owns From solid gold and precious stones Must, like its s.h.i.+ning parents, prove 115 As solid and as glorious love.

Hence 'tis you have no way t'express Our charms and graces but by these: For what are lips, and eyes, and teeth, Which beauty invades and conquers with, 120 But rubies, pearls, and diamonds, With which a philter-love commands?

This is the way all parents prove, In managing their childrens' love; That force 'em t' intermarry and wed, 125 As if th' were bur'ing of the dead; Cast earth to earth, as in the grave, To join in wedlock all they have: And when the settlement's in force, Take all the rest for better or worse; 130 For money has a power above The stars and fate to manage love; Whose arrows, learned poets hold, That never miss, are tipp'd with gold.

And though some say, the parents' claims 135 To make love in their childrens' names, Who many times at once provide The nurse, the husband, and the bride Feel darts and charms, attracts and flames, And woo and contract in their names; 140 And as they christen, use to marry 'em, And, like their gossips, answer for 'em; Is not to give in matrimony, But sell and prost.i.tute for money; 'Tis better than their own betrothing, 145 Who often do't for worse than nothing; And when th' are at their own dispose, With greater disadvantage choose.

All this is right; but for the course You take to do't, by fraud or force, 150 'Tis so ridiculous, as soon As told, 'tis never to be done; No more than setters can betray, That tell what tricks they are to play.

Marriage, at best, is but a vow, 155 Which all men either break or bow: Then what will those forbear to do, Who perjure when they do but woo?

Such as before-hand swear and lie For earnest to their treachery; 160 And, rather than a crime confess, With greater strive to make it less; Like thieves, who, after sentence past, Maintain their innocence to the last; And when their crimes were made appear 165 As plain as witnesses can swear, Yet, when the wretches come to die, Will take upon their death a lie, Nor are the virtues you confest T' your ghostly father, as you guest, 170 So slight as to be justify'd By being as shamefully deny'd, As if you thought your word would pa.s.s Point-blank on both sides of a case; Or credit were not to be lost 175 B' a brave Knight-Errant of the Post, That eats perfidiously his word, And swears his ears through a two inch board: Can own the same thing, and disown, And perjure booty, Pro and Con: 180 Can make the Gospel serve his turn, And help him out, to be forsworn; When 'tis laid hands upon, and kist, To be betray'd and sold like Christ.

These are the virtues in whose name 185 A right to all the world you claim, And boldly challenge a dominion, In grace and nature, o'er all women; Of whom no less will satisfy Than all the s.e.x your tyranny, 190 Although you'll find it a hard province, With all your crafty frauds and covins, To govern such a num'rous crew, Who, one by one, now govern you: For if you all were SOLOMONS, 195 And wise and great as he was once, You'll find they're able to subdue (As they did him) and baffle you.

And if you are impos'd upon 'Tis by your own temptation done, 200 That with your ignorance invite; And teach us how to use the slight.

For when we find y' are still more taken With false attracts of our own making; Swear that's a rose, and that a stone, 205 Like sots, to us that laid it on, And what we did but slightly prime, Most ignorantly daub in rhime; You force us, in our own defences, To copy beams and influences; 210 To lay perfections on the graces, And draw attracts upon our faces; And, in compliance to your wit, Your own false jewels counterfeit.

For, by the practice of those arts 215 We gain a greater share of hearts; And those deserve in reason most That greatest pains and study cost; For great perfections are, like heaven, Too rich a present to be given. 220 Nor are these master-strokes of beauty To be perform'd without hard duty, Which, when they're n.o.bly done and well, The simple natural excell.

How fair and sweet the planted rose 225 Beyond the wild in hedges grows!

For without art the n.o.blest seeds Of flow'rs degen'rate into weeds.

How dull and rugged, e're 'tis ground And polish'd, looks a diamond! 230 Though Paradise were e'er so fair, It was not kept so without care.

The whole world, without art and dress, Would be but one great wilderness; And mankind but a savage herd, 235 For all that nature has conferr'd.

This does but rough-hew, and design; Leaves art to polish and refine.

Though women first were made for men, Yet men were made for them agen; 240 For when (outwitted by his wife) Man first turn'd tenant but for life, If women had not interven'd, How soon had mankind had an end!

And that it is in being yet, 245 To us alone you are in debt.

And where's your liberty of choice, And our unnatural No Voice?

Since all the privilege you boast, And falsly usurp'd, or vainly lost, 250 Is now our right; to whose creation You owe your happy restoration: And if we had not weighty cause To not appear, in making laws, We could, in spite of all your tricks, 255 And shallow, formal politicks, Force you our managements t' obey, As we to yours (in shew) give way.

Hence 'tis that, while you vainly strive T' advance your high prerogative, 260 You basely, after all your braves, Submit, and own yourselves our slaves; And 'cause we do not make it known, Nor publickly our int'rest own, Like sots, suppose we have no shares 265 In ord'ring you and your affairs; When all your empire and command You have from us at second hand As if a pilot, that appears To sit still only while he steers, 270 And does not make a noise and stir Like ev'ry common mariner, Knew nothing of the card, nor star, And did not guide the man of war; Nor we, because we don't appear 275 In councils, do not govern there; While, like the mighty PRESTER JOHN, Whose person none dares look upon, But is preserv'd in close disguise, From being made cheap to vulgar eyes, 280 W' enjoy as large a pow'r unseen, To govern him, as he does men; And in the right of our Pope JOAN, Make Emp'rors at our feet fall down; Or JOAN DE PUCEL'S braver name, 285 Our right to arms and conduct claim; Who, though a Spinster, yet was able To serve FRANCE for a Grand Constable.

We make and execute all laws; Can judge the judges and the cause; 290 Prescribe all rules of right or wrong To th' long robe, and the longer tongue; 'Gainst which the world has no defence; But our more pow'rful eloquence.

We manage things of greatest weight 295 In all the world's affairs of state Are ministers of war and peace, That sway all nations how we please.

We rule all churches and their flocks, Heretical and orthodox; 300 And are the heavenly vehicles O' th' spirits in all conventicles.

By us is all commerce and trade Improv'd, and manag'd, and decay'd; For nothing can go off so well, 305 Nor bears that price, as what we sell.

We rule in ev'ry publique meeting, And make men do what we judge fitting; Are magistrates in all great towns, Where men do nothing but wear gowns. 310 We make the man of war strike sail, And to our braver conduct veil, And, when h' has chac'd his enemies, Submit to us upon his knees.

Is there an officer of state 315 Untimely rais'd, or magistrate, That's haughty and imperious?

He's but a journeyman to us.

That as he gives us cause to do't, Can keep him in, or turn him out. 320

We are your guardians, that increase Or waste your fortunes how we please; And, as you humour us, can deal In all your matters, ill or well.

'Tis we that can dispose alone, 325 Whether your heirs shall be your own, To whose integrity you must, In spight of all your caution, trust; And, 'less you fly beyond the seas, Can fit you with what heirs we please; 330 And force you t' own 'em, though begotten By French Valets or Irish Footmen.

Nor can the vigorousest course Prevail, unless to make us worse; Who still, the harsher we are us'd, 335 Are further off from b'ing reduc'd; And scorn t' abate, for any ills, The least punctilios of our wills.

Force does but whet our wits t' apply Arts, born with us, for remedy; 340 Which all your politicks, as yet, Have ne'er been able to defeat: For when y' have try'd all sorts of ways, What fools d' we make of you in plays!

While all the favours we afford, 345 Are but to girt you with the sword, To fight our battles in our steads, And have your brains beat out o' your heads; Encounter, in despite of nature, And fight at once, with fire and water, 350 With pirates, rocks, and storms, and seas, Our pride and vanity t' appease; Kill one another, and cut throats, For our good graces, and best thoughts; To do your exercise for honour, 355 And have your brains beat out the sooner; Or crack'd, as learnedly, upon Things that are never to be known; And still appear the more industrious, The more your projects are prepost'rous; 360 To square the circle of the arts, And run stark mad to shew your parts; Expound the oracle of laws, And turn them which way we see cause Be our solicitors and agents, 365 And stand for us in all engagements.

And these are all the mighty pow'rs You vainly boast to cry down ours; And what in real value's wanting, Supply with vapouring and ranting; 370 Because yourselves are terrify'd, And stoop to one another's pride, Believe we have as little wit To be out-hector'd, and submit; By your example, lose that right 375 In treaties which we gain'd in fight; And, terrify'd into an awe, Pa.s.s on ourselves a Salique law:

Or, as some nations use, give place, And truckle to your mighty race; 380 Let men usurp th' unjust dominion, As if they were the better women.

NOTES ON THE LADY's ANSWER TO THE KNIGHT.

133 l Whose Arrows learned Poets hold, &c.] The poets feign Cupid to have two sorts of arrows; the one tipped with gold, and the other with lead. The golden always inspire and inflame love in the persons he wounds with them: but, on the contrary, the leaden create the utmost aversion and hatred. With the first of these he shot Apollo, and with the other Daphne, according to Ovid.

277 m While, like the mighty Prester John, &c.] Prester John, an absolute prince, emperor of Abyssinia or Ethiopia. One of them is reported to have had seventy kings for his va.s.sals, and so superb and arrogant, that none durst look upon him without his permission.

285 Or Joan de Pucel's braver Name.] Joan of Arc, called also the Pucelle, or Maid of Orleans. She was born at the town of Damremi, on the Meuse, daughter of James de Arc, and Isabella Romee; and was bred, up a shepherdess in the country. At the age of eighteen or twenty she pretended to an express commission from G.o.d to go to the relief of Orleans, then besieged by the English, and defended by John Compte de Dennis, and almost reduced to the last extremity. She went to the coronation of Charles the Seventh, when he was almost ruined. She knew that prince in the midst of his n.o.bles; though meanly habited. The doctors of divinity, and members of parliament, openly declared that there was some thing supernatural in her conduct. She sent for a sword, which lay in the tomb of a knight, which was behind the great altar of the church of St. Katharine de Forbois, upon the blade of which the cross and flower-de-luces were engraven, which put the king in a very great surprise, in regard none besides himself knew of it.

Upon this he sent her with the command of some troops, with which she relieved Orleans, and drove the English from it, defeated Talbot at the battle of Pattai, and recovered Champagne. At last she was unfortunately taken prisoner in a sally at Champagne in 1430, and tried for a witch or sorceress, condemned, and burnt in Rouen market-place in May 1430.

378 o Pa.s.s on ourselves a Salique Law.] The Salique Law is a law in France, whereby it is enacted, that no female shall inherit that crown.

GLOSSARY

Advowtry: Adultery Animalia: Animals (L.) Arsie-versie: Upside-down Aruspicy: Prophesying, fortune-telling Bachrach: Wine from Bacharach, in Germany Bavin: A bundle of firewood Boutefeu: Arsonist or (literal or metaphorical) firebrand Cacodaemon: An evil Spirit Caldes'd: Cheated Calendae: The 1st or 2nd of the month Calleche: A carriage with two wheels and a folding hood Camelion: A giraffe Camisado: An attack by night, during which the attackers wore s.h.i.+rts over their armour so they could recognise one another Cane & Angue pejus: Worse than a dog or a snake (L.) Caperdewsie: The stocks Capoch'd: Pulled off the hoods Caprich: A caprice Carbonading: Thras.h.i.+ng, beating Carroch: A stately or luxurious carriage Catasta: The stocks Cawdie: A military cadet Cawdle: Soup or gruel Ceruse: White lead used as a cosmetic Champaign: Champagne wine Champain: Countryside Chous'd, choust, chows'd: Cheated Chowse: A cheat's victim Cla.s.sis: The elders and pastors of all the Presbyterian congregations in a district Coincidere: To come together (L.) Congees: Bows, curtseys Conster: Construe, explain Conventicle: Secret or illegal religious meetings Covins: Conspiracies Cucking-stool: A stool to which a malefactor (often an unfaithful wife) was tied, to be exposed to public ridicule, or ducked in a pond or river.

Curs.h.i.+p: The t.i.tle of being a cur -- pun on "wors.h.i.+p"

Curule: An ivory chair used as a mayor's throne Deletory: That which wipes out or destroys Deodand: In English law an article which had caused a man's death was ordered by the court to be a forfeited as a deodand (Ad Deo dandum - to be given to G.o.d). Before the reformation it or its value was given to the Church; afterwards to the local landowner.

Dewtry: A stupefying drink made from the Indian thorn-apple fruit.

Dialectico: A philosophical point of argument Dictum factum: No sooner said than done (L.) Disparo: To separate (L.) Donzel: A young page or squire Drazel: A s.l.u.t Ducatoon: An Italian silver coin, worth about 6 s.h.i.+llings.

Ejusdem generis: Of the same kind (L.) Enucleate: To explain the meaning of Ex parte: On behalf of (L.) Exaun: A religious establishment not under the authority of the local bishop Fadging: Fitting Feme-covert: A woman under the protection of a husband ( a legal term) Ferk: Beat, whip Festina lente: Make haste slowly (L.) Fingle-fangle: A whimsical or fantastic idea Fother: A cart-load Fulhams: Loaded dice Ganzas: The birds which the hero of a popular romance harnessed to take him to the moon Genethliack: A caster of horoscopes Geomancy: Divination by interpreting the patterns of lines drawn at random on the ground or on paper.

Gleave: A spear or halberd Granado: A grenade Grilly'd: Grilled Grincam: Syphilis Guep: Go on! -- said to a horse or as an expression of derision.