Quoth Ralph, Not far from hence doth dwell 105
A cunning man, hight Sidrophel,
That deals in destiny’s dark counsels,
And sage opinions of the Moon sells;
To whom all people, far and near,
On deep importances repair; 110
When brass and pewter hap to stray,
And linen slinks out of the way;
When geese and pullen are seduc’d,
And sows of sucking-pigs are chows’d;
When cattle feel indisposition, 115
And need th’ opinion of physician;
When murrain reigns in hogs or sheep. 
And chickens languish of the pip;
When yeast and outward means do fail,
And have no pow’r to work on ale:  120
When butter does refuse to come,
And love proves cross and humoursome: 
To him with questions, and with urine,
They for discov’ry flock, or curing.

Quoth Hudibras, This Sidrophel 125
I’ve heard of, and should like it well,
If thou canst prove the Saints have freedom
To go to Sorc’rers when they need ’em.

Says Ralpho, There’s no doubt of that
Whose principles I quoted late, 130
Prove that the Godly may alledge
For any thing their Privilege;
And to the Dev’l himself may go,
If they have motives thereunto. 
For, as there is a war between 135
The Dev’l and them, it is no sin,
If they by subtle stratagem
Make use of him, as he does them. 
Has not this present Parliament
A Ledger to the Devil sent, 140
Fully impowr’d to treat about
Finding revolted witches out
And has not he, within a year,
Hang’d threescore of ’em in one shire? 
Some only for not being drown’d, 145
And some for sitting above ground,
Whole days and nights, upon their breeches,
And feeling pain, were hang’d for witches. 
And some for putting knavish tricks
Upon green geese and turky-chicks, 150
And pigs, that suddenly deceast
Of griefs unnat’ral, as he guest;
Who after prov’d himself a witch
And made a rod for his own breech. 
Did not the Devil appear to martin 155
Luther in Germany for certain;
And wou’d have gull’d him with a trick,
But Martin was too politick? 
Did he not help the Dutch to purge
At Antwerp their Cathedral Church? 160
Sing catches to the Saints at mascon,
And tell them all they came to ask him
Appear’d in divers shapes to Kelly,
And speak i’ th’ Nun of LOUDON’s belly?
Meet with the Parliament’s Committee 165
At Woodstock on a pers’nal treaty?
At sarum take a cavalier