Had cross-examin’d both our hose,
And plunder’d all we had to lose. 
Look, there he is; I see him now,
And feel the place I am run through:  1140
And there lies Whachum by my side
Stone dead, and in his own blood dy’d. 
Oh!  Oh! with that he fetch’d a groan,
And fell again into a swoon;
Shut both his eyes, and stopp’d his breath, 1145
And to the life out-acted death;
That Hudibras, to all appearing,
Believ’d him to be dead as herring. 
He held it now no longer safe
To tarry the return of Ralph, 1150
But rather leave him in the lurch: 
Thought he, he has abus’d our Church,
Refus’d to give himself one firk
To carry on the publick work;
Despis’d our Synod-men like dirt, 1155
And made their discipline his sport;
Divulg’d the secrets of their classes,
And their conventions prov’d high places;
Disparag’d their tythe-pigs as Pagan,
And set at nought their cheese and bacon; 1160
Rail’d at their Covenant, and jeer’d
Their rev’rend parsons to my beard: 
For all which scandals, to be quit
At once, this juncture falls out fit,
I’ll make him henceforth to beware, 1165
And tempt my fury, if he dare. 
He must at least hold up his hand,
By twelve freeholders to be scann’d;
Who, by their skill in palmistry,
Will quickly read his destiny; 1170
And make him glad to read his lesson,
Or take a turn for it at the session;
Unless his Light and Gifts prove truer
Then ever yet they did, I’m sure;
For if he scape with whipping now, 1175
’Tis more than he can hope to do;
And that will disengage my conscience
Of th’ obligation in his own sense,
I’ll make him now by force abide
What he by gentle means deny’d, 1180
To give my honour satisfaction,
And right the Brethren in the action. 
This being resolv’d, with equal speed
And conduct he approach’d his steed,
And with activity unwont, 1185
Assay’d the lofty beast to mount;
Which once atchiev’d, he spurr’d his palfrey,
To get from th’ enemy, and Ralph, free
Left dangers, fears, and foes behind,
And beat, at least three lengths, the wind. 1190

NOTES TO PART II.  CANTO III.

140 A Ledger, &c.] The Witch-finder in Suffolk, who, in the Presbyterian times, had a commission to discover witches, of whom (right or wrong) he caused 60 to be hanged within the compass of year; and, among the rest, the old minister, who been a painful preacher for many years.

159 Did he not help the Dutch, &c.] In the beginning of the Civil Wars of Flanders, the common people of Antwerp in a tumult broke open the cathedral church, to demolish images and shrines, and did so much mischief in a small time, that Strada writes, there were several Devils seen very busy among them, otherwise it had been impossible.