(Quoth she) What is it you would swear 235
There’s no believing till I hear
For, till they’re understood all tales
(Like nonsense) are not true nor false.

(Quoth he) When I resolv’d t’ obey
What you commanded th’ other day, 240
And to perform my exercise,
(As schools are wont) for your fair eyes,
T’ avoid all scruples in the case,
I went to do’t upon the place. 
But as the Castle is inchanted 245
By Sidrophel the Witch and haunted
By evil spirits, as you know,
Who took my Squire and me for two,
Before I’d hardly time to lay
My weapons by, and disarray 250
I heard a formidable noise,
Loud as the Stentrophonick voice,
That roar’d far off, Dispatch and strip,
I’m ready with th’ infernal whip,
That shall divest thy ribs from skin, 255
To expiate thy ling’ring sin. 
Th’ hast broken perfidiously thy oath,
And not perform’d thy plighted troth;
But spar’d thy renegado back,
Where th’ hadst so great a prize at stake; 260
Which now the fates have order’d me
For penance and revenge to flea,
Unless thou presently make haste: 
Time is, time was:  And there it ceas’d. 
With which, though startled, I confess, 265
Yet th’ horror of the thing was less
Than th’ other dismal apprehension
Of interruption or prevention;
And therefore, snatching up the rod,
I laid upon my back a load; 270
Resolv’d to spare no flesh and blood,
To make my word and honour good;
Till tir’d, and making truce at length,
For new recruits of breath and strength,
I felt the blows still ply’d as fast 275
As th’ had been by lovers plac’d,
In raptures of platonick lashing,
And chaste contemplative bardashing;
When facing hastily about,
To stand upon my guard and scout, 280
I found th’ infernal Cunning-man,
And th’ under-witch, his Caliban,
With scourges (like the Furies) arm’d,
That on my outward quarters storm’d. 
In haste I snatch’d my weapon up, 285
And gave their hellish rage a stop;
Call’d thrice upon your name, and fell
Courageously on Sidrophel;
Who, now transform’d himself a bear,
Began to roar aloud, and tear; 290
When I as furiously press’d on,
My weapon down his throat to run;
Laid hold on him; but he broke loose,
And turn’d himself into a goose;
Div’d under water, in a pond, 295
To hide himself from being found. 
In vain I sought him; but, as soon
As I perceiv’d him fled and gone,
Prepar’d with equal haste and rage,
His Under-sorcerer t’ engage.