Mean while they knock’d against the door 1095
As fierce as at the gate before,
Which made the Renegado Knight
Relapse again t’ his former fright. 
He thought it desperate to stay
Till th’ enemy had forc’d his way, 1100
But rather post himself, to serve
The lady, for a fresh reserve
His duty was not to dispute,
But what sh’ had order’d execute;
Which he resolv’d in haste t’ obey, 1105
And therefore stoutly march’d away;
And all h’ encounter’d fell upon,
Though in the dark, and all alone;
Till fear, that braver feats performs
Than ever courage dar’d in arms, 1110
Had drawn him up before a pass
To stand upon his guard, and face: 
This he courageously invaded,
And having enter’d, barricado’d,
Insconc’d himself as formidable 1115
As could be underneath a table,
Where he lay down in ambush close,
T’ expect th’ arrival of his foes. 
Few minutes he had lain perdue,
To guard his desp’rate avenue, 1120
Before he heard a dreadful shout,
As loud as putting to the rout,
With which impatiently alarm’d,
He fancy’d th’ enemy had storm’d,
And, after ent’ring, Sidrophel 1125
Was fall’n upon the guards pell-mell
He therefore sent out all his senses,
To bring him in intelligences,
Which vulgars, out of ignorance,
Mistake for falling in a trance; 1130
But those that trade in geomancy,
Affirm to be the strength of fancy;
In which the Lapland Magi deal,
And things incredible reveal. 
Mean while the foe beat up his quarters, 1135
And storm’d the out-works of his fortress: 
And as another, of the same
Degree and party, in arms and fame,
That in the same cause had engag’d,
At war with equal conduct wag’d, 1140
By vent’ring only but to thrust
His head a span beyond his post,
B’ a gen’ral of the cavaliers
Was dragg’d thro’ a window by th’ ears;
So he was serv’d in his redoubt, 1145
And by the other end pull’d out.

Soon as they had him at their mercy,
They put him to the cudgel fiercely,
As if they’d scorn’d to trade or barter,
By giving or by taking quarter:  1150
They stoutly on his quarters laid,
Until his scouts came in t’ his aid. 
For when a man is past his sense,
There’s no way to reduce him thence,
But twinging him by th’ ears or nose, 1155
Or laying on of heavy blows;
And if that will not do the deed,
To burning with hot irons proceed. 
No sooner was he come t’ himself,
But on his neck a sturdy elf 1160
Clapp’d, in a trice, his cloven hoof,