Hudibras eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 333 pages of information about Hudibras.

Hudibras eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 333 pages of information about Hudibras.
Trepann’d the State, and fac’d it down
With plots and projects of our own;
And if we did such feats at first,
What can we now we’re better vers’d? 
Who have a freer latitude, 835
Than sinners give themselves, allow’d,
And therefore likeliest to bring in,
On fairest terms, our discipline;
To which it was reveal’d long since,
We were ordain’d by Providence; 840
When three Saints Ears, our predecessors,
The Cause’s primitive Confessors,
B’ing crucify’d, the nation stood
In just so many years of blood;
That, multiply’d by six, exprest 845
The perfect number of the beast,
And prov’d that we must be the men
To bring this work about agen;
And those who laid the first foundation,
Compleat the thorough Reformation:  850
For who have gifts to carry on
So great a work, but we alone? 
What churches have such able pastors,
And precious, powerful, preaching masters? 
Possess’d with absolute dominions 855
O’er brethren’s purses and opinions? 
And trusted with the double keys
Of Heaven and their warehouses;
Who, when the Cause is in distress,
Can furnish out what sums they please, 860
That brooding lie in bankers’ hands,
To be dispos’d at their commands;
And daily increase and multiply,
With doctrine, use, and usury: 
Can fetch in parties (as in war 865
All other heads of cattle are)
From th’ enemy of all religions,
As well as high and low conditions,
And share them, from blue ribbands, down
To all blue aprons in the town; 870
From ladies hurried in calleches,
With cor’nets at their footmens’ breeches,
To bawds as fat as Mother Nab;
All guts and belly, like a crab. 
Our party’s great, and better ty’d 875
With oaths and trade than any side,
Has one considerable improvement,
To double fortify the Cov’nant: 
I mean our Covenant to purchase
Delinquents titles, and the Churches; 880
That pass in sale, from hand to hand,
Among ourselves, for current land;
And rise or fall, like Indian actions,
According to the rate of factions
Our best reserve for Reformation, 885
When new out-goings give occasion;
That keeps the loins of Brethren girt
The Covenant (their creed) t’ assert;
And when th’ have pack’d a Parliament,
Will once more try th’ expedient:  890
Who can already muster friends,
To serve for members, to our ends,
That represent no part o’ th’ nation,
But Fisher’s-Folly Congregation;
Are only tools to our intrigues, 895
And sit like geese to hatch our eggs;
Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Hudibras from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.