Quoth Ralpho, Honour’s but a word
To swear by only in a Lord:  390
In other men ’tis but a huff,
To vapour with instead of proof;
That, like a wen, looks big and swells,
Is senseless, and just nothing else.

Let it (quoth he) be what it will, 395
It has the world’s opinion still. 
But as men are not wise that run
The slightest hazard they may shun,
There may a medium be found out
To clear to all the world the doubt; 400
And that is, if a man may do’t,
By proxy whipt, or substitute.

Though nice and dark the point appear,
(Quoth Ralph) it may hold up and clear. 
That sinners may supply the place 405
Of suff’ring Saints is a plain case. 
Justice gives sentence many times
On one man for another’s crimes.

Our brethren of new England use
Choice malefactors to excuse, 410
And hang the guiltless in their stead,
Of whom the Churches have less need;
As lately ’t happen’d:  In a town

There liv’d a cobler, and but one,
That out of doctrine could cut use, 415
And mend men’s lives as well as shoes,
This precious brother having slain,
In time of peace, an Indian,
(Not out of malice, but mere zeal,
Because he was an Infidel,) 420
The mighty TOTTIPOTTYMOY
Sent to our elders an envoy,
Complaining sorely of the breach
Of league held forth by brother Patch
Against the articles in force 425
Between both Churches, his and ours
For which he crav’d the Saints to render
Into his hands or hang th’ offender
But they maturely having weigh’d,
They had no more but him o’ th’ trade, 430
(A man that serv’d them in a double
Capacity, to teach and cobble,)
Resolv’d to spare him; yet, to do
The Indian Hoghgan Moghgan too
Impartial justice, in his stead did 435
Hang an old Weaver, that was bed-rid. 
Then wherefore way not you be skipp’d,
And in your room another whipp’d? 
For all Philosophers, but the Sceptick,
Hold whipping may be sympathetick. 440

It is enough, quoth Hudibras,
Thou hast resolv’d and clear’d the case
And canst, in conscience, not refuse
From thy own doctrine to raise use. 
I know thou wilt not (for my sake) 445
Be tender-conscienc’d of thy back. 
Then strip thee off thy carnal jerking,
And give thy outward-fellow a ferking;
For when thy vessel is new hoop’d,
All leaks of sinning will be stopp’d. 450