Hudibras

And, when h' has chac'd his enemies,
Submit to us upon his knees.

315 Is there an officer of state,
Untimely rais'd, or magiftrate,
That's haughty and imperious?
He's but a journeyman to us :
That as he gives us caufe to do't,
320 Can keep him in, or turn him out.

325

We are your guardians, that increase,
Or waste your fortunes how we please;
And, as you humour us, can deal
In all your matters, ill or well.

'Tis we that can difpofe alone,
Whether your heirs shall be your own,
To whofe integrity you must,
In fpite of all your caution, truft;
And, 'lefs you fly beyond the feas,
330 Can fit you with what heirs we please;
And force you t' own 'em, tho' begotten
By French valets, or Irish footmen.
Nor can the rigorousest course

Prevail, unless to make us worse; 335 Who still the harsher we are us’d, Are further off from b'ing reduc'd; And fcorn t' abate, for any ills, The leaft punctilios of our wills. Force does but whet our wits t' apply 340 Arts, born with us, for remedy; Which all your politics, as yet, Have ne'er been able to defeat: For when y' have try'd all forts of ways, What fools d' we make of you in plays?

345 While all the favours we afford,

your heads

Are but to girt you with the fword,
To fight our battles in our steads,
And have your brains beat out o'
Encounter, in despite of nature,
350 And fight at once with fire and water,
With pirates, rocks, and storms, and feas,
Our pride and vanity t' appeafe;

Kill one auother, and cut throats,
For our good graces, and besl thoughts;
355 To do your exercise for honour,

And have your brains beat out the fooner;
Or crack'd, as learnedly, upon

Things that are never to be known:
And still appear the more induftrious,-
360 The more your projects are prepoft'rous;
To fquare the circle of the arts,

And run stark mad to shew your parts ;
Expound the oracle of laws,

And turn them which way we fee cause;

395 Be our follicitors and agents,

And stand for us in all engagements.
And these are all the mighty pow'rs
You vainly boast, to cry down ours;
And what in real value's wanting,
370 Supply with vapouring and ranting:
Because yourselves are terrify'd,
And stoop to one another's pride;
Believe we have as little wit

To be out-hector'd and submit : 375 By your example, lose that right

In treaties, which we gain'd in fight:

;

And terrify'd into an awe,
Pafs on ourselves a Salique law:
Or, as fome nations use, give place,
380 And truckle to your mighty race,

Let men ufurp th' unjust dominion,
As if they were the better women.

378 Pafs on ourselves a Salique law.] The Salique law is a law in France, whereby it is enacted, that no female shall inherit that crown.

THE EN D.