The Works of the English Poets: With Prefaces, Biographical and Critical

That Dog and Bear are to difpute,
For fo of late men fighting name,
Because they often prove the fame;
(For where the firft does hap to be,
The laft does coincidere)

Quantum in nobis, have thought good
To fave th' expence of Chriftian blood,

745

And

vered by the Knight, in his own words: but fince it is below the gravity of Heroical poetry to admit of humour, but all men are obliged to fpeak wifely alike, and too much of fo extravagant a folly would become tedious and impertinent, the rest of his harangues have only his fenfe expreffed in other words, unless in fome few places, where his own words could not be fo well avoided.

Ver. 715.] Had that remarkable motion in the House of Commons taken place, the Conftables might have vied with Sir Hudibras for an equality at leaft; "That it was neceffary for the Houfe of Commons to "have a High Conftable of their own, that will make "no fcruple of laying his Majefty by the heels ;" but they proceeded not fo far as to name any body; becaufe Harry Martyn (out of tenderness of confcience in this particular) immediately quashed the motion, by faying, the power was too great for any man.

And try if we by mediation
Of treaty and accommodation,
Can end the quarrel, and compofe
The bloody duel without blows.
Are not our liberties, our lives,
The laws, religion, and our wives,
Enough at once to lie at ftake

For Covenant and the Caufe's fake?

$30

735

But

Ver. 736.] This was the Solemn League and Covenant, which was first framed and taken by the Scottish Parliament, and by them fent to the Parliament of England, in order to unite the two nations more closely in religion. It was received and taken by both Houses, and by the City of London; and ordered to be read in all the churches throughout the kingdom; and every perfon was bound to give his confent, by holding up his hand, at the reading of it.

Ibid.-and Caufe's fake.] Sir William Dugdale informs us that Mr. Bond, preaching at the Savoy, told his auditors from the pulpit, "That they ought to "contribute and pray, and do all they were able, to "bring in their brethren of Scotland for fettling of "God's caufe: I fay (quoth he) this is God's caufe; "and if our God hath any caufe, this is it; and if "this be not God's caufe, then God is no god for me; "but the Devil is got up into heaven." Mr. Calamy, in his fpeech at Guildhall, 1643, fays, “I may truly "fay, as the Martyr did, that if I had as many lives "as hairs on my head, I would be willing to facrifice "all these lives in this caufe;"

Which pluck'd down the King, the Church, and the Laws,

To fet up an idol, then nick-nam'd The Cause, Like Bell and Dragon to gorge their own maws; as it is expreffed in " The Rump Carbonaded."

But in that quarrel Dogs and Bears,
As well as we, muft venture theirs?
This feud, by Jesuits invented,
By evil counsel is fomented;

749

Frail Privilege, fundamental Laws,,
Nor for a thorough Reformation,
Nor Covenant nor Proteftation,

Nor liberty of Consciences,

Nor Lords and Commons' Ordinances;

Nor for the Church, nor for Church-lands,

765

The Indians fought for the truth
Of th' elephant and monkey's tooth i
And many, to defend that faith,
Fought it out mordicus to death;
But no beaft ever was fo flight,
For man, as for his God, to fight.

780

They

Ver. 765.] Nor for free Liberty of Confcience. Thus the two first editions read: the word free was left out in 1674, and all the fubfequent editions; and Mr. Warburton thinks for the worfe; free liberty being a most beautiful and fatirical periphrafis for licentioufnefs, which is the idea the Author here intended to give us.

Ver. 766.] The King being driven from the Parliament, no legal acts of Parliament could be made; therefore when the Lords and Commons had agreed upon any bill, they published it, and required obedience to it, under the title of An Ordinance of Lords and Commons, and fometimes, An Ordinance of Parliament.

They have more wit, alas! and know
Themfelves and us better than fo:
But we, who only do infufe