But was implacable and awkward
To all that interlop'd and hawker'd.
To this brave man the Knight repairs
For counsel in his law-affairs;
And found him mounted, in his pew,

620

With books and money plac'd for fhew,

Like neft-eggs, to make clients lay,

625

And for his false opinion pay :

To whom the Knight, with comely grace, ́

630

Put off his hat, to put his cafe;

Which he as proudly entertain'd
As th' other courteously ftrain'd;
And, to affure him 'twas not that
He look'd for, bid him put on 's hat.
Quoth he, There is one Sidrophel

Whom I have cudgel'd-Very well.
And now he brags to have beaten me.
-Better, and better ftill, quoth he.
And vows to stick me to a wall,
Where'er he meets me-Beft of all.
'Tis true the knave has taken 's oath
That I robb'd him-Well done, in troth.

635

640

When he 'as confefs'd he ftole my cloak,

And pick'd my fob, and what he took;

Which was the cause that made me bang him,
And take my goods again-Marry, hang him.

Now, whether I fhould beforehand,

645

Swear he robb'd me ?-I understand.

Or

Ver. 619.] Auker'd. editions 1678, 1684.

Or bring my action of converfion

And trover for my goods ?—Ah, whoreson.

Or, if 'tis better to indict,

And bring him to his trial ?-Right.

·650

Prevent what he defigns to do,

And fwear for th' ftate against him?-True.
Or whether he that is defendant,

In this cafe, has the better end on 't;
Who, putting in a new cross-biH,
May traverse the action ?-Better still.
Then there's a lady, too-Aye, marry.
That's easily prov'd accessary.;

655

A Widow, who, by folemn vows
Contracted to me, for my spouse,
Combin'd with him to break her word,
And has abetted all-Good Lord!
Suborn'd th' aforefaid Sidrophel
To tamper with the devil of hell;

Who put m' into a horrid fear,

Made an affault with fiends and men

Upon my body-Good again.

And kept me in a deadly fright,
And false imprisonment, all night.
Meanwhile they röbb'd me, and my horse,
And stole my faddle-Worfe and worse.
And made me mount upon the bare ridge,
T'avoid a wretcheder mifcarriage.

Sir (quoth the lawyer) not to flatter ye,
You have as good and fair a battery

660

665

670

'675

As

As heart can with, and need not shame
The proudest man alive to claim :
For if they 've us'd you as you fay,
Marry, quoth I, God give you joy;
I would it were my cafe, I'd give

More than I'll say, or you 'll believe:
I would fo trounce her, and her purse,

680

I'd make her kneel for better or worse ;
For matrimony and hanging, here,

685

Both go by deftiny fo clear,

That you as fure may pick and chufe,

As crofs I win, and pile you lofe:
And, if I durft, I would advance
As much in ready maintenance,
As upon any cafe I 've known;
But we that practise dare not own :
The law feverely contrabands

Our taking bufinefs off men's hands;
'Tis common barratry, that bears
Point-blank an action 'gainst our ears,
And crops them till there is not leather,
To ftick a pin in, left of either;
For which fome do the fummer-fault,
And o'er the bar, like tumblers, vault:
But you may fwear, at any rate,

Things not in nature, for the ftate;

For in all courts of justice here

A witness is not faid to fwear,

make oath; that is, in plain terms,
orge whatever he affirms.

690

695

700

705

(I thank

(I thank you, quoth the Knight, for that, Because 'tis to my purpose pat-)

For Juftice, though the 's painted blind,

Is to the weaker fide inclin'd,

710

Like Charity; else right and wrong

Could never hold it out fo long,

And, like blind Fortune, with a fleight,

Convey men's intereft and right

From Stiles's pocket into Nokes's,

715

As eafily as Hocus Pocus;

Plays fast and loose, makes men obnoxious;

And clear again, like biccius doctius.

Then, whether you would take her life,

Ver. 723.] Alone, in all editions to 1704, inclufive.

All one, in later editions.

For that, (quoth he), let me alone;

735

We 've ftore of fuch, and all our own,

Bred up and tutor'd by our Teachers,

The ableft of confcience-ftretchers.

That 's well (quoth he); but I fhould guess,

And bait them well, for quirks and quillets,

With trains t' inveigle and furprize

Her heedlefs anfwers and replies;

750

And if the mifs the moufe-trap lines,

They '11 ferve for other bye-defigns;

And

Ver. 742.] Bongey was a Francifcan, and lived towards the end of the thirteenth century; a doctor of divinity in Oxford, and a particular acquaintance of Friar Bacon's. In that ignorant age every thing that feemed extraordinary was reputed magic, and fo both Bacon and Bongey went under the imputation of studying the black art. Bongey alfo, publishing a treatife of natural magic, confirmed fome well-meaning credulous people in this opinion; but it was altogether ground lefs, for Bongey was chofen Provincial of his order, being a perfon of most excellent parts and piety.