shield the Knight from further harm,
And, joining wrath with force, bestow'd
On th' wooden member such a load,
That down it fell and with it bore
Crowdero, whom it propp'd before.
To him the Squire right nimbly run,
And setting his bold foot upon
His trunk, thus spoke: 'What desp'rate frenzy
Made thee, thou whelp of sin, to fancy
Thyself, and all that coward rabble,
To encounter us in battle able?
How durst th', I say, oppose thy curship
'Gainst, arms, authority, and worship,
And Hudibras or me provoke,

. . . . .

... but first our care
Must see how Hudibras doth fare.'
This said, he gently rais'd the Knight,

. . . . .

To rouse him from lethargic dump,
He tweak'd his nose with gentle thump,
Knock'd on his breast, as if't had been
To raise the spirits lodg'd within;
They, waken'd with the noise, did fly
From inward room to window eye,
And gently op'ning lid, the casement,
Look'd out, but yet with some amazement.
This gladded Ralpho much to see,
Who thus bespoke the Knight; quoth he,
Tweaking his nose, 'You are, great sir,
A self-denying conqueror;
As high, victorious, and great
As e'er fought for the churches yet.

. . . . .

... The foe, for dread
Of your nine-worthiness, is fled;
All, save Crowdero, for whose sake
You did th' espous'd cause undertake;
And he lies pris'ner at your feet,
To be disposed as you think meet,
Either for life, or death, or sale,
The gallows, or perpetual jail;
For one wink of your powerful eye
Must sentence him to live or die;
His Fiddle is your proper purchase,
Won in the service of the Churches;
And by your doom must be allow'd
To be or be no more, a _Crowd_.'

. . . . .

... The Knight began to rouse,
And by degrees grew valorous;
He stared about, and seeing none
Of all his foes remain, but one,
He snatch'd his weapon that lay near him,
And from the ground began to rear him,
Vowing to make Crowdero pay
For all the rest that ran away.
But Ralpho now, in colder blood,
His fury mildly thus withstood.
'Great sir,' quoth he, 'your mighty spirit
Is raised too high; this slave doth merit
To be the