ARGUMENT.
The Knight, with various doubts possess'd,
To win the Lady goes in quest
Of Sidrophel the Rosycrucian,
To know the Dest'nies' resolution;
With whom being met, they both chop logic
About the science astrologic;
Till falling from dispute to fight,
The Conjurer's worsted by the Knight.

DOUBTLESS the pleasure is as great
Of being cheated as to cheat;
As lookers-on feel most delight,
That least perceive a juggler's sleight,
And still the less they understand,
The more th' admire his slight of hand.

Some with a noise and greasy light
Are snapt, as men catch larks by night,
Ensnar'd and hamper'd by the soul,
As nooses by the leg's catch fowl.
Some with a med'cine and receipt
Are drawn to nibble at the bait;
And though it be a two-foot trout,
'Tis with a single hair pulld out.

ARGUMENT.
The Knight, with various doubts possess'd,
To win the Lady goes in quest
Of Sidrophel the Rosycrucian,
To know the Dest'nies' resolution;
With whom being met, they both chop logic
About the science astrologic;
Till falling from dispute to fight,
The Conjurer's worsted by the Knight.

a

DOUBTLESS the pleasure is as great
Of being cheated as to cheat;
As lookers-on feel most delight,
That least perceive a juggler's sleight,
And still the less they understand,
The more th' admire his slight of hand.

Some with a noise and greasy light
Are snapt, as men catch larks by night,
Ensnar'd and hamper'd by the soul,
As nooses by the legs catch fowl.
Some with a med'cine and receipt
Are drawn to nibble at the bait;
And though it be a two-foot trout,
'Tis with a single hair pullid out.

Others believe no voice to an organ
So sweet as lawyer's in his bar-gown,
Until with subtle cobweb-cheats
They're caught in knotted law, like nets;
In which, when once they are imbrangled,
The more they stir, the more they're tangled;
And while their purses can dispute,
There's no end of the immortal suit.

Others still gape to’ anticipate
The cabinet-designs of Fate,
Apply to wizards, to foresee
What shall, and what shall never be:
And as those vultures do forbode,
Believe events prove bad or good;
A flam more senseless than the roguery
Of old aruspicy, and augʻry,
That out of garbages of cattle
Presag'd the events of truce or battle ;
From flight of birds, or chickens pecking,
Success of great’st attempts would reckon:
Though cheats, yet more intelligible,
Than those that with the stars do fribble.
This Hudibras by proof found true,
As in due time and place we'll shew :
For he with beard and face made clean,
Being mounted on his steed again,
(And Ralpho got a cock-horse too,
Upon his beast, with much ado,)
Advanc'd on for the Widow's house,
To' acquit himself, and pay his vows;
When various thoughts began to bustle,
And with his inward man to justle.
He thought what danger might accrue,
If she should find he swore untrue;