HUDI BRAS.

IN THREE PARTS.

PART III. CANTO II.

THE

ARGUMENT.

The Saints engage in fierce contefts
About their carnal intercfts,

To fhare their facrilegious preys
According to their rates of Grace:
Their various frenzies to reform,
When Cromwell left them in a ftorm;
Till, in th' effige of Rumps, the rabble
Burn all their Grandees of the Cabal.

THE learned write, an infect breeze
Is but a mongrel prince of bees,
That falls before a ftorm on cows,
And ftings the founders of his house,

From

This Canto is entirely independent of the adventures of Hudibras and Ralpho: neither of our heroes make their appearance: other characters are introduced, and a new vein of fatire is exhibited. The Poet steps out of his road, and fkips from the time wherein thefe adventures

B 2

Laid out their apoftolic functions

On carnal Orders and Injunctions;
And all their precious Gifts and Graces
On Outlawries and Scire facias;
At Michael's term had many trial,

Worfe than the Dragon and St. Michael,
Where thoufands fell, in fhape of fees,
Into the bottomlefs abyss.

For when, like brethren, and like friends,

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They came to fhare their dividends,

And every partner to poffefs

Ifis church and ftate joint-purchafes,
In which the ableft Saint, and beft,
Was nam'd in truft by all the reft
To pay their money, and, inftead
Of every Brother, pafs the deed,
He ftraight converted all his gifts
I pious frauds and holy fhifts,
And fettled all the other shares
Upon his outward man and 's heirs ;
Held all they claim'd as forfeit lands
Deliver'd up into his hands,
And pafs'd upon his confcience
By pre-entail of Providence;
Impeach'd the reft for Reprobates,
That had no titles to eftates,
But by their spiritual attaints

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Degraded from the right of Saints.

This being reveal'd, they now begun

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With law and confcience to fall on,

And