Hudibras | Page 3

induced to believe he wrote it about that time, because he had then the opportunity to converse with those living characters of rebellion, nonsense, and hypocrisy, which he so livelily and pathetically exposes throughout the whole work.
After the restoration of King Charles II. those who were at the helm, minding money more than merit, our Author found that?verse in Juvenal to be exactly verified in himself:
Haud facile emergunt, quorum virtutibus obstat?Res angusta domi:?[They do not easily rise whose virtues are held back by the straitened circumstances of their home]
And being endued with that innate modesty, which rarely finds promotion in princes' courts. He became Secretary to Richard Earl of Carbury, Lord President of the Principality of Wales, who made him Steward of Ludlow-Castle, when the Court there was revived. About this time he married one Mrs. Herbert, a gentlewoman of a very good family, but no widow, as the?Oxford Antiquary has reported; she had a competent fortune, but it was most of it unfortunately lost, by being put out on ill securities, so that it was of little advantage to him. He is reported by the Antiquary to have been Secretary to his Grace George Duke of Buckingham, when he was Chancellor to the?University of Cambridge; but whether that be true or no, it is certain, the Duke had a great kindness for him, and was often a benefactor to him. But no man was a more generous friend to him, than that Mecaenas of all learned and witty men, Charles Lord Buckhurst, the late Earl of Dorset and Middlesex, who, being himself an excellent poet, knew how to set a just value upon the ingenious performances of others, and has often taken care privately to relieve and supply the necessities of those, whose modesty would endeavour to conceal them; of which our author was a signal instance, as several others have been, who are now living. In fine the integrity of his life, the acuteness of his wit, and easiness of his conversation, had rendered him most acceptable to all men; yet he prudently avoided a multiplicity of acquaintance, and wisely chose such only whom his discerning judgment could distinguish (as Mr. Cowley expresseth it)
From the great vulgar or the small.
And having thus lived to a good old age, admired by all, though personally known to few, he departed this life in the year 1680, and was buried at the charge of his good friend Mr. Longuevil, of the Temple, in the yard belonging to the church of St. Paul's Covent-garden, at the west-end of the said yard, on the north side, under the wall of the said church, and under that wall which parts the yard from the common highway. And since he?has no monument yet set up for him, give me leave to borrow his epitaph from that of Michael Drayton, the poet, as the author of Mr. Cowley's has partly done before me:
And though no monument can claim?To be the treasurer of thy name;?This work, which ne'er will die, shall be?An everlasting monument to thee.
PART I
CANTO I
THE ARGUMENT

Sir Hudibras his passing worth,
The manner how he sallied forth;
His arms and equipage are shown;
His horse's virtues, and his own.
Th' adventure of the bear and fiddle
Is sung, but breaks off in the middle.

When civil dudgeon first grew high,?And men fell out they knew not why??When hard words, jealousies, and fears,?Set folks together by the ears,?And made them fight, like mad or drunk, 5 For Dame Religion, as for punk;?Whose honesty they all durst swear for,?Though not a man of them knew wherefore:?When Gospel-Trumpeter, surrounded?With long-ear'd rout, to battle sounded, 10 And pulpit, drum ecclesiastick,?Was beat with fist, instead of a stick;?Then did Sir Knight abandon dwelling,?And out he rode a colonelling.?A wight he was, whose very sight wou'd 15 Entitle him Mirror of Knighthood;?That never bent his stubborn knee?To any thing but Chivalry;?Nor put up blow, but that which laid?Right worshipful on shoulder-blade; 20 Chief of domestic knights and errant,?Either for cartel or for warrant;?Great on the bench, great in the saddle,?That could as well bind o'er, as swaddle;?Mighty he was at both of these, 25 And styl'd of war, as well as peace.?(So some rats, of amphibious nature,?Are either for the land or water).?But here our authors make a doubt?Whether he were more wise, or stout: 30 Some hold the one, and some the other;?But howsoe'er they make a pother,?The diff'rence was so small, his brain?Outweigh'd his rage but half a grain;?Which made some take him for a tool 35 That knaves do work with, call'd a fool,?And offer to lay wagers that?As MONTAIGNE, playing with his cat,?Complains she thought him but an ass,?Much more she wou'd Sir HUDIBRAS; 40 (For that's the name our valiant knight?To all his challenges did write).?But they're mistaken very