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The Hero, who led on the right,
Had seized many a Squire and Knight,
And made them yield at his discretion,
Without the least capitulation;
Yea, instances can be produc'd,
That he more Rebels hath reduc'd,
To their Allegiance back again,
Than Staremberg hath done in Spain.
This Hero, with his friend, assaulted
With fury while the Rabble halted;
And loudly call'd, not to retard
The Engineer with his petard;
Not doubting he the Style would open,
Or else by force would get it broken;
But he no courage had to venture,
Betwixt the army's Front and Centre,
Yet quickly he found this excuse,
Why he his orders did refuse;
“The adverse Mob, upon suspicion,
‘Hath lately seiz'd our Ammunition,
‘By which 'tis plainly understood,
‘That my Engines can do no good.”
That which their courage most inspir'd,
Was, that the Mob at first retir'd;
But they no sooner did attack
The Gate, than they were driven back,
With many a Pelt upon their skin,
By Wives who lin'd the walls within.
A meagre Fellow, with thick Lips,
Run first a Preacher through the Hips,
Which was the Signal fix'd upon,
For Male and Female to fall on;
Then in the Front with stones they maul'd them,
And in the Rear with Cudgels gall'd them.
A certain Female call'd the Twitter,
Laid Ratio Sacra in the gutter,
Who, prostrate so, with life at stake,
Cry'd out aloud for Mercy's sake.
He lay in peril for to smother,
Untill a young malignant brother
Came up, who lost his thumb sinister
Rescuing the fanatick minister.
Thus he, who was to Saints a stranger,
Rescued the Saint from present danger,
And in a very proper season,
Set up the Oracle of Reason,
Who, being raised from his fall,
Was now a two leg'd animal,
And featherless, which is the nature
And notion of a human creature.
Then having made some whining faces,
And most emphatical Grimaces,
With hands lift up he gave a sob,
And then bespoke the adverse Mob
With serious expostulation,
Imploring only a Cessation
Of Arms, for a little season,
Untill by force of solid Reason
The business he might debate,
By Argument or Postulate,
Desiring any of the Foes,
Either to answer or propose,
As they inclin'd, and they should find him,
With Reason ready for to bind 'em,
And evidently mak't appear
They took the wrong Sow by the ear.

Then from the Croud a Plough-man prest,
And thus in haste the Priest addrest,
Without the usual Decorum
Of Preface, standing close before him,
“Why come you here in manner hostile?”
Quoth he, We come to preach the gospel.
‘Where read you in the holy Word,
‘Of gospelizing with the Sword?
‘What Scripture text can you alledge
‘To prove your martial Equipage?
‘Of Mahomet I've heard it said,
‘That his Religion thus he spread;
‘You seem Apostles of the Turk—”
Peter, quoth he, had Sword and Durk,
And us'd them too, as is most clear,
In cutting off of Malchus' ear.
“You misapply, and mince the Text,
‘Pray read the words which follow next,
‘And there, I think, you'l find a word
‘Which to the Sheath condemns the Sword;
‘And the Apostle, who did use it,
‘Did in the end but slightly rule it!”
Quoth he, we must compel th'unwilling.
“But not by Force, nor yet by killing;
‘Such rugged bloody disposition
‘Smells rankly of the Inquisition,
‘Where Rack, and Wheel, and Fire, and Faggot,
‘Confutes all Reason, and the Maggot
‘Of conscience, and with Stripes and Knocks
‘Makes Heretics turn Orthodox;
‘And forces them their Faith to alter,
‘Or else converts them in a Halter.”