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The Riddles of Heraclitus and Democritus


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The Riddles of Heraclitus and Democritus.
  
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34

[A lowe bred squire]

A lowe bred squire
Borne in the mire,
That neuer knew who was his sire,
Being armed light
After midnight,
(No remedie) would needes go fight.

In corslet bad
The youth was clad,
And sarcenet sleeues forsooth he had.
But at a word
He had no sword,
Nor other weapon woorth a &c.
Ne was he strong,
Nor large nor long,
But foorth he came with a hideous song.
And Tartar leeke
He me did seeke,
Lighting at first full on my cheeke.
This thing of naught,
At face still raught,
As Cesar once his souldiours taught
When they should fight,
Against that knight,
Pompey defending countries right:
So in like case,
This varlet base
Was euer poring at my face.
I could not rest
Within my nest,
The rascall did me so molest.
I had the Iacke,
Soone brought to wracke,
Had he not euer retired backe.
But he comes, he goes,
He fell, he rose,
He bit me by the very nose.

It made me sweare,
And God to teare,
I could not for my life forbeare.
That such a knaue
Should be so braue,
Would make (I trowe) a Saint to raue.
But clod or stone,
Or sticke or bone,
Or gunne or crosbowe had I none.
That truth to showe,
I did not knowe,
Which way I might him ouerthrowe.
So that at last
I waxt agast,
And longing t'haue the combate past.
I hid my head
Within a bed
And slept like one that had been dead.

He that hath laien one whole autumne at Stokesbie, shall vnderstand this ænigma well inough. A gnat is an ill chamber-fellow.

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