The
Battle
between
the
Rats
and
the
Weazles
.
IN
dire
Contest
the
Rats
and
Weazles
met
,
And
Foot
to
Foot
,
and
Point
to
Point
was
set
:
An
ancient
Quarrel
had
such
Hatred
wrought
,
That
for
Revenge
,
as
for
Renown
,
they
fought
.
Now
bloody
was
the
Day
,
and
hard
the
Strife
,
Wherein
bold
Warriors
lost
neglected
Life
:
But
as
,
some
Errors
still
we
must
commit
,
Nor
Valour
always
ballanc'd
is
by
Wit
;
Among
the
Rats
some
Officers
appear'd
,
With
lofty
Plumage
on
their
Foreheads
rear'd
,
Unthinking
they
,
and
ruin'd
by
their
Pride
:
For
when
the
Weazels
prov'd
the
stronger
Side
,
A
gen'ral
Rout
befell
,
and
a
Retreat
,
Was
by
the
Vanquish'd
now
implor'd
of
Fate
;
To
slender
Crannies
all
repair'd
in
haste
,
Where
easily
the
undress'd
Vulgar
past
:
But
when
the
Rats
of
Figure
wou'd
have
fled
,
So
wide
those
branching
Marks
of
Honour
spread
,
The
Feather
in
the
Cap
was
fatal
to
the
Head
.