How richly such a rogue deserves to swing, 

 And then to Satan's hottest flames be hurl'd ! 



" Oh ! by this damned deed how I am hurried ! 

 A dog in Christian ground be buried ! 



And have an epitaph forsooth so civil : 

 Egad ! Old Maids will presently be found 

 Clapping their dead ram cats in holy ground, 



And writing verses on each mousing devil." 



Against such future casualty providing, 



The Priest set off, like Homer's Neptune striding 



Vowing to put the culprit in the Court : 

 He found him at the spaniel's humble grave ; 

 Not praying, neither singing of a stave ; 



And thus began t' abuse him — not exhort — 



" Son of the Dev'l, what hast thou done ? 

 Nought for the action can atone — 



I should not wonder if the great Allwise 

 Quick darted down His lightening all so red 

 And dash'd to earth that wretch'd head, 



Which dar'd so foul, so base an act devise. 



" Bury a dog like Christian folk ! — 

 None but the devil cou'd provoke 



A man to perpetrate a deed so odd : 

 Our Inquisition soon the tale shall hear, 

 And quickly your fine fleece shall sheer ; 



Why, such a villain can't believe in God ! " 



93 



