There is a tall long sided dame 45 (But wond'rous light,) ycleped Fame That, like a thin camelion, boards Herself on air, and eats her words; Upon her shoulders wings she wears Like hanging-sleeves, lin'd through with ears, 50 And eyes, and tongues, as poets list, Made good by deep mythologist, With these she through the welkin flies, And sometimes carries truth, oft lies With letters hung like eastern pigeons, 55 And Mercuries of furthest regions; Diurnals writ for regulation Of lying, to inform the nation; And by their public use to bring down The rate of whetstones in the kingdom. 60 About her neck a pacquet-male, Fraught with advice, some fresh, some stale, Of men that walk'd when they were dead, And cows of monsters brought to bed; Of hail-stones big as pullets eggs, 65 And puppies whelp'd with twice two legs; A blazing star seen in the west, By six or seven men at least. Two trumpets she does sound at once, But both of clean contrary tones; 70 But whether both with the same wind, Or one before, and one behind, We know not; only this can tell, The one sounds vilely, th' other well; And therefore vulgar authors name 75 Th' one Good, the other Evil, Fame. This tattling gossip knew too well What mischief HUDIBRAS befell. And straight the spiteful tidings bears Of all to th' unkind widow's ears. 80 DEMOCRITUS ne'er laugh'd so loud To see bawds carted through the crowd, Or funerals with stately pomp March slowly on in solemn dump, As she laugh'd out, until her back, 85 As well as sides, was like to crack. She vow'd she would go see the sight, And visit the distressed Knight; To do the office of a neighbour, And be a gossip at his labour; 90 And from his wooden jail, the stocks, To set at large his fetter-locks; And, by exchange, parole, or ransom, To free him from th' enchanted mansion. This b'ing resolv'd, she call'd for hood 95 And usher, implements abroad Which ladies wear, beside a slender Young waiting damsel to attend her; All which appearing, on she went, To find the Knight in limbo pent. 100 And 'twas not long before she found Him, and the stout Squire, in the pound; Both coupled in enchanted tether, By further leg behind together For as he sat upon his rump, 105 His head like one in doleful dump, Between his knees, his hands apply'd Unto his ears on either side; And by him, in another hole, Afflicted RALPHO, cheek by jowl; 110 She came upon him in his wooden Magician's circle on the sudden, As spirits do t' a conjurer, When in their dreadful shapes th' appear.