IMMEDIATELY within the bed he slid, When, scarcely knowing what young Rustick did; And, unaccustomed to the mystick scene, She knew not what the anchorite could mean, Nor this nor that but, partly by consent, And partly force, yet wishing to prevent, Though not presuming to resist his sway To him 'mid pain and pleasure, she gave way, Believing ev'ry thing was most exact, And, what the saint performed, a gracious act, By thus the Devil shutting up in Hell, Where he was destined with his imps to dwell.
HENCEFORTH 'twas requisite, if saint she'd be; From martyrdom she must not think to flee, For friar Rustick little sought to please: The lesson was not given quite at ease, Which made the girl (not much improved in wit) Exclaim, this Devil mischief will commit; 'Tis very plain, though strange it may appear To hurt his prison e'en he'll persevere; The injury now you clearly may perceive; But, for the evil done, I shall not grieve: Yet richly he deserves to be again Shut up effectually in his domain.
IT shall be so, the anchorite replied; Once more the mystick art was fully tried; Such care he took, such charity was shown, That Hell, by use, free with the Devil grown, His presence pleasant always would have found; Could Rustick equally have kept his ground.
CRIED Alibech, 'tis very truly said, No prison has so nice and soft a bed, But presently the host will weary grow; And here our pair soon discord seemed to show: Hell, for the prisoner, in vain inquired; Deaf was the fiend, and quietly retired; Repeated calls of course must irksome prove: The fair grew weary, when he would not move; Her strong desire to be a saint declined; And Rustick to get rid of her designed; In this with him the belle agreed so well, That secretly she left the hermit's cell, And home returned in haste the shortest way; But what the fair could to her parents say, Is what I fain would know, though truly yet; The full particulars I ne'er could get. 'Tis probable she made them understand, Her heart was prompted by divine command; To try to be a saint; that they believed, Or seemingly for truth the tale received. Perhaps the parents were not quite exact, In narrowly examining the fact; Though some suspicions doubtless might arise About her Hell, they could not well disguise; But 'tis so formed that little can be seen, And many jailors in it duped have been.