With words to my profession I reply;10

I tell of fourching, vouchers, and counterpleas,

Of withernams, essoins, and champarty.

So, neither of us understanding either,

We part as wise as when we came together.

FOOTNOTES:

[506] Counter-scarps.

[507] Old eds. "Casomates."

[508] Old eds. "Of parapets, of curteneys, and pallizadois."—MS. "Of parapelets, curtens and passadoes."—Cunningham prints "Of curtains, parapets," &c.

[509] "A term in fortification, exactly from the French fausse-braie, which means, say the dictionaries, a counter-breast-work, or, in fact, a mound thrown up to mask some part of the works.