Buckle on this habergin, as fast as thou can, And fear for the meeting of nother beast nor man. If it were possible for one to shoot an oak, This habergin will defend thee from the stroke. Let them throw milestones at thee as thick as hail, Yet thee to kill they shall [of] their purpose fail. If Malvern Hills should on thy shoulders light, They shall not hurt them, nor suppress thy might. If Bevis of Hampton, Colburn, and Guy, Will thee assay, set not by them a fly! To be brief, this habergin shall thee save Both by land and water; now play the lusty knave. [_Then he goeth into his shop again_. THERSITES. When I consider my shoulders, that so broad be, When the other parts of my body I do behold, I verily think that none in Christian'ty With me to meddle dare be so bold. Now have at the lions on Cots'old![578] I will neither spare for heat nor for cold. Where art thou, King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table? Come, bring forth your horses out of the stable! Lo, with me to meet they be not able: By the mass, they had rather wear a bable. Where art thou, Gawain the courteous and Kay the crabbed? Here be a couple of knights cowardish and scabbed! Appear in thy likeness, Sir Libeus Disconius,[579] If thou wilt have my club light on thy _headibus_. Lo, ye may see he beareth not the face With me to try a blow in this place. How, sirrah, approach, Sir Launcelot de Lake, What, renne ye away, and for fear quake? Now he that did thee a knight make Thought never that thou any battle shouldst take. If thou wilt not come thyself, some other of thy fellows send: To battle I provoke them; themselves let them defend. Lo, for all the good that ever they see, They will not once set hand to fight with me. O good Lord, how broad is my breast And strong withal, for whole is my chest. He that should meddle with me should have shrewd rest. Behold you my hands, my legs, and my feet; Every part is strong, proportionable, and meet. Think you that I am not fear'd in field and street? Yes, yes, God wot, they give me the wall, Or else with my club I make them to fall. Back, knaves, I say to them, then for fear they quake; And take me then to the tavern, and good cheer me make. The proctor and his men I made to renne their ways, And some went to hide them in broken hays.[580] I tell you at a word, I set not a turd By none of them all: Early and late I will walk, And London streets stalk, Spite of them great and small: For I think verily, That none in heaven so high, Nor yet in hell so low, While I have this club in my hand, Can he able me to withstand, Or me to overthrow. But, Mulciber, yet I must thee desire To make me briggen[581] irons for mine arms, And then I will love thee as mine own sire; For without them I cannot be safe from all harms. Those once had, I will not set a straw By all the world, for then I will by awe Have all my mind, or else, by the holy rood, I will make them think the devil carrieth them to the wood.[582]