_Host._ Puissant knight, yonder his mansion is, Lo, where the spear and copper bason are, Behold the string on which hangs many a tooth, Drawn from the gentle jaw of wandering knights; I dare not stay to sound, he will appear. [_Exit_ HOST. _Ralph._ O faint not, heart: Susan, my lady dear, The cobbler's maid in Milk Street, for whose sake I take these arms, O let the thought of thee Carry thy knight through all adventurous deed, And in the honour of thy beauteous self, May I destroy this monster Barbaroso. Knock, squire, upon the bason till it break With the shrill strokes, or till the giant speak. _Enter_ BARBAROSO. _Wife._ O George, the giant, the giant! Now, Ralph, for thy life! _Bar._ What fond unknowing wight is this, that dares So rudely knock at Barbaroso's cell, Where no man comes, but leaves his fleece behind? _Ralph._ I, traitorous caitiff, who am sent by fate To punish all the sad enormities Thou hast committed against ladies gent, And errant knights, traitor to God and men. Prepare thyself, this is the dismal hour Appointed for thee to give strict account Of all thy beastly treacherous villanies. _Bar._ Foolhardy knight, full soon thou shalt aby This fond reproach, thy body will I bang, [_He takes down his pole._ And lo, upon that string thy teeth shall hang; Prepare thyself, for dead soon shalt thou be. _Ralph._ Saint George for me! [_They fight._ _Bar._ Gargantua for me! _Wife._ To him, Ralph, to him: hold up the giant, set out thy leg before, Ralph! _Cit._ Falsify a blow, Ralph, falsify a blow; the giant lies open on the left side. _Wife._ Bear't off, bear't off still; there, boy. Oh, Ralph's almost down, Ralph's almost down! _Ralph._ Susan, inspire me, now have up again. _Wife._ Up, up, up, up, up, so, Ralph; down with him, down with him, Ralph! _Cit._ Fetch him over the hip, boy. _Wife._ There, boy; kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, Ralph! _Cit._ No, Ralph, get all out of him first. _Ralph._ Presumptuous man, see to what desperate end Thy treachery hath brought thee; the just gods, Who never prosper those that do despise them, For all the villanies which thou hast done To knights and ladies, now have paid thee home By my stiff arm, a knight adventurous. But say, vile wretch, before I send thy soul To sad Avernus, whither it must go, What captives hold'st thou in thy sable cave? _Bar._ Go in and free them all, thou hast the day. _Ralph._ Go, squire and dwarf, search in this dreadful cave, And free the wretched prisoners from their bonds. [_Exeunt_ SQUIRE _and_ DWARF. _Bar._ I crave for mercy as thou art a knight, And scorn'st to spill the blood of those that beg.