_Ralph._ Thou showest no mercy, nor shalt thou have any; Prepare thyself, for thou shalt surely die. _Enter_ SQUIRE, _leading one winking, with a bason under his chin_. _Squire._ Behold, brave knight, here is one prisoner, Whom this wild man hath used as you see. _Wife._ This is the wisest word I hear the squire speak. _Ralph._ Speak what thou art, and how thou hast been us'd, That I may give him condign punishment. _1st Knight._ I am a knight that took my journey post Northward from London, and in courteous wise, This giant train'd me to his loathsome den, Under pretence of killing of the itch, And all my body with a powder strew'd, That smarts and stings; and cut away my beard, And my curl'd locks wherein were ribands ty'd, And with a water washt my tender eyes (Whilst up and down about me still he skipt), Whose virtue is, that till my eyes be wip'd With a dry cloth, for this my foul disgrace, I shall not dare to look a dog i' th' face. _Wife._ Alas, poor knight. Relieve him, Ralph; relieve poor knights whilst you live. _Ralph._ My trusty squire, convey him to the town, Where he may find relief; adieu, fair knight. [_Exit_ KNIGHT. _Enter_ DWARF, _leading one with a patch over his nose_. _Dwarf._ Puissant Knight of the Burning Pestle hight, See here another wretch, whom this foul beast Hath scotch'd and scor'd in this inhuman wise. _Ralph._ Speak me thy name, and eke thy place of birth, And what hath been thy usage in this cave. _2nd Knight._ I am a knight, Sir Partle is my name, And by my birth I am a Londoner, Free by my copy, but my ancestors Were Frenchmen all; and riding hard this way, Upon a trotting horse, my bones did ache, And I, faint knight, to ease my weary limbs, Light at this cave, when straight this furious fiend, With sharpest instrument of purest steel, Did cut the gristle of my nose away, And in the place this velvet plaster stands. Relieve me, gentle knight, out of his hands. _Wife._ Good Ralph, relieve Sir Partle, and send him away, for in truth his breath stinks. _Ralph._ Convey him straight after the other knight. Sir Partle, fare you well. _3rd Knight._ Kind sir, good night. [_Exit._ [_Cries within._ _Man._ Deliver us! _Wom._ Deliver us! _Wife._ Hark, George, what a woful cry there is. I think some one is ill there. _Man._ Deliver us! _Wom._ Deliver us! _Ralph._ What ghastly noise is this? Speak, Barbaroso, Or by this blazing steel thy head goes off. _Bar._ Prisoners of mine, whom I in diet keep. Send lower down into the cave, And in a tub that's heated smoking hot, There may they find them, and deliver them.