Now they are on their journey gone, As fast as they may speed, Yet for all their haste, ere they arriv’d, The princess forth was led, To be deliver’d to the prince, Who in the list did stand, Prepar’d to fight, or else receive His lady by the hand. With that he walk’d about the lists, With giants by his side : Bring forth, said he, your champions, Or bring me forth my bride. This is the four and twentieth day, The day prefixt upon : Bring forth my bride, or London burns, I swear by ‘Alcaron.’[302] {229} Then cries the king, and queen likewise, Both weeping as they ‘spake,’ {230} Lo ! we have brought our daughter dear, Whom we are forc’d to forsake. With that stept out bold Robin Hood, Crys, My liege, it must not be so : Such beauty as the fair princèss Is not for a tyrants mow. The prince he then began to storm, Cries, Fool, fanatick, baboon ![303] How dare thou stop my valours prize ? I’ll kill thee with a frown. Thou tyrant Turk, thou infidel, Thus Robin began to reply, Thy frowns I scorn ; lo ! here’s my gage, And thus I thee defie. And for those two Goliahs there, That stand on either side, Here are two little Davids by, That soon can tame their pride. Then the king did for armour send, For lances, swords, and shields ; And thus all three in armour bright, Came marching to the field. {231} The trumpets began to sound a charge, Each singled out his man ; Their arms in pieces soon were hew’d, Blood sprang from every vain. The prince he reacht Robin Hood a blow, He struck with might and main, Which forc’d him to reel about the field, As though he had been slain. God-a-mercy, quoth Robin, for that blow ! The quarrel shall soon be try’d ; This stroke shall shew a full divorce Betwixt thee and thy bride. So from his shoulders he’s cut his head, Which on the ground did fall, And grumbling sore at Robin Hood, To be so dealt withal. The giants then began to rage To see their prince lie dead : Thou’s be the next, quoth Little John, Unless thou well guard thy head. With that his faulchion he wherl’d about, It was both keen and sharp ; He clave the giant to the belt, And cut in twain his heart. {232} Will Scadlock well had play’d his part, The giant he had brought to his knee ; Quoth Will, The devil cannot break his fast, Unless he have you all three. So with his faulchion he run him through, A deep and ‘ghastly’ wound ; Who dam’d and foam’d, curst and blasphem’d, And then fell to the ground. Now all the lists with shouts were fill’d, The skies they did resound, Which brought the princess to herself, Who had fal’n in a swound. The king and queen, and princess fair, Came walking to the place, And gave the champions many thanks, And did them further grace.