By chance a Knight smote Faustus a box on the ear in the presence of a great company of brave Ladies, wherefore he swore to be egregiously revenged on him, giving him the Field, which the Knight refused not, so the weapons, the place, the time were ordained, and Faustus went out to the field, and no sooner was Faustus gone out of the presence but Signior di Medesimo, who was well-known to be a valorous and courageous man in his kind as any was about the Court, on a sudden fell down on his knees before all the Ladies, shaking and quivering, with a face as pale as him which was new risen from a month’s burying, desiring them if ever they tendered any Gentleman’s case, to entreat Monsieur Infeligo to forgive him his trespass. At this the whole assembly burst out into a loud laughter, to see the man that was even now in his brave terms and vaunting words to come in all submissive manner to entreat for a pardon so ridiculously. He yet not desisting with many a salt tear and hands lifted up towards the Heavens, from whence his pity came, when Faustus came blowing in like a swashbuckler with his Rapier by his side and his hand on his Poynard, swearing all the cross row over.[103] But when he saw the Knight in such a pickle, he sat himself against a wall and laughed so loud and so heartily, that all the whole rout could not choose but laugh with him, and here was laughing, and here and there and everywhere. At length two Ladies rose, to whom perhaps this Knight owed some particular service, and desired Don Infeligo with very mild sermon to be friends with Medesimo again, he told them that they could not demand the thing which he would not readily fulfil, marry he requested this, that as the disgrace which he had received was too great to be forgotten without some such equal revenge, that he might use some like injury, whereby he might be satisfied and he might again come into his grace: which they granted. Faustus came to Medesimo and reared him up upon his feet, and then got upon his back, and so rid twice about the Chamber, and when he had done he took him by the chin, who had not yet forgotten how to weep, shaking worse then any school-boy when he fears to climb the horse, and gave him a good box on the ear and went his way. So the Knight was utterly disgraced, and for shame durst not be seen all that day after. They which were there had sport abundance, and Faustus was feared for his brave valour and with his continual delight in knavery got him foes enough too. [Footnote 103: An incantation over the letters of the alphabet.] CHAPTER XXIV