[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 o’er the hip, boy!

[Ralph knocks down the Barber .

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 holdst 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 Tim and George .

Bar . I crave for mercy, as thou art a knight,
And scorn’st to spill the blood of those that beg.

Ralph . Thou show’d’st no mercy, nor shalt thou have any;
Prepare thyself, for thou shalt surely die.

Re-enter TIM leading a Man winking , with a Basin under his Chin .

Tim . Behold, brave knight, here is one prisoner,
Whom this vile man hath useèd as you see.

[Wife . This is the first wise word I heard the squire speak.]

Ralph . Speak what thou art, and how thou hast been used,
That I may give him condign punishment.

Man . I am a knight that took my journey post
Northward from London; and in courteouswise
This giant trained me to his loathsome den,
Under pretence of killing of the itch;
And all my body with a powder strewed,
That smarts and stings; and cut away my beard,
And my curled locks wherein were ribands tied;
And with a water washed my tender eyes, (Whilst up and down about me still he skipt,)
Whose virtue is, that, till my eyes be wiped
With a dry cloth, for this my foul disgrace,
I shall not dare to look a dog i’ the 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.

[Exeunt Man with Tim , who presently re-enters .