"Seeing you say so much," said Tommy Pots,345
I will not seem your butcher to be;
But I will come and stanch your blood,
If any thing you will give me."
As he did stanch Lord Phenix blood,
Lord! in his heart he did rejoice;350
"I'le not take the lady from you thus,
But of her you'st have another choice.
"Here is a lane of two miles long;
At either end we set will be;
The lady shall stand us among,355
Her own choice shall set her free."
"If thou'l do so," Lord Phenix said,
"To lose her by her own choice it's honesty;
Chuse whether I get her, or go her without,
Forty pounds I will give thee."360
But when they in that lane was set,
The wit of a woman for to prove,
"By the faith of my body," the lady said,
"Then Tom Pots must needs have his love."
Towards Tom Pots the lady did hie,365
To get behind him hastily;
"Nay stay, nay stay," Lord Phenix said,
"Better proved it shall be.
"Stay you with your maidens here,
In number fair they are but three;370
Tom Pots and I will go behind yonder wall,
That one of us two be proved to dye."
But when they came behind the wall,
The one came not the other nigh;
For the Lord Phenix had made a vow,375
That with Tom Pots he would never fight.
"O give me this choice," Lord Phenix said,
"To prove whether true or false she be,
And I will go to the lady fair,
And tell her Tom Pots slain is he."380