"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,145
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:150
And thus all three in armour bright
Came marching to the field.
The trumpets began to sound a charge,
Each singled out his man;
Their arms in pieces soon were hew'd,155
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.160
"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,165
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:170
"Thou's be the next," quoth little John,
"Unless thou well guard thy head."
With that his faulchion he wherled about,
It was both keen and sharp;
He clove the giant to the belt,175
And cut in twain his heart.
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."180