Quoth Pertinax: "Good Thing, 't is very well.
Par Dex, and by the Holy Rood," quoth he,
"'T is just as well that I was not yon tree!"
And whirling his long sword as thus he spoke,
Shore through another at a single stroke.
"Here's tree for tree, stout manling!" he did say.
"What other trick canst show to me, I pray?"
Then Lobkyn stooped the broken stump to seize,
Bowed brawny back and with a wondrous ease
Up by the roots the rugged bole he tore
And tossed it far as it had been a straw.
Sad grew our knight this mighty feat perceiving,
Since well he knew't was past his own achieving.
But anon he smiled and clapped the mighty Dwarf on shoulder, saying:
"Greeting to thee, lusty Lob, for by Our Holy Lady of Shene Chapel within
the Wood, ne'er saw I thine equal, since thou, being man so small, may do
what man o' my goodly inches may nowise perform. Thou should'st make a
right doughty man-at-arms!"
Hereupon the Dwarf cut a caper but sighed thereafter: quoth he:
"Aha, good master, and Oho,
As man-at-arms fain would I go;
Aye, verily, I would be so,
But that my grannam sayeth 'No!'
"And, sir, my grand-dam I obey
Since she's a potent witch, they say;
Can cast ye spells by night or day
And charmeth warts and such away.
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