I promise thee thou bidest a shaft If thou sitt'st not well thou hadst better laft[290]

The tales that thou hast told.

_4th Torturer._ Stand near, fellows, and let us see How we can horse our king so free By any craft; Stand thou yonder on yon side, And we shall see how he can ride.

And how to wield a shaft.

_1st Torturer._ Sir, come ye hither, and have done, And get upon your palfrey soon For he is ready bowne:[291]

If ye be bound to him be not wroth, For be ye secure we were full loth On any wise that ye fell down.

_2nd Torturer._ Knit thou a knot, with all thy strength For to draw this arm at length Till it come to the bore.

_3rd Torturer._ Thou art mad, man, by this light!

It wants, in each man's sight Another half span, and more.

_4th Torturer._ Yet draw out this arm, and make it fast, With this rope, that well will last, And each man lay hand to.

_1st Torturer._ Yes, and bind thou fast that band, We shall go to that other hand, And look what we can do.

_2nd Torturer._ Do drive a nail there throughout, And then there shall nothing doubt, For it will not _breste_.[292]

_3rd Torturer._ That shall I do, so might I thrive, For to hammer and to drive Thereto I am full pressed; So let it stick, for it is well.

_4th Torturer._ Thou sayest sooth, There can no man mend.

_1st Torturer._ Hold down his knees.

_2nd Torturer._ That shall I do.

His nurse did never better do; Lay on with each hand.

_3rd Torturer._ Draw out his limbs, let see, have at.

_4th Torturer._ That was well drawn out, that, Fair befall him that so pulled!

For to have gotten it to the mark I trow laymen nor clerk Nothing better should!

_1st Torturer._ Hold it now fast there One of you the bore shall bear, And then it may not fail.

_2nd Torturer._ That shall I do withouten dread, As ever might I well speed Him to mickle bale.

_3rd Torturer._ So, that is well, it will not brest,[293]

But now, let see, who does the best With any sleight of hand.

_4th Torturer._ Go we to the other ende Fellows, fasten fast your hende,[294]

And pull well at the band.

_1st Torturer._ I counsel, fellows, by this weather That we draw now all together, And look how it will fare.

_2nd Torturer._ Now let see, and leave your din And draw we ilka syn from syn.[295]

For nothing let us spare.

_3rd Torturer._ Nay, fellows, this is no play, We no longer draw one way, So mickle have I espied.

_4th Torturer._ No, for as I have bliss Some can twig whoso it is Seeks his ease on his own side.

_1st Torturer._ It is better, as I hope Each by himself to draw this rope, And then may we see Who it is that erewhile All his fellows can beguile Of this company.

_2nd Torturer._ Since thou wilt so have, here's for me!

How draw I?--as might thou the![296]

_3rd Torturer._ Men drew right well!

Have here for me, half a foot.

_4th Torturer._ Wema,[297] man! thou came not to't.

Men drew it never a deal But have for me here that I may!

_1st Torturer._ Well drawnen, son, by this day!

Thou goes well to thy work.

_2nd Torturer._ Yet after, whilst thy hand is in Pull thereat with some engine.

_3rd Torturer._ Yea, and bring it to the mark.

_4th Torturer._ Pull, pull!

_1st Torturer._ Have now!

_2nd Torturer._ Let see!

_3rd Torturer._ Aha!

_4th Torturer._ Yet, a draught!

_1st Torturer._ Thereto with all my might.

_2nd Torturer._ Aha, hold still th.o.r.e.[298]

_3rd Torturer._ So, fellows, look now alive, Which of you can best drive, And I shall take the bore.

_4th Torturer._ Let me go to it, if I shall I hope that I be the best marshal[299]

For to clink[300] it right.

Do raise him up now when we may, For I hope he and his palfrey Shall not twine[301] this night.

_1st Torturer._ Come hither, fellows, and have done, And help that this tree soon Be lift with all your sleight.

_2nd Torturer._ Yet let us work awhile, And no man now the other beguile Till it be brought on height.

_3rd Torturer._ Fellows, lay on all your hende[302]

For to raise this tree on ende And lets see who is last.

_4th Torturer._ I rede we do as he says, Set we the tree on the mortase,[303]

And there, will it stand fast.