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How Sir Richard of the Lea Paid His Debts
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Atthisalllaughed;butaboveallthelaughteraloudvoicewasheardtocryout,"Sin’thoutalkestsobig,herecomethonefromNottinghamshiretotryafallwiththee,fellow";andstraightwayatallyouthwithatoughquarterstaffinhishandcamepushinghiswaythroughthecrowdandatlastleapedlightlyovertheropeintothering.HewasnotasheavyasstoutWilliam,buthewastallerandbroaderintheshoulders,andallhisjointswerewellknit.SirRichardlookeduponhimkeenly,then,turningtooneofthejudges,hesaid,"Knowestthouwhothisyouthis?MethinksIhaveseenhimbefore."
"Nay,"saidthejudge,"heisastrangertome."
Meantime,withoutaword,theyoungman,layingasidehisquarterstaff,begantotakeoffhisjerkinandbodyclothinguntilhepresentlystoodwithnakedarmsandbody;andacomelysighthewaswhensobaredtotheview,forhismuscleswerecutroundandsmoothandsharplikeswift-runningwater.
Andnoweachmanspatuponhishandsand,clappingthemuponhisknees,squatteddown,watchingtheotherkeenly,soastotakethevantageofhiminthegrip.Thenlikeaflashtheyleapedtogether,andagreatshoutwentup,forWilliamhadgottenthebetterholdofthetwo.Forashorttimetheystrainedandstruggledandwrithed,andthenstoutWilliamgavehismostcunningtripandthrow,butthestrangermetitwithgreaterskillthanhis,andsothetripcametonought.
