Page:History of Jack and the giants (2).pdf/14

 day of March, and thoroughly furniſhed with all neceſſaries for his progreſs, he took his leave, not only of king Arthur, but likewiſe of all his truly and hardy Knights belonging to the round table, who, after much ſalutation and friendly greeting, they parted, the king and his nobles to their courtly palaces, and Jack the Giant killer to the eager purſuit of fortune's favour's, taking with him his cap of knowledge, ſword of ſharpneſs, ſhoes of ſwiftneſs, and likewiſe the inviſible coat, the better to perfect and complete the dangerous enterprizes that lay before him.

travelling over vaſt hills and wonderful mountains, when at the end of three days, he came to a large and ſpacious wood, through which he muſt needs paſs, when on a ſudden, to his great amazement he heard dreadful ſhrieks and cries; whereupon caſting his eyes around to obſerve what it might be, he beheld with wonder a Giant ruſhing along with a worthy knight and his fair lady, whom he held by the hair of their heads in his hands, with at much eaſe as if they had been a pair of gloves, the ſight of which melted poor Jack into tears of pity and compaſſion: Whereupon he alighting from off his horſe, which he left tied to an oak tree, and putting on his inviſible coat, under which he carried his ſword of ſharpneſs, he came up to the Giant; and though he made ſeveral paſſes at him, yet nevertheleſs it could not reach the trunk of his body, by reaſon of his height, though it wounded his thighs in ſeveral places: But at length giving him a ſwinging ſtroke, he cut off both his legs juſt below the knees, ſo that the trunk of his body made not only the ground to ſhake, but likewiſe the trees to tremble with the force of his fall: at which, by mere good