When Sir Richard came, he found stout William, puffed up by the shouts of his friends, walking up and down the ring, daring anyone to come and try a throw with him.  “Come one, come all!” quoth he.  “Here stand I, William of the Scar, against any man.  If there is none in Derbyshire to come against me, come all who will, from Nottingham, Stafford, or York, and if I do not make them one and all root the ground with their noses like swine in the forests, call me no more brave William the wrestler.”

At this all laughed; but above all the laughter a loud voice was heard to cry out, “Sin’ thou talkest so big, here cometh one from Nottinghamshire to try a fall with thee, fellow”; and straightway a tall youth with a tough quarterstaff in his hand came pushing his way through the crowd and at last leaped lightly over the rope into the ring.  He was not as heavy as stout William, but he was taller and broader in the shoulders, and all his joints were well knit.  Sir Richard looked upon him keenly, then, turning to one of the judges, he said, “Knowest thou who this youth is?  Methinks I have seen him before.”

“Nay,” said the judge, “he is a stranger to me.”

Meantime, without a word, the young man, laying aside his quarterstaff, began to take off his jerkin and body clothing until he presently stood with naked arms and body; and a comely sight he was when so bared to the view, for his muscles were cut round and smooth and sharp like swift-running water.

And now each man spat upon his hands and, clapping them upon his knees, squatted down, watching the other keenly, so as to take the vantage of him in the grip.  Then like a flash they leaped together, and a great shout went up, for William had gotten the better hold of the two.  For a short time they strained and struggled and writhed, and then stout William gave his most cunning trip and throw, but the stranger met it with greater skill than his, and so the trip came to nought.  Then, of a sudden, with a twist and a wrench, the stranger loosed himself, and he of the scar found himself locked in a pair of arms that fairly made his ribs crack.  So, with heavy, hot breathing, they stood for a while straining, their bodies all glistening with sweat, and great drops of sweat trickling down their faces.  But the stranger’s hug was so close that at last stout William’s muscles softened under his grip, and he gave a sob.  Then the youth put forth all his strength and gave a sudden trip with his heel and a cast over his right hip, and down stout William went, with a sickening thud, and lay as though he would never move hand nor foot again.

But now no shout went up for the stranger, but an angry murmur was heard among the crowd, so easily had he won the match.  Then one of the judges, a kinsman to William of the Scar, rose with trembling lip and baleful look.  Quoth he, “If thou hath slain that man it will go ill with thee, let me tell thee, fellow.”  But the stranger answered boldly, “He took his chance with me as I took mine with him.  No law can touch me to harm me, even if I slew him, so that it was fairly done in the wrestling ring.”