sword-blade without either hilt or pommel, which he made to serve his
turn in bending the hand end of the sword instead of a pommel, and the
other had got such spits and glaves as they found in the house.

The keeper being now come unto the house, and perceiving no light nor
hearing any noise, straightway suspected the matter; and returning
backward, John Fox, standing behind the corner of the house, stepped
forth unto him; who, perceiving it to be John Fox, said, "O Fox, what
have I deserved of thee that thou shouldest seek my death?"

"Thou villain," quoth Fox, "hast been a bloodsucker of many a
Christian's blood, and now thou shalt know what thou hast deserved at
my hands," wherewith he lift up his bright shining sword of ten years'
rust, and stroke him so main a blow, as therewithal his head clave
asunder so that he fell stark dead to the ground. Whereupon Peter
Vuticaro went in and certified the rest how the case stood with the
keeper, and they came presently forth, and some with their spits ran
him through, and the other with their glaves hewed him in sunder, cut
off his head, and mangled him so that no man should discern what he
was.

Then marched they toward the road, whereinto they entered softly, where
were five warders, whom one of them asked, saying, who was there?
Quoth Fox and his company, "All friends." Which when they were all
within proved contrary; for, quoth Fox, "My masters, here is not to
every man a man, wherefore look you, play your parts." Who so behaved
themselves indeed, that they had despatched these five quickly. Then
John Fox, intending not to be barren of his enterprise, and minding to
work surely in that which he went about, barred the gate surely, and
planted a cannon against it.