But what was the man like of aspect ?" She reddened: "He was of a most goodly body," she said, "fair-eyed, and of a face well carven; his speech kind and gentle." And yet more she reddened.
Said the Earl: "Didst thou hear what he was, this man ?" She said: "I deem from his own words that he was but a simple forester." "Yea," quoth the Earl, "a simple forester?
Nay, but a woodman, an outlaw, a waylayer; so say our men, that he fell on them with the cry: A-Tofts! A-Tofts! Hast thou never heard of Jack of the Tofts ?" "Nay, never," said she.
Said the Earl: "He is the king of these good fellows; and a perilous host they be.

Now I fear me, if he be proven to be one of these, there will be a gallows reared for him to-morrow, for as fair and as doughty as he may be." She turned all pale, and her lips quivered: then she rose up, and fell on her knees before the Earl, and cried out: "O sir, a grace, a grace, I pray thee! Pardon this poor man who was so kind to me!" The Earl raised her up and smiled, and said: "Nay, my Lady Queen, wouldst thou kneel to me?
It is unmeet.

And as for this woodman, it is for thee to pardon him, and not for me; and since, by good luck, he is not hanged yet, thy word hath saved his neck." She sat down in her chair again, but still looked white and scared.

But the Earl spake again, and kindly: "Now to all these matters I shall give heed, my Lady; wherefore I will ask leave of thee, and be gone; and to-morrow I will see thee again, and lay some rede before thee.

Meantime, be of good cheer, for thou shalt be made as much of as may be, and live in mickle joy if thou wilt.