And when they came before the king, As it was the law of the land, They kneeled down without hindrance, And each held up his hand.

They said, Lord, we beseech thee here, That you will grant us grace; For we have slain your fat fallow deer In many a sundry place.

What be your names, then said our king, Anon that you tell me?

They said, Adam Bell, Clym of the Clough, And William of Cloudesly.

Be ye those thieves, then said our king, That men have told of to me?

Here to G.o.d I make a vow, Ye shall be hanged all three.

[Ill.u.s.tration: WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLY.]

Ye shall be dead without mercy, As I am king of this land.

He commanded his officers everyone, Fast on them to lay hand.

There they took these good yeomen, And arrested them all three: So may I thrive, said Adam Bell, This game liketh not me.

But, good lord, we beseech you now, That ye grant us grace, Insomuch as freely to you we come, As freely we may from you pa.s.s,

With such weapons as we have here, Till we be out of your place; And if we live this hundred year, We will ask you no grace.

Ye speak proudly, said the king; Ye shall be hanged all three.

That were great pity, then said the queen, If any grace might be.

My lord, when I came first into this land To be your wedded wife, The first boon that I would ask, Ye would grant it me belyfe:[64]

And I never asked none till now; Therefore, good lord, grant it me.

Now ask it, madam, said the king, And granted it shall be.

Then, good my lord, I you beseech, These yeomen grant ye me.

Madame, ye might have asked a boon, That should have been worth them all three.

Ye might have asked towers and towns, Parks and forests plenty.

None so pleasant to my liking, she said; Nor none so lefe[65] to me.

Madame, since it is your desire, Your asking granted shall be; But I had lever[66] have given you Good market towns three.

The queen she was a glad woman, And said, Lord, gramercy: I dare undertake for them, That true men shall they be.

But, good my lord, speak some merry word, That comfort they may see.

I grant you grace, then said our king; Wash, fellows, and to meat go ye.

They had not setten but a while Certain, without lesynge,[67]

There came messengers out of the north With letters to our king.

And when they came before the king, They knelt down on their knee: And said, Lord, your officers greet you well, Of Carlisle, in the north country.

How fareth my justice, said the king, And my sheriff also?

Sir, they be slain, without lesynge, And many an officer mo'.

Who hath them slain, said the king; Anon thou tell to me?

Adam Bell, and Clym of the Clough, And William of Cloudesly.

Alas for ruth! then said our king: My heart is wondrous sore; I had rather than a thousand pound, I had known of this before;

For I have granted them grace, And that forthinketh me: But had I known all this before, They had been hanged all three.

The king he opened the letter anon, Himself he read it thro', And found how these outlaws had slain Three hundred men and mo':

First the justice, and the sheriff, And the mayor of Carlisle town; Of all the constables and catchpolls Alive were scarce left one:

The baillies, and the beadles both, And the sergeants of the law, And forty foresters of the fee,[68]

These outlaws had yslaw.[69]

And broke his parks, and slain his deer; Of all they chose the best; Such perilous outlaws, as they were, Walked not by east nor west.

When the king this letter had read, In his heart he sighed sore: Take up the tables anon he said, For I may eat no more.

The king called his best archers To the b.u.t.ts with him to go: I will see these fellows shoot, he said, In the north have wrought this woe.

The king's bowmen buske[70] them blyve,[71]

And the queen's archers also; So did these three wighty yeomen; With them they thought to go.

There twice or thrice they shot about For to a.s.say their hand; There was no shot these yeomen shot, That any p.r.i.c.k might stand.

Then spake William of Cloudesly; By Him that for me died, I hold him never no good archer, That shooteth at b.u.t.ts so wide.

At what a b.u.t.t now would you shoot, I pray thee tell to me?

At such a b.u.t.t, sir, he said, As men use in my country.

William went into a field, And with him his two brethren: There they set up two hazel rods Twenty score paces between.

I hold him an archer, said Cloudesly, That yonder wand cleaveth in two.

Here is none such, said the king, Nor none that can so do.

I shall a.s.say, sir, said Cloudesly, Or that I farther go.

Cloudesly with a bearyng[72] arrow Clave the wand in two.

Thou art the best archer, then said the king, For sooth that ever I see.

And yet for your love, said William, I will do more mastery.

I have a son is seven year old, He is to me full dear; I will him tie to a stake; All shall see, that be here;

And lay an apple upon his head, And go six score pace him fro', And I myself with a broad arrow Shall cleave the apple in two.

Now haste thee, then said the king, By Him that died on a tree, But if thou do not as thou hast said, Hanged shalt thou be.

An thou touch his head or gown, In sight that men may see, By all the saints that be in heaven, I shall hang you all three.