A Bundle of Ballads [11]
me, I ween: Then were the case worse than it was And I more wo-begone: For, in my mind, of all mankind I love but you alone."
HE. "Ye shall not nede further to drede: I will not dispar-age You (God defend!), sith you descend Of so great a lin-age. Now understand: to Westmoreland, Which is my heritage, I will you bring; and with a ring By way of marri-age I will you take, and lady make, As shortly as I can: Thus have ye won an earl-es son And not a banished man."
Here may ye see, that women be In love, meek, kind, and stable; Let never man reprove them than, Or call them vari-able; But, rather, pray God that we may To them be comfort-able, Which sometime proveth such as he loveth, If they be charit-able. For sith men would that women should Be meek to them each one; Much more ought they to God obey, And serve but Him alone.
ADAM BELL, CLYM OF THE CLOUGH, AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLIE.
THE FIRST FYTTE.
Merry it was in green for-est, Among the leav-es green, Where that men walk both east and west With bows and arrows keen, To raise the deer out of their den, Such sights as hath oft been seen; As by three yeomen of the North Countrey: By them is as I mean.
The one of them hight Adam Bell, The other Clym of the Clough, The third was William of Cloudeslie, An archer good enough. They were outlawed for venison, These three yeomen every one; They swore them brethren upon a day, To Ingle wood for to gone.
Now lith and listen, gentlemen, And that of mirths love to hear: Two of them were single men, The third had a wedded fere. William was the wedded man, Much more then was his care; He said to his brethren upon a day, To Carlisle he would fare,
For to speak with fair Alice his wife, And with his children three. "By my troth," said Adam Bell, "Not by the counsel of me: For if ye go to Carlisle, brother, And from this wild wood wend, If the Justice may you take, Your life were at an end."--
"If that I come not to-morrow, brother, By prime to you again, Trust not else but that I am take, Or else that I am slain."-- He took his leave of his brethren two, And to Carlisle he is gone. There he knocked at his own wind-ow Shortly and anon.
"Where be you, fair Alice, my wife? And my children three? Lightly let in thine husb-and, William of Cloudeslie."-- "Alas," then saide fair Al-ice, And sigh-ed wondrous sore, "This place hath been beset for you, This half-e year and more."
"Now am I here," said Cloudeslie, "I would that I in were;-- Now fetch us meat and drink enough, And let us make good cheer." She fetched him meat and drink plent-y, Like a true wedded wife, And pleas-ed him with that she had, Whom she loved as her life.
There lay an old wife in that place, A little beside the fire, Which William had found of charity Mor-e than seven year; Up she rose, and walked full still, Evil mote she speed therefore: For she had not set no foot on ground In seven year before.
She went unto the justice hall, As fast as she could hie: "This night is come unto this town William of Cloudeslie." Thereof the Justice was full fain, And so was the Sheriff also; "Thou shalt not travel hither, dame, for nought, Thy meed thou shalt have, ere thou go."
They gave to her a right good gown, Of scarlet it was, as I heard sain; She took the gift and home she went, And couched her down again. They raised the town of merry Carlisle, In all the haste that they can, And came throng-ing to William's house, As fast as they might gan.
There they beset that good yeo-man, Round about on every side; William heard great noise of folks, That hitherward hied. Alice opened a shot wind-ow, And look-ed all about She was ware of the Justice and the Sheriff both, With a full great rout.
"Alas, treason!" cried Alice, "Ever woe may thou be!-- Go into my chamber, my husband," she said, "Sweet William of Cloudeslie." He took his sword and his buckl-er, His bow and his children three, And went into his strongest chamber, Where he thought surest to be.
Fair Al-ice followed him as a lover true, With a poleaxe
HE. "Ye shall not nede further to drede: I will not dispar-age You (God defend!), sith you descend Of so great a lin-age. Now understand: to Westmoreland, Which is my heritage, I will you bring; and with a ring By way of marri-age I will you take, and lady make, As shortly as I can: Thus have ye won an earl-es son And not a banished man."
Here may ye see, that women be In love, meek, kind, and stable; Let never man reprove them than, Or call them vari-able; But, rather, pray God that we may To them be comfort-able, Which sometime proveth such as he loveth, If they be charit-able. For sith men would that women should Be meek to them each one; Much more ought they to God obey, And serve but Him alone.
ADAM BELL, CLYM OF THE CLOUGH, AND WILLIAM OF CLOUDESLIE.
THE FIRST FYTTE.
Merry it was in green for-est, Among the leav-es green, Where that men walk both east and west With bows and arrows keen, To raise the deer out of their den, Such sights as hath oft been seen; As by three yeomen of the North Countrey: By them is as I mean.
The one of them hight Adam Bell, The other Clym of the Clough, The third was William of Cloudeslie, An archer good enough. They were outlawed for venison, These three yeomen every one; They swore them brethren upon a day, To Ingle wood for to gone.
Now lith and listen, gentlemen, And that of mirths love to hear: Two of them were single men, The third had a wedded fere. William was the wedded man, Much more then was his care; He said to his brethren upon a day, To Carlisle he would fare,
For to speak with fair Alice his wife, And with his children three. "By my troth," said Adam Bell, "Not by the counsel of me: For if ye go to Carlisle, brother, And from this wild wood wend, If the Justice may you take, Your life were at an end."--
"If that I come not to-morrow, brother, By prime to you again, Trust not else but that I am take, Or else that I am slain."-- He took his leave of his brethren two, And to Carlisle he is gone. There he knocked at his own wind-ow Shortly and anon.
"Where be you, fair Alice, my wife? And my children three? Lightly let in thine husb-and, William of Cloudeslie."-- "Alas," then saide fair Al-ice, And sigh-ed wondrous sore, "This place hath been beset for you, This half-e year and more."
"Now am I here," said Cloudeslie, "I would that I in were;-- Now fetch us meat and drink enough, And let us make good cheer." She fetched him meat and drink plent-y, Like a true wedded wife, And pleas-ed him with that she had, Whom she loved as her life.
There lay an old wife in that place, A little beside the fire, Which William had found of charity Mor-e than seven year; Up she rose, and walked full still, Evil mote she speed therefore: For she had not set no foot on ground In seven year before.
She went unto the justice hall, As fast as she could hie: "This night is come unto this town William of Cloudeslie." Thereof the Justice was full fain, And so was the Sheriff also; "Thou shalt not travel hither, dame, for nought, Thy meed thou shalt have, ere thou go."
They gave to her a right good gown, Of scarlet it was, as I heard sain; She took the gift and home she went, And couched her down again. They raised the town of merry Carlisle, In all the haste that they can, And came throng-ing to William's house, As fast as they might gan.
There they beset that good yeo-man, Round about on every side; William heard great noise of folks, That hitherward hied. Alice opened a shot wind-ow, And look-ed all about She was ware of the Justice and the Sheriff both, With a full great rout.
"Alas, treason!" cried Alice, "Ever woe may thou be!-- Go into my chamber, my husband," she said, "Sweet William of Cloudeslie." He took his sword and his buckl-er, His bow and his children three, And went into his strongest chamber, Where he thought surest to be.
Fair Al-ice followed him as a lover true, With a poleaxe