A Bundle of Ballads [14]
anon, And their bow-es from them cast.
They went lightly on their way, With swords and bucklers round; By that it was the middes of the day, They had made many a wound. There was many a neat-horn in Carlisle blown, And the bells back-ward did ring; Many a woman said "Alas!" And many their hands did wring.
The Mayor of Carlisle forth come was, And with him a full great rout; These three yeomen dread him full sore, For their lives stood in doubt. The Mayor came armed a full great pace, With a poleaxe in his hand; Many a strong man with him was, There in that stour to stand.
The Mayor smote Cloudeslie with his bill, His buckler he burst in two; Full many a yeoman with great ill, "Alas! treason!" they cried for woe. "Keep we the gat-es fast," they bade, "That these traitors thereout not go!"
But all for nought was that they wrought, For so fast they down were laid, Till they all three that so manfully fought, Were gotten without at a braid. "Have here your keys," said Adam Bell, "Mine office I here forsake; If you do by my coun-sel, A new port-er do ye make."
He threw the keys there at their heads, And bade them evil to thrive, And all that letteth any good yeo-man To come and comfort his wife. Thus be these good yeomen gone to the wood, As light as leaf on linde; They laugh and be merry in their mood, Their en'mies were far behind.
When they came to Inglewood, Under their trysting tree, There they found bow-es full good, And arrows great plent-y. "So help me God," said Adam Bell, And Clym of the Clough so free, "I would we were now in merry Carlisle, Before that fair meynie!"
They sit them down and make good cheer, And eat and drink full well.-- Here is a fytte of these wight yeomen, And another I shall you tell.
THE THIRD FYTTE.
As they sat in Inglewood Under their trysting tree, They thought they heard a woman weep, But her they might not see. Sore there sigh-ed fair Al-ice, And said, "Alas that e'er I see this day! For now is my dear husband slain: Alas, and well away!
"Might I have spoken with his dear brethren, With either of them twain, To show-e them what him befell, My heart were out of pain." Cloudeslie walked a little beside, And looked under the greenwood linde; He was ware of his wife and his children three, Full woe in heart and mind.
"Welcome, wife," then said Willi-am, "Under this trysting tree! I had weened yesterday, by sweet Saint John, Thou should me never have see." "Now well is me," she said, "that ye be here! My heart is out of woe."-- "Dame," he said, "be merry and glad, And thank my brethren two."
"Hereof to speak," said Adam Bell, "Iwis it is no boot; The meat that we must sup withal It runneth yet fast on foot." Then went they down into the launde, These noble archers all three; Each of them slew a hart of grease, The best that they could see.
"Have here the best, Al-ice, my wife," Said William of Cloudeslie, "Because ye so boldly stood me by When I was slain full nie." And then they went to their supp-er With such meat as they had, And thanked God of their fort-une; They were both merry and glad.
And when that they had supp-ed well, Certain withouten lease, Cloudeslie said: "We will to our King, To get us a charter of peace; Al-ice shall be at our sojourning, In a nunnery here beside, And my two sons shall with her go, And there they shall abide.
"Mine eldest son shall go with me, For him have I no care, And he shall bring you word again How that we do fare." Thus be these yeomen to London gone, As fast as they may hie, Till they came to the King's pal-ace, Where they would needs be.
And when they came to the King-es court, Unto the palace gate, Of no man would they ask no leave, But boldly went in thereat. They press-ed prestly into the hall, Of no man had they dread; The porter came after, and did them call, And with them gan to chide.
The usher said: "Yeomen, what would ye have? I pray you tell to me; You might thus make officers shent, Good sirs, of whence be ye?" "Sir, we be outlaws of the for-est, Certain without any lease, And hither
They went lightly on their way, With swords and bucklers round; By that it was the middes of the day, They had made many a wound. There was many a neat-horn in Carlisle blown, And the bells back-ward did ring; Many a woman said "Alas!" And many their hands did wring.
The Mayor of Carlisle forth come was, And with him a full great rout; These three yeomen dread him full sore, For their lives stood in doubt. The Mayor came armed a full great pace, With a poleaxe in his hand; Many a strong man with him was, There in that stour to stand.
The Mayor smote Cloudeslie with his bill, His buckler he burst in two; Full many a yeoman with great ill, "Alas! treason!" they cried for woe. "Keep we the gat-es fast," they bade, "That these traitors thereout not go!"
But all for nought was that they wrought, For so fast they down were laid, Till they all three that so manfully fought, Were gotten without at a braid. "Have here your keys," said Adam Bell, "Mine office I here forsake; If you do by my coun-sel, A new port-er do ye make."
He threw the keys there at their heads, And bade them evil to thrive, And all that letteth any good yeo-man To come and comfort his wife. Thus be these good yeomen gone to the wood, As light as leaf on linde; They laugh and be merry in their mood, Their en'mies were far behind.
When they came to Inglewood, Under their trysting tree, There they found bow-es full good, And arrows great plent-y. "So help me God," said Adam Bell, And Clym of the Clough so free, "I would we were now in merry Carlisle, Before that fair meynie!"
They sit them down and make good cheer, And eat and drink full well.-- Here is a fytte of these wight yeomen, And another I shall you tell.
THE THIRD FYTTE.
As they sat in Inglewood Under their trysting tree, They thought they heard a woman weep, But her they might not see. Sore there sigh-ed fair Al-ice, And said, "Alas that e'er I see this day! For now is my dear husband slain: Alas, and well away!
"Might I have spoken with his dear brethren, With either of them twain, To show-e them what him befell, My heart were out of pain." Cloudeslie walked a little beside, And looked under the greenwood linde; He was ware of his wife and his children three, Full woe in heart and mind.
"Welcome, wife," then said Willi-am, "Under this trysting tree! I had weened yesterday, by sweet Saint John, Thou should me never have see." "Now well is me," she said, "that ye be here! My heart is out of woe."-- "Dame," he said, "be merry and glad, And thank my brethren two."
"Hereof to speak," said Adam Bell, "Iwis it is no boot; The meat that we must sup withal It runneth yet fast on foot." Then went they down into the launde, These noble archers all three; Each of them slew a hart of grease, The best that they could see.
"Have here the best, Al-ice, my wife," Said William of Cloudeslie, "Because ye so boldly stood me by When I was slain full nie." And then they went to their supp-er With such meat as they had, And thanked God of their fort-une; They were both merry and glad.
And when that they had supp-ed well, Certain withouten lease, Cloudeslie said: "We will to our King, To get us a charter of peace; Al-ice shall be at our sojourning, In a nunnery here beside, And my two sons shall with her go, And there they shall abide.
"Mine eldest son shall go with me, For him have I no care, And he shall bring you word again How that we do fare." Thus be these yeomen to London gone, As fast as they may hie, Till they came to the King's pal-ace, Where they would needs be.
And when they came to the King-es court, Unto the palace gate, Of no man would they ask no leave, But boldly went in thereat. They press-ed prestly into the hall, Of no man had they dread; The porter came after, and did them call, And with them gan to chide.
The usher said: "Yeomen, what would ye have? I pray you tell to me; You might thus make officers shent, Good sirs, of whence be ye?" "Sir, we be outlaws of the for-est, Certain without any lease, And hither