Adam bent a right good bow, A great hart soon he had slain; Take that, child, he said, to thy dinner, Now go we hence, said these wight yeomen, Tarry we no longer here; We shall him borrow* by God his grace, To Carlisle went these bold yeomen, Here is a FYT† of Cloudesly, And another is for to say. * Redeem. Part of a song. PART THE SECOND. ND when they came to merry Carlisle, All in the morning tide, They found the gates shut them against Alas! then said good Adam Bell, That ever we were made men! These gates be shut so wondrous fast, We may not come therein. Then bespake him Clym of the Clough, With a wile we will us in bring; Let us say we be messengers, Straight come now from our king. but prent Adam said, I have a letter written, Now let us wisely work, We will say we have the king's seal; I hold the porter no clerk. Then Adam Bell beat on the gates Who is there now, said the porter, We be two messengers, quoth Clym of the Clough, We have a letter, said Adam Bell, Let us in our message to do, That we may again to the king. Here cometh none in, said the porter, Till a false thief be hanged up, Called William of Cloudesley. * Hastened. Then spake the good yeoman Clym of the Clough, And swore by Mary free, And if that we stand long without, Like a thief hanged thou shalt be. Lo! here we have the king's seal: Welcome is my lord's seal, he said; He opened the gate full shortly; Now are we in, said Adam Bell, Whereof we are full fain; But Christ he knowes, that harrowed hell, Had we the keys, said Clym of the Clough, Then might we come out well enough When we see time and need. They called the porter to counsel, And wrung his neck in two, And cast him in a deep dungeon, And took his keys him fro'. Now am I porter, said Adam Bell, And now will we our bows bend, Then they bent their good yew bows, And, as they looked them beside, * Time. |