A pair of new gallows there did he up set,
And asked what meaned that gallow tree -,
"Take that, child," he said, "to thy dinner,
"Now go we hence," said these wight young men,
Adam said, "I have a letter written well,
"We be two messengers," said Clym of the Clough,
"Here cometh no man in," said the porter,
Then spake the good yeoman Clym of the Clough,
(_free_, gracious. _lordeyne_, clown. _wode_, mad.
"Had we the keys," said Clym of the Clough,
And the justice with a quest of swearers,
That had judged Cloudeslè there hanged to be.
And Cloudeslè himself lay ready in a cart,
"I have seen as great a marvel," said Cloudeslè,
"Thou speakest proudly," said the justice,
The one hit the justice, the other the sheriff,
When the justice fell down to the ground,
For their strings were of silk full sure,
That they kept the streets on every side:
(_stert,_ rushed. _wrong_, wrung. _sure_, trusty.)
There was many an out-horn in Carlisle blowen,
For of their lives they stood in great doubt.
The mayor smote at Cloudesle with his bill,
But all for nought was that they wrought,
Till they all three, that so manfully fought,
(_stour_, battle. _at a braid_, in a moment.)
Thus be these good yeomen gone to the wood,
_trysty tree_, trysting tree. _meany_, company.)
And said, "Alas that ever I saw this day!
"Might I have spoken with his dear brethren,
He was ware of his wife and children three,
I had weened yesterday, by sweet saint John,
"Now well is me," she said, "that ye be here,
The usher said, "Yeomen, what would ye have?
"What be your names?" then said our king,
They said, "Adam Bel, Clym of the Clough,
"Be ye those thieves," then said our king,
"That were great pity," then said the queen,
"My lord, when I came first into this land,
That should have been worth them all three.
And said, "Lord, your officers greet you well,
(_leasing_, lying. _forthinketh_, repenteth.)
And found how these three outlaws had slain
"I will see these fellows shoot," he said,
(_catchpolls_, bumbailiffs. _fosters_, foresters.
_of the fee_, in the pay of the king. _yslaw_, slain.)
(_busk_, make ready. _prick_, peg in target)
"Thou art the best archer," then said the king,
"And I give thee xvii. pence a day," said the queen,
And thy two brethren yeomen of my chamber,