The Book of Brave Old Ballads Part 4

Set fire on the house, said the sheriff, Since it will no better be, And burn we therein William, he said, His wife and children three.

They fired the house in many a place, The fire flew up on high: Alas! then cried fair Alice, I see we here shall die.

William opened a back window, That was in his chamber hi', And there with sheets he did let down His wife and children three.

Have you here my treasure, said William, My wife and my children three: For Christ's love do them no harm, But wreak you all on me.

William shot so wondrous well, Till his arrows were all ago', And the fire so fast upon him fell That his bowstring burnt in two.

The sparkles burnt and fell upon Good William of Cloudesly: Then was he a woeful man, and said, This is a coward's death to me.

Liever had I, said William, With my sword in the route to run, Than here among mine enemies wode[42]

Thus cruelly to burn.

He took his sword and his buckler, And among them all he ran: Where the people were most in prece,[43]

He smote down many a man.

There might no man abide his strokes, So fiercely on them he ran: Then they threw windows, and doors on him, And so took that good yeoman.

There they him bound both hand and foot, And in deep dungeon him cast: Now Cloudesly, said the justice, Thou shalt be hanged in haste.

A pair of new gallows, said the sheriff, Now shall I for thee make; And the gates of Carlisle shall be shut: No man shall come in thereat.

Then shall not help Clym of the Clough, Nor yet shall Adam Bell, Though they came with a thousand more, Nor all the devils in h.e.l.l.

Early in the morning the justice uprose, To the gates first gan he to gon', And commanded to be shut full close Lightly every one.

Then went he to the market place, As fast as he could hie; There a pair of new gallows he set up Beside the pillory.

A little boy among them asked, What meaneth that gallows-tree?

They said to hang a good yeoman, Called William of Cloudesly.

That little boy was the town swine-herd, And kept fair Alice's swine; Oft he had seen William in the wood, And given him there to dine.

He went out at a crevice in the wall, And lightly to the wood did gon'; There met he with these wight yeomen Shortly and anon.

Alas! then said that little boy, Ye tarry here all too long; Cloudesly is taken, and dampned[44] to death, All ready for to hong.[45]

Alas! then said good Adam Bell, That ever we see this day!

He had better with us have tarried, So oft as we did him pray.

He might have dwelt in green forest, Under the shadows green, And have kept both him and us at rest, Out of all trouble and teen.[46]

Adam bent a right good bow, A great hart soon he had slain; Take that, child, he said, to thy dinner, And bring me mine arrow again.

Now go we hence, said these wight yeomen, Tarry we no longer here; We shall him borrow[47] by G.o.d his grace, Though we buy it full dear.

To Carlisle went these bold yeomen, All in the morning of May.

Here is a FYT[48] of Cloudesly, And another is for to say.

PART THE SECOND.

And when they came to merry Carlisle, All in the morning tide, They found the gates shut them against About on every side.

Alas! then said good Adam Bell, That ever we were made men!

These gates he 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.

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 With strokes great and strong, The porter marvelled who was there, And to the gates he throng.[49]

Who is there now, said the porter, That maketh all this knocking?

We be two messengers, quoth Clym of the Clough, Be come right from our king.

We have a letter, said Adam Bell, To the justice we must it bring; Let us in our message to do, That we may again to the king.

Here cometh none in, said the porter, By him that died on a tree, Till a false thief be hanged up, Called William of Cloudesly.

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: What, Lurden,[50] art thou wood?[51]

The porter thought it had been so, And lightly did off his hood.

Welcome is my lord's seal, he said; For that ye shall come in.

He opened the gate full shortly; An evil opening for him.

Now are we in, said Adam Bell, Whereof we are full fain; But Christ he knowes, that harrowed h.e.l.l, How we shall come out again.

Had we the keys, said Clym of the Clough, Right well then should we speed, 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, See, brother, the keys are here, The worst porter to merry Carlisle That they had this hundred year.

And now will we our bows bend, Into the town will we go, For to deliver our dear brother, That lyeth in care and woe.

Then they bent their good yew bows, And looked their strings were round, The market place in merry Carlisle They beset that stound.[52]

And, as they looked them beside, A pair of new gallows they see, And the justice with a quest of squires, Had judged William hanged to be.

And Cloudesly lay ready there in a cart, Fast bound both foot and hand; And a strong rope about his neck, All ready for to hang.

The justice called to him a lad, Cloudesly's clothes he should have, To take the measure of that yeoman, Thereafter to make his grave.

I have seen as great marvel, said Cloudesly, As between this and pryme,[53]