1. Mery it was in grene forest Among the levës grene, Wher that men walke both east and west Wyth bowes and arrowes kene; 2. To ryse the dere out of theyr denne; Suche sightes as hath ofte bene sene, As by thre yemen of the north countrey, By them it is as I meane. 3. The one of them hight Adam Bel, The other Clym of the Clough, The thyrd was William of Cloudesly, An archer good ynough. 4. They were outlawed for venyson, These thre yemen everychone; They swore them brethren upon a day, To Englyshe-wood for to gone. 5. Now lith and lysten, gentylmen, And that of myrthes loveth to here; Two of them were single men, The third had a wedded fere. 6. Wyllyam was the wedded man, Muche more then was hys care: He sayde to hys brethren upon a day, To Carlile he would fare, 7. For to speke with fayre Alyce his wife, And with hys chyldren thre: ‘By my trouth,’ sayde Adam Bel, ‘Not by the counsell of me: 8. ‘For if ye go to Carlile, brother, And from thys wylde wode wende, If that the justice may you take, Your lyfe were at an ende.’ 9. ‘If that I come not to-morrowe, brother, By pryme to you agayne, Truste not els but that I am take, Or else that I am slayne.’ 10. He toke hys leave of hys brethren two, And to Carlel he is gone; There he knocked at his owne windowe Shortlye and anone. 11. ‘Wher be you, fayre Alyce, my wyfe, And my chyldren three? Lyghtly let in thyne husbande, Wyllyam of Cloudeslee.’ 12. ‘Alas!’ then sayde fayre Alyce, And syghed wonderous sore, ‘Thys place hath ben besette for you Thys halfe yere and more.’ 13. ‘Now am I here,’ sayde Cloudeslee, ‘I would that in I were. Now feche us meate and drynke ynough, And let us make good chere.’ 14. She feched hym meate and drynke plenty, Lyke a true wedded wyfe; And pleased hym with that she had, Whome she loved as her lyfe. 15. There lay an old wyfe in that place, A lytle besyde the fyre, Whych Wyllyam had found of cherytye More then seven yere. 16. Up she rose, and walked full still, Evel mote shee spede therfore! For she had not set no fote on ground In seven yere before. 17. She went unto the justice hall, As fast as she could hye: ‘Thys night is come unto this town Wyllyam of Cloudesle.’ 18. Thereof the justice was full fayne, And so was the shirife also: ‘Thou shalt not travaile hither, dame, for nought, Thy meed thou shalt have er thou go.’ 19. They gave to her a ryght good goune, Of scarlat it was, as I heard sayne; She toke the gyft, and home she wente, And couched her doune agayne. 20. They rysed the towne of mery Carlel, In all the hast that they can; And came thronging to Wyllyames house, As fast as they might gone.