"Had we the keys," said Clim of the Clough, "Ryght wel then shoulde we spede;[L50] 50 Then might we come out wel ynough, "When we se tyme and nede." They called the porter to a counsell,[L53] And wrange hys necke in two, And caste him in a depe dongeòn, 55 And toke hys keys hym fro. "Now am I porter," sayde Adam Bel, "Se, brother, the keys haue we here; The worst porter to merry Caerlel, That ye had thys hundred yere. 60 "And now wyll we our bowes bend, Into the towne wyll we go, For to delyver our dere brother, That lyveth in care and wo." [And thereupon] they bent theyr bowes, 65 And loked theyr stringes were round; The market place of mery Caerlel,[L67] They beset in that stound.[L68] And as they loked them besyde, A paire of new galowes ther thei see,[L71] 70 And the justice with a quest of swerers,[L72] That had judged Cloudeslè there hanged to be. And Cloudeslè hymselfe lay redy in a carte, Faste bounde both fote and hand,[L74] And a stronge rop about hys necke, 75 All readye for to be hangde.[L76] The justice called to him a ladde, Cloudeslè [s] clothes should he have, To take the measure of that good yeman,[L79] And therafter to make hys grave. 80 "I have seen as great a mearveile," said Cloudesli, "As betwyene thys and pryme, He that maketh thys grave for me, Himselfe may lye therin." "Thou speakest proudli," saide the justice, 85 "I shall the hange with my hande:" Full wel that herd hys brethren two,[L87] There styll as they dyd stande. Then Cloudeslè cast hys eyen asyde,[L89] And saw hys to brethren stande,[L90] 90 At a corner of the market place,[L91] With theyr good bows bent in ther hand.[L92] "I se good comfort," sayd Cloudeslè,[L93] "Yet hope I well to fare;[L94] If I might haue my handes at wyll, 95 Ryght lytle wolde I care." Then spake good Adam Bell, To Clym of the Clough so free, "Brother, se ye marke the justyce wel, Lo yonder ye may him see. 100 "And at the shyrife shote I wyll, Strongly with an arrowe kene;[L102] A better shote in mery Caerlel Thys seven yere was not sene." They lowsed their arrowes both at once,[L105] 105 Of no man had they dread; The one hyt the justice, the other the sheryfe, That both theyr sides gan blede.[L108] All men voyded, that them stode nye, When the justice fell downe to the grounde, 110 And the sherife fell nyghe hym by, Eyther had his deathes wounde.