That was in his chamber on high, And with sheets let his wife down, And his children three. "Have 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 ygo, And the fire so fast upon him fell, That his bowstring brent in two. The spercles brent and fell him on, Good William of Cloudesle! But then wax he a woeful man, And said, "this is a coward's death to me. "Liever I had," said William, "With my sword in the rout to renne, Then here among mine ennemies wode, Thus cruelly to bren." He took his sword and his buckler, And among them all he ran; Where the people were most in press, He smote down many a man. There might no man stand his stroke, 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, Cloudesle," said the high justice, "Thou shalt be hanged in haste." (_ygo_, gone, _brent_, burst and burnt, _spercles_, sparks, _renne_, run. _wode_, fierce. _press_, crowd.) "One vow shall I make," said the sheriff, "A pair of new gallows shall I for thee make, And the gates of Carlisle shall be shut, There shall no man come in thereat. "Then shall not help Clym of the Clough, Nor yet shall Adam Bel, Though they came with a thousand more, Nor all the devils in hell." Early in the morning the justice uprose, To the gates first gan he gone, And commanded to be shut full close Lightilè everyone. Then went he to the market place, As fast as he could hie; A pair of new gallows there did he up set, Beside the pillory. A little boy stood them among, And asked what meaned that gallow tree -, They said, "to hang a good yeoman, Called William of Cloudeslè." That little boy was the town swine-herd, And kept fair Alice swine, Oft he had seen Cloudeslè in the wood, And given him there to dine. (_lightilè,_ quickly.) He went out at a crevice in the wall, And lightly to the wood did gone; There met he with these wight young men, Shortly and anon. "Alas!" then said that little boy, "Ye tarry here all too long; Cloudesle is taken and damned to death, All ready for to hong." "Alas!" then said good Adam Bel, "That ever we see this day! He might here with us have dwelled, So oft as we did him pray! "He might have tarried in green forest, Under the shadows sheen, And have kept both him and us in rest, Out of trouble and teen!" Adam bent a right good bow, A great hart soon had he slain; "Take that, child," he said, "to thy dinner, And bring me mine arrow again." "Now go we hence," said these wight young men,