Their young conscience corrupt by thee, Indeed could never stay, 'Till into extreme misery They ran the readiest way. For Cain his seed on ev'ry side, With wicked hearts disgrac'd; Which to show mercy hath denied, Must needs be now displac'd. In Furness fells long time they were, Boasting of their misdeed, In more mischief contriving there, How yet they might proceed. They had their spies in this country, Nigh Eland, who then dwell'd Where sir John Eland liv'd truly, And there his household held. Mo gentlemen then were not there In Eland parish dwell'd, Save Savile half part of the year His house at Rushworth held. He kept himself from such debate, Removing thence withal, Twice in the year by Savile gate Unto the Bothom hall. Adam of Beaumont then truly, Lacy and Lockwood eke, And Quarmby came to their country Their purpose for to seek. To Cromwelbottom wood[51] they came, There kept them secretly, By fond deceit there did they frame, Their crafty cruelty. This is the end in sooth to say, On Palm Sun. e'en at night, To Eland miln they took the way, About the mirke midnight. Into the miln house there they brake, And kept them secretly, By subtilty thus did they seek, The young knight for to slay. The morning came, the milner sent His wife for corn in haste, These gentlemen in hands her hent, And bound her hard and fast. The milner sware she should repent, She tarried there so long, A good cudgel in hand he hent To chastise her with wrong. With haste into the miln came he, And meant with her to strive, But they bound him immediately, And laid him by his wife. The young knight dreamt, the selfsame night With foes he was bested, That fiercely fettled them to fight Against him in his bed. He told his lady soon of this, But as a thing most vain, She weigh'd it light, and said, "I wis We must to church certain, "And serve God there this present day." The knight then made him bown. And by the miln house lay the way That leadeth to the town. The drought had made the water small, The stakes appeared dry; The knight, his wife, and servants all, Came down the dam thereby. When Adam Beaumont this beheld, Forth of the miln came he, His bow in hand with him he held, And shot at him sharply. He hit the knight on the breast plate, Whereat the shot did glide; William of Lockwood wroth thereat, Said, "Cousin, you shoot wide." Himself did shoot and hit the knight, Who nought was hurt with this, Whereat the knight had great delight, And said to them, "I wis "If that my father had been clad With such armour certain, Your wicked hands escaped he had, And had not so been slain.