And broke his parks, and slain his deer; Of all they chose the best; Such perilous outlaws, as they were, Walked not by east nor west. When the king this letter had read, In his heart he sighed sore: Take up the tables anon he said, For I may eat no more. The king called his best archers To the butts with him to go: I will see these fellows shoot, he said, In the north have wrought this woe. The king's bowmen buske[70] them blyve,[71] And the queen's archers also; So did these three wighty yeomen; With them they thought to go. There twice or thrice they shot about For to assay their hand; There was no shot these yeomen shot, That any prick might stand. Then spake William of Cloudesly; By Him that for me died, I hold him never no good archer, That shooteth at butts so wide. At what a butt now would you shoot, I pray thee tell to me? At such a butt, sir, he said, As men use in my country. William went into a field, And with him his two brethren: There they set up two hazel rods Twenty score paces between. I hold him an archer, said Cloudesly, That yonder wand cleaveth in two. Here is none such, said the king, Nor none that can so do. I shall assay, sir, said Cloudesly, Or that I farther go. Cloudesly with a bearyng[72] arrow Clave the wand in two. Thou art the best archer, then said the king, For sooth that ever I see. And yet for your love, said William, I will do more mastery. I have a son is seven year old, He is to me full dear; I will him tie to a stake; All shall see, that be here; And lay an apple upon his head, And go six score pace him fro', And I myself with a broad arrow Shall cleave the apple in two. Now haste thee, then said the king, By Him that died on a tree, But if thou do not as thou hast said, Hanged shalt thou be. An thou touch his head or gown, In sight that men may see, By all the saints that be in heaven, I shall hang you all three. That I have promised, said William, That I will never forsake. And there even before the king In the earth he drove a stake: And bound thereto his eldest son, And bade him stand still thereat; And turned the child's face him from, Because he should not start. An apple upon his head he set, And then his bow he bent: Six score paces they were meaten,[73] And thither Cloudesly went. There he drew out a fair broad arrow, His bow was great and long, He set that arrow in his bow, That was both stiff and strong. He prayed the people that were there, That they all still would stand, For he that shooteth for such a wager, Behoveth a stedfast hand.