157 And bound therto his eldest sonne, And bad hym stande styll therat, And turned the childes face fro him, Because he shuld not sterte. 158 An apple vpon his head he set, And then his bowe he bent; Syxe score paces they were outmet, And thether Cloudesle went. 159 There he drew out a fayr brode arrowe; Hys bowe was great and longe; He set that arrowe in his bowe, That was both styffe and stronge. 160 He prayed the people that was there That they would styll stande; ‘For he that shooteth for such a wager, Behoueth a stedfast hand.’ 161 Muche people prayed for Cloudesle, #a.# That hys lyfe saued myght be, And whan he made hym redy to shote, There was many a wepynge eye. 162 Thus Clowdesle clefte the apple in two, That many a man it se; ‘Ouer goddes forbode,’ sayd the kynge, ‘That thou sholdest shote at me! 163 ‘I gyue the .xviii. pens a daye, And my bowe shalte thou bere, And ouer all the north countree I make the chefe rydere.’ 164 ‘And I gyue the .xii. pens a day,’ sayd the que[ne], ‘By God and by my faye; Come fetche thy payment whan thou wylt, No man shall say the naye. 165 ‘Wyllyam, I make the gentylman Of clothynge and of fee, And thy two brethren yemen of my chambr[e], For they are so semely to se. 166 ‘Your sone, for he is tendre of age, Of my wyne-seller shall he be, And whan he commeth to mannës state, Better auaunced shall he be. 167 ‘And, Wylliam, brynge me your wyfe,’ sayd th[e quene]; Me longeth sore here to se; She shall be my chefe gentylwoman, And gouerne my nursery.’ 168 The yemen thanked them full courteysly, And sayd, To Rome streyght wyll we wende, [Of all the synnes that we haue done To be assoyled of his hand. 169 So forth]e be gone these good yemen, [As fast a]s they myght hye, [And aft]er came and dwelled with the kynge, [And dye]d good men all thre. 170 [Thus e]ndeth the lyues of these good yemen, [God sen]de them eternall blysse, [And all] that with hande-bowe shoteth, [That of] heuen they may neuer mysse! * * * * * _Deficiencies in #a#, #b# are supplied from #c# unless it is otherwise noted._ #a.# 120^1. deed. #b.# 87^1. an oute horne. _The emendation is Prof. Skeat’s._ 99^{1,2}. and sayd _begins the second line_. 100^3. _supplied from_ #d#, #e#. #c.# 5^3. singele. 11^1. be your. 13^2. In woulde. 16^2. spende. 17^1, 107^1. whent. 18^3. fore. 22^1. shop-wyndow. 22^4. great full great. 23^3. Gy. 26^1. welgood. 30^3. Alece. 33^2. all gon. 34^{3,4}. and sayde _begins the fourth line_. 44^2. there Alyce. 44^4. geuend. 46^4. Allreadye. 48^4. in reaffte [?]. 51^1. Cyerlel. 52^1. Carelell.