She went unto the justice hall,65
As fast as she could hye;
"Thys nyght is come unto this town
Wyllyam of Cloudeslè."
Thereof the iustice was full fayne,
And so was the shirife also;70
"Thou shalt not travaile hether, dame, [for] nought,
Thy meed thou shalt have or thou go."
They gave to her a ryght good goune,
Of scarlat it was, as I heard [sayne];
She toke the gyft and home she wente,75
And couched her downe agayne.
They rysed the towne of mery Carlel,
In all the hast that they can,
And came thronging to Wyllyames house,
As fast as they myght gone.80
Theyr they besette that good yeman,
Round about on every syde,
Wyllyam hearde great noyse of folkes,
That heytherward they hyed.
Alyce opened a [shot-wyndow],85
And loked all about,
She was ware of the justice and shirife bothe,
Wyth a [full great] route.
"Alas! treason," cry'd Aleyce.
"Ever wo may thou be!90
[Go] into my chambre, my husband," she sayd,
"Swete Wyllyam of Cloudeslè."
He toke hys sweard and hys bucler,
Hys bow and hy chyldren thre,
And wente into hys strongest chamber,95
Where he thought surest to be.
Fayre Alice folowed him as a lover true,
With a pollaxe in her hande;
"He shal be dead that here cometh in
Thys dore, whyle I may stand."100
Cloudeslè bent a wel good bowe,
That was of trusty tre,
He smot the justise on the brest,
That hys arrowe brest in thre.