There myght no man stand hys stroke,145
So fersly on them he ran;
Then they threw wyndowes and dores on him,
And so toke that good yemàn.
There they hym bounde both hande and fote,
And in depe dongeon hym cast;150
"Now, Cloudeslè," sayd the hye justice,
"Thou shalt be hanged in hast."
"One vow shal I make," sayd the sherife,
"A payre of newe galowes shall I for the make,
And the gates of Caerlel shal be shutte,155
There shall no man come in therat.
"Then shall not helpe Clim of the Cloughe,
Nor yet shall Adam Bell,
Though they came with a thousand mo,
Nor all the devels in hell."160
Early in the mornyng the justice uprose,
To the gates first gan he gon,
And commaundede to be shut full cloce
Lightilè everychone.
Then went he to the market place,165
As fast as he coulde hye;
A payre of new gallous there did he up set,
Besyde the pyllory.
A lytle boy stod them amonge,
And asked what meaned that gallow tre;170
They sayde, "to hange a good yeamàn,
Called Wyllyam of Cloudeslè."
That lytle boye was the towne swyne-heard,
And kept [fayre] Alyce swyne,
Oft he had seene Cloudeslè in the wodde,175
And geuen hym there to dyne.
He went out att a creves in the wall,
And lightly to the wood dyd gone;
There met he with these wight yonge men,
Shortly and anone.180
"Alas!" then sayde that lytle boye,
"Ye tary here all to longe;
Cloudeslè is taken and dampned to death,
All readye for to honge."