Wyllyam shot so wonderous well,
Tyll hys arrowes were all agoe,130
And the fyre so fast upon hym fell,
That hys bowstryng brent[698] in two.
The sparkles brent and fell upon
Good Wyllyam of Cloudeslè:
Than was he a wofull man, and sayde,135
Thys is a cowardes death to me.
Leever[699] had I, sayde Wyllyam,
With my sworde in the route to renne,[700]
Then here among myne enemyes wode[701]
Thus cruelly to bren.140
He toke hys sword and hys buckler,
And among them all he ran,
Where the people were most in prece,[702]
He smot downe many a man.
There myght no man abyde hys stroakes,145
So fersly[703] on them he ran:
Then they threw wyndowes, and dores on him,
And so toke that good yemàn.
There they hym bounde both hand and fote,
And in a deepe dungeon him cast:150
Now Cloudesle, sayd the justice,[704]
Thou shalt be hanged in hast.
'A payre of new gallowes, sayd the sherife,[705]
Now shal I for thee make;'
And the gates of Carleil shal be shutte:155
No man shal come in therat.
Then shall not helpe Clym 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 mornynge the justice uprose,
To the gates first can he gone,
And commaunded to be shut full close
Lightilè[706] everych-one.
Then went he to the markett place,165
As fast as he coulde hye;
There a payre of new gallowes he set up
Besyde the pyllorye.