The mayre smot at Cloudeslee with his bil,[736]
Hys bucler he brast[737] in two,
Full many a yeman with great evyll,155
Alas! Treason they cryed for wo.
Kepe well the gates fast, they bad,
That these traytours therout not go.
But al for nought was that they wrought,
For so fast they downe were layde,160
Tyll they all thre, that so manfulli fought,
Were gotten without, abraide.[738]
Have here your keys, sayd Adam Bel,
Myne office I here forsake,
And yf you do by my counsell165
A new porter do ye make.
He threw theyr keys at theyr heads,
And bad them well to thryve,[739]
And all that letteth any good yeman
To come and comfort his wyfe.170
Thus be these good yeman gon to the wod
As lyghtly, as lefe on lynde;[740]
The lough and be mery in theyr mode,
Theyr enemyes were ferr behynd.
When they came to Englyshe wode,[741]175
Under the trusty tre,
There they found bowes full good,
And arrowes full great plentye.
So God me help, sayd Adam Bell,
And Clym of the Clough so fre,180
I would we were in mery Carleile,
Before that fayre meynye.[742]
They set them downe, and made good chere,
And eate and dranke full well.
A second FYT of the wightye yeomen:[743]185
Another I wyll you tell.