For I have graunted them grace,
And that forthynketh[763] me:
But had I knowne all thys before,
They had been hanged all thre.160
The kyng hee opened the letter anone,
Himselfe he red it thro,
And founde how these outlawes had slain
Thre hundred men and mo:
Fyrst the justice, and the sheryfe,165
And the mayre of Carleile towne;
Of all the constables and catchipolles
Alyve were 'scant' left one:[764]
The baylyes, and the bedyls both,
And the sergeauntes of the law,170
And forty fosters of the fe,[765]
These outlawes had yslaw:[766]
And broke his parks, and slayne his dere;
Of all they chose the best;
So perelous out-lawes, as they were,175
Walked not by easte nor west.
When the kynge this letter had red,
In hys harte he syghed sore:
Take up the tables anone he bad,
For I may eat no more.180
The kyng called hys best archars
To the buttes wyth hym to go:
I wyll se these felowes shote, he sayd,
In the north have wrought this wo.
The kynges bowmen buske them blyve,[767][768]185
And the quenes archers also;
So dyd these thre wyghtye yemen;
With them they thought to go.
There twyse, or thryse they shote about
For to assay theyr hande;190
There was no shote these yemen shot,
That any prycke[769] myght stand.
Then spake Wyllyam of Cloudeslè;
By him that for me dyed,
I hold hym never no good archar,195
That shoteth at buttes so wyde.