They loosed their arrows both at once,
Of no man had they dread;
The one hit the justice, the other the sheriff,
That both their sides 'gan bleed.
All men 'voided, that them stood nigh,
When the justice fell to the ground,
And the sheriff nigh him by;
Either had his death's wound.
All the citizens fast began to fly,
They durst no longer abide:
There lightly they loosed Cloudesly,
Where he with ropes lay tied.
William start to an officer of the town,
His axe from his hand he wrung,
On each side he smote them down,
He thought he tarried too long.
William said to his brethren two,
This day let us live and die,
If ever you have need, as I have now,
The same shall you find by me.
They shot so well in that tide,
Their strings were of silk full sure,
That they kept the streets on every side;
That battle did long endure.
They fought together as brethren true,
Like hardy men and bold,
Many a man to the ground they threw,
And many a heart made cold.
But when their arrows were all gone,
Men pressed to them full fast,
They drew their swords then anon,
And their bows from them cast.
They went lightly on their way,
With swords and bucklers round;
By that it was mid of the day,
They made many a wound.
There was many an out-horn[54] in Carlisle blown,
And the bells backward did ring,
Many a woman said, Alas!
And many their hands did wring.