[114. Adam Bell, Clym of the Clough, and William of Cloudesley]

Fytte the First

I

Mery it was in the grene foreste
Amonge the levès grene,
Wheras men hunt east and west
Wyth bowes and arrowes kene;

II

To raise the dere out of theyr denne;
Suche sightes hath ofte bene sene;
As by thre yemen of the north countrey,
By them it is I meane.

III

The one of them hight Adam Bell,
The other Clym of the Clough[660],
The thyrd was Wyllyam of Cloudesley,
An archer good ynough.

IV

They were outlaw’d for venyson,
These yemen everych-one;
They swore them brethren upon a day,
To Englyshe-wood[661] for to gone.