She went unto the justice hall, 65 As faft as the could hye: Thys night is come unto thys town Wyllyam of Cloudeflyè. Thereof the juftice was full fayne, And fo was the fhirife alfo : Thou shalt not trauaill hither, dame, for nought, Thy meed thou fhalt have or thou go. They gave to her a ryght good goune Of fcarlate, and of graine: She toke the gyft, and home she wente, And couched her doune agayne. They ryfed the towne of mery Carleile In all the hafte they can; And came thronging to Wyllyames house, There they befette that good yemàn About on every syde : Wyllyam hearde great noyfe of folkes, Alyce opened a back wyndòw, And loked all aboute, She was ware of the justice and fhirife bothe, Wyth a full great route. Ver. 85. fhop window. PC. 70 75 85 Alas! Alas! treafon, cryed Alyce, Ever wo may thou be! 90 Goe into my chamber, husband, she sayd, Took a pollaxe in her hande: He fhal be deade that here commeth in Cloudeflè bente a wel-good bowe, He fmot the juftife on the breft, 100 A curfe on his harte, faide William, 105 If it had ben no better then myne, Yeld the Cloudeflè, fayd the juftise, L 2 Set fyre on the house, faide the fherife, Syth it wyll no better be, And brenne we therin William, he saide, 115 Hys wyfe and chyldren thre. They fyred the house in many a place, The fyre flew up on hye: Alas! then cryed fayre Alice, I fe we here shall dy. William openyd a backe wyndòw, 120 Than was he a wofull man, and fayde, 135 Thys is a cowardes death to me. Lever Lever had I, fayde Wyllyam, With my fworde in the route to renne, Then here among myne enemyes wode Thus cruelly to bren. He toke hys fweard and hys buckler, There myght no man abyde hys ftroke, So ferfly on them he ran : Then they threw wyndowes, and dores on him, And fo toke that good yeman.. There they hym bounde both hand and fote, And in depe dongeon caft: Now Cloudefle, fayd the hye juftice, Thou shalt be hanged in haft, 140 145 150 A payre of new gallowes, fayd the sherife, Now fhal I for the make; And the gates of Carleil fhal be fhutte:" 155 No man fhal come in therat. Then fhall not helpe Clym of the Cloughe, Nor yet shal Adam Bell, Though they came with a thousand mo, Nor all the devels in hell. L 3 160 Early Early in the mornynge the justice uprofe, And commaundeth to be fhut full clofe Then went he to the markett place, A As faft as he coulde hye; payre of new gallous there he fet up A lytle boy amonge them asked, "What meaneth that gallow-tre?" They fayde to hange a good yeamàn, 165 179 That lytle boye was the towne fwyne-heard, And kept fayre Alyces fwyne; Oft he had feene Cloudefle in the wodde, $75 He went out att a crevis in the wall, And lightly to the woode dyd gone; Ye tary here all to longe; Cloudefle is taken, and dampned to death, All readye for to honge. Alas! |