He threw the keys there at their heads,And bade them evil to thrive,And all that letteth any good yeo-man To come and comfort his wife.
Thus be these good yeomen gone to the wood,As light as leaf on linde;
They laugh and be merry in their mood,Their en'mies were far behind.
When they came to Inglewood,Under their trysting tree,There they found bow-es full good,And arrows great plent-y.
"So help me God,"said Adam Bell,And Clym of the Clough so free,"I would we were now in merry Carlisle,Before that fair meynie!"
They sit them down and make good cheer,And eat and drink full well.--
Here is a fytte of these wight yeomen,And another I shall you tell.
THE THIRD FYTTE.
As they sat in Inglewood Under their trysting tree,They thought they heard a woman weep,But her they might not see.
Sore there sigh-ed fair Al-ice,And said,"Alas that e'er I see this day!
For now is my dear husband slain:
Alas,and well away!
"Might I have spoken with his dear brethren,With either of them twain,To show-e them what him befell,My heart were out of pain."
Cloudeslie walked a little beside,And looked under the greenwood linde;
He was ware of his wife and his children three,Full woe in heart and mind.
"Welcome,wife,"then said Willi-am,"Under this trysting tree!
I had weened yesterday,by sweet Saint John,Thou should me never have see."
"Now well is me,"she said,"that ye be here!
My heart is out of woe."--
"Dame,"he said,"be merry and glad,And thank my brethren two."
"Hereof to speak,"said Adam Bell,"Iwis it is no boot;
The meat that we must sup withal It runneth yet fast on foot."
Then went they down into the launde,These noble archers all three;
Each of them slew a hart of grease,The best that they could see.
"Have here the best,Al-ice,my wife,"
Said William of Cloudeslie,"Because ye so boldly stood me by When I was slain full nie."
And then they went to their supp-er With such meat as they had,And thanked God of their fort-une;
They were both merry and glad.
And when that they had supp-ed well,Certain withouten lease,Cloudeslie said:"We will to our King,To get us a charter of peace;
Al-ice shall be at our sojourning,In a nunnery here beside,And my two sons shall with her go,And there they shall abide.
"Mine eldest son shall go with me,For him have I no care,And he shall bring you word again How that we do fare."
Thus be these yeomen to London gone,As fast as they may hie,Till they came to the King's pal-ace,Where they would needs be.
And when they came to the King-es court,Unto the palace gate,Of no man would they ask no leave,But boldly went in thereat.
They press-ed prestly into the hall,Of no man had they dread;
The porter came after,and did them call,And with them gan to chide.
The usher said:"Yeomen,what would ye have?
I pray you tell to me;
You might thus make officers shent,Good sirs,of whence be ye?"
"Sir,we be outlaws of the for-est,Certain without any lease,And hither we be come to our King,To get us a charter of peace."--
And when they came before the King,As it was the law of the land,They kneel-ed down without lett-ing,And each held up his hand.
They said:"Lord,we beseech thee here,That ye will grant us grace:
For we have slain your fat fallow deer In many a sundry place."--
"What be your names?"then said our King,"Anon that you tell me."
They said:"Adam Bell,Clym of the Clough,And William of Cloudeslie."--
"Be ye those thieves,"then said our King,"That men have told of to me?
Here to God I make avowe Ye shall be hanged all three!
"Ye shall be dead without merc-y,As I am King of this land."
He commanded his officers every one Fast on them to lay hand.
There they took these good yeomen;
And arrested them all three.
"So may I thrive,"said Adam Bell,"This game liketh not me.
"But,good lord,we beseech you now,That ye will grant us grace,Insomuch as we be to you comen;
Or else that we may fro you pace With such weapons as we have here,Till we be out of your place;
And if we live this hundred year,Of you we will ask no grace."--
"Ye speak proudly,"said the King;
"Ye shall be hanged all three."
"That were great pity,"then said the Queen,"If any grace might be.
My lord,when I came first into this land,To be your wedded wife,Ye said the first boon that I would ask,Ye would grant it me belife.
"And I asked never none till now:
Therefore,good lord,grant it me."
"Now ask it,madam,"said the King,"And granted shall it be."--
"Then,good my lord,I you beseech,These yeomen grant ye me."--
"Madam,ye might have asked a boon,That should have been worth them all three:
"Ye might have ask-ed towers and towns,Parks and for-ests plent-y."--
"None so pleasant to my pay,"she said,"Nor none so lief to me."--
"Madam,sith it is your desire,Your asking granted shall be;
But I had liever have given you Good market town-es three."
The Queen she was a glad wom-an,And said:"Lord,gramerc-y,I dare well undertake for them That true men shall they be.
But,good lord,speak some merry word,That comfort they may see."--
"I grant you grace,"then said our King;
