These gates be shytso wonderly well That we may not come here in Than spoke climb of the clough With a wile we will us in bring Let us say we be messengers Straight comen from our king Adam said I have a letter written weal Now let us wisely work We will say we have the kings seal I hold the porter no clerk Than adam bell beat on the gate With strokes great and strong The porter heard such noise therate And to the gate fa●●e he throng Who is there now said the porter That maketh all this knocking We be two messengers said climb of the clo● Be comen straight from our king We have a letter said adam bell To the justice we must it bring Let us in our message to do That we were again to our king Here cometh no man in said the porter By him that died on a tree Till a false thief be hanged Called wyllyam of clowdy● 〈◊〉 we have the kings seal 〈…〉 ordane art thou wooed 〈…〉 orter had wend it had been so 〈…〉 yghtly did of his hood 〈…〉 me be my lords seal said he 〈…〉 t shall ye come in 〈…〉 ened the gate right shortly 〈…〉 evil opening for him 〈…〉 we are we in said adam bell 〈…〉 erof we are full fain 〈…〉 t christ knoweth that herowed hell 〈…〉 w we shall come out again 〈…〉 we the keys said clym of the clowgh 〈…〉 well than should we speed 〈…〉 might we come out well enough 〈…〉 we see time and need 〈…〉 called the porter to a council 〈…〉 wrong his neck in two 〈…〉 d kest him in a deep dungeon 〈…〉 d took the keys him fro 〈…〉 w am I porter said adam bell● 〈…〉 roder the keys have we here 〈…〉 worst porter to merry carlell 〈…〉 had this hundreth year 〈…〉 will we our bows bend 〈…〉 e will we go 〈…〉 ●●oder The market place of merry carlyll They beset in that stound And as they looked them beside A pair of new gallows there they see And the justice with a quest of swearers That had judged clowdysle there hanged to be And clowdysle himself lay ready in a cart Fall ●ounde both foot and hand And a strong rope about his neck All ready for to be hanged The justice called to him a sad Clowdysles clothes should he have To take the measure of that good yeoman And thereafter to make his grave I have seen as great a marvel said cloudy, As between this and prime He th●● maketh this grave for me Himself may lie therein Thou speakest proudly said the justice I shall hang the with my hand Full well that heard his brethren two There still as the did stand Than clowdysle cast his eyen aside And saw his two brethren stand At a corner of the market place With their good bows bent in their hand Ready the justice for to chase I see good comfort said clowdysle Yet hope I well to far If I might have my hands at win 〈…〉 ll would I care 〈…〉 pake good adam bell 〈…〉 ie of the clowgh so free 〈…〉 e ye mark the justice well 〈…〉 ere ye may him se 〈…〉 e sheriff shoot I will 〈…〉 lie with an arrow keen 〈…〉 shot in merry carlyll 〈…〉 ven year was not seen 〈…〉 sed their arrows both at ones 〈…〉 an had they dread 〈…〉 it the justice the other the sheriff 〈…〉 the their sides 'gan bleed 〈…〉 voided that them stood nigh 〈…〉 e justice fell to the ground 〈…〉 sheriff fell nigh him by 〈…〉 d his deaths wound 〈…〉 tezeyns fast 'gan i'll. 〈…〉 rste no longer abide 〈…〉ghtly they loosed clowdysle 〈…〉 with ropes lay tied 〈…〉 start to an office of the town 〈…〉 ut of his hand he wrong 〈…〉 s●de he smote them down 〈…〉ght he had tarried to long 〈…〉 said to his brethren two 〈…〉 et us together live and die 〈…〉 we need as I have now 〈…〉 l ye find by me 〈…〉 ell in that tide For their strings were of sy●●e 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 made many an heart cold But when their arrows were all gone Men pressed on them full fast They drew their swords than anon And their bows from them cast They went lightly on their way With swords and bucklers round By that it was the mids of the day They had made many a wound There was many an out horn in carlyll ●●owen And the bells backward did they ring Many a woman said alas And many their hands did wring The mayre of carlyll forth come was And with him a full great rout These three yeomen dread him full sore For their lives stood in doubt The mayre came armed a full great pace With a polaxe in his hand Many a strong man with him was There in that stoure to stand The mayre smote at clowdysle with his bill His buckler he braced in two Full many a yeoman with great ill 〈…〉 s treason they cried for woe 〈…〉 e w●the gates fast they bad 〈…〉 t these traitors theroute not go ●ur all for nought was that they wrought For so ●●st they down were laid Till they all three that so manfully fought Were gotten without at a braid Have here your keys said adam bell Mine offy●● I here forsake If ye do by my council A new porter ye make He threw the keys there at their heads And bade them evil to thrive And all that letteth any good yeoman To come and comfort his wife Thus 〈◊〉 good yeomen gone to the wood As light as ●efe on lined They laugh a●d be mercy in their mode Their enemies were far behind When they came to Inglyswode Under their trysty tree There they found bows full good And arrows great plenty So help me god said adam bell And climb of the clowgh so free I would we were now in merry carlell 〈…〉 e that fair main 〈…〉 them down and made good cheer And eat antic full well Here is a fit ●●ese wight youngmen And another I shall you tell 〈◊〉 AS they sat in Inglyswode Under their trysty tree Them thought they heard a woma● But her they might not see Sore sighed there fair alyce And 〈◊〉 as that ever I see this day. For no●● is my dear husband slain ●as and wellaway ●●●ght I have spoken with his de● With either of them twain My heart were out of pain Clowdysle walked a little beside And looked under the green wod●●●nde He was ware of his wife and 〈…〉 Full woe in heart and mind 〈…〉 Welcome wife than said 〈…〉 Unto this trysty tree I had wend yester day b 〈…〉 Thou should me never ha' 〈…〉 Now weal is mesh 〈…〉 My heart is out of 〈…〉 Dame he said be me 〈…〉 And thank my 〈…〉 He 〈…〉 Iw 〈…〉 The 〈…〉 〈…〉 we a heart of grece 〈…〉 oude there see 〈…〉 est alyce my wife 〈…〉 of clowdysle 〈…〉 oldely stood me by 〈…〉 ayne full nigh 〈…〉 to their souper 〈…〉 eat as they had 〈…〉 odd of their fortune 〈…〉 he merry and glad 〈…〉 y had souped well 〈…〉 houten leace 〈…〉 aid we will to our king 〈…〉 a charter of peace 〈…〉 ●o●ournynge 〈…〉 ergo 〈…〉 i'th' me 〈…〉 ayne 〈…〉 〈…〉 done gone