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There was many an out horne in Carliel blowen,
And the belles bacwàrd dyd ryng,

Many a woman fayde, Alas!

And many theyr handes dyd wryng.

The mayre came armed a full great pace,
With a pollaxe in hys hande;

Many a strong man wyth him was,

There in that ftowre to ftande.

The mayre fmot at Cloudeflè with his bil,

Hys bucler he brast in two,

Full many a yeman with great evyll,

Alas! they cryed for wo.

Kepe we the gates fast, they bad,

That these traytours therout not go.

But al for nought was that the wrought,
For fo fast they downe were layde,
Tyll they all thre, that fo manfulli fought,
Were gotten without, abraide.

Have here your keys, fayd Adam Bel,

Myne office I here forfake,

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And

And yf you do by my counsell
A new porter do ye make.

He threw theyr keys at theyr heads,

And bad them well to thryve, And all that letteth any good yeman

To come and comfort his wyfe.

Thus be these good yemen gon to the wod,

And lyghtly, as lefe on lynde,

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170

They set them downe, and made good chere,

And eate and dranke full well.

A fecond FYT of the wightye yeomen.

Another I wyll you tell.

L. 2

Ver. 175: merry green wood. P.

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185

PART

PART THE THIRD,

A

S they fat in Englyfhe wood,
Under the green-wode tre,

They thought they herd a woman wepe,
But her they mought not fe.

Sore then fyghed the fayre Alyce :

That ever I fawe thys day!

For nowe is my dere husband slayne :
Alas! and wel-a-way!

Myght I have spoke with hys dere brethren,
Or with cyther of them twayne,
To fhew to them what him befell,
My hart were out of payne.

Cloudeflè walked a lytle befide,

Lookt under the grene wood linde,
He was ware of his wife, and chyldren three,
Full wo in harte and mynde.

Welcome, wyfe, then fayde Wyllyam,

Under this trufti tre :

I wende yesterday, by fwete faynt John,

Thou hulde me never have fe.

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« New

Ver. 19. I had wende. P.C. Fer. 20. never had se. P.C.

10

$

The meate, that we must fupp withall,

It runneth yet fast on fote,

And when they had fupped well,

Certayne wythouten lease,

Cloudeflè fayd, we wyll to our kyng,

To get us a charter of peace.

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Alyce

And whan they came to the kyngès courte,

Unto the pallace gate,

Of no man wold they aske no leave,

But boldly went in therat.

They preced preftly into the hall,

Of no man had they dreade:

The porter came after, and dyd them call,
And with them gan to chyde.

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The ufher fayde, Yemen, what would ye have? 65

I pray you tell to me:

You myght thus make offycers fhent:

Good fyrs, of whence be ye?

Syr,