Page:History of Adam Bell, Clim of the Clough, and William of Cloudeslie (1).pdf/21

 ( 21 ) And broke his parks and slain his deer,

Of all they choos’d the best;

So perilous out-laws they were,

Walked not east or west.

When the king this letter had read,

In heart he sighed full sore;

Take up the table, then said he,

For I can eat no more.

The king then call’d his best archers,

The butts with him to go;

I’ll see these fellows shot, said he,

Who hath wrought all this woe.

The king’s bow-men busk’d them blythe,

The queen’s archers also;

And so did these wight yeomen,

With whom they thought to go.

There twice or thrice they shot about,

For to essay their hand;

There was no shot these yeomen shot,

That any prick might stand.

Then spake William of Cloudeslie,

By him that by me dy’d,

I hold him ne'er a good archer,

That shoots at butts so wide

Whereat then, boldly said the king,

I pray thee tell to me;

At such a bu, Sir, then he said,

As us’d in our country.

William went into the field,

His two brethren with him: