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Page 114:-
The Kyng he opened the letter anone, himself he read it
thro',
And found how the outlawes had slain thre hundred men and
mo!
Fyrst the justyce and the sheryfe, and the mayre of Carleyl
towne;
Of all the constables and catchipolles alyve were scant left
one.
The bayleys and the bedyls both, and the sergeaunte of the
law,
And forty fosters of the fe, the outlaws had yslaw;
And broke his parks, and slayne his dere, of all they chose
the best,
So perelous out-lawes as they were walked not by Easte or
Weste.
When the Kyng this letter had red, in haste he syghed
sore;
Take up the tables, anone he bad, for I may eat no more.
The Kynge called his best archers, to the butts with him to
go;
I will se these felowes shote, he sayd, in the North have
wrought this wo.
The Kynges bowmen busked them blyve, and the Queen's archers
also,
So dyd these thre wyghtye yemen, with them they thought to
go.
There twyse or thryse they shote about, for to essay theyr
hand;
There was no shote these yemen shot that any prycke might
stand.
Then spake Wyllyam of Cloudesle, By him that for me dyed,
I hold him never so good archer that shoteth at buttes so
wyde.
"At what a butte now wold ye shote, I pray the tell to
me?"
At suche a butt, Syr, he says, as men use in my countre.
Wyllyam went into the fyeld, with his two bretherene,
There they set up two hasell roddes, full twenty score
betwene.
I hold him an archer, said Cloudesle, tha yonder wand
cleveth in two.
Here is none suche, said the Kyng, nor none that can so
do.
I shall assaye, Syr, sayd Cloudesle, or that I ferther
go.
Cloudesle with a bearyng arowe clove the wand in two.
Thou art the best archer, then said the Kyng, forsothe, that
ever I se.
And yet, for your love, said Wyllyam, I wyll do more
mastery.
I have a sonne is seven yere olde, he is to me full
deare,
I wyll hym tye to a stake, all shall se that he be here;
And lay an apple upon his head, and go syx score him fro,
And I myselfe with a broad arow shall cleve the apple in
two.
Now haste the, than sayd the Kyng, by him that dyed on a
tre,
But if thou do not as thou hast sayde, hanged shalt thou
be.
And thou touche his head or gowne, in sight that men may
se,
By all the sayntes that be in heaven, I shall hang you all
thre.
That I have promised, said Wyllyam, that I will never
forsakke;
And there even before the Kynge, in the earth he drove a
stake,
And bound thereto his eldest sonne, and bad him stand styll
thereat,
And turned the chyldes face him fro, because he should not
sterte.
An apple upon his head he set, and then his bowe he bent;
Syx score paces they were out mete, and thether Cloudesle
went.
There he drew out a fayr broad arrowe, his bowe was great
and longe,
He set that arowe in his bowe, that was both styffe and
stronge.
He prayed the people that were there, that they all still
wold stand;
For he that shoteth for such a wager behoveth a steadfast
hand.
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