button to main menu  Clarke's Survey of the Lakes, 1787

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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.
Muche
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