ith fair Alice his wife,
And with his children three.
By my troth, said Adam Bell,
Not by the counsel of me:

For if ye go to Carlisle, brother,
And from this wild wood wend,
If that the justice should you take,
Your life were at an end.

If that I come not to-morrow, brother,
By pryme[39] to you again,
Trust you then that I am taken
Or else that I am slain.

He took his leave of his brethren two,
And to Carlisle he is gone:
There he knock'd at his own window
Shortly and anon.

Where be you, fair Alice, he said,
My wife and children three?
Lightly let in thine own husband,
William of Cloudesly.

Alas! then said fair Alice,
And sighed wondrous sore,
This place hath been beset for you
This half a year and more.

Now am I here, said Cloudesly,
I would that in I were:
Now fetch us meat and drink enough,
And let us make good cheer.

She fetched him meat and drink plenty,
Like a true wedded wife;
And pleased him with that she had,
Whom she loved as her life.

There lay an old wife in that place,
A little beside the fire,
Which William had found of charity
More than seven year.

Up she rose, and forth she goes,
Evil may she speed therefore;
For she had set no foot on ground
In seven year before.

She went unto the justice hall,
As fast as she could hie:
This night, she said, is come to town
William of Cloudesly.

Thereat the justice was full fayne,[40]
And so was the sheriff also:
Thou shalt not travel hither, dame, for nought;
Thy meed thou shalt have ere thou go.

They gave to her a right good gown
Of scarlet, and of grain:[41]
She took the gift, and home she went,
And couched her down again.

They raised the town of merry Carlisle
In all the haste they can;
And came thronging to William's house,
As fast as they might ran.

There they beset that good yeoman
Round about on every side:
William heard great noise of folks
That thither-ward fast hied.

Alice opened a back window
And looked all about,
She was 'ware of the justice and sheriff both,
And with them a great rout.

Alas! treason, cried Alice,
Ever woe may thou be!
Go into my chamber, husband, she said,