10
Alas! then said good Adam Bell,
That ere we were made men!
These gates be shut so wondrous fast,
We may not come therin.
Then bespake him Clym of the Clough,
With a wyle we will us in bring;
Let us say we be messengers,
Streight come now from our King.
Adam said, I have a letter written,
Now let us wisely werke,
We will say we have the King’s seal,
I hold the porter no clerk.
Then Adam Bell beat on the gates,
With strokes great and strong:
The porter marvelled who was therat,
And to the gates he throng.
Who is there now, said the porter,
That maketh all this knocking?
We be two messengers, quoth Clym of the Clough
Be come right from our King.
We have a letter quoth Adam Bell,
To the Justice we must it bring;
Let us in our message to do,
That we may away to the King.
Here cometh none in, the porter said,
By him that died on a tree,
Till a false thief he first hanged,
Called William of Cloudeslie.
Then spake the yeoman Clym of the Clough,
And swore by Mary free,
And if that we stande long without,
Like a thefe thou hang’d shalt be.
