11
Lo! here we have the King’s seal:
What Lurdou, art thou wode?
The porter went it had been so,
And lightly did his bode.
Welcome is my Lord’s seal, he said,
For that ye shall come in,
He opened the gate full shortlye;
An evil opening for him.
Now we are in, said Adam Bell,
Whereof we are full fain;
But Christ he knows, that harrow’d hell.
How we get out again.
Had we the keys said Clym of the Clough,
Right well then should we speed;
Then might we come out well enough,
When we see time and need.
They called the porter to councell,
And wrang his neck in two,
And cast him in a deep dungeon,
And took his keys him fro.
Now I am porter, said Adam Bell,
See, brother, the keys are here;
The worst porter to merry Carlile,
That they had this hundred yere.
And now will we our bows bend,
Into the town we’ll go,
For to deliver our dear brother,
That lyeth in care and wo.
Then they bent their good ewe bows,
And looked their strings were round
The market place in merry Carlile,
They beset in that stound.
