.'

9.
'If that I come not to-morrowe, brother,
By pryme to you agayne,
Truste not els but that I am take,
Or else that I am slayne.'

10.
He toke hys leave of hys brethren two,
And to Carlel he is gone;
There he knocked at his owne windowe
Shortlye and anone.

11.
'Wher be you, fayre Alyce, my wyfe,
And my chyldren three?
Lyghtly let in thyne husbande,
Wyllyam of Cloudeslee.'

12.
'Alas!' then sayde fayre Alyce,
And syghed wonderous sore,
'Thys place hath ben besette for you
Thys halfe yere and more.'

13.
'Now am I here,' sayde Cloudeslee,
'I would that in I were.
Now feche us meate and drynke ynough,
And let us make good chere.'

14.
She feched hym meate and drynke plenty,
Lyke a true wedded wyfe;
And pleased hym with that she had,
Whome she loved as her lyfe.

15.
There lay an old wyfe in that place,
A lytle besyde the fyre,
Whych Wyllyam had found of cherytye
More then seven yere.

16.
Up she rose, and walked full still,
Evel mote shee spede therfore!
For she had not set no fote on ground
In seven yere before.

17.
She went unto the justice hall,
As fast as she could hye:
'Thys night is come unto this town
Wyllyam of Cloudesle.'

18.
Thereof the justice was full fayne,
And so was the shirife also:
'Thou shalt not travaile hither, dame, for nought,
Thy meed thou shalt have er thou go.'

19.
They gave to her a ryght good goune,
Of scarlat it was, as I heard sayne;
She toke the gyft, and home she wente,
And couched her doune agayne.

20.
They rysed the towne of mery Carlel,
In all the hast that they can;
And came thronging to Wyllyames house,
As fast as they might gone.

21.
There they besette that good yeman
Round about on every syde:
Wyllyam hearde great noyse of folkes,
That heyther-ward they hyed.

22.
Alyce opened a shot-windowe,
And loked all aboute,
She was ware of the justice and the shirife bothe,
Wyth a full great route.

23.
'Alas! treason,' cryed Alyce,
'Ever wo may thou be!
Goe into my chamber, my husband,' she sayd,
'Swete Wyllyam of Cloudesle.'

24.
He toke his sweard and hys bucler,
Hys bow and hys chyldren thre,
And wente into hys strongest chamber,
Where he thought surest to be.

25.
Fayre Alyce followed him as a lo