Deficiencies ina,bare supplied fromcunless it is otherwise noted.
a.
1201. deed.
b.
871. an oute horne.The emendation is Prof. Skeat’s.
991,2. and saydbegins the second line.
1003.supplied fromd,e.
c.
53. singele.
111. be your.
132. In woulde.
162. spende.
171, 1071. whent.
183. fore.
221. shop-wyndow.
224. great full great.
233. Gy.
261. welgood.
303. Alece.
332. all gon.
343,4. and saydebegins the fourth line.
442. there Alyce.
444. geuend.
464. Allreadye.
484. in reaffte [?].
511. Cyerlel.
521. Carelell.
Variations fromb.
Variations fromb.
Variations fromb.
533. shut: wonderous.
541, 561, 643, 761, 853, 1021, 1071. Then.
543. Lee.
544. come nowe.
553. seales.
563. awanting.
564. fastewanting.
574. come ryght.
582. meforwe.
591. commeth none.
592. Be: vpon.
613. went.
621. he saide.
623. full shortlye.
631. are we.
633. know.
644, 792, 1064, 1081. When.
651. awanting.
654. hys keys.
662, 673, 763. brother.
664. hundred.
681. They bent theyr bowes. Then, good yewfrome,f.
683. in mery.
684. inwanting.
693. And they: squyers.
702. boundewanting.
712. Cloudesle.
713. goodwanting: yeman,andyealways, as, 883, 903, 933, 941.
721. Cloudesli.
732. the hange.
733. thatwanting: brtehren,or, breehren.
742, 821, 841, 1001, 1034. brethen.
742. standewanting.
743. marked.
745. to chaunce.
751. goodwanting.
752. will.
761. Then spake.
763. Brother.
771. shyrfe.
772. anwanting.
781. thre arrowes.
784. there sedes.
792. fell downe.
812. out of.
814. he taryed all to.
822. togyderwanting.
824. shall you.
831. shot.
833. sede.
841. The: together.
852. preced to.
863. mas myd.
872. theywanting.
884. For of theyr lyues they stode in great.
902. brust.
903. euyll.
906. That.
911. ytye.
912. to fast.
914. atwanting.
922,3.Transposed: Yf you do,etc., Myne offce.
924. do we.
931. theyr keys.
942. lyghtly as left.
943. The lough an.
944. fere.
951, 981. Englyshe.
952. Under the: trusty,and982.
953. Therewanting.
954. full great.
961. God me help.
963. nowewanting.
972. drynke.
973. fet of.
974. Andwanting: I wyll.
983. They thaught: woman wepe.
984. mought.
991. the fayre; and saydebegins the next line.
992. I sawe.
1002. Or with.
1003.wanting.
1004. put out.
1022. Under thus trusti.
1024. had se.
1061, 1091. Alce.
1063. by me.
1071. theyrwanting.
1072,3.Transposed: And thanked,etc., Wyth such.
1082. without any.
1091. Alce shalbe at our.
1103. you breng.
1111. these good yemen.
1112. myght hye.
1113. pallace.
Variations froma.
Variations froma.
Variations froma.
1143. you.
1152. without any.
1153. become.
1161. the kyng.
1163, 1171. The.
1171. beseche the.
1181. be your nams: then,and1191.
1222. you graunt.
1233. hundreth.
1243. then sayd.
1261. youwanting.
1272. These: ye.
1274. all thre.
1281. town.
1371. hauy graunted.
1531. apele.
Variations froma.
Variations froma.
Variations froma.
1622. myght se.
1624. sholdestwanting.
1641. .xvii.
1643. when.
1651. the a.
1663. estate.
1672. her sore.
1674. To gouerne.
1681. thanketh.
1682. To some bysshop wyl we wend.
1691. begone: there good.
1704. theywanting.
a bout, a gayne, a monge, a none, a byde, a lyue, ther at,etc.,are joined.
d,e,f.The readings of all three are the same unless divergence is noted.
11.f.in the.
13. whereas men hunt east.
21. raise.
22.d.sights haue oft.e.sights haue not oft.f.has oft.
23. three yeomen.
24. aswanting.
32. Another.
42. threwanting.d,e. euery chone.f.eueryeche one.
43. brethren on a.
44. English wood.
52. Andwanting: mirth.
53.e.werewanting.
63. brethren,and generally.e.on a.
71. There to: Alice.
72.f.withwanting.
81.e,f. we go.d.Carlell,and generally.e,f. Carlile,and generally.
83. If that: doe you.
84. life is.
93. Trust you then that.d,f. tane.e.taken.
111. Alice he said.
112. My wife and children three.
113. owne husband.f.thy.
122.e,f. very sore.
124.d,f. halfe a.e.Full halfe a.
131.e.I am.
132.d,f. in I.e.in we.
141.d.fet.
142.d.true and.
143.e.what she.
151.d.in the.
152. little before.
161. rose and forth she goes.
162.e.might.
163. notwanting.
164.e.yeeres.f.not 7 yeere.
171. into.
173. night she said is come to towne.
181.e.Thereat.
182.e.waswanting.f.Andwanting.
183.e.damewanting.
184. ere.
192.d,e. aswanting.d,e,f. saine.
201. raised.
202. thatwanting.
203.e.And thronging fast vnto the house.
204. As fast as.e.gan.
211. the good yeoman.
212. Roundwanting.
213.d.of the folke.e.of folke.f.of the folkes.
214. thetherward: fastforthey.
221. backforshot.
223.e.bothewanting.e,f.secondthewanting.
224.e,f. And with them.e.a great rout.f.a full great.
231. then cryed.
233.e,f.secondmywanting.f.sweet husband.
242.e.secondhyswanting.
243. theforhys.f.He went.
244.f.the surest.
251. Alice like a louer true.
252.f.Tooke a.
253.d,f. Said he shall die that commeth.e.Said he shall dye.
261. right good.
262. of a.
264. burst.
274. had beene neere the.
282.d.secondthywanting.e.thine arrowes.f.the bow and arrowes.
292.d,e. Sith no better it will be.
293. burne: saith.f.burne there.
294. and his.
301.f.Theforthey:and often.
302.d,e. vpwanting.f.fledd on.
303. then,and generally.e,f. said faire.
304.e.we here shall.f.here wee shall.
311. aforhys.
312.secondonwanting.d.was on.
313. And there: he did let downe.
314. His wife and children.
321.f.Haue you here.
322.d,f.secondmywanting.
321,2.e.wanting.
323.f.Gods loue.
332.d,f. agoe.e.go.
333. thewanting. aboutforvpon.
334.f.burnt.
341. fell vppon.
343,4. and saydebegins the fourth line.
351.e,f. had I.
352. runne.
353.e.amongst.d,f. my.
354. So: burne.
361. buckler then.
362.f.amongst.
363. people thickest were.
371. man abide.e,f. strokes.
372.e.run.
373.f.Then the: att him.e.doore.
374. that yeoman.f.And then the.
381. bothwanting.
382. in a.
383.d,e. then said.d,f. hyewanting.
392.e.gallowes thou shalt haue.
393.d.alwanting.
401. There.f.helpe yett.
403.f. a 100dmen.
411. arose.
412.f.can he.
413.d.them to: fullwanting.e,f. to shut close.
423.d,e. he set vp.f.There he new a paire of gallowes he sett vpp.
424.f.Hard by the.
432. meant.
441. thewanting.f.The litle.
443.f.seene William.
444.e.gaue.
451. at a creuice of.
452. wood he ran (ron, runn).f.Andwanting.
453.e.he met.e,f. wighty yeomen.
461.e,f. said the.
462.e,f. You.
463.e,f. tane.e.doomd.
464.d.Already.e,f. And ready to be hangd.
472. saw.
473.d,e. might haue tarried heere with vs.f.He had better haue tarryed with vs.
474.e.aswanting.
481. haue dwelled.
482. theseforthe.f.shaddoowes greene.
483. hauewanting: at rest.
484.d,f. of all.
492. he had.
501.e.we go.d.wighty yeomen.e,f. iolly yeomen.
502. longer.
511.f.bold yeomen.
512.f.All in a mor[n]inge of May.
514.f.Andwanting.
521.f.towanting.
522.f.All in a morning.
523. vnto.
533. wonderous.d,f. be shut.e.are shut.f.ffastforwell.
534. therein.
544. come.e.the king.
551. wrytenwanting.
552.e.Nowwanting.f.wiselye marke.
561.d,f. at the.f.gates.
562.f.hard and.
563.d,e. awanting.f.marueiled who was theratt.
564. fastewanting.e,f.gates.
571. nowewanting.f.Who be.
572.f.makes.
573.e.said they then.f.quoth Clim.
574. come right.
584. theforour.
591. none in.
592.e.of a.
593. Till that.f.awanting.
601.d.theforthat.e.that good yemanwanting.f.spake good Clim.
604.d,f. thou shalt.
611. gotwanting.
613.d,e. porter wend (weend).f.had wentwanting.
621. is my: he said.
622.d.ye shall.e,f. you shall.
623.e,f. gates.d,e. full shortly.f.ryghtwanting.
631. are we.
632. Whereof: are right.
633.d.knowes.e,f. Christ he knowes assuredly.
634.e.comewanting.f.gett out.
642,3,4. then, When,and nearly always.
651. awanting.
653. cast.
654.d,f. his keyes.
662.e.we haue.
663. inforto.
664.d.hundred.e,f. That came this hundred.
671. we will.
673. brother.
674. ThatforWhere he.
681.d.Then: their good.e,f. Then: their good yew.
683. inforof.
693.d,f. of squiers.e.squirers.
694.e,f. That iudged William hanged.
701.e,f. hymselfewanting.f.ready there in.
704.d,e. Already.f.to hange.
712. he should.e.Cloudesle.
713. goodwanting.
714.e.thereby make him a.f.Andwanting.
721. awanting.
723. a graue.
732. I will thee hang.
733. heard this.
741. eye.e.William.
742. two (tow) brethren: standewanting.
743.e.the corner: place wel prepard.
744.d.goodwanting: bentwanting.e,f.wanting.
745.d,e. the justice to chase.f.the iustice to slaine.
751. goodwanting.
753.e.hands let free.
754.d,e. might I.
761. Then spake.
763. Brother: you.
764. you.
771. Andwanting.
782.d,e. they had.
783.f.the shirrfe, the other the iustice.
784.d,f. can.
791.e.stood them.
793. fellwanting.
794.d,e. deaths.
801.f.flye.
802.d,f. longer.
803.e.Then.
811.d,f. start.e.stept.
812. out of.
814. hadwanting: all too.f.Hee thought.
821.e.brethren.
822. togyderwanting.
831. shot.e,f. inwanting.
832. fullwanting.
834.e.The.d,f. long did.
841. likeforas.
852.d,f. pressed to.
853.e.swords out anon.
863.d,f. was mid.f.were mid.
864. hadwanting.
871.e.There waswanting.e,f. Carlile was.
872. theywanting.d.backwards.
881, 891, 901. mayor, maior.
883. threwanting.
884. For of.d,f. they stood in great.e.they were in great.
894.e.Within that stoure.
902. brast.d,f. hewanting.
903. euill.
904.f.ffull woe.
905.f.Keepe well.
906. That.
912.d,e. downe they.f.were downe.
914. gotten out.e.of a.
922. heere I.e.My.
923.d,f. you.
924. doe you.
931.d,f. their keyes at.d.head.
933. any.
941.e,f. be the.
d.word.
942. lightly.
943.f.wood.
951.d,e. English wood.f.merry greenwood.
952. the trustie.
954.d.full great.
961. God me helpe.
963. nowewanting.
964.d.manie.e.many.f.meanye.
971.d,f. sate.e.Then sat they.
972.d,e. drunke.
973. fit of: yeomenforyonge men.f.A 2dffitt of the wightye.
974. Andwanting: I will.
981. English wood.d,f. sate.
982.d,e. trustie.f.the greenwoode.
983. woman wepe.e,f. They.
984.e,f. could act.
991. Sore then: therewanting.d,f. and saydbegins the next line.
991,2.e. And sayd Alaswanting.
992. saw.
993.f.nowewanting.
1001.e.spoke.
1002. Or with.
1003.d,e. To shew to them what him befell.f.To show them,etc.
1011. aside.
1012.f.He looked.
1013.secondhiswanting.e.He saw his.
1022. Under.d.this trustie.e.a trusty.f.the trustye.
1024.d,f. shouldest had.e.shouldst had.
1034.d,e. brethren.
1044.e.It resteth.
1051. the lawnd.
1052. noble men all.
1054.f.that they cold see.
1062.f.saith.
1063. Because: by me.
1071. they went: theyrwanting.
1073. for their.
1082, 1152. without any leace (lease).
1091. at our.
1092.f.Att a.
1101. My.
1102. I haue.
1111. good yeomen.
1112.d,f. might hye.e. can hye.
1113. pallace.
1114.e,f. Where.d.neede.e,f. needs.
1121. kings.f.But when.
1122.f.& to.
1131. proceeded presently.
1132. they had.
1134.e,f. gan.
1141.e,f. you.
1142.e,f. to me.
1143. You: thuswanting.
1144. fromforof.
1152.f.Certes.
1153. theforour.
1161. theforour.d,f. when.e.whan.
1171.d,e. beseech thee.f.beseeche yee sure.
1181. What be.e,f. theforour.
1183.e.They saydwanting.
1191.d,e. thanwanting.f.then.e.theforour.
1192. ofwanting.
1193.f.Here I make a vow to God.
1194. You.
1203.f.officer[s] euery one.
1211.e.Therefore.
1223. dooforbe: come.
1224. from.
1232.d.yourwanting.
1233.d,e. hundreth:f.100d.
1234.d,e. of you.f.Of you wee will aske noe.
1254. You.
1261. ye.
1264.f.itt shalbe.
1271.f.good my.
1272. These: ye.
1274. them all.
1281.f.You: townes.
1302.e.garmarcie.f.god a mercye.
1304. they shall.
1312.d.they may comfort see.e.they might comfort see.f.some comfort they might see.
1313.e,f. theforour.
1321.e.sittin.f.sitten.
1323. came two.
1333.e.ourforyour.
1341. fareth.
1351.e.slaine them.f.then said.
1352. Anone that you.
1353. andwanting.
1361.f.ffor wrath.
1363. then.f.rather then.
1364. ofwanting.
1371.f.y-wanting.
1372.d.forethinketh.
1381.d,f. king he.
1383. And there: threwanting.
1392. mayor.
1393. catchpoles.
1394.f.but one.
1401. bayliffes.
1403. forresters.
1404. haue.f.haue the slawe.
1412.e,f. Of all.f.coice the.
1413.d.Such.
1422. hyswanting.
1423.d.table he said.e.table then said he.f.tables then sayd hee.
1424.e,f. I can.
1431. then called.
1433.e,f. said he.f.To see.
1434.e.hath.
1441.d,e. buskt: blithe.f.archers busket: blythe.
1442.f.Soe did the queenes alsoe.
1443.d,e. threwanting.f.weightye.
1444.f.They thought with them.
1452. threwanting.
1454. themwanting.
1462.e,f. By him.
1463.d,e. a good.f.him not a good.
1471.e.theforour.f.thenwanting.
1472. to me.
1481. into the.
1482. brethren.
1484.f.400 paces.
1494. For no man can so doo.
1501.f.syrwanting.
1502. further.
151.d,f. our king.e,f. thenwanting.
1523. tie him.
1524.e,f. see him.
1541. hast thee.f.thenwanting.
1543.f.dost: has.
1554. you hang.
1562.d,e. I neuer will forsake.f.That I will neuer.
1573. him fro.
1583. outwanting.f.meaten.
1592.e.were.
1601. were there.
1604. had neede of a.e,f. steddy.
1621. claue.
1622. myght see.d,f. As.
1623. Now God forbid then said.
1624.d,e. shouldst.
1631.f.gaue: 8 pence.
1634.e.chiefe ranger.
1641. xiii.e,f. Ile.
1651. thee a.
1653.f.bretheren.
1654. are louely to.
1662.e,f. he shall be.
1663. mans estate.e,f. coms, comes.
1664.d.aduanced I will him see.e,f. Better preferred.
1672.d.sore for to.e.I long full sore to see.f.I long her sore.
1674. To.
1682.d.To some bishop will we wend.e,f. To some bishop we will wend.
1684. at his.
1691.e.the good.
1692. they can.d.So fast.
1693. and liued.
1694. good yeomen.
1701.f.liffe.
1703.f.with a.
1704.d,e. theywanting.
Insignificant variations of spelling are not noticed.
August 16, 1586, there was entered to Edward White, in the Stationers’ Registers, ‘A ballad of William Clowdisley neuer printed before:’ Arber, II, 455. This was in all probability the present piece, afterwards printed with ‘Adam Bell’ as a Second Part. The Second Part of Adam Bell was entered to John Wright, September 24, 1608: Arber, III, 390. The ballad is a pure manufacture, with no root in tradition, and it is an absurd extravaganza besides. The copy in the Percy Folio, here collated with the earliest preserved printed copy, has often the better readings, but may have been corrected.ahas such monstrosities as y-then, y-so.
a.‘The Second Part of Adam Bell,’ London, James Roberts, 1605.b.‘Younge Cloudeslee,’ Percy MS. p. 398; Hales and Furnivall, III, 102.