"Sweet William of Cloudeslie."
He took his sword and his buckl-er,
His bow and his children three,
And went into his strongest chamber,
Where he thought surest to be.

Fair Al-ice followed him as a lover true,
With a poleaxe in her hand:
"He shall be dead that here cometh in
This door, while I may stand."
Cloudeslie bent a well-good bow,
That was of trusty tree,
He smote the Justice on the breast,
That his arrow burst in three.

"God's curse on his heart!" said William,
"This day thy coat did on,
If it had been no better than mine,
It had gone near thy bone!"
"Yield thee, Cloudeslie," said the Justice,
"And thy bow and thy arrows thee fro!"
"God's curse on his heart," said fair Al-ice,
"That my husband counselleth so!"

"Set fire on the house," said the Sheriff,
"Sith it will no better be,
And burn we therein William," he said,
"His wife and his children three!"
They fired the house in many a place,
The fire flew up on high;