Blog 4: Adam Bell

In Act 1, Sc. 2, Face states “…I bring you no cheating Clim o’ the Cloughs or Claribels…” Since I had no idea what that meant, I looked to the footnote and was told that Clim o’ the Cloughs was an outlaw hero and that Claribels was a reference to a romance hero. Finding nothing on the later, I focused my attention on Clim. He is part of an outlaw trio and is not even the main character, ironically. The story of Adam Bell, Clim of the Clough, and William of Cloudsley was a popular tale (saga, even) in the 16^th and 17^th centuries. It came out around the same time as Robin Hood. The site I found, Jonson was not the only one to reference to poem called Adam Bell. Shakespeare apparently referenced Adam in Much Ado About Nothing. Davenant, an author I am not aware of, also references the story.

The story of Adam Bell goes like this. The three were outlawed for breaking the game-laws (which I assume is why Ben Jonson states “I bring you no cheating…”). They go to Inglewood and hide out there but William has a wife (and three children) whom he wants to see. Though Adam tells him not to, he goes anyway and meets with his family. An old woman who he took in out of charity seven years ago, sneaks out and tells the law. After getting paid for the information in the form of a scarlet dress, they head out to take him in. The Justice and the Sheriff get a crowd together and go to the house. Though William and his wife try to defend the house, it is set on fire. Using sheets, William lets his wife and children out of the house and uses a bow till its burnt and a sword and shield to defend against the attack. That fails once windows and doors get thrown on him. Tying him up they take him to be hanged. A young boy sneaks out of the city to tell Adam and Clim what is going on and they come to the city, show a fake letter to the porter by saying it has the King’s seal (which after some debate the porter is intimidated into letting them come in) and once in strangle the porter and take his keys. Readying their bows, the two outlaws save their friend by killing the justice and sheriff each and the crowd runs away in fear as William is loose, grabs an axe, and starts slashing at people. Though the mayor comes to take them in with a large force, they escape back to Inglewood.

Back in the forest, Alice, William’s wife, came to tell the sad news to the outlaws about William, but is happy to find him alive. They kill three deer and have them for supper, but they decide to go to the King and ask for grace since they killed deer on his land. William takes his oldest son along when they go. The King, when finding out their names, is ready to hang them but the Queen asks for their lives to be spared as the King owed her one Boon from when they first got married. After they go, the King learns that the three outlaws had killed all those men (the justice, sheriff, others, and even the mayor on their way out of the town). He is very sad and cannot eat.

Of course there is more to the story, but if you are interested you should look it up. I would really be interested to read this story in its original format (as it is a poem).