{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/eng/child/ch121.htm","path":"neu/eng/child/ch121.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch121.htm","text":"121A.1 IN schomer, when the leves spryng,\nThe bloschoms on euery bowe,\nSo merey doyt the berdys syng\nYn wodys merey now.\n121A.2 Herkens, god yemen,\nComley, corteys, and god,\nOn of the best that yeuer bare bowe,\nHes name was Roben Hode.\n121A.3 Roben Hood was the yeman\u2019s name,\nThat was boyt corteys and fre;\nFfor the loffe of owre ladey,\nAll wemen werschepyd he.\n121A.4 Bot as the god yeman stod on a day,\nAmong hes mery maney,\nHe was ware of a prowd potter,\nCam dryfyng owyr the ley.\n121A.5 \u2018Yonder comet a prod potter,\u2019 seyde Roben,\n\u2018That long hayt hantyd this wey;\nHe was neuer so corteys a man\nOn peney of pawage to pay.\u2019\n121A.6 \u2018Y met hem bot at Went-breg,\u2019 seyde Lytyll John,\n\u2018And therefore yeffell mot he the!\nSeche thre strokes he me gafe,\nYet by my seydys cleffe they.\n121A.7 \u2018Y ley forty shillings,\u2019 seyde Lytyll John,\n\u2018To pay het thes same day,\nTher ys nat a man among hus all\nA wed schall make hem ley.\u2019\n121A.8 \u2018Here ys forty shillings,\u2019 seyde Roben,\n\u2018More, and thow dar say,\nRRthat y schall make that prowde potter,\nA wed to me schall he ley.\u2019\n121A.9 There thes money they leyde,\nThey toke het a yeman to kepe;\nRoben beffore the potter he breyde,\nA[nd] bad hem stond stell.\n121A.10 Handys apon hes hors he leyde,\nAnd bad the potter stonde foll stell;\nThe potter schorteley to hem seyde,\nFfelow, what ys they well?\n121A.11 \u2018All thes thre yer, and more, potter,\u2019 he seyde,\n\u2018Thow hast hantyd thes wey,\nYet were tow neuer so cortys a man\nOn peney of pauage to pay.\u2019\n121A.12 \u2018What ys they name,\u2019 seyde the potter,\n\u2018Ffor pauage thow aske of me?\u2019\n\u2018Roben Hod ys mey name,\nA wed schall thow leffe me.\u2019\n121A.13 \u2018Wed well y non leffe,\u2019 seyde the potter,\n\u2018Nor pavag well y non pay;\nAwey they honde fro mey hors!\nY well the tene eyls, be mey fay.\u2019\n121A.14 The potter to hes cart he went,\nHe was not to seke;\nA god to-hande staffe therowt he hent,\nBeffore Roben he leppyd.\n121A.15 Roben howt with a swerd bent,\nA bokeler en hes honde;\nThe potter to Roben he went,\nAnd seyde, Ffelow, let mey hors go.\n121A.16 Togeder then went thes to yemen,\nHet was a god seyt to se;\nThereof low Robyn hes men,\nThere they stod onder a tre.\n121A.17 Leytell John to hes felowhe[s] seyde,\n\u2018Yend potter well steffeley stonde:\u2019\nThe potter, with a acward stroke,\nSmot the bokeler owt of hes honde.\n121A.18 A[nd] ar Roben meyt get het agen\nHes bokeler at hes fette,\nThe potter yn the neke hem toke,\nTo the gronde sone he yede.\n121A.19 t saw Roben hes men,\nAs thay stod onder a bow;\n\u2018Let vs helpe owre master,\u2019 seyde Lytell John,\n\u2018Yonder potter,\u2019 seyde he, ls well hem slo.\u2019\n121A.20 Thes yemen went with a breyde,\nTo ther mast[er] they cam.\nLeytell John to hes mast[er] seyde,\nHe haet the wager won?\n121A.21 \u2018Schall y haffe yowre forty shillings,\u2019 seyde Lytl John,\n\u2018Or ye, master, schall haffe myne?\u2019\n\u2018Yeff they were a hundred,\u2019 seyde Roben,\n\u2018Y feythe, they ben all theyne.\u2019\n121A.22 \u2018Het ys fol leytell cortesey,\u2019 seyde the potter,\n\u2018As y haffe harde weyse men saye,\nYeffe a pore yeman com drywyng on the wey,\nTo let hem of hes gorney.\u2019\n121A.23 \u2018Be mey trowet, thow seys soyt,\u2019 seyde Roben,\n\u2018Thow seys god yeme[n]rey;\nAnd thow dreyffe forthe yeuery day,\nThow schalt neuer be let for me.\n121A.24 \u2018Y well prey the, god potter,\nA felischepe well thow haffe?\nGeffe me they clothyng, and thow schalt hafe myne;\nY well go to Notynggam.\u2019\n121A.25 \u2018Y gra[n]t thereto,\u2019 seyde the potter,\n\u2018Thow schalt feynde me a felow gode;\nBot thow can sell mey pottys well,\nCom ayen as thow yode.\u2019\n121A.26 \u2018Nay, be mey trowt,\u2019 seyde Roben,\n\u2018And then y bescro mey hede,\nYeffe y bryng eny pottys ayen,\nAnd eney weyffe well hem chepe.\u2019\n121A.27 Than spake Leytell John,\nAnd all hes felowhes heynd,\n\u2018Master, be well ware of the screffe of Notynggam,\nFfor he ys leytell howr frende.\u2019\n121A.28 \u2018Heyt war howte!\u2019 seyde Roben,\nFfelowhes, let me a lone;\nThorow the helpe of Howr Ladey,\nTo Notynggam well y gon.\u2019\n121A.29 Robyn went to Notynggam,\nThes pottys for to sell;\nThe potter abode with Robens men,\nThere he fered not eylle.\n121A.30 Tho Roben droffe on hes wey,\nSo merey ower the londe:\nHer es more, and affter ys to saye,\nThe best ys beheynde.\n121A.31 When Roben cam to Notynggam,\nThe soyt yef y scholde saye,\nHe set op hes hors anon,\nAnd gaffe hem hotys and haye.\n121A.32 Yn the medys of the towne,\nThere he schowed hes ware;\n\u2018Pottys! pottys!\u2019 he gan crey foll sone,\n\u2018Haffe hansell for the mare!\u2019\n121A.33 Ffoll effen agenest the screffeys gate\nSchowed he hes chaffare;\nWeyffes and wedowes abowt hem drow,\nAnd chepyd fast of hes ware.\n121A.34 Yet, \u2018Pottys, gret chepe!\u2019 creyed Robyn,\n\u2018Y loffe yeffell thes to stonde;\u2019\nAnd all that say hem sell\nSeyde he had be no potter long.\n121A.35 The pottys that were werthe pens feyffe,\nHe solde tham for pens thre;\nPreveley seyde man and weyffe,\n\u2018Ywnder potter schall neuer the.\u2019\n121A.36 Thos Roben solde foll fast,\nTell he had pottys bot feyffe;\nOp he hem toke of hes care,\nAnd sende hem to the screffeys weyffe.\n121A.37 Thereof sche was foll fayne,\n\u2018Gereamarsey, SER,\u2019 than seyde sche;\n\u2018When ye com to thes contre ayen,\nY schall bey of the[y] pottys, so mot y the.\u2019\n121A.38 \u2018Ye schall haffe of the best,\u2019 seyde Roben,\nAnd sware be the Treneyt ;\nFfoll corteysley [sc]he gan hem call,\n\u2018Com deyne with the screfe and me.\u2019\n121A.39 \u2018God amarsey,\u2019 seyde Roben,\n\u2018Yowre bedyng schall be doyn;\u2019\nA mayden yn the pottys gan bere,\nRoben and the screffe weyffe folowed anon.\n121A.40 Whan Roben yn to the hall cam,\nThe screff sone he met;\nThe potter cowed of corteysey,\nAnd sone the screffe he gret.\n121A.41 \u2018Lo, ser, what thes potter hayt geffe yow and me;\nFfeyffe pottys smalle and grete!\u2019\n\u2018He ys foll wellcom,\u2019 seyd the screffe;\n\u2018Let os was, and go to mete.\u2019\n121A.42 As they sat at her methe,\nWith a nobell chere,\nTo of the screffes men gan speke\nOff a gret wager;\n121A.43 Off a schotyng, was god and feyne,\nWas made the thother daye,\nOff forty shillings, the soyt to saye,\nWho scholde thes wager wen.\n121A.44 Styll than sat thes prowde potter,\nThos than thowt he;\nAs y am a trow cerstyn man,\nThes schotyng well y se.\n121A.45 Whan they had fared of the best,\nWith bred and ale and weyne,\nTo the bottys the made them prest,\nWith bowes and boltys foll feyne.\n121A.46 The screffes men schot foll fast,\nAs archares that weren godde;\nThere cam non ner ney the marke\nBey halffe a god archares bowe.\n121A.47 Stell then stod the prowde potter,\nThos than seyde he;\nAnd y had a bow, be the rode,\nOn schot scholde yow se.\n121A.48 \u2018Thow schall haffe a bow,\u2019 seyde the screffe,\n\u2018The best that thow well cheys of thre;\nThou semyst a stalward and a stronge,\nAsay schall thow be.\u2019\n121A.49 The screffe commandyd a yeman that stod hem bey\nAffter bowhes to weynde;\nThe best bow that the yeman browthe\nRoben set on a stryng.\n121A.50 \u2018Now schall y wet and thow be god,\nAnd polle het op to they nere;\u2019\n\u2018So god me helpe,\u2019 seyde the prowde potter,\n\u2018THys ys bot rygy+ot weke gere.\u2019\n121A.51 To a quequer Roben went,\nA god bolt owthe he toke;\nSo ney on to the marke he went,\nHe fayled not a fothe.\n121A.52 All they schot abowthe agen,\nThe screffes men and he;\nOff the marke he welde not fayle,\nHe cleffed the preke on thre.\n121A.53 The screffes men thowt gret schame\nThe potter the mastry wan;\nThe screff lowe and made god game,\nAnd seyde, Potter, thow art a man.\n121A.54 . . . .\n. . . .\nThow art worthey to bere a bowe\nYn what plas that thow goe.\n121A.55 \u2018Yn mey cart y haffe a bowe,\nFfor soyt,\u2019 he seyde, a+end that a godde;\nYn mey cart ys the bow\nThat gaffe me Robyn Hode.\u2019\n121A.56 \u2018Knowest thow Robyn Hode?\u2019 seyde the screffe,\n\u2018Potter, y prey the tell thow me;\u2019\n\u2018A hundred torne y haffe schot with hem,\nVnder hes tortyll-tre.\u2019\n121A.57 \u2018Y had leuer nar a hundred ponde,\u2019 seyde the screffe,\n\u2018And sware be the Trenit ,\n. . . .\nRRthat the fals outelawe stod be me.\u2019\n121A.58 \u2018And ye well do afftyr mey red,\u2019 seyde the potter,\n\u2018And boldeley go with me,\nAnd to morow, or we het bred,\nRoben Hode well we se.\u2019\n121A.59 \u2018Y wel queyt the,\u2019 kod the screffe,\n\u2018Y swere be God of meythe;\u2019\nSchetyng thay left, and hom they went,\nHer soper was reddy deythe.\n121A.60 Vpon the morow, when het was day,\nHe boskyd hem forthe to reyde;\nThe potter hes cart forthe gan ray,\nAnd wolde not leffe beheynde.\n121A.61 He toke leffe of the screffys wyffe,\nAnd thankyd her of all thyng:\n\u2018Dam, for mey loffe and ye well thys were,\nY geffe yow here a golde ryng.\u2019\n121A.62 \u2018Gramarsey,\u2019 seyde the weyffe,\n\u2018Ser, god eylde het the;\nThe screffes hart was neuer so leythe,\nThe feyre foreyst to se.\n121A.63 And when he cam yn to the foreyst,\nYonder the leffes grene,\nBerdys there sange on bowhes prest,\nHet was gret goy to se.\n121A.64 \u2018Here het ys merey to be,\u2019 seyde Roben,\n\u2018Ffor a man that had hawt to spende;\nBe mey horne I schall awet\nYeff Roben Hode be here.\u2019\n121A.65 Roben set hes horne to hes mowthe,\nAnd blow a blast that was foll god;\nRRthat herde hes men that there stode,\nFfer downe yn the wodde.\n121A.66 \u2018I her mey master blow,\u2019 seyde Leytell John,\n. . . .\n. . . .\nThey ran as thay were wode.\n121A.67 Whan thay to thar master cam,\nLeytell John wold not spare;\n\u2018Master, how haffe yow fare yn Notynggam?\nHow haffe yow solde yowre ware?\u2019\n121A.68 \u2018Ye, be mey trowthe, Leyty[ll] John,\nLoke thow take no care;\nY haffe browt the screffe of Notynggam,\nFfor all howre chaffare.\u2019\n121A.69 \u2018He ys foll wellcom,\u2019 seyde Lytyll John,\n\u2018Thes tydyng ys foll godde;\nThe screffe had leuer nar a hundred ponde\nHe had [neuer sene Roben Hode.]\n121A.70 \u2018[Had I] west that befforen,\nAt Notynggam when we were,\nThow scholde not com yn feyre forest\nOf all thes thowsande eyre.\u2019\n121A.71 \u2018That wot y well,\u2019 seyde Roben,\n\u2018Y thanke God that ye be here;\nThereffore schall ye leffe yowre hors with hos,\nAnd all yowre hother gere.\u2019\n121A.72 \u2018That fend I Godys forbod,\u2019 kod the screffe,\n\u2018So to lese mey godde;\n. . . .\n. . .\n121A.73 \u2018Hether ye cam on hors foll hey,\nAnd hom schall ye go on fote;\nAnd gret well they weyffe at home,\nThe woman ys foll godde.\n121A.74 schall her sende a wheyt palffrey,\nHet ambellet be mey fey,\n. . . .\n. . .\n121A.75 schall her sende a wheyt palffrey,\nHet hambellet as the weynde;\nNere for the loffe of yowre weyffe,\nOff more sorow scholde yow seyng.\u2019\n121A.76 s parted Robyn Hode and the screffe;\nTo Nptynggam he toke the waye;\nHes weyffe feyre welcomed hem hom,\nAnd to hem gan sche saye:\n121A.77 Seyr, how haffe yow fared yn grene foreyst?\nHaffe ye browt Roben hom?\n\u2018Dam, the deyell spede hem, bothe bodey and bon;\nY haffe hade a foll gret skorne.\n121A.78 \u2018Of all the god that y haffe lade to grene wod,\nHe hayt take het fro me;\nAll bot thes feyre palffrey,\nThat he hayt sende to the.\u2019\n121A.79 With that sche toke op a lowde lawhyng,\nAnd swhare be hem that deyed on tre,\n\u2018Now haffe yow payed for all the pottys\nThat Roben gaffe to me.\n121A.80 \u2018Noe ye be com hom to Notynggam,\nYe schall haffe god ynowe;\u2019\nNow speke we of Roben Hode,\nAnd of the pottyr ondyr the grene bowhe.\n121A.81 \u2018Potter, what was they pottys worthe\nTo Notynggam that y ledde with me?\u2019\n\u2018They wer worthe to nobellys,\u2019 seyde he,\n\u2018So mot y treyffe or the;\nSo cowde y [haffe] had for tham,\nAnd y had there be.\u2019\n121A.82 \u2018Thow schalt hafe ten ponde,\u2019 seyde Roben,\n\u2018Of money feyre and fre;\nAnd yeuer whan thow comest to grene wod,\nWellcom, potter, to me.\u2019\n121A.83 Thes partyd Robyn, the screffe, and the potter,\nOndernethe the grene-wod tre;\nGod haffe mersey on Roben Hodys solle,\nAnd saffe all god yemanrey!","title":"The Child Ballads: 121. Robin Hood and the Potter","type":"page"}