View source for Robin Hood and þe Potter

This is an Anglish translation of ''Robin Hood and the Potter'', a tale written down around 1500 in the manuscript ''Cambridge E.e.4.35''. I've taken liberties to make it more comprehensible and to keep some of the lines rhyming.

https://d.lib.rochester.edu/teams/text/robin-hood-and-the-potter

==The Writ==

'''<big>FIT I</big>'''

In summer, hƿen þe leafs spring,<br>
Þe blossoms on efery {{over|bough, branch|buge}},<br>
So merry do þe birds sing<br>
In ƿoods merry {{over|enough (dialectal variant which rhymes with bough)|enue}}<br>

Harken, good geomen,<br>
Cumly, kind, and good,<br>
One of þe best þat efer bore a boƿ<br>
His name ƿas Robin Hood.<br>

Robin Hood ƿas þe geomans name,<br>
Hƿo ƿas boþ kind and free,<br>
For þe luf of ure lady,<br>
All ƿumen {{over|honoured|ƿorscipped|}} he.<br>

But as þe good geoman stood one day,<br>
Among his merry men free,<br>
He ƿas aƿare of a {{over|proud (Anglish Spelling)|prude}} potter,<br>
Hƿo came drifing ofer þe lee.<br>

"Geonder cums a prude potter," said Robin,<br>
"Hƿo long has fared by ure feelds,<br>
He ƿas nefer so kind a man<br>
Not one penny for toll ƿuld he geeld."<br>

"I met him at Ƿentbricg," said Littel John,<br>
"May efil haf ƿiþ him its ƿay!<br>
Þree strokes he me geafe,<br>
Still to my sides {{over|adhere|cleaf}} þey.<br>

I stake forty scillings," said Littel John,<br>
"I ƿill {{over|give|gefe}} it in hƿole,<br>
To any man among us all<br>
Hƿo can make him geeld þe toll."<br>

"Here is forty scillings," said Robin,<br>
"And more if {{over|thou|þu}} dare say,<br>
I scall ƿork þat prude potter,<br>
A toll to me scall he lay."<br>

Þe scillings ƿere set aside,<br>
Under {{over|watch|ƿac}} of geomen hy ƿere laid,<br>
Robin bade þe potter stand still,<br>
Hƿen before him Robin {{over|jumped|braid}}.<br>

Hands upon his hors he laid,<br>
And bade þe potter stand full still,<br>
Þe potter scortly to him said,<br>
"Felloƿ, hƿat is þy ƿill?"<br>

"For þree geres and more, potter," Robin said,<br>
"Þu hast fared by þis ƿay,<br>
Get þu ƿere nefer so kind a man,<br>
One penny of toll to lay."<br>

"Hƿat is þy name," asked þe potter,<br>
"For toll þu ask of me?"<br>
"Robin Hood is my name,<br>
A {{over|security|ƿed}} scall þu leaf me."<br>

"A ƿed I ƿill not leaf," said þe potter,<br>
"Nor toll ƿill I lay,<br>
Aƿay þy hand from my hors,<br>
Or I ƿill do þee efil, {{over|this is an expression|by my fay}}."<br>

Þe potter to his {{over|cart|crat}} he ƿent,<br>
To þe back did he creep,<br>
A good tƿohanded staff þere ute he {{over|seized|hent}},<br>
Before Robin did he leap.<br>

Robin ute ƿiþ a sƿord bent,<br>
A littel sceeld in toƿ,<br>
Þe potter to Robin ƿent,<br>
And said, "Felloƿ, let my hors go."<br>

Togeþer þen ƿent þese tƿo geomen,<br>
It ƿas a good sigt to see,<br>
Þereof lauged Robins men,<br>
Þere hy stood under a tree.<br>

Littel John to his felloƿ he said,<br>
"Geond potter ƿill stiffly stand"<br>
Þe potter, ƿiþ an aƿkƿard stroke,<br>
Smote þe littel sceeld ute of his hand.<br>

And {{over|before|ere}} Robin migt get it agen,<br>
His littel sceeld at his feet,<br>
Þe potter in þe neck him took,<br>
To þe grund sone he {{over|went|geed}}.<br>

Þat Robins men did see,<br>
As hy stood under a buge,<br>
"Let us help ure lord," said Littel John,<br>
"Els his life he may {{over|shed off|sluge}}."<br>

Þese bold geomen ƿiþ a {{over|rush|braid}},<br>
To her lord did hy run.<br>
Littel John to his lord said,<br>
"Hƿo has þe staking ƿon?"<br>

"Scall I haf þy forty scillings," asked Littel John,<br>
"Or ge, lord, scall haf mine?"<br>
"If hy ƿere a hundred," said Robin<br>
"I say, hy are all þine."<br>

"It is full littel kindness," said þe potter,<br>
"As I haf herd ƿise men say,<br>
If an {{over|poor|arm}} geoman cums drifing ofer þe land<br>
And {{over|man|one}} {{over|obstructs|lets}} him of his ƿay."<br>

By my {{over|faith, allegiance|troþ}}, þu says {{over|truth|sooþ}}, said Robin,<br>
"Þy ƿords are good geomanhood,<br>
And þu drife forþ efery day,<br>
Be {{over|obstructed|let}} by me þu nefer sculd."<br>

"I ƿill ask þee, good potter,<br>
A felloƿscip ƿill þu haf?<br>
Gefe me þy cloþing, and þu scalt haf mine,<br>
I ƿill go to Nottingham."<br>

"I {{over|take, accept|fang}} þereto," said þe potter,<br>
"Þu scalt find me a felloƿ good,<br>
But þu can sell my pots ƿell,<br>
Cum {{over|again|agen}} as þu geed."<br>

"Nay, by my troþ," said Robin,<br>
"And þen I {{over|curse|bescreƿ}} my head,<br>
If I bring any pots agen,<br>
"And any {{over|woman|ƿife}} ƿill {{over|them|em}} bye."<br>

Þen spake Littel John,<br>
And all his felloƿs {{over|polite|hend}},<br>
"Lord, be ƿell aƿare of þe sceriff of Nottingham,<br>
For he is littel ure frend."<br>

"Þruge þe help of ure lady,<br>
Felloƿs, let me alone.<br>
{{over|???|Haþ ƿar ute!}}" said Robin<br>
"To Nottingham ƿill I go.<br>

Robin ƿent to Nottingham,<br>
Þese pots for to sell,<br>
Þe potter abode ƿiþ Robins men,<br>
Þere he fered no efil.<br>

Þoug Robin drofe on his ƿay,<br>
So merry ofer þe land,<br>
Here is more, and after is to say,<br>
Þe best is behind.<br>

'''<big>FIT II</big>'''

Hƿen Robin came to Nottingham,<br>
Þe sooþ if I sculd say,<br>
He set up his hors anon,<br>
And geafe him oats and hay.<br>

In þe midst of þe tune,<br>
Þere he scoƿed his ƿare;<br>
"Pots! Pots!" he scuted full sone,<br>
"Haf {{over|token of good luck|hansel}} for þe {{over|more [you buy]|mare}}!"<br>

Rigt agenst þe sceriffs gate,<br>
To sell goods did he dare,<br>
Ƿifes and ƿidoƿs abute him dreƿ,<br>
And many bougt fast his ƿare.<br>

Still "Pots, great {{over|bargain|ceep}}!" scuted Robin,<br>
"I ƿuld hate to leaf þese to stand".<br>
And all hƿo saƿ him sell,<br>
Said he had been no potter long.<br>

Þe pots þat ƿere ƿorþ pens fife,<br>
He sold þem for pens þree,<br>
{{over|secretly|Dernly}} said man and ƿife,<br>
"Geonder potter scall nefer {{over|prosper|þee}}."<br>

Þose Robin sold full fast,<br>
Until he had pots but fife,<br>
Up he took þem onto his {{over|cart|crat}}<br>
And sent þem to þe sceriffs ƿife.<br>

Þereof sce ƿas full {{over|pleased|fain}},<br>
"Þanks," said sce, "{{over|sir|ƿie}}, þen,<br>
Hƿen ge cum to þis land agen,<br>
I scall bye þe pots, so mut I þee.<br>

Ge scall haf of þe best," said Robin,<br>
And sƿare be þe Trinity".<br>
Full kindly sce began to speak to him,<br>
"Cum eat ƿiþ þe sceriff and me."<br>

"God, mercy" said Robin,<br>
"Geƿer bidding scall be done."<br>
A maiden bore þe pots in,<br>
Robin and þe sceriffs ƿife folloƿed {{over|immediately|anon}}.<br>

Hƿen Robin into þe hall came,<br>
Þe sceriff sone he met.<br>
Þe potter kneƿ of {{over|courtesey|hendness}},<br>
And sone þe sceriff he {{over|greeted|gret}}.<br>

"Lo, ƿie, hƿat þis potter has gefen geƿ and me,<br>
Fife pots small and great!"<br>
"He is full ƿelcum," said þe sceriff,<br>
"Let us ƿasc, and to meat."<br>

As hy sat at her meat,<br>
In an aþel and glad mood,<br>
Tƿo of þe sceriffs men began to speak<br>
Of a great stake.<br>

Of a scooting mac, good and fair,<br>
Þat ƿas laid ute þe oþer day,<br>
Of forty scillings, þe sooþ to say,<br>
Hƿo sculd þis stake gain.<br>

Still sat þis prude potter,<br>
Þus þen þougt he,<br>
As I am a treƿ Cristen man,<br>
Þis scooting ƿill I see.<br>

Hƿen hy had fared of þe best,<br>
Ƿiþ bread and ale and ƿine,<br>
To þe pricks hy made þem prest,<br>
Ƿiþ boƿs and bolts full fain.<br>

Þe sceriffs men scot full fast,<br>
As boƿmen hƿos skill did scoƿ,<br>
Þere came none nere her marks,<br>
By half a good scooters boƿ.<br>

Still þen stood þe prude potter,<br>
Þus þen said he,<br>
"If I had a boƿ, by þe rood,<br>
A treƿ scot ƿuld geƿ see."<br>

"Þu scall haf a boƿ," said þe sceriff,<br>
"Þe best þat þu ƿill cese of þree,<br>
Þu seems stalƿard and strong,<br>
{{over|tried|Fant}} scall þu be."<br>

Þe sceriff bade a geoman þat stood em by,<br>
After boƿs to bring,<br>
Þe best boƿ þat þe geoman brougt,<br>
Robin set on a string.<br>

"Nu scall I knoƿ if þu be any good,<br>
And pull it up to þy ere." said þe sceriff.<br>
"So god me help," said þe prude potter,<br>
"Þis is but rigt ƿeek gere."<br>

To a {{over|quiver|cocker}} Robin ƿent,<br>
A good bolt ute he took,<br>
So nige on to þe mark he ƿent,<br>
He missed not a foot.<br>

Hy all scot a boƿ agen,<br>
Þe sceriffs men and he,<br>
Off þe mark he ƿuld not miss,<br>
He cleft þe {{over|pointed object|prick}} into þree.<br>

Þe sceriffs men felt great scame<br>
Þe potter þe scooting {{over|match|mac}} ƿon<br>
Þe sceriff lauged and made good game<br>
And said, "Potter, þu art a man.<br>
Þu art ƿorþy to bare a boƿ<br>
In any stead þat þu go."<br>

"In my crat I haf a boƿ,<br>
Forsooþ," he said, "one þat is good.<br>
In my crat is þe boƿ<br>
Þat geafe me Robin Hood."<br>

"Knoƿs þu Robin Hood?" asked þe sceriff,<br>
"Potter, I bid geƿ tell me."<br>
"A hundred {{over|matches|macces}} I haf scot ƿiþ him,<br>
Under his trysting tree."<br>
"I ƿuld geeld up a hundred punds," said þe sceriff,<br>
And sƿare by þe trinity,<br>
To haf þe ƿicked utelaƿ standing by me."<br>

"And geƿ ƿill folloƿ my {{over|advice|read}}," said þe potter,<br>
"And boldly go ƿiþ me,<br>
And tomorroƿ, before ƿe eat bread,<br>
Robin Hood ƿill ƿe see."<br>

"I ƿill {{over|reward|meed}} þee, said þe sceriff,<br>
"I sƿare by God my lord."<br>
Scooting hy stopped, and home hy ƿent,<br>
Her days last meal ƿas on þe {{over|table|bord}}.<br>

'''<big>FIT III</big>'''

Upon þe morroƿ, hƿen it ƿas day,<br>
He busked himself forþ to ride,<br>
Þe potter his crat began to reddy,<br>
And ƿuld not leaf behind.<br>

He took leaf of þe sceriffs ƿife,<br>
And þanked her for eferyþing.<br>
"Goodƿife, for my luf if geƿ ƿill þis ƿare,<br>
I gefe geƿ here a golden ring."<br>

"Þanks," said þe ƿife,<br>
"Ƿie, God meed þee."<br>
Þe sceriffs hart ƿas nefer so ligt,<br>
Þe fair {{over|forest|ƿold}} to see.<br>

And hƿen he came in to þe ƿold,<br>
Under þe leafs green,<br>
Birds þere sang on buges bold,<br>
It ƿas great {{over|joy|ƿin}} to see.<br>

"Here it is merry to be," said Robin,<br>
"For a man þat had augt to spend,<br>
By my horn geƿ scall {{over|???|aƿet}}<br>
If Robin Hood be here."<br>

Robin set his horn to his muþe,<br>
And bleƿ a blast þat ƿas full good,<br>
Þat herd his men þat þere stood,<br>
For dune in þe ƿold.<br>
"I here my lord bloƿ," said Littel John,<br>
Hy ran as if hy ƿere {{over|enraged, crazy|ƿood}}.<br>

Hƿen hy to her lord came,<br>
Littel John ƿuld not {{over|hold back|spar}}.<br>
"Lord, hu haf geƿ fared in Nottingham?<br>
Hu haf geƿ sold geƿer ƿare?"<br>

"Geƿ, by my troþ, Littel John,<br>
Loke þu, take no care,<br>
I haf brougt þe sceriff of Nottingham<br>
For all ure {{over|chaffer, business|ceaffer}}."<br>

"He is full ƿelcum," said Littel John,<br>
"Þis tiding is full good."<br>
Þe sceriff ƿuld geeld a hundred punds<br>
To haf nefer seen Robin Hood.<br>

"Had I knoƿn þat before,<br>
At Nottingham hƿen ƿe ƿere,<br>
Þu sculd not cum in fair ƿold<br>
Of all þese þusand geres."<br>

"Þat kneƿ I ƿell," said Robin,<br>
"I þank God þat geƿ be here,<br>
Þerefore scall geƿ leaf geƿer hors ƿiþ us,<br>
And all geƿer oþer gere."<br>

"Þat feend may God forbid,"<br>
"So to lose my goods." said þe sceriff,<br>
"Eiþer geƿ cum on hors full hige,<br>
And home scall geƿ go on foot,<br>
And great ƿell þy ƿife at home,<br>
Þe ƿuman is full good."<br>

"I scall her send a hƿite palfrey,<br>
It treds as þe ƿind,<br>
Ƿere it not for þe luf of geƿer ƿife<br>
Of more sorroƿ sculd geƿ sing."<br>

Þus fared aƿay Robin Hood and þe sceriff,<br>
To Nottingham he took þe ƿay,<br>
His ƿife fair ƿelcummed him home,<br>
And to him began to say:<br>

"Ƿie, hu haf geƿ fared in green ƿold?<br>
Haf geƿ brougt Robin home?"<br>
"Goodƿife, þe defil take him, boþ body and bone,<br>
I haf had a full great skorn."<br>

"Of all þe goods þat I haf lade to green ƿold,<br>
He has taken it from me,<br>
All but þese fair palfreys,<br>
Þat he has sent to þee."<br>

Ƿiþ þat sce took up a lude lauging,<br>
And sƿore by him þat died on a tree.<br>
"Nu haf geƿ geelded for all þe pots<br>
Þat Robin geafe to me.<br>

"Nu geƿ haf cum home to Nottingham.<br>
Geƿ scall haf good enuge."<br>
Nu speak ƿe of Robin Hood,<br>
And of þe potter under þe green buge.<br>

"Potter, hƿat ƿere þy pots ƿorþ<br>
To Nottingham þat I laid ƿiþ me?"<br>
"Hy ƿere ƿorþ þirteen scillings," said he,<br>
"So mut I þrife or þee,<br>
So muc culd I haf had for þem,<br>
If I had been þere.<br>

"Þu scall haf ten punds," said Robin,<br>
"Of {{over|money|scat}} fair and free,<br>
And hƿenefer þu cumes to green ƿold,<br>
Ƿelcum, potter, to me."<br>

Þus fared off Robin, þe sceriff, and þe potter,<br>
Underneaþ þe greenƿood tree.<br>
God scoƿ {{over|mercy|mils}} to Robin Hoods soul,<br>
And {{over|save|nere}} all good geomanry.<br>