AD1194 Sheriff Fooled 'Pots! Pots! More of a present than a buy!' The market cry rang out outside the Sheriff's gate. Widows and wives curiously drew round to view the potter's merchandise. 'Pots! Very cheap! I'd hate not to sell all of them!' Everyone who saw him said he hadn't been a potter very long and would stay in business even less. Pots worth five pence were sold for three and all the women knowingly nudged each other: 'Yonder potter will never thrive.' The potter enjoyed himself enormously with a grin here and a wave there between his cheery banter. The pots sold so fast that he soon had but five left which he sent free to the Sheriff's wife. Delighted, she thanked the generous potter: 'Gramercy, how kind. When you come to these parts again, you shall have all my custom.' 'You shall have only the best pots,' answered the potter. 'Come dine with me and the Sheriff,' she courteously invited him. 'Gramercy,' replied the potter; and since he was well acquainted with good manners, he courteously greeted the Sheriff as soon as he entered the hall. The Sheriff's wife happily informed her husband: 'Lo sir, see what the potter has given us, five pots - small and large'. 'Then he is most welcome,' said the Sheriff. As they sat at their meal, two of the Sheriff's men talked of archery and a wager they had made on a shooting match - forty shillings going to the winner. The potter said nothing but listened with an increasing interest. Having completed their excellent meal of mutton, bread and ale, they all went to the archery butts. The Sheriff's men shot their arrows fast, as good archers should, but came nowhere near the mark - half a bow's length was the nearest. Up spoke the proud potter: 'By the cross, if I had a bow you would see some shooting.' The Sheriff ordered a yeoman to fetch some bows and told the potter: 'You seem a strong, stalwart fellow, so let's try you out.' 'This tackle is poor stuff,' said the potter unimpressed with any of the bows that he was given; nevertheless, he pulled the string back to his ear and shot within a foot of the target which widened the eyes of the Sheriff's men. The Potter Shooting The next time they all shot, the potter split the wooden marker into three pieces with a single arrow and with that won the match. The Sheriff's men looked shamefaced at losing to a potter but the Sheriff laughed at what he thought was a good joke: 'Potter, you are a worthy man to carry a bow.' 'I have a good bow in my cart,' said the potter, 'in truth, given to me by Robin Hood.' 'Do you know Robin Hood?' asked the Sheriff, looking very interested, 'Pray tell me!' 'A hundred times I must have shot with him under his trysting tree.' 'By the Trinity, I would rather have that false outlaw stood by me than a hundred pounds.' 'If you take my advice and boldly go with me tomorrow, we shall see Robin Hood before breakfast.' 'If that is true, I swear I'll reward you well,' promised the Sheriff. At daybreak on the morrow, the potter courteously took his leave of the Sheriff's wife, thanked her for her hospitality and offered her a present. 'For my sake, my lady, will you wear this gold ring?' 'Gramercy, may God reward you,' she said, blushing a little at this unexpected generosity. The potter drove his cart into Sherwood Forest ahead of the Sheriff who serenely rode astride his own palfrey. The birds sang merrily amongst the green leaves and the Sheriff's heart was never so light - he was a joy to behold. When they were well into the forest, the potter told the Sheriff: 'The greenwood is a merry place to be; by my horn, I'll see if Robin Hood is here.' The loud blast of the horn brought men running up fast and the first to appear was the tallest. 'Master, how did it go in Notting- ham?' he asked of the potter. 'Have you sold all your wares?' The tall man was none other than the outlaw Little John and the potter was his leader. The Sheriff stared dumbfounded at the outlaws, dazed by the realisation that the friendly potter was in reality Robin Hood! Robin calmly answered Little John: 'I have sold all my wares with no trouble at all and have brought you a fine present - the Sheriff of Nottingham.' 'What good tidings,' said Little John. 'He is most welcome.' At that moment the Sheriff would have given £100 never to have set eyes on Robin Hood. 'If I had known this back home in Nottingham, you would not have returned to the forest in a 1,000 years,' he said, at last finding his voice. 'I know that well enough,' said Robin, 'and that is why you are going to leave your horse with us and all your other gear.' 'God forbid I should lose all my goods!' 'Swiftly on horseback you came and slowly on foot you can go home. And don't forget to greet your wife kindly, for she is an excellent lady. I am sending her a white palfrey that will give her a smooth and easy ride. Were it not for your wife, you would be singing far more sorrows!' The Sheriff walked all the way home to Nottingham where his wife welcomed him at the door: 'Sir, how have you fared in the green forest? Have you brought Robin Hood home with you?' 'Lady, the devil take Robin Hood - body and bone! The potter has made a fool of me. He has taken all the goods that I took into the greenwood and he is sending you a gift of a white palfrey.' His wife must have a sense of humour for she laughed out loud: 'In faith, you have more than paid for all the pots that Robin gave me!' The proud Sheriff of Nottingham serving a writ issued by the King’s brother John, Earl of Nottingham and Gloucester 13 Ballad of the Butcher Come around you folks and listen for a while, For this tale of Robin Hood may bring a smile. On a forest trail the good archer did spy, A jolly butcher who came passing by. 'What price do sell and where do you dwell?' asked Robin. The butcher said: 'Four marks I'll surely get at Nottingham.' To the butcher, Robin paid his full fee And on to Nottingham - a butcher to be. To the Sheriff first to ply his butcher's trade; Then he sold his meat for just one penny paid. Sold his meat so fast other butchers could not thrive, Against his penny some others charged five. 'Your pocket is full, some prodigal,' said the butchers, 'We'll all going to the Sheriff's house, won't you dine with us?' The Sheriff's wife tended to their wine and dine; Robin said: 'I will pay, for the bill is mine.' With this rich fellow the Sheriff was impressed. The Sheriff asked: 'Have you horned beasts of the best?' 'Yes I have and you'll find they're the best you will see; Bring out your gold and I'll take you where they be.' In green Sherwood they found herds of red deer roamed there-in. 'Here are my beasts, so thanks for your gold,' said Robin. The Sheriff said: 'I've been had, I'm fast away.' Robin said: 'Tell your wife it's been a nice day.' Silver Arrow Contest The Silver Arrow Contest that took place at Butt-dyke outside Nottingham's town walls caused chaos and mayhem. The contest was won by Robin Hood but there then followed a ferocious battle between the Sheriff's men and Robin's band of outlaws. In the uproar and confusion amid flying arrows and clashing swords, panic broke out with women shrieking in fright and chil- dren being trampled underfoot. The Sheriff had sparked off the fight when his men tried to arrest Robin Hood only moments after he himself had presented Robin with the winning Silver Arrow. The outlaws, led by Robin Hood, left a trail of wounded Sheriff's men in their wake as they fought themselves out of the ambush and fled into the forest. The archery contest had started peacefully enough with not the slightest hint of the mayhem to come. Fields around gleamed brightly with coloured tents pitched by traders and competitors who had come from afar. Young men had brought their fighting cocks and watched them do battle while others held contests in leaping, wrestling, putting the stone and throwing the thronged javelin beyond a mark - all done with plenty of gusto and in a sporting spirit. In one corner of the field, a laughing crowd assembled around some lads engaged in a 'grinning’ match. Many of the younger lads and lasses danced around a garlanded maypole. Hawkers of drinks, sweetmeats and pasties walked amongst the crowd, crying their wares; a palmer recently returned from the Holy Land tried to sell his sacred relics - it was just like any ordinary fair. Most people ignored the bull and bear baiting. In this so-called sport, great bulldogs attack these fine animals which are tied to a stake. The bull and bear, with no means of escape, defend them- selves with all their force and skill, sometimes injuring and killing the dog, though this is not the end of the fight.