ROBIN HOOD
Posted by anthonynorth on April 28, 2007
Did Robin Hood exist, or is he simply a story?
Robbing the rich to give to the poor, Robin Hood is a great socialist agitator, living in Nottingham Forest with his Merry Men. Many tales exist of his exploits, such as when his archers surrounded the Bishop of Hereford on his way to York. Taking him prisoner, he is ransomed and forced to dance a jig to entertain Robin’s men.
In another tale the king and his knights go into the forest dressed as monks to catch him. Surrounded by the outlaws, the king offers them all they have. Robin says he will take just a small part of it. Invited to eat with them, the king identifies himself and Robin kneels. He is them pardoned and goes to serve the king in court.
Robin is eventually killed about 1346, when, ill, he is taken to Kirklees Priory where the prioress murders him. Before he dies, he fires an arrow, and Little John buries him where the arrow falls. But did Robin Hood really exist?
CHRONICLES OF ROBIN
Thought by some to be a survival of pagan mythology, he is first mentioned in William Langland’s ‘Piers Plowman’ around 1377. Born from oral tradition, the stories are brought together in Wynkyn de Worde’s ‘A Lytell Geste of Robyn Hood’ around 1510. Finally, the Robin Hood we know and love appeared in Sir Walter Scott’s ‘Ivanhoe’ in the 19th century.
A parallel tradition says he was the Earl of Huntington, cheated out of his estate and forced to become an outlaw; another identifies him as Sir Robin of Locksley, born in Yorkshire about 1160.
A YORKSHIRE ROBIN?
Sherwood Forest stretched into Yorkshire at the time and there is a strong tradition of the outlaw in the county. There is even a record of a Robert Hode born in Wakefield in 1290. His father is a forester, and in January 1316 Robin and his wife bought a piece of land to build a house. The Manor Court Roll for 1357 details the house, formerly the property of Robert Hode.
In 1322 his landlord, the Earl of Lancaster, called his tenants to arms in a rebellion against the king. It failed and his followers were outlawed. Robert Hode would no doubt be one of them, especially as records exist of those who refused service. He is not among them.
In May 1323 the king is known to have hunted in the forest near Wakefield. Did he meet up with Robin Hood as the ballads say, and invite him to court? The Royal Household accounts for April 1324 record a payment of wages to one Robyn Hod.
So perhaps Robin Hood really did exist. But not as a criminal per se. More as an early people’s rebel – a fighter for justice and fairness in a system that was corrupt.
(c) Anthony North, April 2007
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Clement of the Glen said
Hi Anthony, I enjoyed reading you work. I have been researching the legend of Robin Hood for about 30 years and now have my own blog dedicated to a much underated movie made in 1952 and the legend that inspired it. Perhaps you would like to take a peek its at http://disneysrobin.blogspot.com/
Just one correction to your piece on Sherwood Forest. The royal forest did not reach Yorkshire, this is a common mistake. In fact at the time of Henry III when its boundaries were first defined it reached as far as the river Meden in the north. The forest was about twenty miles long and five miles wide. Have a look at my blog under Sherwood Forest.
Cheers!
anthonynorth said
Clement, I stand corrected. I’ve just researched to try to prove you wrong, and failed. I’ve written elsewhere that a researcher must always research everything, including the things they instinctively know to be correct.
My God, I’m not perfect!
I put it down to my being a Yorkshireman, and I want Robin to be ours, regardless.
Many thanks.