Robin Hood

Robin Hood is the archetypal English folk hero, an outlaw who, in modern versions of the legend, stole from the rich to give to the poor. Although most noted for his material egalitarianism, in the stories he also pursues other types of equality and justice. However, as mentioned below, Robin Hood was not quite so generous in the original medieval legends. In the end, since most events in the various Robin Hood stories are fictional, arguments over the "real" or "true" Robin Hood are unlikely to reach any conclusion. Even if Robin Hood or a similar person did indeed exist, finding concrete evidence about his life is highly improbable.

The Robin Hood legend

The stories relating to Robin Hood are apocryphal, verging on the mythological. The modern image widely held today contrasts in many ways with the medieval legend. The modern Robin Hood was created by 16th and 17th century dramatists and writers, while the medieval Robin Hood was probably the creation of wandering minstrels, and is a more elusive figure.

Related Topics:
Mythological - 16th - 17th century

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His first appearance in a manuscript is in William Langland's Piers Plowman (1377) in which Sloth, the lazy priest, boasts "I ken 'rimes of Robin Hood." The next notice is in Wyntown's Scottish Chronicle, written about 1420, where the following lines occur?without any connection, and in the form of an entry?under the year 1283:

Related Topics:
William Langland - Piers Plowman - 1377 - 1420 - 1283

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:Lytil Jhon and Robyne Hude Wayth-men ware commendyd gude: In Yngil-wode and Barnysdale Thai oysyd all this tyme thare trawale.

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In the year 1439, a petition was presented to Parliament against one Piers Venables of Aston, in Derbyshire, "who having no liflode, ne sufficeante of goodes, gadered and assembled unto him many misdoers, beynge of his clothynge, and, in manere of insurrection, wente into the wodes in that countrie, like as it hadde be Robyn Hude and his meyne."?Rot. Parl. v. 16. This is the first portrayal of an anti-hero Robin Hood, which would stick with him to the 17th century, when Guy Fawkes and his associates were described as "Robin Hoods" by Robert Cecil.

Related Topics:
1439 - Derbyshire - Guy Fawkes - Robert Cecil

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The first historical mention of Robin Hood is in a passage of the "Scotichronicon", written partly by John Fordun between 1377 and 1384, and partly by his pupil Walter Bower, in about 1450, who largely interpolated the work of his master. Among his interpolations is a passage translated as follows. It is inserted immediately after Fordun's account of the defeat of Simon de Montfort and the punishments inflicted on his adherents:

Related Topics:
Scotichronicon - John Fordun - 1384 - Walter Bower - 1450 - Simon de Montfort

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:At this time, from the number of those who had been deprived of their estates arose the celebrated bandit Robert Hood, (with Little John and their accomplices,) whose achievements the foolish vulgar delight to celebrate in comedies and tragedies, while the ballads upon his adventures sung by the jesters and minstrels are preferred to all others.

Related Topics:
1266 - Little John

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According to The Annotated Edition of the English Poets - Early ballads (London, 1856, p.70):

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:His death is stated by Ritson to have taken place on the 18th of November, 1247, about the eighty-seventh year of his age; but according to the following inscription found among the papers of the Dean of York, and quoted from the Appendix to Thoresby's Ducatus Leodiensis, by Mr. Gutch... the death occurred a month later. In this inscription, which bears evidence of high antiquity, Robin Hood is described as Earl of Huntington?his claim to which title has been as hotly contested as any disputed peerage upon record.

Related Topics:
18th of November - 1247

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::Hear undernead dis laitl stean

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::Lais Robert Earl of Huntingtun

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::Near arcir der as hie sa geud

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::An pipl kauld im Robin Heud

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::Sic utlaws as hi an is men

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::Vil England nivr si agen.

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:::Obiit 24 Kal Dekembris 1247

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This inscription also appears on a grave in the grounds of Kirklees Priory near Kirklees Hall (ironically in Calderdale) and close to Brighouse, West Yorkshire. Not surprisingly this is regarded as Robin Hood's grave (see below). The language of this inscription is questionable, though: it has the semblance of faked antiquity, and is easily readable as phonetic modern English.

Related Topics:
Kirklees Priory - Kirklees Hall - Brighouse - West Yorkshire

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Printed versions of Robin Hood ballads appear in the early 16th century?shortly after the advent of printing in England. In these ballads, Robin Hood is a yeoman which, by that time, meant an independent tradesman or farmer. It is only in the late 16th century that he becomes a nobleman, the Earl of Huntington, Robert of Locksley, or later still, Robert Fitz Ooth.

Related Topics:
Printing - Yeoman

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His romantic attachment to Maid Marian (or "Marion") (originally known as Mathilda) is also a product of this later period and probably has something to do with the French pastoral play of about 1280, the Jeu de Robin et Marion. Aside from the names there is no recognizable Robin Hood connection to the play.

Related Topics:
Maid Marian - French - 1280

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The late 16th century is also the period when the Robin Hood story is moved back in time to the 1190s, when King Richard is away at the crusades. (See Mair, Historia Majoris Britanniae). One of the original Robin Hood ballads refers to King Edward (Edward I, II, and III ruled England from 1272 to 1377). The idea of Robin Hood as a high-minded Saxon fighting Norman Lords originates in the 19th century, (see e.g. Thierry, Histoire de la Conquête de l'Angleterre par les Normands, livr. xi) most notably in the part Robin Hood plays in Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe (1819), chapters 40 - 41, where the familiar modern Robin Hood?"King of Outlaws and prince of good fellows!" Richard the Lionheart calls him?makes his debut.

Related Topics:
1190s - King Richard - Crusade - Mair - Edward I - II - III - 1272 - 1377 - Saxon - Norman - 19th century - Thierry - Sir Walter Scott - Ivanhoe - 1819

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The folkloric Robin Hood was deprived of his lands by the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham and became an outlaw. The Sheriff does indeed appear in the early ballads (Robin kills and beheads him), but there is nothing as specific as this allegation. Robin's other enemies include the rich abbots of the Catholic Church and a bounty hunter named Guy of Gisbourne. Robin kills and beheads him as well. The early ballads contain nothing about giving to the poor, although Robin does make a large loan to an unfortunate knight.

Related Topics:
Sheriff of Nottingham - Outlaw - Sheriff - Catholic Church - Guy of Gisbourne - Ballad - Knight

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In the ballads, the original "Merry Men" (though not called that) included: Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet (or Scathlock), Much the Miller's Son, and Little John?who was called "little" because he was quite the opposite. Alan-a-Dale is a later invention in Robin Hood plays.

Related Topics:
Friar Tuck - Will Scarlet (or Scathlock) - Much the Miller's Son - Little John - Alan-a-Dale

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