'Ancient Legends Retold: Tales of Robin Hood' contains the definitive Robin Hood. In these five early ballads, and one later play, Robin is himself a commoner, a yeoman, a working- class hero, not the ousted, disaffected Saxon earl into which the later ballads try to turn him, probably to please a Norman nobility that was beginning to enjoy him in spite of itself. They are the earliest ballads and play and still the best of the bunch. Here we have the essential Robin Hood, the real Robin Hood, stripped of the romanticism that would clothe him in noble weeds or the mysticism that would seek to make of him some New Age spirit of the forest, related to Herne the Hunter or Robin Goodfellow. You will find a Robin Hood of fast action, hot temper and unswerving hatred toward the powers that be, especially the power of the Church and the highly paid flunkies, such as the Sheriff of Nottingham. ‘A Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode’ is a comprehensive account of the famous English outlaw - complete, unified and pointing quite clearly to the reign of Edward II as a probable time for an historical Robin Hood, despite the opinions of most of the experts.
In 'A Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode', Edward 'our comely king' comes to Nottingham himself to capture 'Robyn Hode' and his friend Sir Richard At-the Lea, who defied the sheriff of Nottingham by sheltering the famous outlaw in his castle. Later, Sir Richard Attlee was caught by the sheriff and taken to Nottingham but Robyn pursued them, shot the sheriff dead and rescued the knight. After this, they both hid safely in the greenwood.
As a result of this, Edward rode into the forest himself with several of his knights, disguised as monks. They are taken prisoner by Robyn Hode, relieved of half their money and given a feast. In the course of this, the king made himself known and persuaded Robyn and his Merrie Men to serve him in London town. Robyn spent 'a year and three months' in London, during which all his money was spent and all of his men deserted him, except Little John and Will Scarlet. He asked leave of Edward to go back to Sherwood, to do penance at a chapel he built there. Edward gave him seven days' leave and the outlaws returned to the greenwood, never to leave it again.
According to mediaeval government records discovered by Joseph Hunter in the new Public Record Office in 1838, King Edward II made a royal progress north between April and November 1323, ending up at Nottingham. On 27 June 1323, a Robyn Hode was given his wages as one of the king's porters, while between 24 March and 22 November 1324, Robyn Hode is recorded as being in the royal service, according to a day-book of the Royal Chamber. On 22 November 1324, Robyn Hode was paid off with five shillings and was no longer recorded as working for the king. For eighteen months a Robyn Hode was in King Edward's service and not long afterward, in 1326, Edward II himself, a 'cumlie kynge' indeed, was deposed by his wife and then was brutally murdered in Berkely Castle in 1327.
Robyn Hode, a simple yeoman and notorious outlaw, would not have been held in high esteem by the powerful men at court. Edward paid him off and sent him packing, for the greenwood was the safest place for him. Perhaps Edward had a soft spot for him too! These facts fit the 'Lytell Geste' perfectly. It just goes to show, you should always trust the story!
Ancient Legends Retold: Tales of Robin Hood by Michael Dacre, is available on The History Press website.
Further reading:
* BBC: Robin Hood and his historical context
* Ancient Legends Retold: Tales of Robin Hood
* Depictions of Robin Hood on film and in television
* Portraits of Society: Popular literature in the seventeenth century.