(_Concluded from page 182_.)
With respect to the personal character of Robin Hood, it is generally
agreed that he was active, brave, prudent, patient, possessed of
uncommon bodily strength, and considerable military skill; just,
generous, and beloved by his followers. As proofs of his singular
popularity, his story and exploits have been made the subject of
various dramatic exhibitions, as well of innumerable poems, lyrics,
songs, and ballads; he has given rise to divers proverbs, and to swear
by him was a common practice. Some writers say his songs have been
preferred on solemn occasions, not only to the Psalms of David, but
to the New Testament, and his service to the word of God. We have the
opinion of Bishop Latimer on this head:--"I came," says the bishop
(in his sixth sermon before King Edward VI.) "to a place, riding on
a journey homeward from London, and I sent word over night into the
town, that I would preach there in the morning, because it was a
holyday, and methought it was a holydayes worke; the churche stode
in my way, and I toke my horse and my companye and went thither. I
thought I should have found a great companye in the churche, and when
I came there, the churche dore was faste locked; I tarried halfe
an houre and more, and at last the keye was founde, and one of the
parishe commes to me, and sayes, 'Syr, thys ys a busye day with us, we
cannot heare you; it is Robyn Hoode's day; the parishe is gone abroad
to gather for Robyn Hoode.' I pray you let them not, I was fayne there
to geve place to Robyn Hoode. I thought my rochet should have been
regarded thoughe I were not; but it woulde not serve, it was fayne
to give place to Robyn Hoode's men. It is no laughyng matter, my
friendes, it is a wepynge matter, a heavy matter under a pretence
for gatherynge for Robyn Hoode, a traytoure and a thefe, to put out
a preacher, to have his office lesse esteemed, to prefer Robyn Hoode
before the mynystration of God's word, and all thys hath come of
unpreachynge prelates. Thys realme hath been il provided, for that
it hath had suche corrupte judgementes in it, to prefer Robyn Hode
to Godde's worde. Yf the bysshoppes had bene preachers, there sholde
never have bene any such thynge," &c.
Robin Hood was believed to possess supernatural powers. In the parish
of Halifax is an immense stone or rock, supposed to be a Druidical
monument, there called Robin Hood's penny-stone, which he is said
to have used to pitch with at a mark, for his amusement. There was
likewise another of these stones of several tons weight, which the
country people would say he threw off an adjoining hill with a spade,
as he was digging. At Bitchover, where it was said he lived, among
several groups of rocks, were some stones called Robin Hood's Stride,
being two of the highest and most remarkable. He obtained also the
distinction of sainthood, in having a festival allotted to him, and
solemn games instituted in honour of his memory; a short account of
which will be found in _The Mirror_, No. 544, p. 259. These games were
celebrated till the latter end of the sixteenth century, not by the
populace only, but by kings and princes, and grave magistrates, in
Scotland and in England; being considered in the former country of the
highest political importance, and essential to the civil and religious
liberties of the people; the efforts of government to suppress them
frequently producing tumult and insurrection.
In Ray's Itineraries, 1760, we are told that Robin Hood's bow, one
of his arrows, his chair, his cap, and one of his slippers, were
preserved till within the above century. In Brome's Travels, is the
following notice of his relics: "having pleased ourselves with the
antiquities of Nottingham, we took horse and went to visit the well,
and ancient chair, of Robin Hood, which is not far from hence, within
the Forest of Sherwood. Being placed in the chair, we had a cap
which they say was his, very formally put upon our heads, and having
performed the usual ceremonies befitting so great a solemnity, we
received the freedom of the chair, and were incorporated into the
society of that renowned brotherhood." In Hutton's Journey from
Birmingham to London, 1785, he states, "I was much pleased with a
slipper, belonging to the famous Robin Hood, shown me, fifty years
ago, at St. Ann's Well, near Nottingham, a place upon the borders of
Sherwood Forest, to which he resorted." Over a spring called Robin
Hood's Well, four miles north of Doncaster, is a handsome stone arch,
erected by Lord Carlisle, where passengers from the coach used to
drink of the fair water, and give alms to two people who attended.
Thus, not only did those places retain his name which afforded him
security or amusement, but even the well at which he quenched his
thirst. There is also Robin Hood's Bay, on the coast of Yorkshire.
It is mentioned by Leland as "a fischer tounlet of 20 bootes caulled
Robyn Huddes Bay, a dok or bosom of a mile yn length:" in this bay he
often went fishing in the summer season, and not far from this he had
butts or marks set up, where he used to exercise his men in shooting
with the long bow.
After Robin's death, his company dispersed, and are supposed to have
been distinguished from the name of their gallant leader, by the title
of Roberdsmen. It may not be uninteresting to subjoin a short account
of the last days of Robin's friend and favourite, Little John. The
honour of his death and burial is contended by rival nations, first by
England. At the village of Hathersage, about six miles from Castleton,
in Derbyshire, is Little John's grave. Tradition states, some curious
person caused it to be opened, when there were found several bones of
uncommon size, which he preserved; but meeting afterwards with
many unlucky accidents, he carefully replaced them, partly at the
intercession of the sexton who had taken them up for him, and who had
in like manner been visited with misfortunes, but upon restoring
the bones all these troubles ceased. Secondly, by Scotland. In
Murray-land, according to the historian, Hector Boece, is "the
Kirke of Pette, quhare the banis of Lytill Johne remainis in grete
admiratioun of pepill. He hes bene fourtene feet of hycht with square
membris effering thairto VI zeris," continues he, "afore the cumyng of
this werk to lycht we saw his hanche-bane, als mekill as the hail
bane of ane man, lor we schot our arme in the mouth thairof. Be quhilk
apperis how strang and square pepill grew in our regioun afore they
were effeminat with lust and intemperance of mouth." Thirdly, by
Ireland. "There stood," as Stanihurst relates, "in Ostmantowne greene
an hillocke, named Little John his shot. The occasion," he says,
proceeded of this--"In the yeere one thousand one hundred foure score
and nine, there ranged three robbers and outlaws in England, among
which Robert Hood and Little John weere cheefeteins, of all theeves
doubtlesse the most courteous. Robert Hood being betrayed at a nunrie
in Scotland, called Bricklies, the remnant of the crue was scattered,
and everie man forced to shift for himselfe; whereupon Little John was
faine to flee the realme by sailing to Ireland, where he sojornied
for a few daies at Dublin. The citizens beeing doone to understand the
wandering outcast to be an excellent archer, requested him hartilie to
trie how far he could shoote at random; who yeelding to their behest,
stood on the bridge of Dublin, and shot to that mole hill, leaving
behind him a monument, rather by his posteritie to be woondered, than
possiblie by anie man living to be counterscored. But as the repaire
of so notorious a champion to anie countrie would soone be published,
so his abode could not be long concealed, and therefore to eschew
the danger of laws, he fled into Scotland, where he died at a town or
village called Moravie." But, Mr. Walker, after observing, that "poor
Little John's great practical skill in archery could not save him
from an ignominious fall," says "it appeared from some records in
the Southwell family, that he was publicly executed for robbery on
Arbor-hill, Dublin."
A bow, said to have belonged to Little John, with the name of Nayler
upon it, is now in the possession of a gentleman in the West Riding of
Yorkshire.[6] SWAINE.
[6] Sir George Armitage, of Kirklees Hall.--See _Mirror_, vol.
xix. p. 322.
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