_To the Editor._
Sir,--A correspondent in your last Number[249] rather hastily asserts,
that there is no other authority than Davenport’s Tragedy for the
poisoning of Matilda by King John. It oddly enough happens, that in the
same Number[250] appears an Extract from a Play of Heywood’s, of an
older date, in two parts; in which Play, the fact of such poisoning, as
well as her identity with Maid Marian, are equally established. Michael
Drayton also hath a Legend, confirmatory (as far as poetical authority
can go) of the violent manner of her death. But neither he, nor
Davenport, confound her with Robin’s Mistress. Besides the named
authorities, old Fuller (I think) somewhere relates, as matter of
Chronicle History, that old Fitzwalter (he is called Fitzwater both in
Heywood and in Davenport) being banished after his daughter’s
murder,--some years subsequently--King John at a Tournament in France
being delighted with the valiant bearing of a combatant in the lists,
and enquiring his name, was told that it was his old faithful servant,
the banished Fitzwalter, who desired nothing more heartily than to be
reconciled to his Liege,--and an affecting reconciliation followed. In
the common collection, called Robin Hood’s Garland (I have not seen
Ritson’s), no mention is made, if I remember, of the nobility of Marian.
Is she not the daughter of plain Squire Gamwell, of old Gamwell
Hall?--Sorry that I cannot gratify the curiosity of your “disembodied
spirit,” (who, as such, is methinks sufficiently “veiled” from our
notice) with more authentic testimonies, I rest,
Your humble Abstracter,