"Invited royall princes from their courts
Into the wilde woods to behold their sports,"
may be reasonably supposed to allude to Henry the VIIIth, who appears to
have been particularly attached, as well to the exercise of archery, as
to the observance of Maying. "Some short time after his coronation,"
says Hall, "he came to Westminster with the quene, and all their traine,
and on a tyme being there, his grace, therles of Essex, Wilshire, and
other noble menne, to the number of twelve, came sodainly in a mornyng
into the quenes chambre, all appareled in short cotes of Kentish kendal,
with hodes on their heddes, and hosen of the same, every one of them his
bowe and arrowes, and a sworde and a bucklar, like outlawes, or Robyn
Hodesmen; whereof the quene, the ladies, and al other there were abashed
as well for the straunge sight, as also for their sodain commyng, and
after certayn daunces and pastime made, thei departed."
The same author gives the following curious account of a Maying, in the
7th year of that monarch, 1516: "The king and quene, accompanied with
many lords and ladies, rode to the high ground on Shooter's Hill to take
the air, and as they passed by the way, they espied a company of tall
yomen clothed all in green, with green whodes and bows and arrows, to
the number of 90. One of them calling himself Robin Hood, came to the
king, desiring him to see his men shoot, and the king was content. Then
he wistled, and all the 90 archers shot and losed at once, he then
whistled again, and they shot again; their arrows wistled by craft of
the head, so that the noise was strange and great, and much pleased the
king, the quene, and all the company. All these archers were of the
king's guard, and had thus appareled themselves to make solace to the
king. Then Robin Hood desired the king and quene to come into the green
wood, and see how the outlaws live. The king demanded of the quene and
her ladies, if they durst venture to go into the wood with so many
outlaws, and the quene was content. Then the horns blew till they came
to the wood under Shooter's Hill, and there was an arbour made of
boughs, with a hall and a great chamber, and an inner chamber, well made
and covered with flowers and sweet herbs, which the king much praised.
Then said Robin Hood, 'Sir, outlaws breakfasts is vensyon, and you must
be content with such fare as we have.' The king and quene sat down, and
were served with venison and wine by Robin Hood and his men. Then the
king and his party departed, and Robin and his men conducted them. As
they were returning, they were met by two ladies in a rich chairiot,
drawn by five horses, every horse had his name on his head, and on every
horse sat a lady, with her name written; and in a chair sat the Lady
May, accompanied with Lady Flora, richly appareled, and they saluted the
king with divers songs, and so brought him to Greenwhich."
The games of Robin Hood seem to have been occasionally of a dramatic
cast. Sir John Paston, in the time of King Edward IV. complaining of the
ingratitude of his servants, mentions one who had promised never to
desert him, and "ther uppon," says he, "I have kepyd hym thys iii yer to
pleye Seynt Jorge, and Robyn Hod, and the Shryf off Notyngham, and now
when I wolde have good horse he is goon into Bernysdale, and I without a
keeper."
In some old accounts of the Churchwardens, of Saint Helens, at Abingdon,
Berks, for the year 1556, there is an entry for setting up Robins
Hoode's bower; supposed to be for a parish interlude.
Perhaps the clearest idea of these games will be derived from some
accounts of the Church-wardens, of the parish of Kingston-upon-Thames:
" _Robin Hood and Maygame.
£. s. d._
23 Henry 7th. To the menstorell
upon Mayday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 4
For paynting of the mores garments
and for sarten gret leveres . . . . . . 0 2 4
For paynting of a bannar for Robin
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 3
For 2 M. and 1/2 pynnys . . . . . . . . . 0 0 10
For 4 plyts and 1/2 of laun for the mores
garments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 11
For orseden for the same. . . . . . . . . 0 0 10
For a goun for the lady . . . . . . . . . 0 0 8
For bellys for the dawnsers . . . . . . . 0 0 12
14 Henry 7th. For Little John's
cote. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 8 0
1 Henry 8th. For silver paper for
the mores dawnsars. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 7
For kendall for Robyn Hode's cote . . . . 0 1 3
For 3 yerds of white for the frere's cote 0 3 0
For 4 yerds of kendall for mayde Marian's
huke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 3 4
For saten of sypers for the same huke . . 0 0 6
For 2 payre of glovys for Robin Hode
and mayde Maryan. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 3
For 6 brode arovys. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 6
To mayde Mary an for her labour for
2 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 0
To Fygge the taborer. . . . . . . . . . . 0 6 0
Received for Robyn Hode's gaderyng
4 marks
5 Henry 8th. Received for Robin
Hood's gaderyng at Croydon. . . . . . . . 0 9 4
11 Henry 8th. Paid for 3 broad
yerds of rosett for makyng frer's cote. . 0 3 6
Shoes for the mores dawnsars, the frere
and mayde Maryan at 7_d_. a payre. 0 5 4
13 Henry 8th. Eight yerds of fustyan
for the mores dawnsars cotes. . . . . . . 0 16 0
A dosyn of gold skynnes for the mores . . 0 0 10
15 Henry 8th. Hire of hats for
Robin Hode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 16
Paid for the hat that was lost. . . . . . 0 0 10
16 Henry 8th. Received at the
church-ale and Robyn Hode, all things
deducted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 10 6
Paid for 6 yerds 1/4 of satyn for Robyn
Hode's cotys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 12 6
For makyng the same . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 0
For 3 ells of bocram . . . . . . . . . . 0 1 6
21 Henry 8th. For spunging and
brushing Robyn Hods cotys . . . . . . 0 0 2
28 Henry 8th. Five hats and 4 porses
for the dawnsars . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 4-1/2
4 yerds of cloth for the fole's cote . . 0 2 0
2 ells of worstede for mayde Marian's
kyrtle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 6 8
For 6 payre of double solly'd showne . . 0 4 6
To the mynstrele . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 10 8
To the fryer and the piper for to
go to Croydon . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 8
29 Henry 8th. Mem. left in the keeping of the wardens nowe beinge, a
fryers cote of russet, and a kyrtle of a worstyde weltyd with red cloth,
a mouren's cote of buckram, and 4 morres dawnsars cotes of white fustian
spangelyd, and two gryne saten cotes, and a dysardd's cote of cotton,
and 6 payre of garters with bells."
Having given so many items of the Robin Hood games, it will not be out
of place to furnish some account of the Morrice.
_The tabor and pipe strike up a morrice.--A shout within._
A lord, a lord, a lord, who!
ENTER THE MORRICE--_They sing_.
Skip it, and trip it, nimbly, nimbly,
Tickle it, tickle it, lustily,
Strike up the tabor, for the wenches favour,
Tickle it, tickle it, lustily.
Let us be seen on Hygale Greene,
To dance for the honour of Holloway,
Since we are come hither, let's spare for no leather,
To dance for the honour of Holloway.
_Ed._ Well said, my boys, I must have my lord's livery; what is't, a
maypole? troth, 'twere a good body for a courtier's impreza, if it had
but this life--_Frustra storescit_. Hold, cousin, hold.
(_He gives the fool money_.)
_Fool_. Thanks, cousin, when the lord my father's audit comes, we'll
repay you again, your benevolence too, sir.
_Mam._ What! a lord's son become a beggar!
_Fool_. Why not, when beggars are become lord's sons. Come, 'tis but a
trifle.
_Mam._ Oh, sir, many a small make a great.
_Fool_. No, sir, a few great make a many small. Come, my lords, poor and
needy hath no law.
_Ed._ Nor necessity no right. Drum, down with them into the cellar. Rest
content, rest content, one bout more, and then away.
_Fool_. Spoke like a true heart; I kiss thy foot, sweet knight.
(_The Morrice sing and dance, and exeunt_.)