The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1855-07-07
SHERWOOD FOREST AND THE STO.
RI or ROBIN 1lOOD.
GRACE GEFFNNOop.

| have SAID that Ncw>tcad Abbey stood IN
the hear, of old Sherwood Forest. This. y,,,
will remember, WAS the iavo,itc domain Of
that prince of outlaws. Robin Hood. There
Is little forest land about there now-aonr.
Indeed that We should 50 call - all the wo lis
beng Incosc,l in l',,lc parks and as CAREFUL,
kept As gardens. i;ut as journe,rd through
the country. INV tio.uht> 50 went back to the
old. old times. that almost expected. When
ever We passed grove of trees or Il >hal lowv
glen, TO bc suddenly surrounded hv Robin
ll"ods merry men. armed with Ion. bows.
and clad in Lincoln green.
You have all doubtless read many stories
of Eohin Hood: but If YOU will listen 10 .ninc.
hope tina; shall hc able 10 tell YOU some
thing that YOU have never heard before. Rob
rrt Fl,zootl,, Earl of Huntingdon. was born
1t Look >lry. in the county of Nottingham a.
bout the wear 100. in the reign .d Henry n
lie was lett an orphan III his hi dhool. an!
placed under the guardianship OF his uncle.
the Abbot OF st. Marv's in York. This rri,,;
rroicsscd 10 br a iu>i aud holy man hut. a.
1t often is when people make great rrc,cn-
tons To plctv. he was far enough the other
way. la those days priests were greatly fear
ed ant! honorcd, and could 90 pretty much a.
they pleased; so the Abbot Of st. Marv'> vii
was hard avariciol> man, tour,! no difficult
" Of taking a,l,anta.c Of the ,ounL Earl
liohcr;. by such witty, wicked WAYS, as on
ly bad priests know, he TOOK possession of a, !!
his ncrhcwS estate aud rcvcnuc>. one ate,
another pretending that he only l.,an; 10
take care nj them, least Robert whom he av-
cuscd OF BEN. avid nd, should >lu,ulcr
them III dissipation. Robert bore this Tor a
while, and tried hard to kcc;, on pcarcallc
terms with his uncle: but the Old man w,
very provokin.. III. woud sit III the rci,.c-
tory oi the old Abbey. a, dinmcc-iaoc lo.,,!cu
with every luxury in the way oi food, >cr,rd
ON massive god ana silver plates and With
.'t a dozen bottles of good o.d VINE i,lo.,
h"i, and then lecture poor Hpncr. upon ,,in
..crancc, ,ci-dcn,al, aul sober, -otily li,ln-
Till R,,cr; wouid smile -rilnly, aud play VIII
the hit ot his dagger in way that the vel.
cradle Abbot ii' not Ike.
When the Ear. ot U,n,iu .ton c.in. o. d, :,
there was hot "a landsumcr ur more utlal.,
young MAN a:hom. all the nobility and SEQ
n,an'v OF England. lie was tall, strai-l.
aud athletic, with quick bounding step. al,
brave broad breast lie la,, :, c,l,.:,,,,.,ii.l.
out pleasant Voice. hearty >ini.c, clear hon
est eyes, ruIdy checks and lips. aud hi> h.a,
which tic held rather han.h'iiy, wa> ..rcwm.,
with high, brown curis. Though hcion.i,..
TO q proud and arlstocratic family, w..o. n
tracing their noble pedigree. could 90 brA
back, till, for all know, they lost th.il,cl,c
ard their rcckonin, in the ioss OF the .ir.
minute after the dclugc Robert was IL,
aristocratic He sympathizcd with the co,,.l!.o,
people, IN that day slametulIy imposed u;,o.
taxed ald tyranizei over by tad baron
and hard-hcar,cd priests. lie joln.d IA al
th,,i incrIy making tL.ir nanIy Y ani Wal