The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-01

comes the whole of England. PIERCING their
armor OF sodden reserve you Will fad that
The sober English peasant ana tie grave
English workman, have minds full enough
of chivalry and romance. Robin Hood is
immortal with these. because, as "Ieyeler"
of rank and class he represents an undefin-
able yet certain power to buffet the church
and nobility. He is a reScuer of maids in
distress and men in duress. He embodies
the unconscious yet universal leaning to-
wards Communism among the English
lowly. Aboy3all, he is the luminous type
of that dearestthiug TO every lowly Briton's
heart, fair play, whether in frolic, free
bnoting or fight. Fairly defined. Robin
Hoods land comprises the shires of Not
tingham and Lincoln with the southern
half of Yorkshire. There is not plough
man, forester, gamekeeper, and, L would
almost venture to say, any human being
among the lowly, outside the factories, in
this portion of Eng land, who has not
clearer conception of the life, character and
exploits OF the merry outlaw than all the
books could give. AS is well known, the
manuscript and old record researches by the
Rev: Joseph Hunter, and assistant keeper of
public records Of England, made public in
1852, placed fairly within the domain of
authentic history the facts concerning the
actual existence and career of Robin Hood.
He was born about 1890 His family were
OF some station. and seated
AT WAKEFIELD.
With many others he became an outlaw
from having espouSed the cause of the I'M
fortunate Earl of Lancaster. He retreated
with hundred or more OF his comrades TO
the depths of Sherwood Forest, not score
of miles from his birthplace, BY their ua-
eoualled skill in archery, goddess prankS
with lords and bishops, rob5ereS of the
high TO share with the Iowly, and their ade-
Quate wits in all eXegencies, they secured
the Loyalty of the peaSantry roundabout
DOT fjr.A fnrpas Of a
crown. AT this junclure King Edward
wisely pardoned Robin Hood, giving
him service as one Of the wallets,
porteurs de la chambre," in the
royal household. Here he remained
for more than year; TO which
existing vouchers for his payment attest
But the hunger for the greenwood was too
strong. Begging the King for permission to
visit the old chapel at Barnsdae, it was
granted "for s'enniGht." Having once
reloined his comrades. he could not again
be persuaded to leave them, and he con-
to the priOry of KirkleSs for surgical aid, he
died from loss of blood aud was buried in
the grounds of the priory, now kirkless
Hall, four miles north of Huddersied, and
the seat of the noble family OF Armytage.
But, precisely as | have found with the
Cornish and Dev0n7hive pcasantry in identi-
fcation of King Arthur and his land, it is
among the Lowry of Nottinghamshire and
Yorkshire are discovered innumerable
proofs, in tradition, ballad and nomencla-
ture, OF the merry outlaw and his men.
Literature has not created these for the de-
location of an Ignorant peasantry. The
peaSantry themselves have furnished, by
word OF mouth, the material--ani but an in
fniteSimal portion has been utiIized-en-
aiding writer's, old and new to transfer the
real Robin Hood to the Robin Hood of fic-
ton and song. A close defining of Robin
III OOd'S land WOnl1 il the Of Shar
wood Forest in Nottmghamshire and Barns
dale Forest in Yorkshire, with a narrow
strip OF country leading northeast, through
Southern Yorkshire, to the sea, near Scar
borough, the latter being occasionally trav-
ersed by the outlaws when too closely pressed
by the Kings soldiery. In the outlaws
time but one highway traverscd the region.
That was the old Roman road from London
to Berwick. Perhaps half dozen hamlets,
the one ancient city of Nottingham, so old
that its history has been traced back $50
years before the Christian era and its first
inhabitants dug holes in the rock for homes,
and few chapels. ab6eys and priories of
the rudeSt construction, could have been
found IN all the area. To-day forest of
chlmneys stands where stood the giant En-
gllsh oaks You can look from no open spot
within 1t, without your horizon being clouded
with their black silhouettes against
Smoke-laden sky. As many hundreds of
towns and hamlets are in Robin Hoods
land now as there were single ones in the
archer-outlaW' time. But near the roaring
of the forge, the CHATTER Of the looms, and
the mournful songs of millions of spindles,
like the tiny nests of the meadow larks es-
Gaping the blades of the reapers, are little
nests of English PEASANTS homes, bits of
English cOpse and hedge, and patches of
ancient English oak, which modern indus
try and modern landIordism have not quite
effaced; and it is among these, seeking the
Wralths and traditions of the olden Robin
Hoods land and the new, that we will 90
pilgriming in our next.
copyright. EDGAR L, wAKEMAS
The next article by Mr.. Wakeman will be
"The Lowly of LIVERPOOL" a study of the
Liverpool working classes, with pictures
OF daily life along the docks, in the streets
and among the slums of MaryIebone.