Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-01

ing toward Communism among the English
lowly. Above all, he is the luminous type
of that dearest thing to every lowly Briton's
heart, 'fair play" whether in frolic. free
Dooting or fight Fairly defined, Robin
Hoods Land comprises the shires OF Not.
tingham and Lincoln with the southern half
OF Yorkshire There is not plowman.
forester, gamekeeper, and, would almost
venture to say, any human being among the
lowly, outside the factories, in this portion
of England, who has not clearer conception
OF the life, character and exploits OF the
merry outlaw than all books could give.
Facts About Robin Hood.
As is we'll known, the manuscript and
old-record researches by the Rev. Joseph
Hunter, an assistant keeper of the public
records of England, made public In 1852,
placed fairly within the domain OF authentic
history the facts concerning the actual ex-
istence 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 hav-
ing espoused the cause OF the un :ortunate
Earl OF Lancaster. He retreated with hun
dred or more of his comrades to the depths
OF Sherwood Forest, not score OF miles
from his birthplace. By their unequaled
skill in archery; goddess pranks with lords
and bishops; robberies oil the high TO share
with the iowly; and their adequate wits In
all exigencies; they secured the loyalty OF
peasantry roundabout and put to defiance
the entire forces of the crown.
At this juncture King Edward wisely
pardoned Robin Hood, giving him service
as one OF the wallets, porteurs de la cham
bre" in the royal household. He re-
mained for more than a year; to which ex-
listing 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 Barnsdale, 1t was
granted 'ior a s'ennight." Having once
rejoined his comrades, he could not again
be persuaded to leave them; and he con-
tinued the old outlaws lie until, resorting
to the priory OF Kirkless for surgical aid, he
died from loss OF blood, and was buried in
the grounds OF the priory, now Kirkless
Hall, four miles north of Huddersfeld, and
the seat of the noble family of Armytage.
Still Lives in Tradition.
But, precisely as I have found with the
Cornish and Devonshire peasantry in iden-
tlhcation of King Arthur and his land, it is
among the lowly of Nottinghamshire and
Yorkshire that are discovered innumerable
proofs, in tradition, ballad and nomenclat-
ure, OF the merry outlaw and mis- men. Lit
tion of an ignorant peasantry. The peasantry
themselves have furnished, by word of
month; the material-and but an infnitesi-
NAL portion has been utilized-enabling
writers OLD and new to transfer the real
Robin Hood to the Robin Hood of fiction
and song.
A close defining Of Robin Hoods land
would give it the area OF Sherwood Forest
in NottInghamshire and Barnsdale Forest
in YORKSHIRE, with a narrow strip of country
leading northeast, through southern York
shire, to the sea, near Scarborough, the latter
being occasionally traversed by the outlaws
when too closely pressed by the King's s
soldiery. In the outlaws time, but one
highway traversed the region. Thatwas the
old Roman road from London to Berwick.
Perhaps half a dozen Eamlets, the one
ancient city of Nottingham, 80 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, abbeys and priories of the rudest
construction, could have been found in all
the area. To-day a forest of chimneys
stands where stood the giant English oaks.
You can look from no open spot within IT,,
without your horizon being clouded with
their black silhouettes against a smoke
laden sky. As many hundreds of towns and
hamlets are in Robin Hoods Land now as
there were single ones in the archer out
laws time. But near the roaring of the
forge, the clatter of the looms and the
mournful songs Of millions of spindles. like
the tiny nests of the meadow larks. escaping
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 industry and
modern landordism have not quite efaced;
and it is among these, seeking the wraiths
aud traditions Of the olden Robin Hoods
Land and the new, that we will 60 pilgrim
ing in our next.
EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.