The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-01-31

huu Ohllhu uhkGIeI AlLuRtLueE TebpUu
sihla for their Legendary character
have Swallowed forth, can take yol
into thousands OF cabins in Devonshire
Cornwall, and in BrittAuy-ior KIM
Arthur is even more god to tn
Britons than to the West Of EugtaRC
Armorican Celts-where books are un
known; where no manner OF literatur,
ever came; where history of clan anC
sept have been preserved from father Il
son, where the AtthuiiAu legends livl
more bright and glowing than in all thI
printed tales OF the Table Round. Thesl
absolutely bookless folk will take yor
to the very lauding.place OF King Uther
show you the real remains Of the twin
castles Tintagel and Trir4bil; relate hos
Uther Pendrsgon besieged the duke O.
Cornwall, slew him, and the same day
wed his widow, Ygrayne, to whom the
child Arthur, was born, and reared by
the enchanter, Merlin, under good Sil
Ectof's care, who restored to bin the
kingdom OF Cornwall on Pendragon'G
death; how the noble King Arthur
instituted the Order OF Knights Of
the Round Table, whose sanity acts in
the service Of God and man, until they
tell into sin, we're deeds OF good and
glory; how Arthur loved only aud wed
Guinevere, betrayed by LaunCelot (; and,
at last, receiving bis death.wound ia bat.
tie with his reoelIious nephew's forces
ut Camelford (Which the poets make
Camelot), Arthur babe the loyal knight,
SIR Believer, carry him to D ZmaEe Pool,
fling his sword Excalibur therein, when
boat, rowed by three queens, appeared
Into this Arthur was lifted, and borne
away to the island dale OF Avillion, that
his grievnus wound might bs healed
These folk say, and believe, that Arthur
Is still in fairy.land; that his spirit often
returns in the gnise Of a bird, the
enough, lowering about the old scenes
with pathetic murmuri' gs; and that he
will surely come again"
wearing the white flower of blameless llfo,"
to reign as king should and might over
mis- beloved England Literature never
provided an hundred thousand bnokless
folk with this. 1t remains, because in 1t
has been preserved, without booke,
fadeless actually.
In like manner Robin Hoods Land
beComts the whole Of England. Pierre
ing their armor OF sodden reserve, you
will find that the sober English peasant
and the grave English wOIkman, have
minds full enough Of chivairy and 70.
mance. Robin Hood is immortal with
thtse, because, as a "lsveller" OF rank
and class he represents IN undpfnahle
yet certain power to buffet the church
and tho nobility. He is reacner OF
maids in distress and men in du-
tess. He embodies the uncon-
scious yet universal leaning towards
Communism among the EDglish lowly.
Above all, he is the luminous type Of that
dearest thing TO every lowly Briton's
heart, "lair play" whetherin irOliC, free.
booting or fight. Fairly defined, Robin
foods Laud comprises The shires OF Not
tinEham and Lincoln, with the southern
half Of Yorkshire. There Is not plough.
man, forester, gamekeeper, and, would
almost venture to ray, any human being
among the lowly, outside tho factories, in
this portion OF England, who has not a
clearer conception OF the life, character,
and exploits Of the merry outlaw than all
books could give. As is well known, the
manuscript and old.record researches BY
the Rev. Joseph Hunter, an assistant
keeper OF the public records Of Eng.
land, made public in 1852, placed fairly
within the domain Of authentic his.
tory the facts concerning the actual
existence aud career Of Robin Hood.
He WIS born about 1880. His family
were Of some station, and seated at
Wakefield. With many ethers he became
au outlaw from having espoused the
cause Of the unfortunate Earl Of Larn.
caster. He retreated with hundred
IL more Of his comrades to the depths
Of Sherwood Forest, not Ecore Of miles
from his birthplace. By their unequal
ed skill in archery goddess praaks with
lords aud bishops; r0bberies OF the high
to share with the lowly; and their Ade.
quate wits in all expgenCies; they &C.
cpred the loyalty OF the peasantry
roundabout aud put to defiance the en-
tire forces OF the crown. At this juno
ture King Edward wisely pardoned
Robin Hood, giving him service as one
of the "valete, portenrs de Ia Chambre,"
in the royal household. Here he re-
NAMED for more than year; to which
existing vouchers for his payment at
test. But the hunger for the green.
wood was too strong. Begging the King
for permission 10 visit the old chapel at
Barnsdale. it was granted "ior sen.
night Having once rejoined his con-.
radeG, he could not again be persuaded
to leave them and he continued the old
outlaws life until, resortng to the
priory Of Kirkless for surgical aid, he
died from loss Of blood, and was buried
in the grounds Of the priory, now Kirk
less Hall, four miles north of Hudders.
field, and the seat Of the noble family Of
Armytage.
But precisely Gs have found with
the Cornish and DrvOnshire peasantry
In identification OF King Arthur and bis
land, it is among the lowly Of Noting
hamehire and Yorkshire that are diPcov'
cred inuumerdble proofs, in tradition,
ballad and nomenclature, Of the merry
outlaw and his men. Literature has moi
created these Tor the delegation Of an
ignorant peasantry. The peasantry
themselves have furnished, by word o.
mouth, the mRtsrial-and but an ipGn
itesimal portion hss been utiliE Ad-sn
abling writer's, old aud nav, to transfer
the real Robin Hood to the Robin Hood
OF fiction and song. A close defining o
Robin Hoods Land would give it TIT
area OF Sherwood forest In EOttlngham
shire and BarnBdals forest in Yorkshire
with a narrow strip OF country leading
northeast, through Southern Yorkshire
to the sea, near Scarborough, the tattel
being occasionally traversed by the out
lsVR when too closely pressed BIZ
the kings po.diery. in the outlaw
time but one highway tFayeSset
the region. That was the old Roman
Road ir7m London to Berwick. PerhapI
hall G losen hRmlets, the one anCien
city Of Nottingham, 70 old that It's his
tory has been traced $50 years beiorl
the Christian era and It's firstinhabitantl
dug holes IN the rock for homes, and |
few chapels, ahbeys and priodes Of th'
rudest construction could have beer
found in oil the area. To-day a forest o
chimneys stands where stood the glan
! English oak. You can look from nj
J open spot within It, without your hori
Aon being Clouded with their black ell
houettes against a smoRe.laden sky. A
/. ....., nfR $50. 4. &,