The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1931-04-10
HlSTORY'S
MYST ER1ES
Who Was Robin Hood
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Who Was Robin Hood
THE character Of Robin Hood may
! be said to live only as sort OF
literary mystery, for the romantic
career Of this knight errant is known
to us almost entirely through the
many and varied stories that have
been told of him by the romancer and
the poet and there has been great
diversity OF opinion regarding this
outlaw hero. Some writer's accord him
historical origin, others maintain that
he was nothing more than a mythO-
logical character, while still others
regard him as a creature Of the pop
ular imagination.
It is well known fact that many
Of the most popular ballads concern
ing Robin Hood are nothing more than
tradition, such as those OF the "Hynd
Horn" and others that were simply
abridgments of older metrical ro-
mances, too long to be intoned or re-
cited at single sitting and therefore
shortened by the minstrels and fitted
to tunes, Of which there are some still
In existence. Prof. F. w. Child. In the
introduction to spne Of the volumes of
his English and Scottish Ballads"
says on this subject: "My hypothesis Is
that the series Of ballads associated
with the name Of Robin Hood are
based partly on an earlier English
romance and partly on historical
"reminiscences OF the hero Of that r0-
nance"
The first reference to Robin Hood in
English literature Is the second YER
sion of "Piers the Plowman' which,
according to Professor Skean, could
not have been written earlier than
1887. Here the reference runs:
ken noRht PARITY my pater-noster
AS the preest 1t singeth,
But l ken rymes of Robin Hood
And Rudolf, Earl Of Chester.
The common belief concerning
Robin Hood is that he was the captain
Of band Of robbers or outlaws who
inhabited the forest of Sherwood, in
Nottinghamshire. Even though they
delighted in robbing bishops and other
wealthy ecclesiastics. they are re-
ported to have been religiously dis
posed and to have retained In their
band domestic chaplain, Friar Tuck.
whom Scott immortalized In .Ivan-
hoe"
Other noted members Of the band
were-supposedly, at least-Little
John, William Scarlet, George-a-Green
| and Much, the miller's son. Robin
himself is supposed to have been born
at Locksley in the county of Noting
ham, about 1160, and the date as as
signed for the death Of the popular
| hero is 1247-eighty-seven years later,
| which would indicate that the outdoor
| life of the band was conducive to
| longevity. The site Of Robin Hoods
grave, well marked but disputed by
| historians, Is on the extreme edge of
Kirkless park, not far from Hudders-
field.
The presence Of the grave, with the
stone bearing its inscription, would
make it appear that there is his
| torical foundation for the story of
Robin Hoods life, but many writers
| are rather inclined to the opinion that
| the name, though not Of fictitious
origin, was applied to number OF
persons whose exploits were told and
retold In England many centuries
| later. But, by some writer's of later
| age, 1t has been maintained that the
| prince of robbers was none other than
| the earl of Huntingdon, who, through
| misfortune or the miSmanagement OF
| his estate, had been compelled to
| adopt predatory life.
A collection Of Robin Hood lyrics.
| printed under the title "A Lytell Hys-
tory of Robyn Hood" was issued
about 1895 and forms the most relia-
Bile history of the life and deeds OF
this forest hero. One Of these bal
lads mentions that Edward II, having
arrived at Nottingham, resolved forth
with on the determination OF Robin
and his band. 1t is singular COIN
penses Of the same monarch. appears
the name of "Robyn Hode," who ap-
pears to have been porter Of the
chamber at the time that the hero, ac-
cording to legend, resided at court.
1t has been maintained, however, by
many distinguished antiquarians, that
Robin Hood is nothing more than q
poetical myth, lone amongst the per-
sonages of the early mythology Of the
Teutonic people. 1t has been sug-
gested that the very name Of Robin
Hood is nothing more than corrup-
tion Of robin Of the Wood" and that
the character is only to be regarded as
the embodiment of the spirit Of unre-
| strained freedom and sylvan sport,
due to the almost total absence of any
direct historical evidence concerning
him.