On the Trail of the Real Robin Hood

By Rupert Matthews

Entertaining yet scholarly account of how an obscure English outlaw has become the star of Hollywood movies, television shows, novels and comics across the world.

Robin Hood is one of the most instantly recognisable figures in world history — but did he ever really exist?

We are all familiar with the tales of a bold outlaw who stole from the rich to give to the poor. His faithful Merry Men — Little John, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet, Much the Miller’s Son — are almost as well known as Robin himself.

In this book, the truth behind the legend is revealed. Was there really a Maid Marion? How did Robin Hood get his hood? Why is he so beloved of film makers?.

This fascinating book draws on the most recent academic research into folklore and legends to put together an accurate account of Robin Hood’s original life story, and how he has developed in folklore and legend to become what he is today.

Contents

1 - Robin Hood in Sherwood Stood
2 - And by him stood Little John
3 - A Bonny Fair Maid
4 - Until I that Curtled Friar see
5 - The Outlawed Earl of Huntingdon
6 - With a Coat of Lincoln Green
7 - Despoil the Rich only to Give to the Poor
8 - Robert Hood, Yeoman
9 - The Legend Lives

About the Author
Rupert Matthews has written over 150 books for different publishers, achieving significant sales in a variety of markets both in the UK and abroad. His works have been translated into 19 languages and have been shortlisted for a number of awards. Rupert has been a freelance writer for 20 years, working in-house at a major book publisher before going freelance

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bretwalda Books
• Release date: Apr 20, 2013
• ISBN: 9781907791345

Rupert Matthews

Rupert Matthews has written over 150 books for different publishers, achieving significant sales in a variety of markets both in the UK and abroad. His works have been translated into 19 languages and have been shortlisted for a number of awards. Rupert has been a freelance writer for 20 years, working in-house at a major book publisher before going freelance.

Book preview

On the Trail of the Real Robin Hood

by

Rupert Matthews

Published by Bretwalda Books at Smashwords

Website : Facebook : Twitter

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

First Published 2013

Copyright © Rupert Matthews 2013

Rupert Matthews asserts his moral rights to be regarded as the author of this book

ISBN 978-1-907791-34-5

************

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 Robin Hood in Sherwood Stood

Chapter 2 And by him stood Little John

Chapter 3 Until I that Curtal Friar see

Chapter 4 A Bonny Fine Maid

Chapter 5 The Downfall of Robert, Earl of Huntingdon

Chapter 6 Arrayed in Lincoln Green

Chapter 7 Despoil the Rich only to Give to the Poor

Chapter 8 Robert Hood, Yeoman

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Few medieval figures are as instantly recognisable as Robin Hood. His feathered cap, short jerkin of Lincoln green, figure–hugging tights and longbow are iconic symbols of this famous English outlaw. Whether he appears on TV, the movie screen or the cover of a book there is no mistaking Robin Hood.

His exploits are as well known as his appearance. Even when he is being parodied or the story altered for laughs the basic themes are the same. Robin steals from the rich to give to the poor, he punishes those in power who abuse their positions and he is the finest shot with a bow in all England. His companions also remain much the same in every retelling. There is the burly Little John, the comedic Friar Tuck, the daft Much the Miller’s Son, artistic Will Scarlett and the beautiful Maid Marian. And the villains are just as recognisable – the devious and dishonest Sheriff of Nottingham, the charming but amoral Sir Guy of Gisborne and the cowardly but avaricious Prince John.

The stories of Robin Hood have been retold in many forms on film, on TV and in books in recent years. In most of them some events appear time and again. There is usually an archery contest, Robin is often captured by the Sheriff of Nottingham, Prince John tries to usurp the throne, Robin is a nobleman unlawfully deprived of his titles and estates, Robin enters Nottingham in disguise, Maid Marian helps Robin to escape a danger, Friar Tuck falls in a river, Little John fights Robin on a bridge, Guy of Gisborne falls in love with Maid Marian, Robin leads a band of merry men, the Sheriff of Nottingham imposes unjust and unlawful taxes, King Richard the Lionheart comes home and puts everything right.

Richard Greene in the role of Robin Hood in the classic 1950s UK television series.

To the modern person the legend of Robin Hood is set firmly in Sherwood Forest 
and Nottingham during early medieval times. Such a localised place and specific time has not stopped the 
fame of Robin Hood from spreading out worldwide. Most movies and TV shows about Robin Hood have been made in English–speaking countries, but they have 
been translated or dubbed into a bewildering variety of languages to be shown on television and cinema screens around the world. The most recent big budget movie was that released in 2010 starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, and directed by Ridley Scott. It was released at the Cannes Film Festival in May, then in Britain and most European countries with the USA premiere a couple of days later. It was subsequently released across the world and proved especially popular in Japan. After that it came out on DVD and Bluray. Cinema receipts were $104,516,000 in the USA and $321,669,741 worldwide – which makes this the second highest grossing medieval movie of all time.

Popular, established and instantly recognisable Robin Hood may be, but behind the glamour, the romance and the swordplay there lurks 
a question that remains always present even though it is often unspoken. Was there a real Robin Hood? And if there was, what 
was he like? To find the answers we must set out on the trail of the 
real Robin Hood.

********

Chapter 1

Robin Hood in Sherwood Stood

So if everyone in England, and many around the world, is familiar with the Robin Hood of Hollywood movies and modern retellings, what of the real Robin Hood? Was there such a man? Did he really exist? The figure of the real Robin Hood peers at us from more than six centuries ago. He looks out from a very different world than the one we know today. He is very different too. There is no Prince John, no tights, no Maid Marian, no Friar Tuck, no Lincoln green – and certainly no giving to the poor. It would be difficult to imagine a man more different from the Robin Hood of modern imagination. And yet there is a direct link over the centuries from the shadowy figure whom we can see all those centuries ago to the gallant hero of modern days.

The earliest description of Robin Hood to have survived to the 
present day dates to about 1415 or thereabouts. It was doodled 
into the margin of a manuscript now in Lincoln Cathedral, though 
there is no guarantee that the scribbled verse was written in Lincoln. 
The description reads:

"Robin Hood in scherwood stod

Hoded and hathud, hosut and schod

Ffour and thurti arrows he bar in his hondus"

Rendered into modern English from the Middle English original it reads:

"Robin Hood in Sherwood stood

Wearing hood, hat, leggings and shoes

Four and thirty arrows he bore in his hands."

The little rhyme may be the chorus of a song or the start of a ballad, the rest of which is now lost. Whatever its origins the description is clear enough. We see Robin Hood standing in Sherwood Forest, wearing medieval clothes and carrying arrows – and presumably 
a bow. He is alone, without any merry men, but does not seem to be unhappy in his lone status. Superficially this is pretty much what a modern person would imagine Robin Hood to look like, but there are some subtleties in the description that would have been obvious to 
a medieval person but might be lost on a modern reader.

For a start Robin is standing, not riding a horse. Back in the early 15th century horses were fairly expensive things and most people did not own one. Work horses for farm work were shared between several owners, usually within a family but sometimes more than one family would be involved. Only wealthy people could afford a riding horse, everyone else walked. This gives an indication of Robin Hood’s social standing.

High jinks at a medieval fair. It was in this atmosphere of boisterous

rustic fun that the earliest references to Robin Hood were made.

The view of his position in society is enforced by the description of his clothes. Hood, hat, leggings and shoes were typical of what was then known as the yeoman class. These were people who were a little below halfway up the social structure of later medieval England. They were free of any feudal obligations and usually owned their own business – be it a farm, smithy, shop, pottery or the like. On the other hand they were not wealthy and their business would not have employed anyone outside their family. A typical yeoman might be a farmer who owned his own land and was assisted with his work by his children, a brother or sister or maybe a couple of nephews.

In the early 15th century the yeoman class was growing, and had recently expanded massively. The previous century or so had seen many families released from their status as serfs to become free. Such an enhanced status could be a two edged benefit as it made the man free to be unemployed as well as free to charge cash wages for his work. Generally, however, the economy was doing well in this period and the newly free yeomen were a fairly prosperous bunch.

Reviews for On the Trail of the Real Robin Hood

[EJ Palmer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Quick read that delves in to the Robinhood legend. Worth a look. I enjoyed all the back story of this hero from England.