Page 87 - All About History - Issue 09-14

The myths of Robin Hood

Where did they come from and what were the skills that made them an
important member of Robin Hood’s gang?
Little John Will Scarlet Much the Friar Tuck
Character: Burly lieutenant Character: Vain swordsman Miller’s Son Character: Drunken holy man
Special skill: Staff-swinging Special skill: Wielding blades Character: Wily boy Special skill: Holding his drink
He’s one the first men to be There’s been much confusion Special skill: Poaching If the legend as it appears today
recruited into Robin Hood’s over William Scarlet’s character This sneaky character has is to be taken at face value, Friar
band in modern stories and he and his plethora of names over fallen into obscurity in favour Tuck is a boozy and wily character
was one of the first mentioned the centuries, with one bard even of other characters in modern who still has his heart in the right
in the ballads of yore, too. Little including both a Scarlock and a adaptations of Robin Hood but place. His character is thought to
John was a loyal, intelligent and, Scarlet character in his work. He Much, or Midge as he’s also derive from a certain 15th-century
of course, strong man in poet was still the youngest of the Merry known, appears in the oldest of Robert Stafford from Sussex, and
Andrew of Wyntoun’s lore. He was Men in medieval versions of the the known Robin Hood ballads. he entered the story of Robin
the only one of the Merry Men Robin Hood story, but he liked to A poacher caught killing a deer Hood’s exploits at the same time
supposed to be present when dress in finery and was also the on the Sheriff’s land, he escaped as Maid Marian did, during the
Robin died and he’s thought to be most able swordsman, besting punishment and became an May Day festivities in the 15th
buried in Derbyshire. even Mr Hood himself. outlaw in his gang. and 16th centuries.

“ In the last few decades we’ve been
adding our own tint to this rose-hued
tale of the arrow-slinging rebel”

in which he lived: burglaries, arson, assaulting English word for a head covering. It’s
clergymen and murdering travellers. The nature also possible his surname was derived
of their law-breaking has slowly been eroded from the story of ‘Robin of the Wood’.
throughout history to suit an increasingly gentile With the array of similar characters
audience, compared with a medieval population and names of people who existed
accustomed to violence and who found Godberg’s at this time it’s not surprising that
activities entirely palatable. Godberg and his historians have trouble pinning the
fellow brigands were in defiance of a tyrant who character’s origin on any one man. The
had an iron grip on the extensive forested regions earliest surviving ballads of the Robin
of Nottinghamshire. King John enforced the Hood story don’t even elaborate on
enormously unpopular Forest Law, which allowed his exploits: they make no mention of
the royal court exclusive access to vast swathes the troubles of the time, Robin Hood’s
of hunting grounds, with utter ruthlessness. Thus, cause or the years he was active, simply
morally speaking, Godberg’s actions were justified that he was an outlaw who lived in
by the common man as necessary for the greater and around Sherwood or Barnsdale.
good of the people. To further confuse things, there are
There are a number of other recorded Robin numerous accounts of outlaws in the
Hood-type characters with similar names and lives 13th and 14th centuries adopting the
that span a period of 150 years or so during this name of Robin Hood and Little John,
time. The earliest is Robert Hod of Cirencester, which suggests the story had achieved
a serf who lived in the household of an abbot in some popularity even then, although
Gloucestershire. He murdered a visiting dignitary adopting the name of a famous outlaw
early in the 13th century, fled with his accomplices – fictional or otherwise – was common Robin Hood and his men capturing and
tying the abbot of Saint Mary’s to a tree
and was subsequently outlawed by King John’s among criminals at this time.
reviled minister Gerard of Athee. Four other Robert This Robin Hood had no spouse or family, no
Hods existed in 1265, at the Battle of Evesham land and certainly no title. No reason is given for while his story had begun to be written into plays
during King Henry’s time. Each became fugitives his criminality and his characteristics were likely and ballads. There’s no mention of the folk hero
and outlaws for various reasons, including robbing drawn from some real-life outlaws of the time. One living at the time of King John, but he can be
travellers and raiding an abbey in Yorkshire, which of the most telling aspects of these stories is the found in the 15th-century stories of Robin Hood
could explain how the character of Friar Tuck language they were written in: up until 1362, when and the Monk, The Lyttle Geste of Robyn Hode, Robin
eventually made his appearance in later tales. Parliament decreed that English was to be used in Hood and Guy of Gisborne, Robin Hood and the
Later versions, namely two Robyn Hods, appeared court, French was widely spoken in the country Curtal Friar and Robin Hoode his Death. The plays
respectively as an archer in a garrison on the Isle – whereas even the earliest stories of Robin are in Robin Hood and the Friar and Robin Hood and the
of Wight and as a man jailed for trespassing in the English, which helps establish a date. Potter were written specifically for the May Day
King’s Forest and poaching deer in 1354. The name By the 14th and 15th centuries, the tales of Games in 1560 and were based on earlier ballads of
Robert was a common one around this time, while Robin Hood had gained some fame as they were the same name. During this period, his Merry Men
the surname Hod or Hode likely came from the old disseminated in the traditional May Day festivities, began to accrete together from various sources as
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