kirklees priory & the death of Robin

In researching the death of the most famous outlaw , a number of conflicting stories
present themselves . There are 3 candidates for the actual remains (bones) & a fourth
theory which suggests the bones were removed in the 19 century , during excavations for the laying of pipes .
The most supported site is where the actual grave is situated . However in visiting the area I get the weirdest feeling some 500 yards away . Tests to authenticate the firing
of Robins last arrow are I feel inaccurate as England was a nation of archers ,the renowned ROBERT OF LOXLEY being one of its finest . Also a number of historic texts depict little JOHN HATHERSAGE as firing the shaft , or at least aiding .

The Knights Hospitlars who were known for their medical skills were prominent in the area, they owned Platts Farm which is still lived in and they built a hospital at nearby Castleton at the invitation of William Peveril's wife, this was their home and it is where William Peveril I. who was the Sheriff of Nottingham died.

Judith the wife of Watheof the Earl of Huntingdon introduced monks to Ecclesfield and after her husbands death she gave the whole surrounding area of Hallamshire to Roger-de-Buslie, the Norman baron of Tickhill near Doncaster. Was he "Red Roger" of the Geste? Judith and her younger daughters became Prioresses while her eldest daughter married David, King of Scots and earl of Huntingdon. Was Judith or one of her daughters the “wicked prioress” and “kinswoman” of Robin Hood to whom he went for healing?

We are told that after Little John had buried Robin Hood at “Church Lees” or “Kirklees” that he made his way back to Hathersage which is only ten miles away, where he sadly prepared his own grave.

THE BALLAD

Then Robin Hood and little John
went over yon bank of broom,
said Robin Hood to Little John
we shot for many a pound.

But now I cannot shoot at all
my arrows will not flee,
my cousin lives down below,
and please to God she will bleed me.

Tomorrow I to Kirkley go
to skilfully have blood let.
I cannot drink or eat my meat
for it makes me most unwell.

Till I have been to merry Church Lees
my vein for blood to let.
Then said Will Scarlet “I won’t let you go,
for bad Red Roger lives close to the route.

He loves so to fight he won’t let you pass,
without a good guard a challenge he’ll make.
To gain my consent, fifty bowmen take,
for you my good friend my love knows no end.

“Said Robin to Will, “And thou be off home,
young Scarlett I say, I wish thee be off.
“As soon as he heard what Robin Hood said,
William Scarlett for home he did head,

“if thou be so angry my master dear,
then not one thing more shall you from me hear.”
Farewell my good friend said Robin to Scarlet,
Little John I say true together we go.

With you by my side for to bear my bent bow,
cantering together to Kirkley's we go.”
Yet Robin said John, “You bear your own bow,
and shoot an arrow, before we both go.”

Said Robin to John, “To that I assent.”
Riding together, to Kirkley's they went.
And on the way, as Scarlett feared,
bad Red Roger, he did appear.

His sword he thrust, poor Robin’s side,
“twas wounded deep, how could he ride.
Robin now was nimble of yore,
his pride he sought now to restore.

He struck a blow with all his might,
it hit Red Roger on neck right.
And there upon the ground it lay,
Red Roger’s head, “twas such a sight.

Lie there, you rogue you lump of meat,
for food the birds and dogs to eat.
He said a prayer for Roger Red,
and then to Little John he said,

"I trust to God in heav'n so high,
I feel so weak that I may die.
Give me the sacraments with your hand,
my sacraments so I won’t be dammed."

So feeling very feeble and ill,
they went as fast as Robin could go.
To Kirklees Priory Robin’s near gone,
in the saddle sat down very low.

The two bold men they both rode in rank,
until they came to deep water black.
And over brook was laid a plank,
upon it kneeled a woman old,
and she was cursing Robin bold.
Why do you curse bold Robin Hood
(half a page missing.)

Then on they go together the pair,
and happen across two ladies fair,
who wait to warn him of danger there,
and weeping sadly relate their woe.

Friend Robin true has a deadly foe,
his weakened body is near its end,
his blood to let by relative near,
but would she be a relative dear?

Said Robin its true but do not fear,
for close relatives we are and near,
the dame prioress my cousin she is,
this day no harm will she do to me.

She wouldn’t harm me the world to win,
So hurrying forth they quickly went,
and never did stop till there in sight,
came merry Churchlees, merry Churchlee.

Sir Roger of Doncaster, by the wicked prioress lay,
and there they betrayed Robin, with their dastardly false play.
With bad, foul, and evil thoughts, plots the prioress of Kirkley,
who for love of a black knight, betrayed Robin “twas not right.

Together for their false love,
full evil must now be done,
for good Robin how to slay,
plotting in bed where they lay.

And when they came to merry Church Lees,
they knocked upon the ring one two three,
none was so ready as his cousin,
she rose herself Robin to let in.

Now will you sit please cousin dear,
this day and drink some beer with me?
No, I will not I promise you,
till my blood you have letted be.

Then Robin gave to dame prioress,
full twenty pounds in gold no less.
He bade her spend upon herself,
when that was gone she would have more.

I have a room cousin Robin she said,
which you before this day did never see,
and if it pleases you to walk therein,
then on this day your blood shall letted be.

And down she came the dame prioress,
and in her hands all wrapped in silk,
a pair of blood irons she did hold,
with which to do her dirty work.

Her hand it was so lily-white,
She led him to a private room,
She laid the blood-irons on his vein,
and pressing hard she pierced it through.

She saw the blood so bright so red,
she left the room and locked the door,
The blood it flowed so bright and red,
the blood it flowed so thick and fast.

At first it flowed the thick, thick blood,
and then the blood began to thin,
it bled all day and through the night,
till noon next day, it was not right.

Good Robin Hood he felt so weak,
and in his heart he knew the worst,
what could he do to help himself,
the ill within it was so deep.

Then he beheld a casement door,
but weak he was he could not leap,
if down then up he could not rise,
so death was the unwanted prize.

He then thought of his bugle horn,
which to his knee was hung down low;
he set his horn unto his mouth,
and blew three times the sound was poor.

The notes were weak but Little John,
beneath a tree had heard the song,
he rushed towards the sound I fear,
my master Robin’s end is near.

Little John to Kirklees has gone,
running, his master to be near,
when he to Kirkley-Hall arrived,
his master for to see alive.

He broke the locks one two or three,
his master thinking to set free,
when Robin he himself did find,
upon his knees he sadly fell.

Good friend he cried good friend,
I beg thee master mine,
what is that my good friend,
quoth Robin Hood to him.

What do you beg of me,
It is cried Little John,
to burn the Kirkley-Hall,
and all their nunnery.

I never hurt a maid,
in all my life so fair,
nor at my end will I,
they are a treasure rare.

Put bow within my hand,
an arrow I’ll let flee,
where ere my arrow falls,
then there my grave shall be.

Lay me a green sod under my head
another at my feet,
my best bow beside me place
for truly t’was my music sweet,

and make my grave of gravel and green
which is most right and meet,
give me length and breadth to lie
so they will say when I am dead,


HERE LIES BOLD ROBIN HOOD MY FRIEND
HERE LIES BOLD ROBIN HOOD


These words they readily granted him,
which did bold Robin please,
and there they buried bold Robin Hood,
near to the fair Kirkleys.

Upon his grave was laid a stone,
Stating that he died long ago,
his deeds they were so true and just,
time never can his actions hide.

He lifted neither bow nor spear,
his murder was by letting blood,
so loving friends the story ends,
of valiant hero bold and good.

Our friends his name was Robin Hood,
His epitaph is all we have,
as on his grave it firm was set,
and you can read it on this day.

Like it was now so long ago,
the “Robert Earl of Huntingdon,
lies underneath this little stone,
No archer was like him so good.

His wildness named him Robin Hood,
full thirteen years and something more,
these northern parts he vexed so sore,
such out-laws and his merry men.

Tis England’s very sad lament,
That him they’ll never know again,
He died this way it is a shame,
have mercy on his soul dear Christ.”

Hey down a derry derry down.”




A Gest of Robyn Hode
This is a long poem: 456 4-line stanzas, divided into eight parts (cantos or fyttes)

Part I: In camp in Barnsdale, Little John, Much the Miller's son, and Will Scarlok are sent out to bring a guest to the feast. A knight comes to eat with them but has nothing to give them for the meal except 10 shillings. The knight is going to get his son from jail, who has committed murder, and the knight sold everything and mortgaged his land to abbot of St. Mary's, York, for 400 . Robin gives money to knight and sends him out with Little John.

Part II: In York, the abbot and high justice of England sit waiting for the knight to come to pay the debt. The knight appears and returns the money to the abbot; the abbot is in shock, but the knight goes to his land happily. He gathers the money to repay Robin and goes out to Barnsdale to return it.

Part IV: The trio again look for a dinner guest. They find a monk who turns out to be the high cellar of St. Mary's. They feel that he has come to repay the debt. But he denies knowing of the debt and admits to only having 20 marks on him. When Little John looks, the monk is carrying 800 . They celebrate that the loan is twice repayed. They send to monk on to London without any money, and when the knight comes to give back the 400 , the band give the knight the extra 400 that they received from the monk.

The other parts of the tale are about archery and skill: Part III tells of Little John in an archery contest that the Sheriff of Nottingham watches. Little John shows great skill and accepts a position under the sheriff with an alias. He converts the sheriff's cook to his side: They take the sheriff's valuables when the sheriff is away and run to join Robin's band. Little John lures the sheriff to Robin in the woods under the pretense of hunting. He is kept there overnight and vows to never harm Robin or his men if he is set free, and so he leaves in the morning.

Part V: There is another archery contest by the sheriff who promises a gold and silver arrow for the winner. Robin and his men try, and Robin wins. They are attacked by the sheriff's men when revealed, and they hide within the castle of Sir Richard. Little John is wounded in the knee.

Part VI: The sheriff and his men attack the castle. The knight and sheriff fight, and the sheriff heads to London to report to the king. Robin and men return to the forest, and when the sheriff returns to find them gone, he takes revenge by capturing the knight. The knight's wife tells Robin, and the men chase the sheriff to Nottingham and kill him. The knight is freed and hides with the men in the forest.

Part VII: The king comes to Nottingham to try to get the knight and the outlaws. He is upset by the fact that the men have depleted the forest of the deer as well. The king enters the forest with his men, all disguised as monks. Robin entertains them, thinking the king is an abbot sent by the king to bring them to Nottingham. In an archery match after the feast, the king is revealed as his archery betters Robin's. The outlaws are pardoned and enter royal service.

Part VIII: All return to Nottingham dressed in green. The knight receives his land back, and Robin stays in the service for a year. All his men have left but Little John and Wscathelocke. He gains permission to visit a Barnesdale chapel and blows his horn for the surrounding men to hear, reuniting him with his band. He lives in the woods for 22 years. At the end, he visits his relative at Kirklees for medical treatment and she and her lover, Sir Roger of Doncaster, betray him and kill him.


Robin Hoode his Death

This is from a partially recovered manuscript from the Percy Folios. It begins with Robin Hood saying he is going to Kirklees (or Church Lees) for blood letting. Will Scarlett warns him but he goes only with Little John. Robin argues that the Prioress is his cousin and he need not fear harm. Robin starts his treatment but quickly realizes that she means him harm and bleeds him more than she should, making him weak. He tells Little John what has happened, and he kills Red Roger. He refuses to attack his cousin, and asks Little John to place his sword at his head and his arrows at his feet and his bow at his side at his grave.


Robin Hood and the Monk
90 stanzas with a missing section

This begins with Little John enjoying the May Day and Robin Hood upset because he has not been to church in a fortnight. Robin heads to Nottingham, only taking Little John as his companion against his men's wishes. They quarrel over their archery skill -- Robin refuses to pay a bet won by Little John -- and they part ways, with John going to Sherwood. Robin enters St. Mary's church and a monk identifies him and calls the sheriff. The sheriff's men enter and a fight breaks out. Robin kills 12 men. He attempts to kill the sheriff, but his sword breaks and he is trapped there.

Then there is an omission in the text.

The next section is the band of men who hear of his capture. Little John and Much go to get the monk who is carrying news of Robin's capture to the king. They kill him and his page. The take the monk's letter to the king themselves, and the king makes them yeoman and sends them back to Nottingham. The sheriff receives them and they feast. As the sheriff sleeps, they get into the area where Robin is held, and the guard is killed by John. Robin is freed, and they return to Sherwood.
Little John decides to leave the men, but Robin wants him to stay and offers him command. Little John refuses command but does stay. The king does not punish the sheriff as they were both fooled by Robin and his men.


Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne
58 stanzas from the Percy Folios with omissions.

Robin Hood retells a dream in which he was captured and disarmed by two yeomen. He and Little John go out looking for them. They see a stranger, and when Little John offers to check into the man, Robin disagrees with him. They fight and Little John returns to the woods to find that two men were killed and Will Scarlett has run off from the sheriff's men. Little John kills one of the sheriff's men with an arrow, but his bow then breaks and he is captured. The sheriff ties him to a tree to wait for execution.

Robin Hood and the stranger, Guy of Gisborne, meet. Robin offers to take him around the forest and Guy states that he is hunting a man named Robin Hood. They compete cordially at archery and Robin wins. Robin admits he is the man that Guy is looking for and they fight. Robin is wounded but receives spiritual strength and kills Guy. He took Guy's head and placed it on the end of his bow, slashing his face so he was unrecognizable.

Robin goes to Barnesdale disguised in Guy's cloak. He blows Guy's horn so the sheriff thinks Robin Hood has been killed. As his reward, Robin requests that he himself kill Little John. So John is released, and Robin gives Guy's bow to Little John. They drive away the sheriff's men and Little John kills the sheriff with the bow and arrow.


Robin Hood and the Potter

Little John and Robin Hood come across a potter in the town of Barnesdale who wants to take a levy from Robin for passing through. Little John and Robin bet on the outcome, and the potter and Robin Hood fight about the payment. Robin fights with his sword but is defeated by the potter and his staff. Robin makes friends with the potter and wears his clothing to Nottingham, where he sells the goods at lesser cost. He presents his last 5 pots to the sheriff's wife as a gift. This gift beings about a dinner invitation with the sheriff and there is a proposal of an archery contest. He shoots well, and admits that he knows Robin Hood and has his bow. He promises to take the sheriff to him the next day.

When they reach the forest the next day, the horn is sounded by Robin Hood and the band of men appear. They take the sheriff's horse but is spared a worse fate because of the kind acts of his wife to Robin Hood. It ends with Robin paying the potter for the goods.


[Originally found in a folio manuscript (along with many Robin Hood ballads) belonging to Bishop Percy, some sections are sadly missing. The old woman who is cursing Robin Hood and it would seem (judging from the fragment) women weeping for him seem like the harbingers of death out of myth, like the washer at the ford. Red Roger is carrying a glave -- a kind of sword, and Robin's brand is also a sword. When Robin speaks of mood and houzel, he is asking for help in receiving the last sacraments for the dead. As I mentioned above, having a little blood drained was a common medieval healing practice, but the prioress betrays Robin by draining too much.]

1 'I will neuer eate nor drinke,' Robin Hood said,
'Nor meate will doo me noe good, Till I haue beene att merry Churchlees,
My vaines for to let blood.'
2 'That I reade not,' said Will Scarlett,
'Master, by the assente of me, Without halfe a hundred of your best bowmen
You take to goe with yee.
3 'For there a good yeoman doth abide
Will be sure to quarrell with thee, And if thou haue need of vs, master,
In faith we will not flee.'
4 'And thou be feard, thou William Scarlett,
Att home I read thee be:' 'And you be wrothe, my deare master,
You shall neuer heare more of mee.'


5 'For there shall noe man with me goe,
Nor man with mee ryde, And Litle Iohn shall be my man,
And beare my benbow by my side.'
6 'You'st beare your bowe, master, your selfe,
And shoote for a peny with mee:' 'To that I doe assent,' Robin Hood sayd,
'And soe, Iohn, lett it bee.'
7 They two bolde children shotten together,
All day theire selfe in ranke, Vntil they came to a blacke water,
And over it laid a planke,
8 Vpon it there kneeled an old woman,
Was banning Robin Hoode; 'Why dost thou bann Robin Hoode?' said Robin,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[Half a page missing]
9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
'To giue to Robin Hoode; We weepen for his deare body,
That this day must be lett bloode.'
10 'The dame prior is my aunts daughter,
And nie vnto my kinne; I know shee wold me noe harme this day,
For all the world to winne.'
11 Forth then shotten these children,
And they did neuer lin, Vntill they came to merry Churchlees,
To merry Churchlee[s] with-in.
12 And when they came to merry Churchlees,
They knoced vpon a pin; Vpp then rose dame prioresse,
And lett good Robin in.
13 Then Robin gaue to dame prioresse
Tweny pound in gold, And bad her spend while that wold last,
And she shold haue more when shee wold.
14 And downe then came dame prioresse,
Downe she came in that ilke, With a pair off blood-irons in her hands,
Were wrapped all in silke.
15 'Sett a chaffing-dish to the fyer,' said dame prioresse
'And stripp thou vp thy sleeue:' I hold him but an vnwise man
That will now warning leaeve..
16 She laid the blood-irons to Robin Hoods vaine,
Alacke, the more pitye! And pearct the vaine, and let out the bloode,
That full red was to see.
17 And first it bled, the thicke, thicke bloode,
And afterwards the thinne, And well then wist good Robin Hoode
Treason there was within.
18 'What cheere my master?' said Litle Iohn;
'In faith, Iohn, litle goode;'
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [Half a page missing]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
19 'I haue upon a gowne of greene,
Is cut short by my knee, And in my hand a bright browne brand
That will well bite of thee.'
20 But forth then of a shot-windowe
Good Robin Hood he could glide; Red Roger, with a grounden glaue,
Thrust him through the milke-white side.
21 But Robin was light and nimble of foote,
And thought to abate his pride, For betwixt his head and his shoulders
He made a wound full wide.
22 Says, ly there, ly there, Red Roger,
The doggs they must thee eate; 'For I may haue my houzle,' he said,
'For I may both goe and speake.
23 'Now giue me mood,' Robin said to Litle Iohn,
'Giue me mood with thy hand; I trust to God in heauen soe hye
My houzle will me bestand.'
24 'Now giue me leaue, giue me leaue, master,' he said,
'For Christs loue giue leaue to me, To set a fier within this hall,
And to burne vp all Churchlee.'
25 'That I reade not, said Robin Hoode then,
'Litle Iohn, for it may not be; If I shold doe any widow hurt, at my latter end,
God,' he said, 'wold blame me;
26 'But take me vpon thy backe, Litle Iohn,
And beare me to yonder streete, And there make me a full fayre graue,
Of grauell and of greete.
27 'And sett my bright sword at my head,
Mine arrowes at my feete, And lay my vew-bow by my side,
My met-yard wi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[Half a page missing] Came shining over the plain. 28 'O who are you,' the sheriff he said,
'Come tripping over the lee?' 'The 're my attendants,' brave Robin did say,
'They'll pay a visit to thee.' 29 They took the gallows from the slack,
They set it in the glen, They hangd the proud sheriff on that,
Releasd their own three men.'

The Death Scene from A Gest of Robyn Hode

[Clearly the story of Robin Hood's death has been around longer than the versions of the ballad above. The events of Robin's death are summarized at the end of a long early ballad.

The surviving versions of the Gest were most likely composed around 1460. It is one of the earliest ballads and by far the longest and most influential. For a variety of reasons, I have not put the whole Gest on my site -- even though it's one of the best ballads. But here I offer a sample to compare with the ballads which came later.

Movies often end with Robin Hood being pardoned by the king [Richard the Lionheart in the recent versions, but a king named Edward in the original ballad. Current scholarship by Thomas Ohlgren and others suggests that the ballad best reflects the time period of Edward III.] And like in the films, the king comes to the greenwood in the disguise of an abbot. He befriends and pardons Robin Hood.

But most movies don't show what comes next.]

433 Had Robyn dwelled he kynges courte
But twelue monethes and thre, That [he had] spent an hondred pounde,
And all his mennes fe.
434 In euery place where Robyn came
Euer more he layde downe, Both for knyghtes and for squyres,
To gete hym grete renowne.
435 By than the yere was all agone
He had no man but twayne, Lytell Johan and good Scathelocke,
With hym all for to gone.
436 Robyn sawe yonge men shote
Full fayre vpon a day; 'Alas!' than sayd good Robyn,
'My welthe is went away.
437 'Somtyme I was an archere good,
A styffe and eke a stronge; I was compted the best archere
That was in mery Englonde.
438 'Alas!' then sayd good Robyn,
'Alas and well a woo!' Yf I dwele lenger with the kynge,
Sorowe wyll me sloo.'
439 Forth than went Robyn Hode
Tyll he came to our kynge; 'My lorde the kynge of Englonde,
Graunte me myn askynge.
440 'I made a chapell in Bernysdale,
That semely is to se, It is of Mary Magdaleyne,
And thereto wolde I be.
441 'I myght neuer in this seuen nyght
No tyme to slepe ne wynke, Nother all these seuen dayes
Nother ete ne drynke.
442 'Me longeth sore to Bernysdale,
I may not be therfro; Barefote and wolwarde I haue hyght
Thyder for to go.'
443 'Yf it be so,' than sayd our kynge,
'It may no better be, Seuen nyght I gyue the leue,
No lengre, to dwell fro me.'
444 'Gramercy, lorde,' then sayd Robyn,
And set hym on his kne; He toke his leue full courteysly,
To grene wode then went he.
445 Whan he came to grene wode,
In a mery mornynge, There he herde the notes small
Of byrdes mery syngynge.
446 'It is ferre gone,' sayd Robyn,
'That I was last here; Me lyste a lytell for to shote
At the donne dere.'
447 Robyn slewe a full grete harte;
His horne than gan he blow, That all the outlawes of that forest
That horne coud they knowe,
448 And gadred them togyder,
In a lytell throwe. Seven score of wyght yonge men
Came redy on a rowe,
449 And fayre dyde of theyre hodes,
And set them on theyr kne: 'Welcome,' they saydm 'our [dere] mayster,
Under this grene-wode tre.'
450 Robyn dwelled in grene wode
Twenty yere and two; For all drede of Edwarde our kynge,
Agayne wolde he not goo.
451 Yet he was begyled, i-wys,
Through a wicked woman, The pryoresse of Kyrkesly,
That nye was of hys kynne:
452 For the loue of a knyght,
Sir Roger of Donkesly, That was her owne speciall;
Full euyll mote they thee!
453 They toke togyder theyr counsell
Robyn Hode for to sle, And how they myght best do that dede,
His banis for to be.
454 Than bespake good Robyn,
In place where as he stode, 'To morow I muste to Kyrke[s]ly,
Craftely to be leten blode.'
455 Syr Roger of Donkestere,
By the pryoresse he lay, And there they betrayed good Robyn Hode,
Through theyr false playe.
456 Cryst haue mercy on his soule,
That dyed on the rode! For he was a good outlawe,
And dyde pore men moch god.

*************************************************
popular culture


Robin Hood is a part of our popular culture, and has been for over 600 years. This outlaw of medieval England has seemingly appeared everywhere. Medieval chroniclers like Andrew of Wyntoun (c. 1420) and Walter Bower (c. 1440) happily accepted Robin�s existence, and his wide appeal led to brief mentions in various texts. Scholars have long searched for the origin of Robin Hood, for an identifiable, historical outlaw in the Sherwood or Barnsdale area. The opening quote from Langland�s Piers Plowman (c. 1377) is Robin�s first appearance in a text, be it literary or historical, and it is not a shining reference. Sloth suggests songs of Robin Hood are widely known in taverns, implying he is a popular figure without a literary pedigree. Clearly, Robin Hood is of no importance to the aristocracy, but he holds some currency in popular circles. Sloth�s familiarity with drinking songs about Robin Hood, but utter lack of knowledge of things spiritual, also reflects the concern of the Church for the souls of people who likely attended mass grudgingly, but could readily recite popular songs. Later texts similarly present Robin as a popular figure, and few strictly medieval documents featuring Robin survive.

Robin and his fellows were a popular subject in early printed texts, with their low price and wide appeal, and it is in the early days of printing that he finally comes into his own as a literary figure. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, antiquarians were especially invested in finding the sources of their national culture and heroes, and Robin proved to be of special interest to the English. They not only reviewed these early plays and poems for clues to the historical identity of the figure, but also scoured historical and legal records to find any information that may have led to a proof for his identity. Despite the efforts of authors like P. Valentine Harris (see case 5), no verifiable Robin Hood emerged from the historical record. Today, most scholars accept Robin as a literary invention, based in part on other figures like Gamelyn and Fouke fitz Waryn, as well as real-life outlaws. Any search for the ideal Robin Hood, a dispossessed noble who robs from the rich to give to the poor, is doomed to failure.