5. The Archery Contest

The shooting match was held on the outskirts of Nottingham. The area was surrounded by long lines of stalls and booths, where groups of commoners were gathered, waiting for the contest to begin. The butts were roped off in a long green meadow where amongst a group of men, stood the minstrel Allan A Dale plucking his lute. His keen eyes espied a group of local archers whom he softly warned.

“Beware, O ye archers of Nottingham Fair,

Of our new Sheriff’s hirelings beware-oh,

Since they levy a tax on thy chattels elsewhere,

They may here tax thy bow and thine arrow.”

From miles around, sunburnt bowmen had gathered to shoot for the prize of a golden arrow to be presented by Queen Eleanor.

One by one the independent archers were beaten by the Sheriff’s men, until only Hugh Fitzooth and his son Robin remained to challenge De Lacy’s men.

“You have done well,” said Prince John to the Sheriff, as he watched from the Royal Box.
To the gasp of the many hundreds of spectators, the Marker called that the final match would be shot at a distance of six score yards.

“My Lords!” He called. The upshot is: Tepus out! Clifton Out! Adam of Leslie out!”

4. The Plans of Prince John

Prince John stood on the battlements of Nottingham Castle and watched as the Crusading army’s rearguard disappeared into the sunset.

“De Lacy!”

A bearded attendant stepped out of the shadows and stood alongside the king’s brother.

“My Prince?”

“Kings have died on Crusades,” Prince John murmured. “The Prince in the line of succession needs trustworthy men about him. How say you?”

“My lord,” replied the rather sullen faced De Lacy. “I am yours as the blade of my sword is to the hilt.”

“Good, You shall be my new Sheriff of Nottingham,” promised John as the two men stood together.

“As Sheriff,” the Prince went on, “you shall enforce the trespass laws in Sherwood Forest, not with Richard’s lenient hand, but to the very letter of those laws. For such a task we’ll need a larger force.”

“We’ll need an army,” the new sheriff amended quickly.

“Aye an army!” The Prince agreed, “an army of hard shooters, who can feather their arrows at nine score yards, should their prince so much as whisper his command.”

But De Lacy looked worried.

“Can your estates support so large a force?”

“There will be new taxes,” the Prince replied.

“My lord,” De Lacy said, “You have a kingly mind.”

Prince John smiled.

“Bestir yourself, I shall expect to see the finest bowman in the Kingdom wearing the sheriff’s livery.

“Give me but a fortnight Sir and I’ll have such men as you wish enlisted.”

“Good,” replied the Prince. “You shall show me what they can do at Nottingham Fair.

The Earl of Huntingdon

In Disney’s ‘Story of Robin Hood’, the Earl of Huntingdon is Maid Marian’s father and in many Hollywood movies Robin has links with that title. But there is no historical evidence to suggest a connection with the Earldom of Huntingdon and the legendry outlaw. The Earldom of Huntington/Huntingdon was a fief belonging to the Scottish royal house. David (abt. 1144-1219) the brother of William the Lion of Scotland was confirmed in the Honour of Huntingdon by Richard I in 1190. David married Maud, sister of Ranulf of Chester on 26th August 1190 and carried one of the three swords, with golden sheaths described in the ‘Deeds of Richard’ at the king’s coronation. David helped to suppress Richard’s brother Prince John in 1194. The Honour of Huntingdon covered eleven counties.

Huntingdon's connection with the legend of Robin Hood comes from the popularity of two plays, ‘The Downfall of Robert Earl of Huntington’ and ‘The Death of Robert Earl of Huntington’ written by the prolific Tudor political spy and playwright Anthony Munday in about 1600. The hero of both plays is Robert Earl of Huntington, betrothed to the daughter of Lord Fitzwalter, the beautiful Matilda. Robert is betrayed and wrongly disinherited by his evil uncle, the Prior of York, so the couple take refuge in Sherwood Forest and change there names to Robin and Marian. Both plays were as popular at the time as any of Shakespear’s works and ensured the survival of the legend.

Robin (Robert Earl of Huntington) dies in the first act of the second play and Marian (Matilda) is pursued by King John to Dunmow Priory, where she is eventually poisoned.

These two Tudor plays left a lasting impression on the legend and it appears that the plot to both Anthony Munday’s productions had political ends. Munday was a fanatical anti-Catholic and Huntington was part of the estate of the most powerful Catholic family in England, that of Henry Percy, Earl of Nothumberland. The chief villain of the play, Robert’s uncle, the treacherous Gilbert de Hood, Prior of York is probably based on Percy himself, who was later imprisoned in the Tower of London for his suspected association with the Gunpowder Plot.

From Act 1

(Enter Robert Earl of Huntington, leading Marian & c)

“This youth that leads yon virgin by the hand

(As doth the sunne, the morning richly clad)

Is our Earle Robert, or your Robin Hoode,

That in those daies, was Earle of Huntington.

The ill-fac’t miser, brib’d in either hand,

Is Warman, once the Steward of his house,

Who, Judas like, betraies his liberall lord

Into the hands of that relentlesse Prior,

Calde Gilbert Hoode, uncle to Huntington.”

It has been suggested by some scholars that by Munday omitting the Yorkshire Robin Hood settings from his hugely popular plays, due to his puritanical Protestantism, Sherwood became the common backdrop to all subsequent versions of the legend.

© Clement of the Glen 2006-2007

3. Marian Meets Queen Eleanor

Surrounded by their escort, the Earl of Huntingdon and his daughter crossed the drawbridge of Nottingham Castle and rode into the crowded yard. As they entered the Great Hall they were just in time to see King Richard leaving the Council Chamber with his mother Queen Eleanor and his brother Prince John. Alongside them was the Archbishop of Canterbury and many of the most powerful barons in England.

The King smiled as he saw Marian’s father.
“Welcome Huntingdon!” He cried. “Now truly we can say that the bravest of our realm are gathered here.”
“God make us worthy of your trust sire,” said the earl as he bowed gracefully to the king and his mother.
“Sire,” continued the earl, “ I have a boon to ask the Queen your mother.”
King Richard nodded graciously.
“I pray you madam,” he asked, “ take my daughter into your house hold until my return.”
“Come here child,” said Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine.
Marian approached them timidly and dropped to her knees to kiss the Queen’s hand.
“What is your name, child?” The Queen asked.
“Marian,” said the girl.
“A sweet and gentle name,” the Queen reflected, “ does your nature match it?”
“If it pleases the Queen,” replied Marian in a whisper.
The Queen looked carefully for a few moments into the girl’s face and then answered, “I will have her!”

Marian’s father bowed gratefully as the royal family moved to the outer door. But then they all stopped as the Sheriff of Nottingham went down on one knee.
“My Lord King,” he said, “I too would beg a boon. My men and I would follow our king across the seas.”
The Sheriff looked up nervously as King Richard hesitated.
“Find a new sheriff for Nottingham,” the king said to his brother John, “and men to serve him.”

“God save King Richard!” chanted the assembled knights.

“My Lord Archbishop of Canterbury,” said King Richard as they went down the castle steps, “We ask a blessing on this most holy enterprise.”

Heads bowed as the Archbishops of Canterbury and York blessed the many armed soldiers gathered in and beyond the castle walls. Then King Richard drew his sword and kissed the hilt. “To horse!” he cried. “Advance my banner! God wills it!”

With the sound of trumpets the great cavalcade began winding its way along the dusty road. Someone began singing a marching song and soon the whole army seemed to be singing along as the great Crusade left Nottingham Castle.

Robin Fitzooth

In this story and film, Robin Hood has the ‘real’ name Robin Fitzooth and is the son of Hugh Fitzooth, gamekeeper of the Earl of Huntingdon. It was the doctor and parson, William Stukeley (1678-1765), who first provided Robin Hood with a family tree of this name in 1746.

Stukeley used William Dugdale’s ‘Baronage’ of 1675 and set about creating Robin Hood’s genealogy amongst the early Norman landowners. One branch of the family he used, included an invented Maud, who married a ficticious knight called Ralph fitz Ooth. From this branch of the family we eventually get a Robert Fitz Ooth, commonly called Robin Hood. This pedigree has since been described as a complete fabrication by most modern day scholars.

© Clement of the Glen 2006-2007

2. Robin and Marian

“What ails ye ?”

Hugh Fitzooth, gamekeeper to the Earl stared at the flustered old nurse.

“Master Fitzooth….” gasped the woman breathlessly, as she faced the grizzled, kindly keen-eyed man with the longbow slung across his shoulder and two large greyhounds by his side. “I seek the Maid. Where is that harum-scarum son of yours?”

“She is not with Robin,” came the reply. My lad is yonder drawing his bow against a willow wand.”

“Find one bad penny and you’ll find two! Snapped Tyb crossly. “I bid you good day, Master Fitzooth!” And curtsying, she hastened off towards young Robin Fitzooth amongst the trees in the distance, still crossly calling, “Marian…Marian!”

It was, indeed to bad that, after decking and adorning her charge like a daffodil so that Queen Eleanor would be certain to give the maid a place in her household, poor Tyb should have to go seeking Maid Marian in this way.

Yet it looked like Hugh Fitzooth was right, Robin seemed alone as he planted his feet firmly, drew back his bow and let fly an arrow towards the four foot willow wand. WHIZZZZZ! But the arrow missed its target for the third time and quite suddenly, the archer knew he was not alone, that hidden behind a tree, a girls hand holding a stick had gently pushed the target each time the marksman had shot.

“Ah!” exclaimed Robin as he made a sudden darting movement towards Marians hiding place. “So that is why my aim is not so true, eh?”

A merry laugh answered him.

“Did you miss the mark again poor fellow?” Maid Marian teased.

The couple dodged between the trees, but Robin caught his foot on a root and rather embarrassingly tumbled down.

The old nurse then arrived through the grove of trees. “Marian saints above!” She exclaimed in horror.

“Now look at you. My Lord Earl waiting and here you are grovelling in the dirt. A lady old enough to serve the Queen is old enough to act like a lady.”

Marian noticed the expression on Robin’s face and drew herself up stiffly, then replied, “inform the Earl, my dear Lord and Father, that I will attend him presently. You have my leave to go!”

The old nurse was taken by surprise, but gave a little bobbing curtsey, then went off shaking her head. Robin chuckled and as Marion made her way towards the manor house she turned and called, “farewell old clod-hopper!”

1. Huntingdon Manor

It was the year 1190 and the manor house of the Earl of Huntingdon was filled with bustle and activity. Pages scurried and servants dashed hither and thither to prepare for the departure of the Earl of Huntingdon for Nottingham. It was there that he was to join King Richard on a Crusade to free the Holy Land.

“Is everything ready?” The Earl asked his steward, as he scanned the courtyard with a knowledgeable gaze.

“Yes sire,” was the stewards reply as he gave his master a stirrup cup. But suddenly they were interrupted by an old nurse who came clattering down the steps.

“Marian!” The old woman called, “Marian!”

“Is our daughter not yet ready to leave?” Asked the Earl frowning.

“Aye sire,” Nurse Tyb replied breathlessly, “ready and decked and adorned like any daffadowndilly. So fine she is, sire, there will none to compare. The Queen will take her and gladly.”

“Go quickly good Tyb and find her!” Said the Earl. “Unless we leave in an hour I’ll miss the King at Nottingham.”

Nurse Tyb raised her hands in desperation and went off muttering across the courtyard.

“Marian……..Mar-i-an!” She called in her shrill voice as she nearly collided with a tall bearded man in the gateway.