There is plentiful “learning” about Robin Hood, but no real knowledge. He is first mentioned in literature, as the subject of “rhymes,” in _Piers Plowman_ (_circ._ 1377). As a topic of ballads he must be much older than that date. In 1439 his name was a synonym for a bandit. Wyntoun, the Scots chronicler, dates the outlaw in the time of Edward I. Major, the Scots philosopher and master of John Knox, makes a guess (taken up by Scott in _Ivanhoe_) as the period of Richard I. Kuhn seeks to show that Hood is a survival of Woden, or of his _Wooden_, “wooden horse” or hobby horse. The Robin Hood play was parallel with the May games, which, as Mr. Frazer shows in his _Golden Bough_, were really survivals of a world-wide religious practice. But Robin Hood need not be confused with the legendary May King. Mr. Child judiciously rejects these mythological conjectures, based, as they are, on far-fetched etymologies and analogies. Robin is an idealized bandit, reiver, or Klepht, as in modern Romaic ballads, and his adventures are precisely such as popular fancy everywhere attaches to such popular heroes. An historical Robin there may have been, but _premit nox alta_. ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK.—p. 196 This copy follows in Mr. Child’s early edition, “from the second edition of Ritson’s _Robin Hood_, as collated by Sir Frederic Madden.” It is conjectured to be “possibly as old as the reign of Edward II.” That the murder of a monk should be pardoned in the facile way described is manifestly improbable. Even in the lawless Galloway of 1508, McGhie of Phumpton was fined six merks for “throwing William Schankis, monk, from his horse.” (History of Dumfries and Galloway, by Sir Herbert Maxwell, p. 155.) ROBIN HOOD AND THE POTTER.—p. 209 Published by Ritson, from a Cambridge MS., probably of the reign of Henry VII. ROBIN HOOD AND THE BUTCHER.—p. 221 Published by Ritson, from a Black Letter copy in the collection of Anthony Wood, the Oxford antiquary. FOOTNOTES {0a} See Pitcairn, Case of Alison Pearson, 1586. {0b} Translated in _Ballads and Lyrics of Old France_.—A. L. {87} “Kinnen,” rabbits. {88a} “Nicher,” neigh. {88b} “Gilt,” gold. {88c} “Dow,” are able to. {88d} “Ganging,” going. {90a} “Targats”, tassels. {90b} “Blink sae brawly,” glance so bravely. {90c} “Fechting,” fighting. {91} “Kirsty,” Christopher. {92} “Hald,” hold. {94} “Reek,” smoke. {95} “Freits,” omens. {96a} “Wighty,” valiant. {96b} “Wroken,” revenged. {97} “Mudie,” bold.