“In the yeare one thousand one hundred foure score and nine, there ranged three robbers and outlaws in England, among which Robert Hood and Little John weere cheefeteins, of all theeves doubtlesse the most courteous. Robert Hood being betrayed at a nunrie in Scotland called Bricklies, the remnant of the crue was scattered, and everie man forced to shift for himselfe. Whereupon Little John was faine to flee the realme by sailing into Ireland, where he sojornied for a few daies at Dublin. The citizens being doone to understand the wandering outcast to be an excellent archer, requested him hartilie to trie how far he could shoot at random; who yeelding to their behest, stood on the bridge of Dublin, and shot to that mole hill, leaving behind him a monument, rather by his posteritie to be woondered, than possiblie by anie man living to be counterscored. But as the repaire of so notorious a champion to anie countrie would soone be published, so his abode could not be long concealed: and therefore to eschew the danger of [the] lawes, he fled into Scotland, where he died at a towne or village called Moravie.”[117] Thus Stanihurst, who is quoted by Dr. Hanmer in his Chronicle of Ireland, p. 179, but Mr. Walker, after observing that “poor Little John’s great practical skill in archery could not save him from an ignominious fate,” says, “it appeared, from some records in the Southwell family, that {cxviii} he was publicly executed for robbery on Arbor Hill, Dublin.”[118] (40) —“_some of his descendants of the name of Nailor_,” _&c._] See the preface to the History of George a Green. As surnames were by no means in general use at the close of the twelfth century, Little John may have obtained that of Nailor from his original profession. (“Ye boasted worthies of the knuckle, To Maggs and to the Nailor truckle.”) But however this, or the fact itself may be, a bow, said to have belonged to Little John, with the name of Naylor upon it, is now, as the editor is informed, in the possession of a gentleman in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The quotation about whetstones is from the Sloane MS. Those, indeed, who recollect the equivocal meaning of the word may think that this production has not been altogether confined to the grave of Little John. [Illustration] FOOTNOTES TO “NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS”, pp. xiv–cxviii [4] See Part II. Ballad 1. [5] All three mention a Loxley in Warwickshire, and another in Staffordshire (“near Needwood forest; the manor and seat of the Kinardsleys”). [6] It is 1100 in the original, but that is clearly an error of the press. [7] King Edward, it is true, is introduced in the “Lytell Geste,” &c., but the author has unquestionably meant the _first_ of that name. [8] Thus, likewise, in a much earlier version from the same immortal bard (_Homer a la mode_, 1664), we read of “――greate Apollo, who’s as good At pricks and buts as _Robin Hood_.”