The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 20, No. 568, September 29, 1832Various
General
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 20, No. 568, September 29, 1832
Various
Popular literature -- Great Britain -- Periodicals
Thus, not only did those places retain his name which afforded him
security or amusement, but even the well at which he quenched his
thirst. There is also Robin Hood's Bay, on the coast of Yorkshire.
It is mentioned by Leland as "a fischer tounlet of 20 bootes caulled
Robyn Huddes Bay, a dok or bosom of a mile yn length:" in this bay he
often went fishing in the summer season, and not far from this he had
butts or marks set up, where he used to exercise his men in shooting
with the long bow.
After Robin's death, his company dispersed, and are supposed to have
been distinguished from the name of their gallant leader, by the title
of Roberdsmen. It may not be uninteresting to subjoin a short account
of the last days of Robin's friend and favourite, Little John. The
honour of his death and burial is contended by rival nations, first by
England. At the village of Hathersage, about six miles from Castleton,
in Derbyshire, is Little John's grave. Tradition states, some curious
person caused it to be opened, when there were found several bones of
uncommon size, which he preserved; but meeting afterwards with
many unlucky accidents, he carefully replaced them, partly at the
intercession of the sexton who had taken them up for him, and who had
in like manner been visited with misfortunes, but upon restoring
the bones all these troubles ceased. Secondly, by Scotland. In
Murray-land, according to the historian, Hector Boece, is "the
Kirke of Pette, quhare the banis of Lytill Johne remainis in grete
admiratioun of pepill. He hes bene fourtene feet of hycht with square
membris effering thairto VI zeris," continues he, "afore the cumyng of
this werk to lycht we saw his hanche-bane, als mekill as the hail
bane of ane man, lor we schot our arme in the mouth thairof. Be quhilk
apperis how strang and square pepill grew in our regioun afore they
were effeminat with lust and intemperance of mouth." Thirdly, by
Ireland. "There stood," as Stanihurst relates, "in Ostmantowne greene
an hillocke, named Little John his shot. The occasion," he says,
proceeded of this--"In the yeere 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 to Ireland, where he sojornied
for a few daies at Dublin. The citizens beeing doone to understand the
wandering outcast to be an excellent archer, requested him hartilie to
trie how far he could shoote 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
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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