HOOD, ROBIN, a celebrated outlaw, who lived in the reign of Richard I., about the close of the twelfth and beginning of the thirteenth century. He dwelt principally in Sherwood Forest, in Nottinghamshire. At the period during which Robin Hood performed his exploits the forest laws were enforced with great rigour by the Norman kings; and, as a consequence, numbers fled to solitudes and natural strongholds. Having a common interest, they banded together; and by their acquaintance with unfrequented localities they were able to elude the vigilance of pursuers, as well as at times to present a bold front even to a numerous enemy. Stow mentions that Robin Hood had a hundred companions, able-bodied men, and skilful archers, who were so formidable that four hundred would not attack them. But Robin pursued a certain system in his robberies. He
spared the poor, and plundered the rich. Stow says, "He suffered no woman to be oppressed, violated, or otherwise molested. Poor men's goods he spared, abundantly relieving them with that which by theft he got from abbeys and rich old carles." Hence it is not wonderful that Robin became a very great favourite with the lower classes of people. His exploits have been celebrated from early times in great numbers of popular ballads, setting forth his courage, strength, skill in deer-hunting, chivalry towards the fair sex, and humanity towards his poorer neighbours. The poems, songs, and ballads relating to him have been brought together in Ritson's Robin Hood Collection, 8vo, 1795, London. Not much can be gathered regarding Robin Hood's real history from these poems, many of them being written long after his time. He appears to have been a yeoman, though Ritson gives some credit to the epitaph at Kirklees in Yorkshire, which represented him as an earl of Huntingdon. As to the MS. in the Sloane Collection, which speaks of Robin as an earl, the question is at once raised regarding the antiquity and value of the MS., which probably belongs to a period long subsequent to Robin Hood. Of his companions Little John and Friar Tuck, his chaplain, were the most notable. Robin is said to have been bled to death by a nun, near Kirklees, A.D. 1247. See Ritson's Robin Hood Collection, and Percy's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry.