The Household of Queen Isabella of England for the Fifth regnal year of Edward II, 8th July 1311 to 7th July 1312 Vol 1 Gustaf Hermanson Robert Lynley has discovered a John le Littel among the palfreymen (men responsible for the maintenance and provision of saddle-horses) in the household of Queen Isabella: The English metrical romance, Sir Beues of Hamtoun, is founded on French versions, the oldest manuscript dates from the beginning of the 14th century.Ģ. Three French chansons de geste of Beuve d’Hanstone, were apparently also written in the 13th century. The oldest extant version appears to be Boeve de Haumtone, an Anglo-Norman text which dates from the first half of the 13th century. ‘The History of Guy of Warwick’ was printed by Richard Pynson in 1500. The story of Guy enjoyed enormous popularity after the Middle Ages, appearing frequently in ballad and chapbook versions.īevis of Hampton: This legendary English hero is the subject of Anglo-Norman, French, English, Venetian and other medieval metrical romances that bear his name. Guy appears in the Auchinleck Manuscript, a collection of Middle English texts produced in London around 1330. Guy of Warwick: The story of Guy of Warwick appears in the 13th-century Anglo-Norman poem Gui de Warewic, and then in Middle English in both 14th and 15th-century versions. 151, Ralph Hanna, (Cambridge University Press, 2005). This has been verified by Thomas Ohlgren through his inquiries at Cambridge University Library.
This was first brought to our attention by Robert Lynley, who discovered it in London Literature, 1300-1380, p.
66v)įor pei weren wel iloved of cheters, wrestlers, bokeler pleieris, of daunceris and syngeris and pei weren wel-welled to have hem to pe ale. The title of the item is ‘A dialogue as hit were of a wyse man and of a fole,’ apparently by a Lollard writer of a piece in a set of anonymous tracts in defence of Biblical translations in English. The MS is early 15th century, but the text was likely composed in the 1390s, which could make it one of the earliest references to Robin Hood as a literary character and romance hero.Īnd telle me a mery tale of Giy of Wariwyk, Beufiz of Hamton, eiper of Sire Lebewz, Robynhod, eiper of summe welfarynge man. The first sentence is located on the bottom of folio 66r, while the second one is on folio 66v. 1(m) in Cambridge University Library MS Ii.6.26. Robin Hood offers 40 separate missions, all of them perfectly screen-written.1. There is a recent discovery of a Robin Hood quotation. Robin has sworn to return the throne to King Richard, but to do this, he must collect enough gold to pay the King?s ransom and chase Prince John from the kingdom. This rebel, an outstanding archer, calls himself Robin Hood. But North of Nottingham, in the heart of Sherwood Forest, one man refuses to give in to the Normans. The people of England are bending to the will of these unscrupulous individuals. In his absence, his brother, Prince John, has taken over the throne with the help of some powerful Norman barons.Įxtortion, racketeering, taxation of all sorts, and the proclamation of unjust laws have become par for the course. His chances of escaping are slim his ransom, exorbitant. King Richard the Lion-Hearted, back from the Crusades, has been taken prisoner at Durensteien Castle in Austria.