to the
wodes in that contre, like as it hadde be Robyn-hode and his meyne.'

About the same time (c. 1437), a longer description is given in Fordun's
_Scotichronicon_, which was revised and continued by Bower, where the
latter states that Robin Hood, 'that most celebrated robber,' was one
of the dispossessed and banished followers of Simon de Montfort.
He proceeds, however, to couple with him 'Litill Johanne' and their
associates, 'of whom the foolish vulgar in comedies and tragedies make
lewd entertainment, and are delighted to hear the jesters and minstrels
sing them above all other ballads,'[4] and to describe briefly one of
the 'tragedies.'

An extract from one more chronicler will suffice, and it should be noted
that these three, Wyntoun, Bower, and Major, are all Scottish. John
Major (or Mair) was born about 1450, and his _Historia Maioris
Britanniae_ was published in 1521. In the part dealing with the reign of
Richard I. (lib. iv. cap. ii.), we find:--

'About this time it was, as I conceive, that there flourished those most
famous robbers Robert Hood, an Englishman, and Little John, who lay in
wait in the woods, but spoiled of their goods those only who were
wealthy. They took the life of no man, unless either he attacked them or
offered resistance in defence of his property. Robert supported by his
plundering a hundred bowmen, ready fighters every one, with whom four
hundred of the strongest would not dare to engage in combat. The feats
of this Robert are told in song all over Britain. He would allow no
woman to suffer injustice, nor would he spoil the poor, but rather
enriched them from the plunder taken from abbots. The robberies of this
man I condemn, but of all thieves he was the prince and the most gentle
thief.'[5] This is repeated almost verbatim in Stow's _Annales_ (1681).

These five references show that Robin Hood was popular in ballads for at
least a century before the date at which we find those ballads in print;
and apart from the fact that printing is usually the last thing that
happens to a ballad of the folk, the language in which they are written
is unmistakably Middle English--that is to say, the _Gest of Robyn Hode_
(at least) may be dated nearer 1400 than 1500. But Langland's evidence
is clear; 'rymes' of Robin Hood were widely known by 1377. Neither Bower
nor Major know anything of Robin except what they learnt from the
ballads about him.

[Footnote 4: So translated by Ritson. 'Com