Originally published anonymously in 1822 as “Robin Hood: Being a Complete History of All the Notable and Merry Exploits Performed by Him and His Men on Many Occasions,” this Kindle edition contains the complete text of the original edition. Read how the legendary medieval outlaw and his band of “Merry Men” stole from the rich and gave to the poor.
Note: The original physical edition contains several illustrations; they are not included in this Kindle edition.
Sample passage:
Robin Hood did not know what to do; he had been used to living like a rich man and did not know how to work, for he had learned no trade. He now got together a number of young men, who had been brought up like himself and were just as poor; and they went to live what they called a merry life, in Sherwood Forest, near Nottingham. Here there was plenty of deer, and Robin Hood and his company were very excellent marksmen at shooting them with the crossbow; but they wanted something besides meat to eat, so they at once turned robbers. After this no man could travel alone through Sherwood Forest without being stripped of his money. Robin Hood and his company too did not confine themselves to Sherwood Forest, but sometimes went to plunder other parts of England. His gang soon grew to above a hundred in number, and they were some of the tallest, finest, and boldest men in the kingdom. Robin Hood dressed them in a uniform; he himself always wore scarlet; and each of his men had a green coat, a pair of breeches, and cap.
Though Robin Hood was a robber, which, to be sure, is a very bad thing, he behaved in such a manner as to have the good word and good wishes of almost all the poor people in those parts. He never loved to rob anybody but people that were very rich and that had not the spirit to make good use of their riches. As he had lost his estate by the cunning of a popish priest, he had a great dislike to the whole set; and the popish priests at that time behaved in such a manner that hardly anybody liked them; so that Robin Hood was not thought the worse of for his usage of them. When he met with poor men in his rambles, instead of taking anything from them, he gave them money of his own. He never let any woman be either robbed or hurt, and in cases of hardship, he always took the part of the weak and the injured against the strong; so that it was truly said, “that of all thieves he was the gentlest and most generous thief.”
Note: The original physical edition contains several illustrations; they are not included in this Kindle edition.
Sample passage:
Robin Hood did not know what to do; he had been used to living like a rich man and did not know how to work, for he had learned no trade. He now got together a number of young men, who had been brought up like himself and were just as poor; and they went to live what they called a merry life, in Sherwood Forest, near Nottingham. Here there was plenty of deer, and Robin Hood and his company were very excellent marksmen at shooting them with the crossbow; but they wanted something besides meat to eat, so they at once turned robbers. After this no man could travel alone through Sherwood Forest without being stripped of his money. Robin Hood and his company too did not confine themselves to Sherwood Forest, but sometimes went to plunder other parts of England. His gang soon grew to above a hundred in number, and they were some of the tallest, finest, and boldest men in the kingdom. Robin Hood dressed them in a uniform; he himself always wore scarlet; and each of his men had a green coat, a pair of breeches, and cap.
Though Robin Hood was a robber, which, to be sure, is a very bad thing, he behaved in such a manner as to have the good word and good wishes of almost all the poor people in those parts. He never loved to rob anybody but people that were very rich and that had not the spirit to make good use of their riches. As he had lost his estate by the cunning of a popish priest, he had a great dislike to the whole set; and the popish priests at that time behaved in such a manner that hardly anybody liked them; so that Robin Hood was not thought the worse of for his usage of them. When he met with poor men in his rambles, instead of taking anything from them, he gave them money of his own. He never let any woman be either robbed or hurt, and in cases of hardship, he always took the part of the weak and the injured against the strong; so that it was truly said, “that of all thieves he was the gentlest and most generous thief.”
