The chapters in this ebook give our evidences for Roger Godberd matching Robin Hood. But before you read the chapters you may wish to first read this very brief overview of the historicity of Robin Hood.
Contents: Did Robin Hood exist? Who was Robin Hood? When was Robin Hood? Where was Robin Hood? Was Robin Hood a Christian or a Pagan? Was Robin Hood an earl? Who is greater Robin Hood or Jesus? Some references.
Did Robin Hood exist? Who was Robin Hood?
At present it is not agreed that anyone has proven that Robin Hood existed and who he was.
The earliest sources to mention Robin Hood are Piers Plowman of the 1370s, RH tales & songs in religious tracts early 1400s Friar Daw's Reply 1402 Dives & Pauper 1405-1410 "RH was here" Lincoln 1410 Orygynale Chronicle of Wyntoun 1420 (1283) 1st RH song, Lincoln Cathedral Ms 1420 Monkbretton Priory cartulary deed 1422 (RH's Stone) 1st RH Game (Exeter) 1426 A petition to Parliament 1439 Bower's 1440 revision of Fordun's 1377-84 Scotichronicon (1266) RH & the Monk ballad aft 1450/15th cent (Cambridge Uni ms) A monk of Witham priory 1460. Polychronicon margin 1460 (found by Luxford in 2009) RH & the Sheriff of Nottingham 1470s/1475 Star Chamber complaint 1492 The Little Geste of RH of 1500. Lollard tract 1st half of 15th cent (Cambridge uni lib ms) RH Games later 15th & 16th cents Ship of Fools Alex Barclay 1500 Fabyan's chronicle 1502? RH & the Potter ballad 1503. Unfortunately there are no earlier sources so it is not easy to prove who Robin Hood was since he could be any time between the 1100s to 1300s (see below).
There are several historical persons of the 1000s to 1300s and after who have been put forward as the original historical Robin Hood or Robin Hoods with varying quantity & quality evidences. There are a number of persons names like Robin/Robert Hood from the 1100s to 1300s and after including Robert Fitzodo, Robert Hod of York or Hobbehod 1226/1227-1234, several records of names like Robinhood/Robehod/Robbehod/Rabunhod/Robynhod 1261/1262 to 1300, Roger Godberd 1260s, Robert Deyville who had a home at Hood 1290, Robert Hood of Wakefield 1322, Robyn Hode of Court Rolls 1323, Robert Dore of Wadsley called Robert/Robin Hood. There are also several other candidates who only had a name like Robin or a name like Hood including Robert de Kyme, Robert Butler of Skelbrooke, Robin of Redesdale. And there are some Robin Hood candidates who don't have either a name like Robin/Robert or Hood such as Fulk Fitzwarin, Geoffrey Luttrell.It is possible that there is one main historical original Robin Hood, but it is also posisble that there was more than one Robin Hoods who were conflated into the one Robin Hood of the stories. So it is pretty certain that one or more Robin Hoods did exist, and there are some good candidates for who he was. Our own best candidate is Roger Godberd of the 1260s.
When was Robin Hood?
Robert is a post-Norman conquest 1066 Norman name. The name Robin is mentioned in the Roman de Renart of the 12th century. Later traditional sources say Robin Hood was born in 1160 and/or died in 1247/1274 or 1347/1374. Proposed candidates for Robin Hood range from the 1000s to the 1300s and after including Robert de Kyme, Robert Bulter of Skelbrooke. There are historical records of Robin/Robert Hood like names from the 1100s to 1300s and after including Robert Fitzodo, Robert Hod of York or Hobbehod 1226-1234, Robert Hood of Wakefield, Robyn Hode in court records 1323, Robert Dore of Wadesley called Robert/Robin Hood. The king in the Little Geste is King Edward who must be either Edward 1 or 2 or 3 or 4. RH was only placed in the reign of Richard and/or John since the 16th century (Major, Munday). The earliest source that mentions RH is Piers Plowman of Langdon of the 1370s, so RH can't be later than this. RH is associated with Major Oak which is about 800 yrs old So taking all the above together Robin Hood must be sometime between the 1100s and 1300s ad at the most.
The Crusades (1095-1272) are mentioned in RH stories. The Geste mentions St Richard of Chichester who has date 1262, RH is ca 1266 in Bower's revision of Fordun's Scotichronicon, RH is in the reign of Edward 1 1265-1272-1307 in the Polychronicon marginal note, Sheriff of Nottingham in conflict with outlaws 1266, Numbers of robbers in 1272, RH is 1283 in Wyntoun's chronicle, Jeu Robin & Marion dates to 1283, The earliest Little John name is 1292? "1295 (or 1272) is the first ref to a Robynhod, while previously there were only Robehods", The unnamed outlaw in the Muskham Chronicle is 13th cent, The name Robin was common in 13th cent. (RH's Cross 1319 or 1399?) These all well match with Roger Godberd of 1250 - 1260s - 1293.
Where was Robin Hood? Sherwood/Nottinghamshire or Barnsdale/Yorkshire or other?
Robin Hood is implied in early sources and tradition to have been in England.
RH has conflicts with the Sheriff of Nottingham (and Derby) in some early sources like 'RH & the Monk'. RH was said to be in Sherwood (Nottinghamshire) in the Polychronicon, the Lincoln Cathedral manuscript, the Witham chronicle, RH & the Monk. Robin Hood candidate Roger Godberd was in Sherwood (Notts) and/or Charnwood (Leicester). Nottinghamshire has quite a few Robin Hood placenames, though they are abit late. RH has local traditional associations with Major Oak in Sherwood Notts, RH's Larder, Rufford Abbey, St Mary's church in Edwinstowe (Notts), RH's Well near Newstead Abbey in Sherwood Notts, St Mary Magdalene's church in Campsall (S Yorks). RH was said to be in Barnsdale (S Yorkshire) in Wyntoun's Chronicle, the Little Geste. Saylis mentioned in the Geste is believed to match Sayles in Barnsdale Yorks. St Mary's Abbey of York is mentioned in the Geste. Wentbridge (in Barnsdale, W Yorkshire) is mentioned in RH and the Potter and maybe the Geste. The language in the Geste is in the Northern dialect probably of Yorkshire. RH died at Kirkless (W Yorks) in the Geste and other ballads. Or RH died at Kirkby in Drayton's Polyolbion, which is believed to refer to Kirby in Pontefract West Yorkshire. Yorkshire also has alot of Robin Hood placenames including RH's Bay near Whitby. Some Robin Hood candidates were in the Barnsdale or Yorkshire area including Robert Hod of York, Robert Deyvill who had a home at Hood Hill (Yorkshire), Robert Hood of Wakefield. Robin Hood's birthplace Loxley is supposed to be either Loxley in Sheffield South Yorksire (where the Sheriff of Nottingham possessed property) or Loxley in Warwickshire/Staffordshire. But Loxley only first appears in the stories in the end of the 16th century. RH wore Lincoln Green, but apart from that none of his stories mention Lincoln places. RH contended with Ranulf earl of Chester in Piers Plowman, but otherwise Chester doesn't feature in RH stories. RH was said to be in Inglewood (Cumbria) in Wyntoun's Chronicle, but this is the only source that definitely mentions a Cumbria place name. RH was only later associated with Huntingdon by Munday in 1598. There is a French claim that Robin Hood was in France, and there is also a claim that he was in Wales, but apart from these very few claims all the other sources evidences place him primarily in England. So we can conclude from all the above that the one or more Robin Hoods was/were in either or both Sherwood Nottinghamshire and/or Barnsdale Yorkshire.
Was Robin Hood a Christian or a Pagan?
Robin Hood is portaryed in RH stories as a pious christian, and he had a Friar among his men, though he robbed rich clerics. In the Geste Robin Hood is a devotee of God and the Son of God and Mary plus Mary Magdalene. St Richard of Chichester is mnetioned.
Robin Hood candidate Roger Godberd has some possible evidence for being a pious christian and some evidence for not necessarily being christian or pro-church. His surname contains God in it? Godberd said "that he has always thereafter conducted himself well and faithfully towards the said king and his heirs and everybody else, and that he is not guilty of any of the foregoing, and for godd and ill he puts himself on the country of the aforesaid counties." Godberd came at Garendon abbey/convent and took away charters which he had made to the abbot and convent of Garendon. Godberd records mention incidents on certain days like the feast of the Nativity of Mary, and the day of St Calixtus, and the feast of St Lawrence, and the feast of St Bartholomew, and the eve of St Giles. Roger committed a robery at Stanley abbey and there was a death of a certain monk there. There was a parson among Godberd's men in records pertaining to Godberd.
Was Robin Hood an earl?
The earliest ballads have Robin as just a yeoman or gentleman and an outlaw. RH was only later said to be an earl of Huntingdon by Munday in 1598. Most of the Robin Hood candidates were not nobles or aristocrats or lords or peers except for a few like Ferrars. RH candidate Robert Dore is called a "Lord" but this is said to be incorrect. Some claim that there are hints in early sources that Robin Hood was a cloth merchant, though this has doubts.
Who is greater King Arthur or Jesus?
I believe that Jesus is greater than Robin Hood. RH didn't heal many people, didn't perform miracles. RH didn't die for to save many people of the past and present and future world and history. Of course RH did somethings that Jesus didn't do, but he is not greater than Jesus.
Some of our references/sources include: Wyntoun 'Oryginale Chronicle'. Bower's revision of Fordun's Scotichronicon. Marginal note in the Polychronicon. Little Geste of RH. Wikipedia. J Hunter.