Robin Hood
It was in the spring of the second year of his insurrection against the High Sheriff of Nottingham that Robin Hood took a
walk in Sherwood Forest. As he walked he pondered the progress of the campaign, the disposition of his forces, the
Sheriffs recent moves, and the options that confronted him.
The revolt against the Sheriff had begun as a personal crusade. It erupted out of Robin’s conflict with the Sheriff and his
administration. However, alone Robin Hood could do little. He therefore sought allies, men with grievances and a deep
sense of justice. Later he welcomed all that came, asking few questions and demanding only a willingness to serve.
Strength, he believed, lay in numbers.
He spent the first year forging the group into a disciplined band, united in enmity against the Sheriff, and willing to live
outside the law. The bank’s organization was simple. Robin ruled supreme, making all–important decisions. He delegated
specific tasks to his lieutenants. Will Scarlett was in charge of intelligence and scouting. His main job was to shadow the
Sheriff and his men, always alert to their next move. He also collected information on the travel plans of rich merchants
and tax collectors. Little John kept discipline among the men and saw to it that their archery was at the high peak that
their profession demanded. Scarlock took care of the finances, converting loot to cash, paying shares of the take, and
finding suitable hiding places for the surplus. Finally, Much, the Miller’s son had the difficult task of provisioning the
ever increasing band of Merrymen.
The increasing size of the band was a source of satisfaction for Robin, but also a source of concern. The fame of his
Merrymen was spreading, and new recruits poured in from every corner of England. As the band grew larger, their small
bivouac became a major encampment. Between raids the men milled about, talking and playing games. Vigilance was in
decline, and discipline was becoming harder to enforce. “Why,” Robin reflected, “I don’t know half the men I run into
these days.”
The growing band was also beginning to exceed the food capacity of the forest. Game was becoming scarce, and supplies
had to be obtained from outlying villages. The cost of buying food was beginning to drain the bank’s financial reserves at
the very moment when revenues were in decline. Travelers, especially those with the most to lose, were now giving the
forest a wide birth. This was costly and inconvenient to them, but it was preferable to having all their goods confiscated.
Robin believed that the time had come for the Merrymen to change their policy of outright confiscation of goods to one
of a fixed transit tax. His lieutenants strongly resisted this idea. They were proud of the Merrymen’s famous motto: “Rob
the rich to give to the poor.” “The farmers and the townspeople,” they argued, “are our most important allies.” “How can
we tax them, and still hope for their help in our fight against the Sheriff?”
future amnesty It was a dangerous proposition. Provincial banditry was one thing, court intrigue another. Prince John had
spies everywhere, and he was known for his vindictiveness. If the conspirators’ plan failed, the pursuit would be
relentless and retributions swift.
The sound of the supper horn startled Robin from his thoughts. There was the smell of roasting venison in the air.
Nothing was resolved or settled. Robin headed for camp promising himself that he would give these problems his utmost
attention after tomorrow’s raid.