The following court records appear some nine years after the
Battle of Boroughbridge [1322]. The Yorkshire historian, Joseph Hunter supposed that after this battle, Robert Hood of Wakefield had been branded a "contrariant". Hunter then supposed that Robert had taken to banditry in Barnsdale Forest and later as the ballad, "A Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode"suggests, been pardoned by "The King".
This king, Hunter suggested from state records was Edward II. However this could well have been Edward III who seized power from Queen Isabella and Mortimer at Nottingham Castle in October 1330, although he had been king de jure since 1327.
The following records refer to that Robert Hood of Newton near Wakefield.
If these court records refer to the same person as Hunter refers to, then this is "Robyn Hode" in his retirement years, prior to his death, which Hunter calculated to have occurred in 1347 at Kirklees Priory at the age of 77.
1. 18th October 1331 at Thornes [Exactly one year after the Nottingham coup]:-
Robert Hood of Newton in a plea of unjustly taking and
detaining a horse: to attach4 Robert Hood of Newton to answer
John le Couper and to Thomas de Chatburn in pleas of tresspass.
2. 25th October 1331 Tourn at Wakefield Friday before the Feast of SS Simon & Jude, 5 Edward III :- Robert Hode and many others did not come to the tourn Robert fined 2d5.
3. 8th November 1331 at Wakefield:-
Robert Hood for dry wood. [Appears with William
Theaker's daughter, John de Langley's handmaid, Beatrice Bul and Henry
de Tropinel 2d each]
4. 8th November 1331 at Stanley:-
Order is given to attach Simon servant of Thomas de
Roller to answer Geoffrey de Birkinshagh and Alice his wife in a plea
of tresspass; to distrain6 John le Couper and Thomas de
Chatburn to answer Robert Hood of Newton in a plea of unjustly taking
and detaining a horse; and Robert Hood to answer John le Couper in a
plea of tresspass; and to attach Robert Hood to answer Thomas de Chatburne
in a plea of tresspass
5. 29th November 1331 at Alverthorpe:-
An inquisition7 is to come to the next court
between John Couper plaintiff and Robert Hood to determine if the aforesaid
Robert trampled and depastured with cattle John's corn and rye in the
field of Newton or not.
6.15th December 1331 at Alverthorpe:-
Robert Hood of Newton plaintiff and John Couper
compromise in a plea of unjust taking and detention of a horse, Robert
is amerced8 3d.
Serjeant:- Thomas de Chatteburn defendant essoins9
for the second time by Robert de Mora10 against Robert Hoode
of Newton in a plea of taking and detaining a horse; pledge,
William de Lockwode11:
and because Robert offers himself, therefore etc.
John Couper plaintiff and Robert Hood of Newton compromise
by licence of the court in a plea of tresspass; Robert is amerced 3d.
7. 10th January 1332 at Alverthorpe:-
Robert Hood of Newton plaintiff offers himself against
Thomas de Schatteburn in a plea of tresspass; because he does not state
his case in the words of the court he is to take nothing by his suit
and is amerced 3d for false claim.
8. 8th January 1333 at Stanley:-
An inquisition finds that Robert Hode (6d) and
John Tyting (3d) executors of the testament of Matilda Tyting impleaded
Thomas Hydebyer in court Christian therefore amerced 9d.
9. 4th June 1333 at Stanley:-
Bailiff :- William Broun defendant (in mercy, distrained)
[essoins] for the first time by John Gairgrave against Robert de Mora
(who offers himself) in a plea of tresspass; pledge, William de Lockwode.
William Orfevre plaintiff offers himself against Richard
de Colley (in mercy distrained) in a plea of debt. And because Richard
does not come he is amerced 2d, and order is given to distrain . Walter
Gunne sues William de Ouchethorpe in a plea respecting an agreement.
And because William summoned, does not come , he is amerced 2d. And order
is given that he be distrained. William Templer sues Robert Hode in a plea
of tresspass. He says that Robert's cattle trampled his corn to his
damage 40d. Robert says he is not guilty; therefore inquisition.
Note: There is also a Peter Hode mentioned in the court of Ossett
on 13th November 1332 for drawing the blood of William Capon and Thomas
Fogald, with the help of William Wighe 12d each.
Footnote:
However seductive the surname Hood and its variants may be within the
manor of Wakefield, none of these persons models as the character who is
represented as' Robyn Hode' in the Geste or imitative ballads. This
is again another doubly refracted diversion of which there are many.
See: Robin
of Wakefield
The Elland Feud
The Nottingham Coup
Notes:
1. Also spelled Hode or Hoode in W.C.R.
2. 'Nottingham' could be a balladic corruption of 'Newton'.
3. During the time of John 8th Earl de Warrene's tenure as lord of the Wakefield Manor.
4. Attach :- To arrest or as usual in W.C.R, to secure means of sureties for future attendance in court
5. 2d was two pence or "tuppence".
6. Distrain :- To seize a person's goods and sometimes their lands to compel them to pay their due rent or perform services or to appear in court.
7. Inquisition :- An enquiry or investigation.
8. Amerced :- penalised financially. Sometimes an offence could be forgiven.
9. Essoigns :- An excuse for non-appearance in court at the appointed time.
10. Described elsewhere as an attorney.
11. The Lockwoods had been supporters of Thomas of Lancaster in 1322. This correlates with Joseph Hunter's concept that Robert Hood was a follower of Thomas and later branded a "contrariant" and later pardoned.
Sources:
The Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield Court Rolls October 1331to September 1333, Ed. Walker, S. S., Y.A.S. 1983.
Watson, John., Memoirs of the Ancient Earls of Warren and Surrey, 1782.
© Copyright Tim Midgley 2001, revised 1st March 2009.