one of the
parishe commes to me, and sayes, 'Syr, thys ys a busye day with us, we
cannot heare you; it is Robyn Hoode's day; the parishe is gone abroad
to gather for Robyn Hoode.' I pray you let them not, I was fayne there
to geve place to Robyn Hoode. I thought my rochet should have been
regarded thoughe I were not; but it woulde not serve, it was fayne
to give place to Robyn Hoode's men. It is no laughyng matter, my
friendes, it is a wepynge matter, a heavy matter under a pretence
for gatherynge for Robyn Hoode, a traytoure and a thefe, to put out
a preacher, to have his office lesse esteemed, to prefer Robyn Hoode
before the mynystration of God's word, and all thys hath come of
unpreachynge prelates. Thys realme hath been il provided, for that
it hath had suche corrupte judgementes in it, to prefer Robyn Hode
to Godde's worde. Yf the bysshoppes had bene preachers, there sholde
never have bene any such thynge," &c.

Robin Hood was believed to possess supernatural powers. In the parish
of Halifax is an immense stone or rock, supposed to be a Druidical
monument, there called Robin Hood's penny-stone, which he is said
to have used to pitch with at a mark, for his amusement. There was
likewise another of these stones of several tons weight, which the
country people would say he threw off an adjoining hill with a spade,
as he was digging. At Bitchover, where it was said he lived, among
several groups of rocks, were some stones called Robin Hood's Stride,
being two of the highest and most remarkable. He obtained also the
distinction of sainthood, in having a festival allotted to him, and
solemn games instituted in honour of his memory; a short account of
which will be found in _The Mirror_, No. 544, p. 259. These games were
celebrated till the latter end of the sixteenth century, not by the
populace only, but by kings and princes, and grave magistrates, in
Scotland and in England; being considered in the former country of the
highest political importance, and essential to the civil and religious
liberties of the people; the efforts of government to suppress them
frequently producing tumult and insurrection.

In Ray's Itineraries, 1760, we are told that Robin Hood's bow, one
of his arrows, his chair, his cap, and one of his slippers, were
preserved till within the above century. In Brome's Travels, is the
following notice of his relics: "having pleased ourselves with the
antiquities of Nottingham, we took horse and went t