1634 - Anonymous - Short Survey of 26 Counties

By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2013-07-08. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2018-07-12.

Allusion

The next morning [at Doncaster ...] we mounted and passed over the River that comes from Sheffeild, for to dine at Pomfret. In the mid-way (to season our that morning's-purchas'd travelling Plate) being thirsty, we tasted a Cup at Robin Hood's Well, and there according to the usuall and ancient Custome of Travellers were in his rocky chaire of ceremony, dignify'd with the Order of Knighthood, and sworne to observe his Lawes. After our Oath we had no time to stay to heare our charge, butt discharg'd our due Fealtie Fee, 4d. a peece, to the Lady of the ffountaine, on we spur'd w^th our new dignitie to Pomfret.

Source notes

Brealey briefly discussed his MS source on p. 46.

Lists

• Not included in Dobson, R. B., ed.; Taylor, J., ed. Rymes of Robyn Hood: an Introduction to the English Outlaw (London, 1976), pp. 315-19.
• Outside scope of Sussex, Lucy, compil. 'References to Robin Hood up to 1600', in: Knight, Stephen. Robin Hood: A Complete Study of the English Outlaw (Oxford, UK; Cambridge, Massachusetts: Blackwell, 1994), pp. 262-88.

Sources

• Anonymous. A relation of a short survey of 26 counties briefly describing the citties and their scytuations (BL Lansdowne MS 213:26; fols. 319-50.) ([?1634]); not seen, but cf. Brayley (see below), p. 46.
• Brayley, Edw. W., ed. The Graphic and Historical Illustrator: An Original Miscellany of Literary, Antiquarian, and Topographical Information (London, 1834), p. 93.
• Smith, William, ed.; Falding, F. G., introd. Old Yorkshire. [Vol. V] (London, 1884), pp. 251-56; allusion p. 251; refers to the MS, but appears to be edited from Brayley.

Citations

• Hunter, Joseph. The Great Hero of the Ancient Minstrelsy of England, "Robin Hood." His Period, Real Character, etc. investigated and perhaps ascertained (Critical and Historical Tracts, No. 4) (London, 1852), p. 61 & n.

Brief mention

• Dobson, R. B., ed.; Taylor, J., ed. Rymes of Robyn Hood: an Introduction to the English Outlaw (London, 1976), p. 18 n. 1.

Notes