1836 - Crabtree, John - Concise History of Halifax (2)

By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2014-09-18.

Allusion

We have no evidence to shew what might be the state of the population in all the out-townships, at an early period of our history, [p. 311:] but some inference may be drawn even as far back as the olden time when "Robert, earl of Huntingdon," ranged the forest of Sowerbyshire.

     "Nea arcir vir as him sa geud
     An pipl kauld him Kobin Heud;
     Sic utlauz az he, an iz men,
     Vil Inglonde nivr si agen."

At least so says his epitaph. Tradition says, his remains lies under an ancient cross at Kirklees, where he died in 1274.

IRHB comments

John Crabtree's book is a somewhat condensed and modernized paraphrase of Watson, a sad example of plagiarism.

Lists

• Outside scope of 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.

Editions

• Crabtree, John. A Concise History of the Parish and Vicarage of Halifax, in the County of York (Halifax: London, 1836);see pp. 310-11.
• Watson, John. The History and Antiquities of the Parish of Halifax, in Yorkshire (London, 1775). The book Crabtree plagiarized.

Notes