2-"' S. VI. 144, Oct. 2. '58.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 



261 



LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2. 1868. 



EOBIN hood's well. 



The following extract from a manuscript in the 

 Lansdowne Collection in the British Museum, of 

 a tour made through a great part of England in 

 the year 1634, is another proof of the many I 

 have selected in my edition of the Robin Hood 

 Ballads of the popularity of the celebrated Eng- 

 lish yeoman, the hero of Sherwood Forest. The 

 whole of the tour is very amusing, full of anti- 

 quarian anecdotes, customs, and manners. The 

 travellers, whoever they might have been, were 

 not only good topographers, but sociable and en- 

 joyable companions ; their peregrinations, which 

 extended through twenty-six counties, remind the 

 reader very much of Brathwayte's Journal of 

 Drunken Barnaby, if it were rendered into his 

 doggrel rhyme : — 



" Went through Sherwood Forest, and passing by 

 Worksop, Welbeck, Retford, Southwell (where there is a 

 fayre minster), Scroby Park, and Nottingham to Dou- 

 raster. Took up our "lodging at the 3 Cranes, where we 

 found a grave and gentile Hoste, no lesse you can ima- 

 gine him to be, having so lately entertaj-ned and lodg'd 

 his Majestic in his said progresse, for in that way his 

 Majestie's Gests lay ; and it fell out so fortunate for us 

 to march some 100 "miles from Newark to Newcastle." 



" The next morning we mounted, and passed over the 

 river that comes from Sheffield, for to dine at Ponifret. 

 In the mid-way, to season our that niorning's-purchas'd 

 travelling plate, being thirsty, we tasted a Cup at Piobin 

 Hood's Well ; and there, according to the usuall and an- 

 cient custome of travellers, were in his rocky chaire of 

 ceremony dignify'd ivith the order of knighthood, and 

 sworne to obey his lawes. After our oath, we had no 

 time to stay to heare our charge, butt discharg'd our due 

 Fcaltie Fee, 4d. a peece, to the Lady of the Mountaine, 

 on we spur'd w"" our new dignitie to Pomfret." 



The travellers seem to have been remarkably 

 well received and welcomed wherever they so- 

 journed, whether as friends or strangers. Their 

 remarks upon cathedrals and monuments, castles, 

 and prisons are interesting and quaint. Another 

 extract or two may amuse : — 



" At Newark wee found a joviale Hoste, as merrj' as 

 20 good fellows, his name, agreeing with his mirth, was 

 Twentyman ; he was a proper ffellow, like a Beefe-eating 

 Guard-Boy, and a very good intelligencer." 



" We cntred the fayre Church, which is richly adorned 

 with monuments, and seats of Noblemen, Knights, and 

 others. The stately upright spir'd steeple is joyn'd to his 

 bcautifull spouse the Church, and standeth by her, as a 

 proper Bridegroom doth by his newly trim'd bride." 



Their description of the metropolitan city of 

 York and its cathedral is highly graphic ; as also 

 18 that of the chapter-house, shown to them by 

 the verger : 



" The magnificent, rich and statcl}', and lofty winding 

 entrance whereof did exactly promise and curiously fore- 

 tell U8 the worth within, which 1 am not able to express, 



only I remembered to commemorate. At the entrance 

 into her, over the doore, is curiously cut and framed our 

 Saviour's picture in his mother's arms ; S' Peter and S' 

 Paul on either side; the seaven lofty, stately, rich win- 

 dowes, curiously painted with the story of the Booke of 

 Bookes; as also that strange miraculous roofe, framed 

 with Geometrycall Art, which is most beautifull and 

 rare to all that behold it, and accounted by all travellers 

 one of the neatest, uniform, and most excellent small 

 peeces in Christendom ; so that one traveller did so ad- 

 mire, commend, and approve it, that he caused this Latin 

 verse in golden old Saxon letters to be inserted on the 

 wall at the entrance thereof: — 



« ' Ut Rosa Flos Florum, 



Sic est Domus ista Domorum.' " 



After viewing that famous abbey, called St. 

 Marie's, and after a set at tennis there, and a cup 

 of refreshment, 



" They found it time to depart from this old Cittj-, though 

 they would willingly have stay'd longer to have heard a 

 fanious scholler try'd for Blasphemy in the High Com- 

 mission Court ; but we had spun out our longest period 

 of time, and so, with ' many God thank hers,* we bad our 

 good cheap llostesse adieu." 



At Hexham the travellers visited Naworth 

 Castle and park, belonging to Lord William Ho- 

 ward. But being prevented by his absence from 

 paying their respects to him as they had intended, 

 they met with 



" lucky entertainment in a little poore cottage, in his 

 Liberties, driven in thither with verj' ill weather; to wit, 

 with a Cup of napi)y ale, and a peace of a red deer pye, 

 more than we thought fit," sav thev, " to acquaint his Lp. 

 with." 



The cathedral at Hexham they thought not so 

 " fayre and stately " as they had seen — 



" and remembered no more monuments of note, But that 

 of Bishop Oglethorp, that crown'd our late vertuous 

 Queen Elizabeth ; and that of Snowden the Bishop, that 

 preach'd Robin Hood to our late renowned King." 



While the travellers, however, — 



" were thus rounding, facing, counter-marching, and 

 wheeling, in this strong garrison towne, we heard of a 

 messenger from that truly noble Lord, we the last day 

 miss'd at Na\?orth, w"" a curteous invitation to dinner at 

 Corby Castle the next day, w"!" we accompted, as it was 

 indeed, a mighty favour from soe noble a person, and sent 

 back his Lp.'s servant, w"' the tender of our services, till 

 the next day that we were to present them ourselves." 



" The next day wee went thither, and were by that 

 generous brave Lord courteously and nobly entertayn'd ; 

 and sorry he sayd he was, that hee was not at Naworth, 

 to give us there the like. His Lp.'s coniaunds made us 

 to tr.-insgresse good manners, for neither would he suffer 

 us to speake uncovcr'd, nor to stand up, although our 

 duty requir'd another posture; but plac'd us b}- his Lp. 

 himselfe to discourse with him untill dinner time." 



" Anon appeared a grave and vertuous Matron, his 

 Hon'"''^ Lady, who told us indeed we were heartily wel- 

 come; and whilst our Ancient .ind myself address'd our- 

 selves to satisfy his Lp. in such occurrenls of Norfolke* 

 as he pleas'd to aske, and desired to knowe, wee left our 

 modest Captaine to relate to his noble Lady what she 



• By the conclusion of the Tour it seems that the 

 travellers were residents in this county. 



