The Sheriff of Nottingham

When it comes to the villains of Robin Hood, one title is at the top of the list, the Sheriff of Nottingham. But in the time of Robin Hood, the town of Nottingham did not have a sheriff. The first sheriff of Nottingham was created in 1449, about 70 years after the first literary reference to Robin Hood. So, were there no historical sheriffs for a historical Robin Hood to fight? Not exactly.

Even though the town itself did not have a sheriff until the mid-15th century, the shire of Nottinghamshire had one for centuries before that. And the sheriff of the county would have been called the sheriff of Nottingham by some. During the period of Robin Hood, the sheriff would have been in charge of both Nottinghamshire and neighbouring Derbyshire. (Also, in 1189, Prince John granted that Nottingham - the town - would have a town "reeve" that would hold many sheriff-like responsibilities for the town itself. In 1449, and for centuries afterwards, the town was essentially considered a county in its own right, and the term "sheriff" was then officially applied to both the Nottingham town and Nottinghamshire officials.)

The sheriff was, for the period most commonly depicted in films and children's novels, an unpaid position. In fact, the sheriffs had to pay the king a yearly sum to keep their offices. This sum was called the "farm" of the county. The sheriffs usually made far more from their various duties administering the shires (like collecting taxes) than the crown asked for. In 1204, King John said the sheriffs weren't expected to keep any of the county's revenue. That didn't matter because the sheriffs didn't report all of their income, especially from such sources as being bribed to look the other way, arranging false arrests and so on.

In 1170, Henry II led an inquest to make the sheriffs a group of professional administrators. King John held an inquiry in 1213. But there are tales of corrupt sheriffs for centuries to come. Dobson and Taylor among other Robin Hood historians say that perhaps tales of many corrupt sheriffs combined to make the nameless adversary of Robin Hood.

However, historians have gone looking to see if they can find one sheriff in particular who was the basis for Robin Hood's chief enemy. Some sheriffs like Sir Robert Ingram, a choice of Dobson and Taylor, were in league with outlaws. This sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire was an ally of the Coterel gang, notorious 14th century outlaws. Other sheriffs, like John de Oxenford, were outlawed themselves. Oxenford was the sheriff from 1334 to 1339. In 1341, Oxenford was accused of "illegal purveyance, abusing his authority in regard to the county gaol and its prisoners, as well as various extortions." He didn't show up in court and was outlawed.

John Bellamy's own candidate for the infamous sheriff also had legal troubles. Henry de Faucemberg was the sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire from November 1318 to November 1319, and again between 1323-1325. At one point, Faucemberg was so in debt that he owed over 285 pounds to the king. There were also charges of extortion against this sheriff, a common complaint. Faucemberg was the sheriff around the time of the Robin Hood(s) of the 1320's, Bellamy's real Robin Hood of choice. In the early ballads, Robin Hood operated out of Yorkshire. Those looking for a real sheriff try to find a Yorkshire connection. Faucemberg was the sheriff of Yorkshire between 1325 -1327. Also, Bellamy suggests he may be the same as a "Henry Faucomberg" from Wakefield, the Yorkshire home of Bellamy's real Robin Hood.

But much like the search for a real Robin Hood, some historians who search for the sheriff behind the legend like to go further back in time to the 13th century.

James Holt proposed Philip Mark, sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire from 1209 to 1224. In the television series Robin of Sherwood, Philip Mark appeared in one episode, replaced the series' fictional sheriff, and was killed at the end. The real Mark was much more of a survivor. In 1213, King John had some sheriffs dismissed and arrested. Mark stayed. In the Charter (what would be called Magna Carta), there was a provision demanding the removal of aliens. Although Mark was not an English native, he kept his job. Much to the regret of many in Nottinghamshire.

Philip's conduct of his shrievalty included robbery, false arrest, unjust disseisin, and

persistent attacks on local landed interests, both secular and ecclesiastical... He was as zealous, thrustful, and dangerous under Henry III as he was under John. For 15 years on to 1224, when he finally lost his shrievalty, he envenomed the local politics of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

Among other things, Mark demanded 5 pounds a year from the local burgesses. He clashed with Maud (or Matilda) de Caux, a wealthy widow who controlled much of Sherwood. Maud herself became a Robin Hood villain in the novel Locksley.

In a small booklet on the sheriffs, Nottingham historian Jim Lees points out that much of the real work was not done by the sheriff but the under-sheriff (or deputy sheriff). The deputy sheriffs would often be called the sheriff. And Philip Mark's deputy, Eustace of Lowdham, has been getting attention from Holt, Dr. David Crook, and other Robin Hood historians. Eustace was the deputy for most of Philip Mark's time, and from 1217-24, Eustace performed most of the important functions of sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Hence he'd be known as the sheriff of Nottingham. He was be the full sheriff of Nottinghamshire between 1232-33.

But it's Eustace's job between those two Nottinghamshire postings that interests Robin Hood historians. Eustace was the sheriff and later deputy sheriff of Yorkshire in 1225-6. He would have been responsible for collecting the chattels of one Robert Hood, fugitive. He also led a hunt to capture, and later hanged, an outlaw known as Robert of Wetherby. Dr. David Crook suggests, as mentioned in the Robin Hood section, that Wetherby and Hood might be the same outlaw.

So, Eustace has a Yorkshire connection, and he was even well known in the Barnsdale area (Robin's legendary home in the early stories); he has ties to a real Robin Hood, and he was the sheriff of Nottinghamshire.

And yet it's important to remember that the sheriff of the early stories isn't called Eustace or Philip or Henry or John. He's referred to simply as the Sheriff of Nottingham. It's the sheriff's office, his position as corrupt local authority, that is important to the Robin Hood legend. So, it's unlikely that he is based after only one person.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-31