I t was in the spring of the second year of his insur- rection against the High Sheriff of Nottingham that Robin Hood took a walk in Sherwood For- est. As he walked he pondered the progress of the campaign, the disposition of his forces, the Sheriff’s recent moves, and the options that confronted him. The revolt against the Sheriff had begun as a per- sonal crusade. It erupted out of Robin’s conict with the Sheriff and his administration. However, alone Robin Hood could do little. He therefore sought al- lies, men with grievances and a deep sense of justice. Later he welcomed all who came, asking few ques- tions and demanding only a willingness to serve. Strength, he believed, lay in numbers. He spent the rst year forging the group into a disciplined band, united in enmity against the Sheriff and willing to live outside the law. The band’s organi- zation was simple. Robin ruled supreme, making all important decisions. He delegated specic tasks to his lieutenants. Will Scarlett was in charge of intel- ligence and scouting. His main job was to shadow the Sheriff and his men, always alert to their next move. He also collected information on the travel plans of rich merchants and tax collectors. Little John kept dis- cipline among the men and saw to it that their archery was at the high peak that their profession demanded. Scarlock took care of the nances, converting loot to cash, paying shares of the take, and nding suitable hiding places for the surplus. Finally, Much the Miller’s son had the difcult task of provisioning the ever-increasing band of Merrymen. The increasing size of the band was a source of satisfaction for Robin, but also a source of concern. The fame of his Merrymen was spreading, and new recruits were pouring in from every corner of England. As the band grew larger, their small bivouac became a major encampment. Between raids the men milled about, talking and playing games. Vigilance was in decline, and discipline was becoming harder to enforce. “Why,” Robin reected, “I don’t know half the men I run into these days.” The growing band was also beginning to exceed the food capacity of the forest. Game was becoming scarce, and supplies had to be obtained from outlying villages. The cost of buying food was beginning to drain the band’s nancial reserves at the very moment when revenues were in decline. Travelers, especially those with the most to lose, were now giving the for- est a wide berth. This was costly and inconvenient to them, but it was preferable to having all their goods conscated. Robin believed that the time had come for the Merrymen to change their policy of outright cons- cation of goods to one of a xed transit tax. His lieu- tenants strongly resisted this idea. They were proud of the Merrymen’s famous motto: “Rob the rich and give to the poor.” “The farmers and the townspeo- ple,” they argued, “are our most important allies. How can we tax them, and still hope for their help in our ght against the Sheriff?” Robin wondered how long the Merrymen could keep to the ways and methods of their early days. The Sheriff was growing stronger and becoming bet- ter organized. He now had the money and the men and was beginning to harass the band, probing for its weaknesses. The tide of events was beginning to turn against the Merrymen. Robin felt that the campaign must be decisively concluded before the Sheriff had a chance to deliver a mortal blow. “But how,” he won- dered, “could this be done?” Robin had often entertained the possibility of killing the Sheriff, but the chances for this seemed increasingly remote. Besides, killing the Sheriff might satisfy his personal thirst for revenge, but it would not improve the situation. Robin had hoped that the perpetual state of unrest, and the Sheriff’s failure to collect taxes, would lead to his removal from ofce. Instead, the Sheriff used his political connections to obtain reinforcement. He had powerful friends at court and was well regarded by the regent, Prince John. Prince John was vicious and volatile. He was consumed by his unpopularity among the people, who wanted the imprisoned King Richard back. He also lived in constant fear of the barons, who had rst given him the regency but were now beginning to dispute his claim to the throne. Several of these barons had set out to collect the ransom that would release King Richard the Lionheart from his jail in Austria. Robin was invited to join the conspiracy in return for future amnesty. It was a dangerous propo- sition. Provincial banditry was one thing, court in- trigue another. Prince John had spies everywhere, and he was known for his vindictiveness. If the con- spirators’ plan failed, the pursuit would be relentless, and retributions swift. The sound of the supper horn startled Robin from his thoughts. There was the smell of roasting venison in the air. Nothing was resolved or settled. Robin headed for camp promising himself that he would give these problems his utmost attention after tomorrow’s raid.
Posted on: Thu, 12 Sep 2013 17:08:31 +0000
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