Page:Life and adventures of Robin Hood.pdf/3



hero was born in Nottinghamshire, where the family had a large mansion. His father, the Earl of Huntingdon, was head ranger of the north of England; his mother was of a noble family, being the daughter of Richard, Earl of Warwick, and was related to a great many respectable families; among which was the uncle of our hero, Squire Gamewell, of Gamewell Hall, in Yorkshire, and considered a very noted sportsman.

When our hero had attained his fourteenth year, he was sent by his mother on a visit to Gamewell Hall. His uncle, who had no children, wishing to do honour to his nephew, invited the neighbouring sportsmen to his house; and they were not a little surprised to find that this youth could draw the long bow, and engaged in the boar and stag hunts with the greatest intrepidity. Old Gamewell, proud of his nephew, found no difficulty in persuading him to fix his residence with him, with an assurance at his death to succeed to his estates. These preliminaries settled, our hero next made choice of a companion in the person of Little John, a servant of his uncle's, and one who was considered the best sportsman in the whole country.

These two companions seldom quitted each other; the sports of the field formed their only amusement; and for many years they lived a life devoid of care, anxiety, or sorrow.

Robin had gone to pay his father a visit, when the Squire being suddenly taken ill, a messenger was despatched to hasten him home; but the dangerous state of his mother's health prevented him from leaving her till a late hour on the following day. In the meantime, the Squire finding himself dying, sent for a monk, in order that he might make his peace with Heaven, and who prevailed on the dying man to sign a deed, conveying all he had to the church, as the only means of saving his soul. When Robin arrived at the Hall, his uncle was dead, and the monks, who had taken possession of the house, shut the doors against him, and would give him nothing, which was a sad reverse to poor Robin, for he had