The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1883

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Preface-Prologue

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Epilogue

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

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Discussion Questions

Part 7Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 7, Chapter 1 Summary: “Robin and Three of His Merry Men Shoot Before Queen Eleanor in Finsbury Fields”

Queen Eleanor’s page, Richard Partington, comes to Sherwood Forest to tell Robin Hood that the queen wants Robin to take part in an archery match in Finsbury Fields, London. Robin gratefully accepts and decides to take with him Little John, Will Scarlet, and Allan a Dale. The queen receives the four men in her royal bower (sitting room). The men have a rich meal; they tell the Queen tales of their exploits; and Allan sings a song.

At the match, the queen makes a bet with the king that the four Merry Men (whose identity he does not know) can outshoot his own royal archers; if they do so, he must grant them a “free pardon” for 40 days. The Merry Men win the match and along with it prizes of a silver bugle, golden arrows, money, and deer. Robin keeps the bugle but gives the other prizes away to the other contestants. When the King learns of the Merry Men’s identity, he becomes angry, and the Bishop of Hereford persuades him to send his guard after them.

Part 7, Chapter 2 Summary: “The Chase of Robin Hood”

Partington catches up with Robin and his companions at an inn several miles outside of London and warns them that the King’s men are close behind. Robin and his men leave quickly and split ways: Robin to the west and the others to the east. The others reach Sherwood in eight days, narrowly missing the king’s men.

Meanwhile, Robin travels by back roads toward Sherwood. The king’s men divide into several groups and block all the highways leading to Sherwood; the Sheriff of Nottingham joins his men in the effort, anxious to “[pay] back his score in full to Robin Hood” (269). Robin narrowly ducks the arrows of the king’s men and slips away from their grasp, aided by his familiarity with the terrain. He runs several miles to safety.

Meeting a cobbler along the road, he exchanges clothes with him. Just then, the king’s men come riding past and arrest the cobbler, believing him to be Robin Hood. Robin, now dressed in the cobbler’s clothes, travels a bit farther and, exhausted, retires for the night in an inn.

That night, a storm breaks out, and a well-off friar from Emmet Priory takes refuge in the inn. Since there are few rooms, the friar stays in the same room as Robin. In the morning, the friar finds that Robin has absconded with his expensive habit and money purse. Leaving the inn wearing the cobbler’s outfit Robin left behind, the friar is arrested by the king’s men, who believe him to be Robin Hood.

Edging ever closer to Sherwood, Robin meets Sir Richard of the Lea on the road. Sir Richard informs him that the king’s men have him cornered at Sherwood and that his only chance is to go back to London and “throw thyself upon the mercy of our good Queen Eleanor” (278). Robin dons the disguise of one of Sir Richard’s retainers and returns with him to London.

Once back in London, Robin jumps over the wall of the queen’s garden and kneels at her feet, declaring that “I lay my life freely in your gracious hands” (278). The queen, with the help of Sir Robert Lee, persuades the king to grant Robin Hood protection. After three days, a royal page, Edward Cunningham, escorts Robin back to Sherwood Forest.

Part 7 Analysis

With Part 7, we reach the climactic portion of The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood. It is the book’s most active and dramatic part. Robin Hood’s fame has at last reached London and the royal palace. The queen herself invites Robin Hood to the shooting match, while not informing her husband, the king. Robin’s brilliant showing at the match brings him much honor—characteristically, he gives most of the prizes away to his fellow competitors—but arouses the ire of the king. An exciting chase through the English countryside ensues, filled with hijinks, disguises, and close encounters. We sense that the book is speeding to its conclusion.

In contrast to Robin’s irreverence toward those in power, here we see his deference to royalty and great respect for Queen Eleanor, with strong hints of chivalry: “I give myself to thee as thy true servant, and will do thy commanding, even if it be to the shedding of the last drop of my life’s blood” (247). This is because Eleanor is a kind and just ruler, as King Richard will also prove to be. That Robin has become a royal favorite—at least with the queen—shows that he has come up in the world and reached the apex of his fame and popularity. The shooting match at Finsbury Fields parallels the one in Nottingham in Part 1 Chapter 2; in a sense, the two tournaments bookend The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood and chart Robin’s progress from a local to a national hero.

Again, we see how the powerful people in the book are all in league with each other to destroy Robin Hood; it is the Bishop of Hereford (who has had a few unpleasant dealings with Robin) who persuades the king to send his men after him.