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Robin Hood : London coffee houses and taverns
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THE ROBIN HOOD.
Mr. Akerman describes a Token of the Robin Hood Tavern : — " iohn thomlinson at
the. An archer fitting an arrow to his bow ; a small figure behind, holding an
arrow. — ft. in chiswell street, 1667. In the centre, his halfe penny, and i. s.
t. Mr. Akerman continues :
" It is easy to perceive what is intended by the representation on the obverse
of this token. Though ' Little John/ we are told, stood upwards of six good
English feet without his shoes, he is here depicted to suit the popular humour —
a dwarf in size, compared with his friend and leader, the bold outlaw. The
proximity of Chiswell-street to Finsbury-fields may have led to the adoption of
the sign, which was doubtless at a time when archery was considered an elegant
as well as an indispensable accomplishment of an English gentleman. It is far
from obsolete now, as several low public-houses and beer-shops in the vicinity
of London testify. One of them exhibits Robin Hood and his companion dressed in
the most approved style of ' Astley's/ and underneath the group is the following
irresistible invitation to slake your thirst : —
" Ye archers bold and yeomen good,
Stop and drink with Robin Hood :
If Robin Hood is not at home,
Stop and drink with little John."
" Our London readers could doubtless supply the variorum copies of this elegant
distich, which, as this is an age for i Family Shakspeares/ modernized Chaucers,
and new versions of ' Robin Hood's Garland' we recommend to the notice of the
next editor of the ballads in
praise of the Sherwood freebooter."
References :
Lots of references are made to two sources on the
internet archive
:
Edward Callows, Old London Taverns &
John Timbs, Club life of London Volume 2
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