A ‘Gladnes’ of Robin Hood's Men: Henry VIII Entertains Queen Katherine

On the morning of Friday, 18 January 1510, Henry VIII, with 11 of his courtiers burst into the Queen’s Chamber in Westminster Palace, where the Queen and her ‘Ladies’ were gathered, to present a ‘gladnes’ of Robin Hood’s men. The event is recorded in Hall’s Chronicle and in Richard Gibson’s Revels accounts. It has often been referred to as evidence of the newly married and crowned king’s love of ‘pastimes’, both public and private. Unfortunately, the details are frequently misrepresented or misunderstood. This article not only examines the contemporary descriptions of the occasion but explores the personnel involved, the precise locations, the likely type of activity, and the courtly and marriage precepts articulated through costume and action. As an epilogue, the article considers the probable exposure of the prince and king to the Robin Hood myth in literature, plays and games, and the naming of dogs.