THEORIES OF RELATEEVEETY - THE RUMPOLE LINE

In keeping with the month's theme about Robin Hood as played by Richard Greene.....

'THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD'

"THE COMING OF ROBIN HOOD"

The three Rumpole siblings - Horace (who was a fixture at the Old Bailey) and his twin brother (who would one day be known as "Number Two") and their younger sister (whose married name was Mrs. Warbus) - were descended from a Norman nobleman named Sir Roger deLisle and Lady deLisle.

Sir Roger had taken ownership of the Locksley estates by command of Prince John when rumor had returned to England that Robin Locksley perished in the Crusades.  But when Locksley returned very much alive,his identity was denied by the Sheriff of Nottingham and Sir Roger's claim was upheld.

In order to ensure the claim would stand fast, Sir Roger laid a trap for Robin Locksley, but instead he fell victim to it.  Blamed for the nobleman's death, Robin sought refuge in Sherwood Forest where he fell in with the gang of Will Scatlock's outlaws who called him Robin of the Hood. 

Eventually Robin the Hooded Man assumed leadership of these "Merry Men" and so began the legend of Robin Hood.

If Sir Roger and Lady deLisle had any children, they were not seen during the episode.  But that doesn't mean they didn't exist.  As the deLisles were middle-aged, their children would have been adults and away from the castle attending to their own affairs.  One of their sons may even have joined King Richard on the Crusade.

But most of the children would have returned for their father's funeral and to continue holding the castle against Robin Locksley's claims - at least until King Richard could return and set things a-right.

It would be from one of these unseen deLisle offspring that the Rumpole lineage would begin.....

SHOWS CITED:

• 'The Adventures Of Robin Hood'
• 'Rumpole Of The Bailey'
• 'The Prisoner'
• 'Inspector Morse'

BCnU!