Alan Wheatley

            On Monday morning I memorized the first twelve lines of “Flash Forward" by Serge Gainsbourg.

            I worked on my journal for most of the day.

            I had sardines and yogourt with honey for lunch.

            I didn’t do my exercises or take a bike ride in the afternoon because I wanted to get caught up on my journal.

            I had my last chicken leg, a potato and a carrot with gravy for dinner while watching the first two episodes of the second season of The Adventures of Robin Hood.

            In the first story, Wat, one of Robin's men is distracted from his duties because he is in love Winifred. He confesses to Robin that he only made up the story that he was wanted by Prince John. He only wanted to be an outlaw because he ran away from his master over the fact that Sir Godfrey, the lord of the manor married Winifred off to an evil old man. Now that the old man has died he has hopes of winning her back. Meanwhile the Bailiff Baldwin, who is also in love with Winifred comes with a hariant to claim the legal title of the taxes she owes over the burial of her husband.  According to custom with the death of the serf the lord may claim the best beast and chattel and products thereof.  Baldwin hopes that Winifred’s plight will become so desperate that she will have no choice but to marry him. He calls her a buxom head of cabbage. She throwing cabbages at him as he leaves. Then Friar Tuck arrives to appeal to Winifred on behalf of Watt. She angrily demands to know why he doesn’t come himself. Tuck says Watt is shy. She says she knows that very well since she had to marry an old man while waiting for Wat to propose. Wat goes to see Winifred but she has gone to appeal to Godfrey. He is met instead by Baldwin who tells Watt that he is going to marry Winifred. Watt attacks Baldwin and is arrested. Godfrey tells Winifred if she can’t pay the rent in one week she will have to marry Baldwin. Winifred assures him the rent will be paid. She begins to work with determination. Meanwhile Watt is punished by being placed in stocks for a week. When Winifred comes by with a cart of her freshly ground flour she throws some in Wat’s face. Baldwin comes and tells her that he is entitled to take her grindstone, her cart and her flour. She says for him to take it but she will still work night and day to raise the rest. Baldwin tells her that it’s time for her labour of love of working in the lord's fields and so she won't have much time for her own harvest. Friar Tuck finds Baldwin picking mushrooms and warns them that the brownies will be angry that he is taking away their homes and they might shave him as punishment. Robin puts a sleeping potion in a bottle of wine and Wat takes it to Winifred. Baldwin is already there worried about the brownies shaving his moustache. Winifred says they will celebrate because in the morning she’ll marry the bailiff. They all fall asleep and Robin, his men, Marian and Tuck all set to work bringing in Winifred's harvest. Little John shaves Baldwin’s head and half his moustache and Marian puts a mushroom in his hands. Winifred wakes to find that her rent has been made and Baldwin thinks the brownies have taken his hair. Finally Winifred says she’s waited long enough and demands that Wat propose.

            In the second story Tuck is summoned by the abbot of a monastery where the scientist Albertus of Oxford is a guest. Like many men of science his books are controversial under the rule of Prince John but the authorities are particularly interested in capturing Albertus. The abbot asks Tuck to use his connections to provide passage through Sherwood Forest for Albertus. The captain of Prince John’s guard arrives with his men looking for Albertus. Tuck goes to the library to help Albertus escape. They go out the window and the captain sees them running. They go into a cottage where wine is kept. Somehow Tuck knocks out a soldier by smashing a bottle of wine over his helmet. They escape the abbey over the wall. It is cloudy and so Tuck can’t navigate back to Robin’s camp without the sun or the stars. But Albertus has an early compass and they find their way although scientists at this time do not know why it works. They think it might be attracted to the north star. Albertus wants Robin to help him get to the house of Sir Roger of Danby where he can hide and work in peace. Albertus explains that Prince John wants him to develop a weapon with a giant lens that can be used to focus sunlight and destroy King Richard’s ships with a ray of heat. He demonstrates with a small magnifying glass how it could be done by setting fire to some leaves. Robin and Albertus travel alone but when they get there Robin sees the Sheriff of Nottingham through the window. Roger greets Albertus and Robin pretends to leave. Roger betrays Albertus as the sheriff has threatened his peace if he does not turn Albertus in. The sheriff says that Albertus has only to recreate his notes on the design of the weapon. The sheriff threatens Albertus with torture in Nottingham if he does not cooperate. They are to spend the night at Roger’s castle and then leave at dawn. Robin goes back to Sherwood to get five of his men. The six of them come back disguised as soldiers. They intercept the sheriff and his men as they escort Albertus and rescue him. In the arrow fight Albertus is shot in the back. They send the sheriff and his men running but Albertus is dying. Back at the camp he asks for his notes and then uses a lens to burn them, saying the weapon would be too frightful to use on anyone. Then Albertus dies. 

            The Sheriff of Nottingham is played by Alan Wheatley, who in 1951 played Sherlock Holmes in the first TV series devoted to the character. He was also the first character to be exterminated by a Dalek in Doctor Who.