Guy of Gisbourne
Sir Guy of Gisbourne (also spelled Gisburne, Gisborne, Gysborne, or Gisborn) is a character from the Robin Hood legends of English folklore. He first appears in "Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne" (Child Ballad 118),[1] where he is an assassin who attempts to kill Robin Hood but is killed by him. In later depictions, he has become a romantic rival to Robin Hood for Maid Marian's love.
Textual background[edit]
The Child ballad "Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne" dates from 1650 but its origins are much older than that,[2] judging from the similarities with the 1475 play, a fragment of which is preserved in the library of Trinity College, Cambridge.[3]