or -knave, or Roberts’-man, subs. phr. (old).—‘The third (old) Rank of the Canting Crew, mighty Thieves, like Robin-hood.’—B. E. (c. 1696); GROSE (1785).

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  1362.  LANGLAND, Piers Plowman, 3.

        In glotonye, God woot,
Go thei to bedde,
And risen with ribaudie,
Tho ROBERDES KNAVES.

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  1838.  TOMLINS, Law Dictionary, s.v. ROBBERSMEN, or ROBBERDSMEN were a sort of great thieves mentioned in the statutes [5 Edw. 3, &c.] … of whom Coke says, that Robin Hood lived in the reign of King Richard I., on the borders of England and Scotland by robbery, burning of houses, rapine and spoil, &c., and that these ROBBERDSMEN took name from him.

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