S3 Episode Guide - The Cross of St Ciricus (Episode 5)
Aug 21, 2022 19:40:59 GMT
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Post by muchtosay on Aug 21, 2022 19:40:59 GMT
Robin of Sherwood: Series 3, Episode 5
The Cross of St. Ciricus
Original Transmission Date: 3 May 1986
Written by Richard Carpenter
The episode opens with the outlaws attacking some of the Sheriff's soldiers (on horseback and with shields) carrying money bags through Sherwood Forest. Scarlet and Much become separated from the others and come across a hot meal that has been prepared by some, as yet unknown, travellers; they help themselves using two of their bowls. However, to their horror the travellers turn out to be lepers. Scarlet shouts "lepers" and they both flee.
For some reason, Scarlet and Much think diving into water may prevent them from catching leprosy.
We then have another conversation between Robin and Marion. Marion confesses that she loves Robin but is still prevented by the memories of the past to fully commit herself.
Scarlet is clearly terrified that he has caught leprosy: Much less so. Robin tells them they may not even have caught the disease and that they should come with the others to Croxden Abbey. We then see the three lepers on their way to Croxden Abbey, and what seems to be another band of outlaws lying in wait for pilgrims to the abbey. There is clearly some kind of important Christian event or religious revival about to happen at the abbey which is attracting these pilgrims. It's also clear from the preaching that this abbey supports Robin Hood and the outlaws, and is opposed to the Sheriff of Nottingham.
We then see the object which is the focus of all this Christian devotion: the eponymous Cross of St. Ciricus which the people clearly think may heal or bless them if they touch it. The monks of the abbey process the cross through the people and past the cages that hold the lepers. It seems the monks are reserving the cross for the lepers rather than the rest of the people there whom they try to prevent from touching the cross: not too successfully.
This expression of medieval Christianity is then contrasted with the next scene of the outlaws' expression of devotion to Herne. Robin says, "Herne protect us", and passes the communal cup to the other outlaws to partake in. Much and Scarlet sit apart and don't take part in this communal cup of devotion.
On the way to Croxden Abbey, Friar Tuck explains that St. Ciricus was a former abbot who opposed the Norman invasion of William the Conqueror, and was murdered by Norman soldiers outside his own abbey. This explains why the abbey is opposed to the Sheriff and supports Robin Hood and the outlaws. It is also the reason for the belief in the healing powers of the Cross of St. Ciricus.
Robin hears a woman screaming and he, Little John and Nasir go to investigate. They find a caravan being attacked by bad outlaws (we know they are bad because they are bare chested). A wealthy woman (who turns out to be Margaret of Gisburne, Guy's mother) is being taken to Croxden Abbey - apparently also suffering from leprosy or some other unspecified disease. In the attack and fight her maid is carried off and sadly killed. The bad outlaws quickly decide to flee with some being wounded or killed by arrows. Their leader fights Robin briefly before fleeing as well.
We see Marion emerging from Margaret's carriage after (we reasonably assume) comforting her after the ordeal of the attack by the bad outlaws. Marion reports that Margaret has asked for Friar Tuck. After Tuck enters her carriage, Margaret tells him who she is and that she wants confession. Tuck tells her he is an outlaw and may well be excommunicated from the church. However, Margaret continues and tells Tuck she was forced by her father into a marriage of political expedience with Edmund of Gisburne, and that her true love was the Earl of Huntingdon who is Guy's real father. This makes Sir Guy of Gisburne and Robin Hood (Robert of Huntingdon) half-brothers! It's hard to imagine Friar Tuck's eyes getting any wider when he hears this astounding revelation. Edmund was a violent husband and father. He maltreated Guy and eventually told him he was not his father. Guy rejected his mother after this. A sad tale.
Margaret's wagon is driven into the abbey's grounds by Marion accompanied by Robin, Little John, Friar Tuck and Nasir. Will Scarlet and Much prefer to stay outside the abbey grounds since Scarlet "doesn't like monks". They are greeted by the abbot who names Margaret of Gisburne in the presence of the outlaws, and later tells her that Robin Hood is the son of the Earl of Huntingdon. Though the abbot appears severe, he is kindly disposed to the outlaws and gentle with Margaret who is clearly unwell. Robin Hood gives him the silver coins they stole from the sheriff at the beginning of the episode to be given back to the poor.
Margaret is shocked to hear that Robin Hood is the Earl of Huntingdon's son. The abbot urges her to rest, but Margaret insists on being allowed to pray before the Cross of St Ciricus.
The three mysterious "lepers" enter the abbey and are led by one of the monks via a side entrance to the part of the abbey reserved for lepers. However, once in the cage (which is not locked) the tallest one removes his hood to reveal himself as Sir Guy of Gisburne. The two others are apparently the Sheriff's soldiers, and they are on a mission to steal the Cross of St. Ciricus in order to undermine the power of this dissident abbey. They quickly find the chapel where Margaret is still praying. Margaret confronts her son and tries to prevent the robbery, but she is roughly pushed aside by Guy and the two soldiers, one of whom tells Guy they should have killed her since she will tell the abbot.
Gisburne and the two soldiers leave the abbey before Margaret recovers and is able to raise the alarm. We next see Scarlet and Much outside the abbey. Scarlet is convinced he has caught leprosy despite Much saying he only feels hot because of the sun. Inside the abbey grounds, Robin Hood and the other outlaws are helping pilgrims, who are ill, into the abbey, not knowing that the cross has been stolen. The abbot sees Margaret's prone form on the floor, and he and Robin run to her aid. Margaret tells them that Guy has stolen the cross. Robin vows to recover it, but before he leaves Margaret tells him that he and Guy are half-brothers.
Gisburne and the two soldiers split up with Gisburne keeping the cross. It soon becomes misty. Robin finds Scarlet and Much and tells them they are cured by the "miracle" that the "lepers" were really Gisburne and two soldiers in disguise. An angered Scarlet threatens to kill Gisburne with his bare hands, but Robin says that he will deal with Gisburne. Not knowing the truth of Robin's relationship with Gisburne, Scarlet says they are the same breed. Eventually Robin agrees to let Scarlet and the other outlaws try to kill Gisburne. The other outlaws are there now, and Friar Tuck briefly remonstrates with Robin about this. Robin thinks that Scarlet will look for Gisburne in the wrong place, and that Gisburne will prefer to travel by river rather than risk the forest.
Nasir, Scarlet, Much and Little John follow a trail through the forest which Nasir reads as "two men". They soon find the two soldiers: Nasir kills one while Scarlet "interrogates" the other by bashing his head against a tree.
Meanwhile, Gisburne heads down to the river with Robin, Marion and Tuck in hot pursuit. Gisburne manages to steal a raft by pretending to be a leper. However, Robin swings onto the raft using a convenient rope. After a brief sword fight on the raft, Gisburne throws the cross to Robin and dives into the river to escape. In an eerie parallel with the earlier invocation of Herne's protection, Robin holds the Cross of St. Ciricus above his head to show it to the other outlaws.
However, Scarlet is so fighting mad he pursues Gisburne over a waterfall and up a cliff face. Blinded by rage, he is captured, tied up and blindfolded by Gisburne who threatens to push Scarlet over the cliff edge to his death unless Robin ("Wolfshead") brings him the relic. Marion tells Robin not to trust Gisburne, but seeing that he is determined to go, tells him to be careful. Marion's facial expressions and eye movements are so good at this moment of high drama.
Robin climbs the cliff with the cross and once at the top throws it to the Gisburne and they engage in a longer sword fight. During the fight Robin hears the words of Margaret telling him that he and Gisburne are half-brothers. In the end Robin head butts Gisburne and knocks him out. During the fight Scarlet had wandered dangerously close to the cliff edge. Scarlet urges Robin to kill Gisburne, but Robin says he doesn't want to kill anyone. Robin removes Scarlet's blindfold but doesn't untie him until they are well down the cliff: to prevent Scarlet going back to kill Gisburne. Scarlet is amazed that Robin would have given Gisburne the cross in exchange for his life. The episode closes with the Cross of St. Ciricus restored to its rightful place in the abbey chapel.
Cast in order of appearance
Marion....................................Judi Trott
Little John...............................Clive Mantle
Nasir.......................................Mark Ryan
Robin......................................Jason Connery
Friar Tuck................................Phil Rose
Will Scarlet..............................Ray Winstone
Much......................................Peter Llewellyn-Williams
Brabancon Chief.......................Mark Lewis
Abbot Martin...........................Brendan Price (misspelt as "Abbott" in the programme)
Monk......................................David Sivier
Lady Margaret.........................Dorothy Tutin
Maid.......................................Michelle Gibbons-Price
Little Girl.................................Jemima Ffyne
Sir Guy of Gisburne..................Robert Addie
Series created by Richard Carpenter
Executive Producer & Story Consultant Paul Knight
Executive Producer Patrick Dromgoole
Produced by Esta Charkham
Directed by Dennis Abey
Comments
I find this to be a wonderfully original storyline with so much of contextual and dramatic interest. Clearly the writers were not running out of ideas just yet. There is so much of history here that I think this episode could have been used to teach school history. There is the medieval attitude to leprosy and the belief in the healing power of relics. The existence of an abbey opposed to the Normans is a fascinating idea. Of course, there is the revelation that Robin and Gisburne are related to each other, the exciting plot and the dramatic scenery used for the climactic ending. This was filmed at Milton Hill near Wells: Glastonbury Tor is visible during the sword fight.
it is noticeable that there is a high standard of actor guesting in series 3. Here we have the accomplished stage actress, Dorothy Tutin, who is best known for acting the part of Anne Boleyn in The Six Wives of Henry VIII. She is utterly convincing in this difficult part. Sadly, we don't see whether she recovers at the end.
There is a strong theme of scepticism versus faith in this episode. Scarlet doubts the protection of Herne, since he is convinced that he has caught leprosy. Little John asks Friar Tuck how a relic can heal. Tuck answers it depends on what you believe. Later we see Little John carrying the sick into the abbey for healing. There are some nice visual parallels between belief in Herne and Christianity.
The charismatic abbot of Croxden is a fascinating character. It would have been interesting to see him confront Abbot Hugo in a later episode.
Best Moments
The outstanding moment in this episode is the astounding revelation by Margaret of Gisburne that Robin Hood (Robert of Huntingdon) and Sir Guy of Gisburne are half-brothers. I love the way Friar Tuck's eyes become wider and wider as he hears Margaret's confession. The setting for the climactic sword fight between Robin and Guy is spectacular and Croxden Abbey looks so beautiful (this was Bristol Cathedral). The relating of the belief in Herne to the belief in Christianity and the theme of scepticism versus faith, make this episode very thought provoking.
A Question
The plan to steal the Cross of St. Ciricus would likely have been prompted by Abbot Hugo. Would he have been able to use the stolen relic to boost the revenue of his own abbey? A final brief coda with the Sheriff, Abbot Hugo and Sir Guy would have been a nice way to end the programme.