Will Scathelock

Will Scathelock
Name	William Scathelock
First Appearance	15th Century Folklore (though not yet as a separate character from Scarlet)
Family	Will Scarlet - brother (sometimes) Widow Scathlock/Scarlet - mother
About
Religion	Catholic
Allies	Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Little John, Alan a Dale, May Ellen, Will Scarlet Merry Men
Antagonists	Sheriff of Nottingham, Sir Guy of Gisbourne, Ralph of the Scar, Justice Warman
Profession	Outlaw
Skills	archer, leadership
Weapons	Knife, Bow, Staff
Other Names and Epithets	William Scarlock, William Scadlock, Will Scatheloke, Will Scathlock

Origin

Surviving manuscripts indicate Will Scathelock started out as one of the many alternate spellings for Will Scarlet's name in the medieval ballads and fair plays. As early as 1598 Anthony Munday used him as Scarlet's half brother in his plays, which took very little from existing Robin Hood traditions in their very political slant and gave Will's background as a disgraced noble to Robin, though with different circumstances, and made Will into two commoners who were half brothers.

Name

Will's surname as a separate character from Scarlet has been given variously as Scarlock, Scadlock, Scatlock, Scatheloke, Scathelock, and Scathlock.

One of the Merry Men

As one of the Merry Men it he is often little more than a named extra, just giving the band further characters to fill it out and Robin another chance to act heroically by saving him from execution by hanging and bringing him to join the group. The 1950's show on the other hand had Will Scatlock as the leader of the Merry Men when Robin first flees as an outlaw to the woods. When Scatlock dies in the second episode he gives his leadership position to Robin with his dying breath.

Later Life

In versions of the tale where this character lives to that point he is pardoned with Robin and the rest of the merry men when the rightful King returns to England.

Alterations in various Adaptations

In Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood (2002) video game, there is a character named Lord Scathlock, which is portrayed as a brutal and bloody ruler of Derby castle and a loyal ally of Prince John.

Appearances in Media

Ballads:

his name appears as an alternate spelling for Will Scarlet's in some recorded ballads

• Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne (story dates from at least 1450)
• A Gest of Robyn Hode (surving version of the story dates from about 1500)
• Robin Hood and the Newly Revived
• Robin Hood and the Bride
• Robin Hood's Delight
• Robin Hood and the Curtal Friar

Plays:

• 1598 The Downfall of Robert, Earl of Huntington by Anthony Munday
• 1598 The Death of Robert, Earl of Huntington by Anthony Munday

Literature:

• 1883 The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

Character Filmography

Film:

• 1938 The Adventures of Robin Hood (as "Outlaw") played by
• 1948 The Prince of Thieves played by (uncredited)
• 1951 Tales of Robin Hood played by
• 1958 Son of Robin Hood played by
• 1976 Robin and Marian played by
• 1991 Robin Hood played by
• 1991 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (as "Kneelock") played by Derek Deadman
• 2009 Beyond Sherwood Forest played by
• 2010 Robin Hood played by

Television:

• 1955-1959 The Adventures of Robin Hood as "Will Scatlock" played by Bruce Seton
• 1968-1968 The Legend of Robin Hood played by
• 1984-1986 Robin of Sherwood played by

Gallery

Bruce Seton as Will Scatlock

External links

• Will Scarlet on Wikipedia