A Thing Or Two About Loyalty
Encyclopedia
"A Thing or Two About Loyalty" is the ninth episode of the 2006 Robin Hood television series, made by Tiger Aspect Productions
for BBC One
. It aired on Saturday 2 December 2006 at 7pm.
, a scientist
, has invented a highly explosive powder known as "Greek fire
", which the Sheriff wants to exploit
. But Lambert does not trust the Sheriff not to use it as a weapon, and refuses to hand over the recipe, thus reneging on his agreement with Guy of Gisbourne
(who had commissioned him to make it.) The instructions for making "Greek fire" are written in Lambert's ledger (journal), and the Sheriff orders him to be thrown into the castle dungeons until he agrees to reveal where it is hidden. The Sheriff already has three barrels of the powder given to him by Lambert in advance.
When Robin finds out about the ledger, it is decided Much will get himself thrown into the castle dungeon
s so he can free Lambert. Much stands in the marketplace
shouting insulting remarks about Prince John
and the Sheriff. No-one takes any notice and he is only arrested after attacking one of the Sheriff's guards who have been listening indifferently. Much is dragged in front of the Sheriff before he can help Lambert. Gisbourne tries to persuade Lambert to reveal the location of the ledger, playing on their friendship, but is unsuccessful.
The Sheriff, recognising Much as Robin's right hand man, decides to keep an eye on him and instead of hanging him appoints him as the Earl of Bonchurch. He also assigns a girl named Eve
to the task of spying on Much and reporting back to the Sheriff. Meanwhile, Marian, in order to prevent the ledger falling into the Sheriff's hands, suggests a plan to Gisbourne. He will take advantage of the Sheriff's absence during tomorrow's Council of Nobles to rescue Lambert and have him brought to safety at Kirklees Abbey - but only if Lambert (who does still trust Gisborne, to some extent) hands over the ledger first. Gisbourne, who thinks the Sheriff will not care what he does as long as they get the ledger, agrees.
Robin breaks into the dungeons and asks Lambert to reveal where the ledger is. At first he will not cooperate, but Robin reminds him that he will eventually crack under torture and tell the Sheriff everything. Lambert says the ledger is hidden in a water barrel outside the castle and Robin, after swearing to keep it safe until he can help free Lambert, goes off to retrieve it. His men are excited at having found the ledger. Djaq is desperate to find out how the Greek Fire is made, as the Saracens have been experimenting for years and never managed to produce any. She wants to keep the book to study. Will says "This is not about one man's wish" (Lambert's wish to preserve the ledger) and suggests they destroy it. Later, Marian informs Robin that Gisborne should have the ledger by tomorrow, but Robin already has it. She suggests he lie in wait for Gisborne's men and "intercept" Lambert on the way to Kirklees. She also tells him to burn the ledger at once. Robin refuses to destroy it, as he promised Lambert he would keep it safe.
The Sheriff finds out that Robin knows the whereabouts of the ledger. When Gisborne returns to the castle, the Sheriff tells him about this act of "betrayal". That night, Lambert is torture
d to death, with the approval of Gisbourne, who no longer feels any tie of friendship or loyalty to Lambert. Robin visits Much at his new estate and asks him to find out where the Sheriff's three barrels of Greek Fire are hidden.
The next day, Much attends the Council of Nobles. Marian is surprised to see that Gisborne is present and did not go to rescue Lambert, but he callously tells her Lambert is dead and no longer matters to him. The Sheriff ridicules Much in front of the other nobles but allows him to attend a celebratory feast that evening. Marian tells Robin that Lambert is dead, and cries on his shoulder.
At the nobles' banquet, Much seems to be getting along very well with the servant girl Eve, whom is suspected of spying on him under the Sheriff's orders. On seeing this, Marian takes him aside and asks him to tell Eve that the ledger is located in a powder barrel. Much agrees, but unknown to him, Eve has been listening at the door.
Eve and Much exchange personal talk about their lives and pasts while he soaks in a large bathtub
. She persuades him to speak of the ledger and he says he is willing to tell her where it is, even though he knows she is spying for the Sheriff. He then suggests that she also take a bath. A resigned Eve starts to undress before a shocked Much insists that she wear a bathing robe
and occupy another tub. Impressed by such gentlemanly behaviour Eve reveals that she was spying for the Sheriff, and was happy that Much was unwilling to go along with Marian's lie. In return for his loyalty
to her, she promises to lie to the Sheriff about the ledger's location, and helps Much to escape back into the forest. Before he leaves, he kisses her and swears to return and find her when the Sheriff is gone and justice
restored.
Marian, still furious about Lambert's death, has removed her engagement ring
. She will only continue to wear it as long as Gisbourne ensures he will never put her in a situation like that again. Eve tells the Sheriff that the ledger is hidden inside one of the barrels of Greek fire. Gisbourne's men are sent to look for it, and are unknowingly followed by Robin. When Gisbourne returns empty-handed, the Sheriff realises that Eve led them into a trap and immediately rides to the mountain
with Gisbourne. Unfortunately for the Sheriff and Gisbourne, Robin is waiting for him, and blows up the powder with a well-placed Fire Arrow
. Gisbourne is seconds from death when the cave blows up, and only just survives. A furious Sheriff orders Gisbourne to "clean up [his] mess".
Robin and his men discuss whether or not to destroy the ledger. Djaq wants to keep it but Robin, repeating what Will had said earlier, says "This is not about one man's wish", and throws it into the fire. While the men are distracted, she salvages the ledger from the flames, unaware that Robin is watching her. However, there is an open possibility that this was planned, as it appears Robin may have deliberately distracted the men so that the ledger could be saved.
(e.g. a small charge concentrated to produce greater explosive power), whilst appearing more like black powder - in both cases it is an anachronism
beyond the technological capabilities of 12th century England. Lambert bears a resemblance to Alfred Nobel
, the real-life inventor of dynamite - they both tried and failed to ensure their invention was only ever used for peaceful purposes and never as a weapon.
Greek fire
was a real medieval weapon; however it was unknown in England. It was used by the Byzantine Empire
during Mediterranean naval battles. Rather than a gunpowder-like concoction, it was a petrochemical
weapon akin to a flamethrower
, which could burn on water and was used to set ships alight. Its composition was a closely guarded secret and remains obscure.
Gunpowder
was a result of alchemical experiments, but in China not Europe (it was only transmitted from the former to the latter far later, though the first written reference in Europe does date to 1216, not far from the era in this programme).
Tiger Aspect Productions
Tiger Aspect Productions is a British television production company, particularly noted for its situation comedies. Co-founded by producer Peter Bennett-Jones, its productions have included popular hits such as The Vicar of Dibley and Mr. Bean...
for BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
. It aired on Saturday 2 December 2006 at 7pm.
Plot
LambertLambert (name)
Lambert is a given name and surname and may refer to:People with the given name Lambert:* Lambert, Bishop of Ostia , became Pope Honorius II* Lambert, Margrave of Tuscany Lambert is a given name and surname and may refer to:People with the given name Lambert:* Lambert, Bishop of Ostia (c....
, a scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
, has invented a highly explosive powder known as "Greek fire
Greek fire
Greek fire was an incendiary weapon used by the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantines typically used it in naval battles to great effect as it could continue burning while floating on water....
", which the Sheriff wants to exploit
Exploitation
This article discusses the term exploitation in the meaning of using something in an unjust or cruel manner.- As unjust benefit :In political economy, economics, and sociology, exploitation involves a persistent social relationship in which certain persons are being mistreated or unfairly used for...
. But Lambert does not trust the Sheriff not to use it as a weapon, and refuses to hand over the recipe, thus reneging on his agreement with Guy of Gisbourne
Guy of Gisbourne
Sir Guy of Gisbourne is a character from the Robin Hood legends of English folklore. In The Ballad of Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne , he hunts Robin for the Sheriff of Nottingham, but Robin kills him and cuts off his head...
(who had commissioned him to make it.) The instructions for making "Greek fire" are written in Lambert's ledger (journal), and the Sheriff orders him to be thrown into the castle dungeons until he agrees to reveal where it is hidden. The Sheriff already has three barrels of the powder given to him by Lambert in advance.
When Robin finds out about the ledger, it is decided Much will get himself thrown into the castle dungeon
Dungeon
A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably belongs more to the Renaissance period...
s so he can free Lambert. Much stands in the marketplace
Marketplace
A marketplace is the space, actual, virtual or metaphorical, in which a market operates. The term is also used in a trademark law context to denote the actual consumer environment, ie. the 'real world' in which products and services are provided and consumed.-Marketplaces and street markets:A...
shouting insulting remarks about Prince John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
and the Sheriff. No-one takes any notice and he is only arrested after attacking one of the Sheriff's guards who have been listening indifferently. Much is dragged in front of the Sheriff before he can help Lambert. Gisbourne tries to persuade Lambert to reveal the location of the ledger, playing on their friendship, but is unsuccessful.
The Sheriff, recognising Much as Robin's right hand man, decides to keep an eye on him and instead of hanging him appoints him as the Earl of Bonchurch. He also assigns a girl named Eve
Eve (name)
Eve is an English given name for a female, derived from Eva, in turn originating with Hebrew חַוָּה . The traditional meaning of Eve is 'living'....
to the task of spying on Much and reporting back to the Sheriff. Meanwhile, Marian, in order to prevent the ledger falling into the Sheriff's hands, suggests a plan to Gisbourne. He will take advantage of the Sheriff's absence during tomorrow's Council of Nobles to rescue Lambert and have him brought to safety at Kirklees Abbey - but only if Lambert (who does still trust Gisborne, to some extent) hands over the ledger first. Gisbourne, who thinks the Sheriff will not care what he does as long as they get the ledger, agrees.
Robin breaks into the dungeons and asks Lambert to reveal where the ledger is. At first he will not cooperate, but Robin reminds him that he will eventually crack under torture and tell the Sheriff everything. Lambert says the ledger is hidden in a water barrel outside the castle and Robin, after swearing to keep it safe until he can help free Lambert, goes off to retrieve it. His men are excited at having found the ledger. Djaq is desperate to find out how the Greek Fire is made, as the Saracens have been experimenting for years and never managed to produce any. She wants to keep the book to study. Will says "This is not about one man's wish" (Lambert's wish to preserve the ledger) and suggests they destroy it. Later, Marian informs Robin that Gisborne should have the ledger by tomorrow, but Robin already has it. She suggests he lie in wait for Gisborne's men and "intercept" Lambert on the way to Kirklees. She also tells him to burn the ledger at once. Robin refuses to destroy it, as he promised Lambert he would keep it safe.
The Sheriff finds out that Robin knows the whereabouts of the ledger. When Gisborne returns to the castle, the Sheriff tells him about this act of "betrayal". That night, Lambert is torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
d to death, with the approval of Gisbourne, who no longer feels any tie of friendship or loyalty to Lambert. Robin visits Much at his new estate and asks him to find out where the Sheriff's three barrels of Greek Fire are hidden.
The next day, Much attends the Council of Nobles. Marian is surprised to see that Gisborne is present and did not go to rescue Lambert, but he callously tells her Lambert is dead and no longer matters to him. The Sheriff ridicules Much in front of the other nobles but allows him to attend a celebratory feast that evening. Marian tells Robin that Lambert is dead, and cries on his shoulder.
At the nobles' banquet, Much seems to be getting along very well with the servant girl Eve, whom is suspected of spying on him under the Sheriff's orders. On seeing this, Marian takes him aside and asks him to tell Eve that the ledger is located in a powder barrel. Much agrees, but unknown to him, Eve has been listening at the door.
Eve and Much exchange personal talk about their lives and pasts while he soaks in a large bathtub
Bathtub
A bath , bathtub , or tub is a large container for holding water in which a person may bathe . Most modern bathtubs are made of acrylic or fiberglass, but alternatives are available in enamel over steel or cast iron, and occasionally waterproof finished wood...
. She persuades him to speak of the ledger and he says he is willing to tell her where it is, even though he knows she is spying for the Sheriff. He then suggests that she also take a bath. A resigned Eve starts to undress before a shocked Much insists that she wear a bathing robe
Robe
A robe is a loose-fitting outer garment. A robe is distinguished from a cape or cloak by the fact that it usually has sleeves. The English word robe derives from Middle English robe , borrowed from Old French robe , itself taken from the Frankish word *rouba , and is related to the word rob...
and occupy another tub. Impressed by such gentlemanly behaviour Eve reveals that she was spying for the Sheriff, and was happy that Much was unwilling to go along with Marian's lie. In return for his loyalty
Loyalty
Loyalty is faithfulness or a devotion to a person, country, group, or cause There are many aspects to...
to her, she promises to lie to the Sheriff about the ledger's location, and helps Much to escape back into the forest. Before he leaves, he kisses her and swears to return and find her when the Sheriff is gone and justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
restored.
Marian, still furious about Lambert's death, has removed her engagement ring
Ring (jewellery)
A finger ring is a circular band worn as a type of ornamental jewelry around a finger; it is the most common current meaning of the word ring. Other types of metal bands worn as ornaments are also called rings, such as arm rings and neck rings....
. She will only continue to wear it as long as Gisbourne ensures he will never put her in a situation like that again. Eve tells the Sheriff that the ledger is hidden inside one of the barrels of Greek fire. Gisbourne's men are sent to look for it, and are unknowingly followed by Robin. When Gisbourne returns empty-handed, the Sheriff realises that Eve led them into a trap and immediately rides to the mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
with Gisbourne. Unfortunately for the Sheriff and Gisbourne, Robin is waiting for him, and blows up the powder with a well-placed Fire Arrow
Fire Arrow
Fire arrows are an early form of gun powder rocket which were attached to a stick. The Chinese are credited with the first use of fire arrows in a military application, they may have developed fire arrows from their use of fireworks.- Design :...
. Gisbourne is seconds from death when the cave blows up, and only just survives. A furious Sheriff orders Gisbourne to "clean up [his] mess".
Robin and his men discuss whether or not to destroy the ledger. Djaq wants to keep it but Robin, repeating what Will had said earlier, says "This is not about one man's wish", and throws it into the fire. While the men are distracted, she salvages the ledger from the flames, unaware that Robin is watching her. However, there is an open possibility that this was planned, as it appears Robin may have deliberately distracted the men so that the ledger could be saved.
Trivia
Whilst Gisbourne is talking to Marian, the Sheriff whispers "Lepers Gisbourne, lepers." This has been carried on from the episode Turk Flu, where the Sheriff warns Gisbourne to keep a releative distance from women, i.e. Marian."Greek fire"
What is here called 'Greek fire' bears similarities to dynamiteDynamite
Dynamite is an explosive material based on nitroglycerin, initially using diatomaceous earth , or another absorbent substance such as powdered shells, clay, sawdust, or wood pulp. Dynamites using organic materials such as sawdust are less stable and such use has been generally discontinued...
(e.g. a small charge concentrated to produce greater explosive power), whilst appearing more like black powder - in both cases it is an anachronism
Anachronism
An anachronism—from the Greek ανά and χρόνος — is an inconsistency in some chronological arrangement, especially a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other...
beyond the technological capabilities of 12th century England. Lambert bears a resemblance to Alfred Nobel
Alfred Nobel
Alfred Bernhard Nobel was a Swedish chemist, engineer, innovator, and armaments manufacturer. He is the inventor of dynamite. Nobel also owned Bofors, which he had redirected from its previous role as primarily an iron and steel producer to a major manufacturer of cannon and other armaments...
, the real-life inventor of dynamite - they both tried and failed to ensure their invention was only ever used for peaceful purposes and never as a weapon.
Greek fire
Greek fire
Greek fire was an incendiary weapon used by the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantines typically used it in naval battles to great effect as it could continue burning while floating on water....
was a real medieval weapon; however it was unknown in England. It was used by the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
during Mediterranean naval battles. Rather than a gunpowder-like concoction, it was a petrochemical
Petrochemical
Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as corn or sugar cane....
weapon akin to a flamethrower
Flamethrower
A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
, which could burn on water and was used to set ships alight. Its composition was a closely guarded secret and remains obscure.
Gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
was a result of alchemical experiments, but in China not Europe (it was only transmitted from the former to the latter far later, though the first written reference in Europe does date to 1216, not far from the era in this programme).