Character List

Robert, ‘Lord’ Clifford

Second of the four sons of Lord Thomas Clifford (killed by the Yorkists, 1455) and younger brother of Lord John Clifford (killed by the Yorkists, 1461). Brought up in the household of the Percy Earls of Northumberland. Self-proclaimed baron and successor to his older brother John. Diehard supporter of the house of Lancaster. Ten years an exile, residing in Bruges, Flanders, under the protection of Duke Charles of Burgundy

Lady Clifford [1]

Lord Thomas Clifford’s widow. Mother of John, Robert, Roger and Triston Clifford

Margaret Clifford/Threlkeld

Lord John Clifford’s widow, mother of the young Henry Clifford. Now married to Lancelot Threlkeld

Sir Lancelot Threlkeld

Formerly of the retinue of Lord John Clifford; now Margaret Clifford’s second husband

Henry Clifford

A child, son of Margaret Clifford and, possibly, Lord John Clifford. Missing, presumed dead

Gawain Threlkeld

Lancelot Threlkeld’s younger brother

Catherine Pawleyne

Sister to Gawain Threlkeld’s wife

Sir Roger Clifford

Third son of Lord Thomas Clifford and younger brother of Robert Clifford

Lady Joan Clifford

Wife of Sir Roger Clifford and sister to John Courtenay, Earl of Devon

Sir Triston Clifford[2]

Fourth son of Lord Thomas Clifford. Robert Clifford’s youngest brother. The only Clifford to support the house of York

Janet Prynne

Mother to Hal and Waryn FitzClifford (d.1459)

Master Prynne

Janet Prynne’s father. Grandfather to Hal and Waryn FitzClifford (residing in Alnwick)

Babette Delaurin

Robert Clifford’s mistress. Mother to Jean, Marguerite and Marie FitzClifford (residing in Bruges)

Dorcas

Hal FitzClifford’s mistress. Mother to his sons (residing in Alnwick)

George

Acting Master-at-Arms to Harry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. Residing in the Percy household at Alnwick

Henry (‘Hal’)

Under-steward to Harry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. Residing in the Percy household at Alnwick

Waryn

Gentleman, residing in the Percy household at Alnwick

Aymer

Twin to Guy. Residing in Sir Roger Clifford’s household in the North Country

Guy

Twin to Aymer. Residing in Sir Roger Clifford’s household

Richie

Residing in Lady Clifford’s household in the North Country

Bedivere (‘Bede’)

Residing in Lady Clifford’s household

Edwin

Lay brother at Fountains Abbey in the North Country

Oliver

Residing with his mother’s brother (a local esquire in the North Country)

Tom

Residing in Lady Clifford’s household

Robbie

Residing in Sir Roger Clifford’s household

Peter

Residing in Sir Roger Clifford’s household

Jean

Residing with his mother, Babette Delaurin, in Bruges

Marguerite

Residing with her mother, Babette Delaurin, in Bruges

Marie

Residing with her mother, Babette Delaurin, in Bruges

Sir Patrick Nield

Steward

Sir Cuthbert Bellingham (‘Bell’)

Marshal

Loic Moncler

Chamberlain

Sir Miles Randall

Former chamberlain (missing, presumed dead)

Sir Arthur Castor

Master-at-Arms

Walter Findern

Butler

Sir Reginald Grey

Chaplain

Walter Grey

Almoner. Sir Reginald Grey’s brother

Lewis Jolly

Gentleman

Bertrand Jansen

Dane, former mercenary

Leonard Tailboys

Gentleman

Jem Bodrugan

Robert Clifford’s manservant

Benet Penwardine

Loic Moncler’s manservant

Notch

Manservant to Aymer and Guy FitzClifford

Pleydell

Manservant to the younger FitzCliffords

Alice de Vere

Only sister of Jack de Vere, 13^th Earl of Oxford, brought up in the household of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, at Middleham, in the North Country

John (‘Jack’) de Vere, 13^th Earl of Oxford

Second son of John de Vere, 12^th Earl of Oxford (executed by the Yorkists, 1462). Younger brother of Aubrey de Vere (also executed 1462)

Margaret de Vere, Countess of Oxford

Wife of Jack de Vere; sister of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick

William, Viscount Beaumont

Jack de Vere’s closest friend

Elizabeth, Lady Ullerton

Senior gentlewoman to Alice de Vere

Blanche Carbery

Senior gentlewoman to Alice de Vere

Joanna Ames

Gentlewoman to Alice de Vere

Elyn

Natural daughter of John de Vere, 12^th Earl of Oxford. Gentlewoman (and half-sister) to Alice de Vere

Constance

Natural daughter of Aubrey de Vere. Gentlewoman (and niece) to Alice de Vere

Mitten

Chamber woman to Alice de Vere

Edmond Beaufort, 4^th Duke of Somerset

Second son of Edmond Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset (killed by the Yorkists, 1455). Leader of the Lancastrian faction; in exile in Bruges

John (‘Jonkin’) Beaufort, Earl of Dorset

Youngest son of Edmond Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset and younger brother of Edmond Beaufort, 4th Duke of Somerset; in exile in Bruges

Sir Gabriel Appledore

Steward

Sir Andrew Chowne

Chamberlain

Sir Humphrey Audley

Gentleman

James Delves

Gentleman

John Courtenay, Earl of Devon

Lancastrian in exile in Bruges. Robert Clifford’s closest friend

Laura Courtenay, Countess of Devon

Wife of John Courtenay, Earl of Devon. Daughter of Henry Bourchier, Earl of Essex (Yorkist supporter)

Henry Holland, Duke of Exeter

Lancastrian in exile in Bruges. Married to, but estranged from, Edward of York’s sister Anne

King Henry (known to the Yorkists as ‘Henry of Lancaster’)

Henry VI; Lancastrian king of England overthrown by Edward of York in 1461; a prisoner in the Tower of London

Queen Margaret

Daughter of the Duke of Anjou. Wife of Henry VI; an exile in France

Prince Edward of Lancaster

Only child of Henry VI and Queen Margaret; an exile in France

Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke

Half-brother of Henry VI

Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond

Young nephew of Jasper Tudor and of Henry VI. Son of Edmond Beaufort’s cousin Margaret Beaufort. Residing in Raglan Castle, Monmouthshire

King Louis

Louis XI, King of France. Cousin of Queen Margaret. Lancastrian supporter

Pierre du Chastel

Agent of King Louis

Sir Lawrence Welford

Old friend and companion-in-arms to Robert Clifford, residing at Dyffryn Hall, Monmouthshire

Cecily Welford

Daughter of Lawrence Welford, residing at Dyffryn Hall

Edward of York(recognised by the Yorkists as ‘King Edward’)

Edward IV; Yorkist King of England. Overthrew the Lancastrian dynasty and seized the throne in 1461 with the help of his cousin, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick. Elder brother of Edmund, Earl of Rutland (who was killed at Wakefield by Lord John and Robert Clifford, 1460) and of George, Duke of Clarence and Richard, Duke of Gloucester

Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy

Wife of Charles, Duke of Burgundy – the ruler of Flanders – and sister of Edward of York

Richard, Duke of Gloucester

Youngest brother of Edward of York, brought up in the household of the Earl of Warwick at Middleham

Sir Roger Vaughan

Yorkist adherent. Executed Owen Tudor, father of Jasper Tudor and grandfather of Henry Tudor, after the battle of Mortimer’s Cross in 1461

Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick

Prominent Yorkist who overthrew Henry VI to raise his young cousin Edward of York to the throne in 1461, and subsequently rebelled against Edward in an attempt to restore Henry VI to the throne

The Countess of Warwick

Wife to Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick

Anne Neville

Younger daughter of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick; friend of Alice de Vere

John Neville

Younger brother of Richard Neville. The Earl of Northumberland, until Harry Percy’s recent rehabilitation

George, Duke of Clarence

Younger brother of Edward of York, brought up in the household of the Earl of Warwick at Middleham. Aided Warwick’s rebellion; married to Warwick’s elder daughter Isabel

Isabel, Duchess of Clarence

Elder daughter of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick. Recently married to George Duke of Clarence

Sir Hugh Dacre

Household knight of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick. Suitor of Blanche Carbery (Alice de Vere’s gentlewoman)

John, Lord Wenlock

Adherent of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick

Henry (‘Harry’) Percy, Earl of Northumberland

Scion of one of the foremost Lancastrian families, whose father and grandfather were killed fighting against the house of York. Spent his youth in captivity; recently restored to his earldom by Edward of York and residing in Alnwick Castle, Northumberland

Lady Eleanor Percy

Sister of Harry Percy, Earl of Northumberland. Residing in Alnwick Castle

Marjorie Verrier

Senior gentlewoman to Eleanor Percy, residing in Alnwick Castle

Kit Loys

Page to Harry Percy, residing in Alnwick Castle. Son of Sir Simon Loys

Sir Simon Loys

North Country knight. Previously an adherent of the Earl of Warwick

Sir James Thwaite

Adherent of Harry Percy, brought up in the Percy household at Alnwick Castle

Anna Murrow (née Thwaite)

Widow. Sister to Sir James Thwaite

Lady Catherine, Countess of Shrewsbury

Daughter of the Duke of Buckingham and wife of John, Earl of Shrewsbury, sometime Lancastrian supporter, residing at Goodrich Castle, Monmouthshire. Lady Catherine’s sister Anne Stafford was married to Aubrey de Vere

Charles, Duke of Burgundy

Ruler of Flanders, host to the exiled Lancastrians in Bruges, married to Margaret, the sister of Edward of York

Lord Philippe Woodhuysen

Nobleman of the court of Flanders

Lady Isabeau Woodhuysen

Wife of Philippe Woodhuysen