Kingdom 01 - The Lion Wakes (53 page)

GAVESTON, Piers

Seen here briefly as a young squire at Falkirk, Gaveston was actually picked by Edward I as a suitable companion for his son, in an attempt to give the Prince some sort of benchmark for how to conduct himself with the dignity and honour of his station. This fatal error resulted in an unhealthy relationship between the two men which eventually brought both Edward II and his kingdom to ruin.

KIRKPATRICK, Roger

Fictional character, but based on the real Sir Roger Kirkpatrick of Closeburn, whom I have as kin to the fictional one. This is because my Kirkpatrick is a staunch Bruce supporter from the outset and the real Sir Roger was not – he even fought for Clifford in the English retinue at Falkirk. My Kirkpatrick assumes the mantle of Bruce’s henchman, prepared for any dirty work on behalf of his master’s advancement, including murder.

LAMPRECHT

Fictional character, a pardoner and seller of relics from Cologne, a sometime spy and agent of those who pay most, he becomes involved in the Buchan plot against Hal of Herdmanston.

MALENFAUNT, Sir Robert

Real family, fictional character – a knight of dubious renown who captures Isabel at Stirling Bridge and is then duped into handing her over to what he believes is her husband, the Earl of Buchan, by Bruce and Hal.

MORAY, Sir Andrew

He raised the standard of rebellion in the north of Scotland in 1297, then joined forces with Wallace and, arguably, provided an acceptable commander for the nobility to rally to rather than the ‘brigand’ Wallace. Arguably, too, he provided the military skill of handling an army – but was badly wounded at Stirling Bridge and later died, leaving Wallace to organise subsequent events with disastrous results.

SIENTCLER, Sir Henry of Herdmanston

Known as Hal, he is the son and heir to Herdmanston, a lowly tower owing fealty to their kin, the Sientclers of Roslin. He is typical of the many poor nobles of Lothian who became embroiled in the wars on both sides of the divide – but Hal has fallen in love with Isabel, Countess of Buchan, and their ill-fated affair is shredded by war and her husband’s hatred. Hal himself is torn by doubts as to whom he can trust, even between Wallace and Bruce, in a kingdom riven by family rivalries and betrayals. The Sientclers of Herdmanston are a little-known branch of that family, appearing prominently for one brief moment in fifteenth-century history. Herdmanston is now an anonymous pile of stones in a corner of a ploughed field and any descriptions of it are pure conjecture on my part.

SIENTCLER, Sir Henry of Roslin

In reality, held as a hostage for ransom by the English, with his father, William, also held in the Tower. Here he is grandson of the Auld Templar and eventually ransomed by Hal and Bruce. In reality, he was also ransomed and later fought in the Battle of Roslin Glen alongside Red John Comyn and Sir Simon Fraser and against the English of Segrave and others, a famous victory for the Scots in 1303, when victories were scarce.

SIENTCLER, Sir John of Herdmanston

Fictional character, father of Hal, the Auld Sire of Herdmanston is captured by Sir Marmaduke Thweng fighting at Stirling Bridge and dies before he can be ransomed.

SIENTCLER, Sir William of Roslin (the Auld Templar)

Fictional character – the ‘Auld Templar of Roslin’ has been allowed back to Roslin by his commanderie because both his son and grandson are prisoners of the English. The real Sir William Sientcler (here described as the Auld Templar’s son) is already in the Tower by the opening of this story and destined to die there.

THWENG, Sir Marmaduke

Lord of Kilton in Yorkshire, a noted knight and married to a Lucia de Brus, distant kin to Bruce himself, Sir Marmaduke is the accepted, sensible face of English knighthood. A noted thief-taker – bounty hunter – in his own realm, he was also part of the tourney circuit with the young Robert Bruce. Fought at Stirling Bridge and was one of few to battle their way back to Stirling Castle, where he was eventually taken prisoner. Took part in subsequent campaigns against the Scots including Bannockburn, where, in his sixties, he fought until he could surrender personally to Bruce and was subsequently released without ransom.

WALLACE, William

The legend who led Scottish forces to victory at Stirling Bridge and defeat at Falkirk, was forced to relinquish his Guardianship and eventually betrayed to the English. That at least is the myth, but the man behind it is more elusive – described as a ‘chief of brigands’ at the time of the rebellion, he was barely of the nobility of Scotland and accepted by them unwillingly and only while he was winning. He was, however, the only one of them all who never gave in, or changed sides.

WISHART, Robert, Bishop of Glasgow

One of the original Guardians of Scotland following the death of King Alexander III – and partly responsible for inviting Edward I to preside over subsequent proceedings – Bishop Wishart became the engine of rebellion and a staunch supporter of first Wallace, then Bruce. He and Lamberton, Bishop of St Andrews, were instrumental in bringing support to Bruce even after he murdered his rival, the Red Comyn – Wishart went so far as to absolve Bruce for the affair. The Bishops’ reasons for rebelling were simple – the Scottish church was responsible only to the Pope, who appointed all their senior prelates; they did not want the English version, where the King performed that function, and could maintain that difference only if Scotland remained a distinct and separate realm.

Glossary

ALAUNT

Large, short-coated hunting dog of the mastiff type, used for bringing down large game.

AVENTAIL

Neck guard on a helmet, usually made from MAILLE.

BABERY

Term for any ape, but applied to the carvings on the eaves of churches – which were wonderful confections of people, beasts and mythology – apes featured prominently, frequently wearing the garb of bishops and priests as a sly joke by masons.

BACHLE

Untidy, shabby or clumsy. Can be used to describe bad workmanship, a slouching walk, or simply to insult someone as useless and more. Still in use, though more usually spelled
bauchle.

BARBETTE

Women’s clothing – a cloth chin strap to hide the neck and chin, to which was attached a variety of headgear, most commonly the little round hat known then as a turret and nowadays as a pillbox. Compulsory for married women in public and still seen on nuns today.

BASCINET

Open-faced steel helm, sometimes covering down to the ears. The medieval knight or man-at-arms usually wore, in order from inside out – a padded arming cap, a COIF of MAILLE, a bascinet and, finally, the full-faced metal helmet, or HEAUME.

BATTUE

A hunt organised as if it was a melee at a TOURNEY, usually involving indiscriminate slaughter of beasts driven into an ambush.

BLACK-AFFRONTED

Ashamed. A Scots term still in use today and probably derived from the act of covering your heraldic shield
(affronty
is a heraldic term) in order not to be recognised. Scots knights did this as they fled from Methven, in order not to be subsequently accused of being supporters of Bruce.

BLIAUT

An overtunic worn by noble women and men from the 11th to the 13th century, notable for the excessively long drape of sleeve from the elbow in women, from mid forearm on the male version.

BRAIES

Linen, knee-length drawers, as worn by every male in the Middle Ages. Women had no true undergarments, though ‘small clothes’ were sometimes worn by gentlewomen.

CAMILIS

The, usually white, flowing overtunic worn by some knights. Despite military sense dictating the use of tight-fitting clothing in close-combat, the urge for display frequently led to extravagant and impractical garments and headgear.

CATERAN

Originally a term to denote any fighting man from the Highlands, it became synonymous with any marauders or cattle thieves. See also KERN.

CHARE

A narrow, twisting medieval alleyway. See also VENNEL.

CHAUSSE

Legging, originally made like stockings until eventually joined in the middle to become trousers. MAILLE chausse were ring-metal leggings including the foot and with a leather sole.

CHIEL

Scottish term for a man. See also QUINE.

CHIRMYNG

Charming – most commonly used (as here) as the collective noun for finches or goldfinches.

CHITTERING

Scots for chattering.

CLOOTS

Scots word for clothing and still used today for any old rags. The term ‘auld cloots and gruel’ used in the story means ‘of no account’ or ‘everyday’.

COIF

Any hood which covered the head and shoulders. Usually refers to one made of ring-metal and worn like a modern balaclava.

COMMUNITY OF THE REALM

Medieval Scotland being enlightened – this referred to the rule of law by all the kingdom, not just the king. However, it
was
the Middle Ages, so the Community referred to was one either with land and title, or rich merchant burghers from the towns. The commonality – peasants – of the realm still had no say.

COTE/SURCOTE

Old English and French for men’s and women’s outergarment. The male cote was a tunic varying in length half-way between waist and knee, sometimes slit for riding if the wearer was noble and almost always ‘deviced’ (ie bearing the wearer’s heraldry) if you’re someone of account. The TABARD was a sleeveless version. King John Balliol, whose ceremonial tabard was ritually stripped of the heraldic device, became known as ‘Toom Tabard’ (Empty Cote) forever after.

COWPED

Scots word for tumbled.

COZEN

To trick or deceive.

CROCKARD

The stability of Edward I’s coinage had the unfortunate side-effect of allowing merchants to take the silver penny abroad as currency. This enabled unscrupulous Low Country lords to mint a debased version, which became known as a crockard. See also POLLARD.

CROTEY

The dung of hare or coney (rabbit). See FIANTS.

DESTRIER

Not a breed, but a type of horse – the warhorse of the Middle Ages was powerful, trained and cosseted to the point where it was to be used, at which point, depending on the importance of the affray, it was considered expendable. Destrier is from the Vulgar Latin
dextarius,
meaning right-handed, either from the horse’s gait, or that it was mounted from the right side. Not as large, or heavy-footed as usually portrayed they were about the size of a good riding horse of today, though more muscled in the rear. They were all stallions and each one, in 1297, cost as much as seven ordinary riding horses.

DRIECH

Scots term to describe a dull, grey day where it never actually rains but you still get wet from an unseen drizzle.

EECHIE-OCHIE

Neither one thing nor another.

FASH

To worry. The phrase never fash means don’t worry.

FIANTS

The dung of the fox, wolf, boar or badger.

FOOTERING

Fumbling.

GAMBESON

Knee-length tunic, sewn with quilted flutes stuffed with wool if you could afford it or straw if you could not. Designed to be worn over or under MAILLE to negate blunt trauma but frequently worn as the sole armour protection of the less well-off. A lighter version, brought back from the Crusades, was known as an aketon, from the Arabic
al qutn,
or cotton, with which it was stuffed.

GARDECORPS

A cape-like overtunic with a slit under the armpit so that you could wear it sleeveless, its shapelessness appealed to those of a larger size. As if to compensate, many such garments were given BLIAUT style sleeves, sometimes with long tippets, or dagged hems, while the collar and cuffs were trimmed with expensive fur.

GARRON

Small, hardy Highland pony used widely by the HOBILARS of both sides, though more favoured by Scottish foot. It enabled them to move fast, raid like cavalry and yet dismount to fight on foot if faced by the knight on his heavy horse – and no archers to hand.

GLAUR

Scots word for sticky mud.

GRALLOCH

The contents of a stag’s stomach which has been ‘unmade’ after a kill. The gralloch, in medieval times, went to the hounds as a reward.

GUDDLE

Scots terms which, as a verb, means to grope blindly. As a noun it means mix-up or confusion.

HAAR

One of the many Scots words for rain – this refers to a wet mist.

HEAUME

Another name for the large medieval helmet. More properly, it was given to the later TOURNEY helmet, which reached and was supported on the shoulders.

HERSCHIP

From hardship, a Scots term for vicious raids designed to lay waste and plunder a region to the detriment of the enemy.

HOBILAR

English word for light cavalry, recruited to counter the Scots raiders and so called because they were mounted on large ponies called hobyn. This gives us the modern child’s toy, the hobby horse, as well as the generic name for horses everywhere – Dobbin.

HOOR

Scots pronunciation of whore.

HUMFY-BACKIT

Scots term for hunchback.

JACK

Origin of our word jacket, this was a variation on the aketon or GAMBESON and usually involved the addition of small metal plates sewn to the outside. Also known as
jazerant.

JACOB’S PILLOW

The Stone of Scone was popularly believed in Scotland to be the same one consecrated to God by Jacob in the Book of Genesis, following a vision while he slept.

JALOUSE

The original Scots meaning was surmise. Some time in the 19th century, the English adopted it but, mysteriously, used it as jealous. It is used here in its original sense.

JEDDART STAFF

More properly known by this name in the 16th and 17th century Border country (the Jeddart refers to Jedburgh), the weapon was essentially the same – a reinforced spear which also incorporated a thin cutting blade on one side and a hook on the other.

JUPON

A short, closely-tailored arming cote worn over MAILLE in action, to display your heraldry.