The Gilded Crown (58 page)
Joan smiled demurely and placed a chaste kiss on her husband's cheek before turning to speak with a courtier.
âThere have been a number of untimely deaths of late.' Simon paused, waiting to ensure he had the Black Prince's full attention. âOne in particularly that has many court tongues wagging.'
Edward's face coloured. âTake heed, Wexford, your sarcasm angers me!'
âYou misunderstand, Sire. I am simply concerned for
In 1360, Edward of Woodstock would have been thought of as the next king, Edward IV, but since he did not outlive his father, Edward III (and history later saw an Edward IV take the crown), he became known as âthe Black Prince' â a title we loved and chose to use anachronistically.
There seems to be a difference of opinion between well-known academics as to whether or not women could read and write in the middle to late Middle Ages. Also whether the availability of parchment for letters was plentiful or could be afforded. It is best summed up by another researcher who declared, âIt may be taken as axiomatic that any statement of fact about the Middle Ages may (and probably will) be met by a statement of the opposite or a different version.' Certainly this has been our experience.
We simply wish to say that this is not an historic account but a âmedieval adventure with a dash of romance' using history as its background. We have tried at all times to remain faithful and accurate to that history but it is a fictional story.
Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent, did marry Thomas Holland when she was very young. It has been suggested she may have been carrying his child and that is why they married in secret, without permission. We gave our women education and the wherewithal to procure parchment for their letters (
The Lily and the Lion
) so they could tell their story. Couriers did run private services if you had the coin and both families to whom we refer, did not lack fortune. Edward of Woodstock did have bastard sons; one called Jean Sounders of Calais who was conceived by an unknown mistress (
The Order of the Lily
). We draw from references (the places and dates are real) and we weave our story with fact and interpretation.
The rest is imagination.
We would like to express our gratitude to the following people who have made our journey a part of their lives.
Firstly, we wish to thank our publisher, Kerry Collison, at Sid Harta; our editor, Les Zigomanis; our designer, Luke Harris of Working Type Studio; and our webmaster, Andrew Hill-Male. To see our dream come true is truly a special thing and we could not do it without the help of these wonderful people.
To Gary Schweikert, (Big Hat Pictures) and to Peter Enright (EnrightOgraphy) for making the documentary of how we met, first online, then eventually in person. Your support in our project has been unwavering and uplifting. This twenty-minute documentary is available for viewing on our website www.lionsandlilies.com under the authors tab â
Interviews with the authors
.
We also wish to thank Justin Webb, known locally as âSir Justyn Webbe,' for the excellent advice on weaponry and fighting with weapons, and also to his son, Tyler, and fellow members of the re-enactment group, âEslite d'Corps' for their demonstrations. These displays, many in slow motion just for our observance, gave us the detail we needed to complete realistic fight scenes.
Another site we pay homage to is that of âKat's Hats' which gave us extra insight into beautiful 14thC clothing. It's great to meet people who share our passion for the Middle Ages.
As always, we must thank our families and friends, in particular, our husbands. Their never-ending support is astonishing and truly appreciated. Without them, there would be no dream.
And the last recognition of appreciation is reserved for our readers. If this story fills your heart, if at times it makes you laugh, makes you cry, and brings some pleasure into your life, we will have succeeded in our quest, and for that, we thank each and every one of you.
(Please note: this covers the series. Not all words are in each book)
A visual dictionary may be found on our website â
www.lionsandlilies.com
Argent | Heraldic description of the colour silver. |
Arras | A tapestry of Flemish origin used especially for wall hangings. A screen of tapestry. |
Bernadine | Also known as a Cistercian, a member of the Cistercian Order of monks so named for St Bernard of Clairvaux. |
Bliaut | An over garment featuring a voluminous skirt and horizontal puckering or pleating across a snugly fitted abdomen. The sleeves are long and loose. It was worn with a belt or stomacher. |
Braies | An undergarment tied about the waist, a form of men's underwear to which the chausses were tied. |
Camail | Armour â also called aventail. A curtain of mail attached to the helm, covering the shoulders. |
Camaca | A fine cloth-like silk. |
Caparison | The decorative covering for a horse bearing his owner's colours and heraldic device. |
Chaperon | The fashion of a hood with a thick roll at the base and a liripipe draped around the chin. |
Charge | A heraldic term for a shape as in a âv' shape (which is also know as a âpile') |
Chausses | Individual leggings (not joined with a gusset) usually made of wool and tied at the top to the braies. Some knights wore gamboised (padded) chausses for protection in battle. |
Chemise | Linen undergarment for women. The shift beneath the gown, sometimes visible at the neck and sleeves. |
Cistercian Order | An order of monks so named for St Bernard of Clairvaux. Also known as a Bernadine. |
Cockscomb | The comb or crest of a cock incorporated into a hat worn by a jester or professional fool. |
Compline | The last of seven canonical bells that indicated mid-evening prayer. |
Cordovan | Expensive soft, smooth leather made in Córdoba, Spain. |
Cotehardie | A 14th to 16th-century unisex garment tailored to fit the torso and arms, usually with a row of buttons down the front as well as down each fitted sleeve, from the elbow to the wrist. |
Couped | Heraldic term meaning cut off in a straight line. |
Cuisses | A piece of armour made to fit the thigh. |
Device | Coat of arms or heraldic emblem. |
Demesne | The central part of a manorial estate set apart for the lord's own use that provided for the needs of his household. |
Ducat | A gold coin used in medieval Europe. |
Ephedra | Shrubby, almost leafless plant found in dry regions. |
Eradicated | Heraldic term â used of a tree which has been torn up by the roots. |
Falchion | A short, single-edged sword with a cleaver-like curved blade. |
Gamboised | Quilted or padded â as in âgamboised chausses.' Sometimes, quilted in longitudinal folds or ridges so as to be pliable in one direction and more or less stiff in the other. |
Garcon | French word for boy. |
Garderobe | A medieval toilet consisting of a simple hole, discharging waste into a cesspit or moat. |
Gules | Heraldic description of the colour red. |
Hawking glove | Thick, sturdy glove used in falconry. |
Hastilude | A medieval term that refers to many kinds of martial or lance games. |
Heraldry/Heraldic | The art of blazoning armorial bearings; of settling the rights of certain persons to bear arms and use certain bearings, recording honour, genealogy and deciding precedence. |
Homespun | Literally âhome-spun' cloth usually referring to peasant class. |
Hose | See chausses. |
Jupon | A tight-fitting garment, usually padded, and worn over armour from c1350 â 1410. Often used to display the wearer's heraldic device or badge. |
Kirtle | A woman's gown. |
Lamphreys | An eel-like fish; a delicacy. |
Lapis Lazuli | Precious stone of from ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations known as âstone from Heaven' or âsky stone' for its rich blue colour. |
Lauds | A service of morning prayer traditionally said or chanted at daybreak. |
Liripipe | The long tail of fabric hanging from a hood, wrapped scarf-like around the neck or wound around the head. Eventually this hood and wound liripipe became a fashion in itself called the âchaperon.' |
Loveage | A plant of the parsley family. |
Lozenges | A diamond pattern, often used in heraldic devices. |
Lungwort | A bristly plant of the borage family, typically having white-spotted leaves and pink flowers that turn blue as they age. |
Madiran | A Gascon wine from the Béarn district imported to King Edward III's table |
Mandrake | A Mediterranean plant of the nightshade family, with white or purple flowers and yellow berries. It has a forked root that supposedly resembles the human form and was formerly used in medicine and magic. |
Mail | Chain mail -interlinked rings of metal âknitted' together to form a protective covering. Sometimes used as a slang term for armour in general. |
Marlyon | In the sport of âHawking', a marlyon was a bird for the rank of a lady. |
Matins | The first of seven canonical bells that indicated the first or dawn prayer. |
Mummer | A silent or mime performer. |
Nones | The fifth of seven canonical bells that indicate afternoon prayer. |
Palliasse (or pallet) | Straw-filled mattress or small makeshift bed. |
Pattens | A wooden overshoe worn to protect the hose/chausses. |
Peytral | Horse armour designed to protect the horse's chest. |
Perry | A drink made from fermented pears. |
Pile | Heraldic term â also known as a charge for a âV' shape. |
Plague | Deadly disease which ravaged the Middle Ages â also known as âThe Pestilence'. |
Poleyns | Armour pieces that cover the kneecaps. |
Prime | The second of seven canonical bells that indicated morning prayer. |
Quintain/s | A target (usually a shield) mounted on a moveable crossbar used in the medieval sport of âtilting' (jousting). The sport of tilting at a quintain. |
Retainer | Person/s attached to a noble household or owing it service. |
Rouncey | An ordinary, all-purpose horse. |
Sacret | In the sport of âHawking', a sacret is the bird for the rank of a knight. Comes from central Europe. |
Seneschal | The steward or major-domo of a medieval great house. |
Sext | The fourth of the seven canonical bells that indicated noon prayer. |
Shaffron | Protective covering/armour for a horse's head. |
Simples | Herbs used in healing. |
Solar | A living or sitting room in an upper storey. |
Surcote/Surcotte | Female â a full-length sleeveless outer gown with wide armhole openings worn over a chemise or gown. Male â a mid-calf length tunic, with slits front and back, sleeved or sleeveless. Worn by knights over their armour. The different spellings are to represent the Anglo French/French languages in use at the time. |
Tablier | Game board. |
Terce | The third of seven canonical bells that indicated mid-morning prayer. |
Thurible | A metal censer suspended by chains as used by the clergy in religious ceremonies. Incense is burned within the thurible. |
Treadmill | A large mill-Âtype wheel used to operate a crane for lifting stone and operated by peasants walking within the wheel. |
Tumbler | An acrobat who tumbles. |
Umble | The numbles (or noumbles, nomblys, noubles) was the name given to the heart, liver, entrails etc. of animals, especially of deer â what we now call offal or lights. The word became âumble' from which came âumble pie' the pie made from the lesser cuts. |
Vespers | The sixth of seven canonical hours that indicated late afternoon prayer. |