Newburyport, Massachusetts
Glossary
all-night—a snack before bedtime served to the king by one of his lords
argent—heraldic term for silver
arras—tapestry or wall hanging
attaint—imputation of dishonor or treason; estates of attainted lords were often forfeited to the crown
avise—to look closely, study a person
bailey—outer wall of a castle
barbe or wimple—widow’s headdress, resembling a nun’s wimple
basse danza—slow, stately dance
bill-man—soldier with long bladed weapon
blackjack—a large jug usually made of leather and coated with tar
buckler—small round shield
burthen—refrain or chorus of a song
butt—barrel for wine
butts—archery targets
caravel—medieval sailing ship
catafalque—funeral chariot
caul—mesh hair covering, often jeweled or decorated, often encasing braids wound on either side of the head
certes—for sure; of course
chausses—leggings
churching—first communion given to a woman following the period of seclusion after giving birth
coif—scarf tied around the head
Compline law—no talking after this final service of the day
conduit—drinking fountain in a town or city with piped-in water
coney—rabbit or rabbit fur
cote or cotehardie—long gown worn by men and women
crackows—fashionable long-pointed shoes, said to have originated in Krakow, Poland
crenellation—indentation at top of battlement wall
cutpurse—thief or mugger
donzel—knight in training; young squire
ewerer—water-pourer and holder of handwashing bowls at table
excedra—low, grass-covered wall that could be used as a seat in a garden
flampayn—an egg pie with meat, like a quiche
fleem—thin knife for bloodletting
fox and geese—medieval board game
frumenty—dish made with hulled wheat and boiled in milk, like creamed wheat
galingale—aromatic root of the ginger family
garderobe—inside privy where clothes were often stored
gemshorn—musical instrument of polished, hollowed goat’s horn
gipon—close-fitting padded tunic
gittern—plucked, gut-stringed instrument similar to a guitar
gong farmer—man who removes waste from privies and carts it outside city
groat—silver coin worth about fourpence
halberd—a long weapon, often carried by guards
hennin—tall conical headdress from which hangs a veil; steepled hennins were as much as two feet high, while butterfly hennins sat on the head like wings with the veil draped over a wire frame
herber—a flower or herb garden
hippocras—sweet, spicy wine
houppelande—full-length or knee-length tunic or gown with full sleeves and train
jennet—saddle horse, often used by women
jerkin—jacket
jupon—see gipon
kersey—coarse woollen cloth
kirtle—woman’s gown or outer petticoat
leman—lover, sweetheart and often mistress
Lollard—religious reformer, follower of John Wyclif, who was considered a heretic
lurcher—large hunting dog
malmsey—kind of wine
mammet or mawmet—puppet or dressed-up figure who is a tool of another
meinie—group of attendants on a lord
mess—platter of food shared by a group of people
mural tower—tall tower in the curtain wall, ideal in defense of castle
murrey—heraldic term for purple-red (plum)
obit—memorial service for the dead
osier—willow shoot used for baskets
palfrey—small saddle horse
pantler—household officer in charge of the pantry
patten—wooden platform strapped to the sole of a shoe
pavane—a slow, stately dance
pennon—triangular flags attached to a lance or staff; often rallying points during battle
pibcorn—hornpipe
pillicock—slang term for a wanton
pillion—a pad placed at the back of a saddle for a second rider
pipkin—earthenware or metal pot
plastron—gauzy material tucked for modesty into the bodice of a gown
points—lacing with silver tips used to attach hose to undershirt or gipon
portcullis—heavy, grilled gate able to be raised or lowered from the gatehouse
puling—whining; crying in a high, weak voice
rebec—a three-stringed instrument played with a bow
rouncy—a packhorse used by travelers or men-at-arms
sackbut—early form of trombone
salet—light, round helmet
sanctuary—place of protection for fugitives; haven (perhaps in an abbey), usually for noblewomen and their children, who pay to stay
sarcenet—a fine, soft silk fabric
scarlet—a high-quality broadcloth, usually dyed red with expensive kermes, an insect
scrip—a leather or hemp satchel carried by shepherds
seneschal—steward of a large household
sennight—a week (seven nights)
settle—high-backed sofa
shawm—wind instrument making a loud, penetrating sound often used on castle battlements
shout—a sailing barge carrying grain, building stone and timbers, common on the Thames
skep—beehive made of straw or wicker
solar—living room often doubling as a bedroom
squint—small window in a wall between a room and a chapel; often women would participate in a service through it
staple town—center of trade in a specified commodity (e.g., Calais for wool)
stewpond—private pond stocked with fish for household use
stews—brothel district
stomacher—stiff bodice
subtlety—dessert made of hard, spun colored sugar formed into objects or scenes
surcote—loose outer garment of rich material, often worn over armor
suzerain—feudal overlord
symphonie—hurdy-gurdy, played by turning a handle producing a drone
tabard—short tunic bearing the coat of arms of a knight worn over chain mail
tabbied—moiré effect on grosgrain taffeta
tabor—small drum
threped—Scottish for “insisted upon”
timbre—medieval percussion instrument, forerunner of tambourine
trencher—stale bread used as a plate
tric-trac—form of backgammon
tun—barrel
tussie-mussie—aromatic pomander
vair—a composite of white ermine and gray squirrel; a fur prized by the nobility
verjuice—sour fruit juice used for cooking and medicines
viol or vielle—a stringed instrument, the ancestor of the viola da gamba
voide—the final course of a feast, usually hippocras wine and wafers or comfits
worsted—spun from long fleece, a smooth, lightweight wool for summer
Bibliography
Arthurson, Ian. The Perkin Warbeck Conspiracy. Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK: Sutton Publishing, 1994.
Baldwin, David. Elizabeth Woodville, Mother of the Princes in the Tower. Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK: Sutton Publishing, 2002.
Bennett, Michael. Lambert Simnel and the Battle of Stoke. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1987.
Calmette, Joseph. The Golden Age of Burgundy. Trans. Doreen Weightman. London: Phoenix Press, 2001.
Chrimes, S. B. Henry VII. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1972.
Cosman, Madeleine Pelner. Medieval Wordbook. New York: Check
mark Books, 1996.
Gairdner, James. Henry the Seventh. London: MacMillan and Co., 1920.
Gairdner, James, ed. Letters and Papers Illustrative of the Reigns of Richard III and Henry VII. London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1863; Kraus Reprint Ltd., 1965.
———. The Paston Letters. Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK: Sutton Publishing, 1986.
Hammond, P. W. Food and Feast in Medieval England. Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK: Sutton Publishing, 1993.
Hartley, Dorothy. Lost Country Life. London: Macdonald & Janes Publishers, 1979.
Kleyn, Diana. Richard of England. Oxford: Kensal Press, 1990.
Leyser, Henrietta. Medieval Women: A Social History of Women in England 1450–1500. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1989.
Newman, Paul B. Daily Life in the Middle Ages. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, 2001.
Norris, Herbert. Medieval Costume and Fashion. London: J. M. Dent & Sons, 1927.
Reeves, Compton. Pleasures and Pastimes in Medieval England. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.
Scofield, Cora L. The Life and Reign of Edward IV (2 vols.). London: Frank Cass & Co., 1967.
Speed, J. The Counties of Britain: A Tudor Atlas (pub. 1611). London: Pavilion Books, 1995.
Thomas, A. H., and I. D. Thornley, eds. Great Chronicle of London. London: G. W. Jones, 1938.
Uden, Grant. A Dictionary of Chivalry. Ipswich, Suffolk: W. S. Cowell, 1968.
Warkworth, John. The Chronicles of the White Rose of York. J. A. Giles, ed. London: James Bohn, 1843.
Weightman, Christine. Margaret of York. Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK: Sutton Publishing, 1989.
Williamson, Audrey. The Mystery of the Princes. Stroud, Gloucestershire UK: Sutton Publishing, 1981.
Wroe, Ann. The Perfect Prince. New York: Random House, 2003.
Also, for information on Sir Edward Brampton:
The Jewish Historical Society of England Journal, Transactions, Sessions 1945–1951, vol. XVI.
Roth, Cecil. Sir Edward Brampton, Governor of Guernsey and the Mystery of Richard, Duke of York, a talk given to the Fellowship of the White Boar at Claxton Hall on February 11, 1959.
TOUCHSTONE READING GROUP GUIDE
The King’s Grace
For Discussion
Review the quote from Aesop’s fable about the wolf in sheep’s clothing at the Prologue of this story. What connections can you make between this and The King’s Grace? Which characters are deceptive? Which characters are deceived? Can deception ever yield positive results?
Margaret of York’s “secret boy” is given several names throughout this story—Jehan, Pierrequin, Perkin Warbeck, Richard of York (Dickon). Who is he? Which identity do you think he would choose for himself if it were up to him?
The mystery of the princes in the Tower has yet to be solved. What do you think happened to Ned and Dickon? Did they waste away in captivity, or did they perish at the hands of Richard III? Or Henry VII? Or the Duke of Buckingham? Who are the other likely suspects?
Choose one adjective you think best sums up the character of Grace Plantagenet and share it with the group. Were you surprised by how others in your group perceived Grace? Is she a likable or sympathetic heroine? Were there any points in the story when you wished that you could intervene to prevent Grace from making a mistake?
The King’s Grace is full of examples of political ambition, scheming, betrayal, and accusations of treason. Are these things endemic to a monarchy of days gone by, or do you see these in contemporary democracies or other governments as well?
Why did Elizabeth Woodville (Dame Grey) agree to a marriage between Bess and Henry VII if she was such a loyal Yorkist? What do you make of Bess’s change of heart and alliances toward Henry?
How do you view the other arranged marriages in this novel? Are they fair? Purposeful? Fulfilling? Based on your reading of this novel, what do you make of attitudes about marriage during this time? What about attitudes regarding fidelity, sex, or love?
Elizabeth Woodville advises Cecily on Chapter 3, “…unlike those who do not have our privilege, we are not born to do as we please. There is a price to pay for our nobility.” What is that price? Is it worth paying? Is there any freedom in being born of royal blood?
Who has the most power in this story? Are there different kinds of power? How is gender related to power in the novel?
What value does a piece of historical fiction such as The King’s Grace hold for you? How might your understanding of this time period and these characters be different if you had read a nonfiction account of this story? What does fiction provide that nonfiction cannot? Where might fiction fall short?
Grace has several vivid dreams throughout this story. Discuss the images and messages in these dreams. Are they ominous? Do they give Grace reliable impressions or interpretations of her world?
Why do you think Perkin Warbeck never reveals his true identity to Henry VII or others at court?
A Conversation with Anne Easter Smith
Grace Plantagenet loves to solve a mystery and put together the pieces in the puzzle of her family history. You seem to enjoy doing the same through your extensive research. Do you feel a kind of kinship to Grace in this regard?
Oh, yes! Just keeping track of all the real characters and making sure I have them in the right place at the right time is a challenge. Thanks to my trusty wall chart, I can keep some sort of order to my research, but it is time-consuming. And always one piece of information leads to another and another, and soon hours have gone by while I fit facts together.
This is your third novel about the house of York. Did you know when you wrote your first novel, A Rose for the Crown, that this family would inspire you to write multiple books about them? How many more do you intend to write?
I had no intention of writing another book after A Rose for the Crown, to be honest! But in order to have that published, I was unable to turn down an offer that included a second. By the time Margaret (Daughter of York) was finished, I felt as though I was on a roll, and so my agent and I proposed two more books to round out the York family story. The fourth book is being researched and will be about the matriarch of the house of York in the fifteenth century, Duchess Cecily.
You write in the author’s note that Grace comes from a mere mention in the historical manuscripts. How difficult was it to imagine the life a central character we know so little about and to connect her to characters whose lives are more richly documented?
You must write a backstory for a character like that, and in some ways it gives me freedom to create who I want from it. I found Grace’s historical anonymity a wonderful way to tell the story of the better known royals.
When filling in the gaps that historical evidence cannot provide, how do you make the determination whether or not an imagined event, dialogue, or action is authentic or possible? What questions do you ask yourself? Do you consult others for verification?
Ah, this is a dilemma for the novelist. I can only speak for myself and say that I try to be true to my characters from impressions I get from the facts I have gleaned from biographers, historians, and the contemporary accounts (those are the “others” you refer to). As long as my characters stay true to themselves, imagined events and dialogue should feel plausible.
Did you come across any stumbling blocks in trying to piece together this story?
Oh, dear, many! Perkin’s is an exceptionally complex tale with no resolution as of today, and I had several “plot blocks” along the way. There was the day I called my editor, Trish, begging for help as I lay in a fetal position on the floor with four different versions of his story around me! In the end, I went with my gut feeling that this young man must not have been a mere boatman’s son but nobly born and hidden. Historian Ann Wroe’s discovery of Margaret of Burgundy’s “secret boy” in the Burgundian archives of her household accounts convinced me that there was more than a charitable connection between them.
What responsibilities do you, as a writer of hist
orical fiction, feel toward your audience? Do you think those responsibilities would be different if you were a nonfiction writer?
I love this question, because I believe strongly that the role of a good historical novelist is to pique a reader’s interest in the material enough so that he or she rushes off to the library and does more research on the subject. I look at myself as a conduit to greater knowledge of the period. I also feel responsible for the accuracy of the facts as we know them. We can take dramatic license with those we don’t know—within reason, of course—under the banner of fiction. If I were writing nonfiction, however, I would feel a great responsibility not to make conjectures—I try to avoid those kinds of writers in my research!
All three of your novels feature a female protagonist. Do you find it easier to write from a women’s perspective, or do you choose these women because their stories might not necessarily be told otherwise?
Both. To be honest, I have reached my advanced age—which shall be unspecified—and I still have a hard time knowing how men think, so I have thought it best to stick with something I know. They say write what you know, so that’s what I did. Besides, I think medieval women were fabulous and many forgotten, so why not tell their stories and the history they lived through their eyes?
Describe your process. Do you gather all the research and map out your story before you begin, or do you make discoveries as you write? Now you will reveal me as being undisciplined, because I make but a rough outline! I had no experience in book writing before I launched into A Rose for the Crown and did not know about plot outlines, chapter lengths, and such. Of course, I am lucky enough to have history as my skeleton time line, but how I put the flesh on the bones is often up to my characters, who have minds of their own—I kid you not! Grace was quite stubborn at very awkward times, and I had to ask Tom to chivvy her out of trouble quite often. What a sweetheart he was! As for the research—it happens every single day I am writing. I think I have everything I need, but then halfway through a paragraph, I find I need to know a silly little thing like how to color lips in the middle of winter when the usual berry stain isn’t available. That took me an hour, and when I had no luck, I left it out! (I have since found out that beets were used—but were they available in England in the fifteenth century? You see what I mean?)