Author's Notes in HF

Something I had never really thought of before or during the writing of the WsIP were author's notes. But now I'm getting near(er) the end of the first book I guess I should be! Seemingly peculiar to HF the author's note is where you get the chance to separate fact from fiction; justify any controversial choices you've made and point out some extra biographical notes that could not be shoe-horned into the narrative. At least that's what I think they are!

Interestingly some authors don't have them at all - Ken Follett's 'Pillars of the Earth' for example. While others give extensive historical detail and highlight anything they've had to compromise on or change - Bernard Cornwell includes them in each of his novels.

I was of the opinion that less is more; that I could end up writing a new textbook on the WoTR if I'm not careful and they are currently 3 pages long and counting - but that's because I got talking about the Earl of Warwick...again!

How many drafts is enough?

As you know the WIP is now Ws IP! Two volumes: one ~240k and one ~200k words, but at least I feel like I'm getting somewhere now! During a recent discussion with a writing buddy I wondered how many drafts I'd gone through - now that 'the end' is in sight (my sis tells me too many and to get them out there!), but an article in the December issue of Writing magazine with writer and publisher Stewart Ferris says that is one of the commonest mistakes writers make - sending their pride and joy out into the world way too soon! He says that it shouldn't leave the nest until Draft 10! He lists what each draft is for: tightening the structure; character development; improving the dialogue; language and imagery; restructuring; adding conflict; improving the crucial opening pages; more character development and final proofreading! It confirms what I have found in my journey - that I can only concentrate on one or two aspects as I rework the novels - oh and that's another thing - there aren't writers - only rewriters which is what I feel like at the moment!

550th Anniversary of the Battle of Towton

I wanted to write something profound; something moving and memorable in recognition of the great loss of life that unfolded as Edward erstwhile Earl of March took the crown of England. But in the end I think much has been said, particularly in recent months, thanks to the wonderful efforts of the Towton Battlefield Society putting our battlefield among the news headlines - even making the hallowed ground of Radio 4!

I think the 28,000 would have approved of the wonderful event on Sunday in which they were honoured and remembered by over 3,000 people in glorious sunshine - so much in contrast to the actual day of the battle - but no less poignant for it. And it was a real honour to meet the TBS patron, the eloquent Robert Hardy CBE, who gave voice to the thoughts of many who paid their respects and showed his love of and interest in all things mediaeval as he toured the site talking with re-enactors and public alike.

It was a great day and a wonderful tribute - what can we do for the 551st?

Birthday Greetings for The Kingmaker!

Richard Neville, the future Earl of Warwick was born on 22nd November 1428 and was knighted by Henry VI slightly before his 18th birthday, possibly at the Coronation of Queen Marguerite. To paraphrase Pollard, his contemporaries saw him as a great European prince, and during his meteoric career he dazzled the courts of northern Europe with his power and flamboyance. Commynes called him a 'prince' and saw him on the same level as other rulers he knew including kings Louis XI of France and Edward IV of England. And to other contemporaries he was known as the Third King. There was simply nothing he could not achieve and once established in Calais a comparison with the Valois dukes is not out of place; his household was almost a separate court at which he gave feasts which outstripped those of his monarch, the most sumptuous feast recorded being that of his brother Archbishop Neville's inauguration in 1466 as Archbishop of York at Cawood Castle. And Warwick acted as though he was a head of state within a state certainly he never saw himself as merely a subject of Edward IV; he was not dependent on the dynasty; he rather believed the opposite was true and for a long time he was right. He even imagined life without Edward and when Edward begged to differ, the Lancastrian option was the logical next step. Thus he became a hero for those who stood against the further extension of the centralized state in the centuries that were to follow. As Pollard says; "He had the temerity to put himself on a par with kings and to outshine them". With his exploits in battle on land and sea (whoever dared to sail The Narrow Sea against him were given short shrift) he struck fear into the hearts of his, and England's, enemies - and for the most part he stood for both when no one else could. And for this Shakespeare gives him the hero's part in Henry VI parts 2 and 3 in which the earl stands for true nobility; he had been ill-used by Edward and it was honourable to make amends! That sentiment would not be out of place in his contemporary Mallory's Arthurian legends. ...the most courageous and manliest knight living.

Friends and Enemies

As Jack is still involved in the border wars I've been looking at the Scottish aspect of the WoTR. The Scots seemed to have chosen either York or Lancaster too - the disaffected Earl of Douglas working for York via the Earl of Warwick and the Earl of Angus choosing the House of Lancaster because of his Royal allegiance (James II had favoured Lancaster - though his Queen, Mary of Guelders favoured York!). In 1462 Angus received all the goods chattles and rents of the adherents of the forfeited Douglasses in Roxburghshire apart from those already owned by his brother William Douglas of Cluny. What might also have aided his allegience to Lancaster (apart from opposing the Douglasses in everything!) was that in the same year he entered into negotiations with Lancaster by whom he was promised 'to make the saide erle sufficiently and suerly after the lawes of England a duke withynne the saide reaume of England, with stile, astate honure and name of a duke'. The dukedom was to come with a castle and land to the value of 2000 marks. Angus fought with de Breze's French force to relieve Warwick's seige of Alnwick on 5th January 1463 but he died later that year without his English dukedom!

God for Harry, England and Saint George!

Saint George's Chapel, Windsor.

In 1348 Edward III adopted Saint George as the Patron of his new order of chivalry - the Knights of the Garter. It is believed that the name of this order came from the garter shown in traditional depictions of Saint George and the insignia of the order is known as the George. The badge is of gold and shows a richly enamelled depiction of Saint George slaying the dragon on horseback. A second medal worn on the sash also shows Saint George. Although the early records of the Order were destroyed by fire, Edward also proclaimed Saint George as Patron Saint of England around this time, replacing Saint Edmund (Eadmund) King of East Anglia who had been England's patron saint since the 9th century and who was martyred by the Vikings.

Edward founded the religious college of Saint George's at Windsor and this became the home of the order.

In the fifteenth century Edward IV began to redevelop the chapel and this was continued by Henry VII and Henry VIII. It still remained the home for the order, as it is today, and saw much pomp and circumstance at the celebration of its patron saint's day.

William Hastings's chantry.

Edward and his long-time friend William Lord Hastings are buried here; Edward in a chantry with Elizabeth Wydeville and William in a chantry built by his wife Kathryn Neville with the permission of Richard III who had executed him!

Edward IV's chantry.

Warwick and his brother John as well as their father before them (and numerous Nevilles before that) had been made Knights of the Garter, though Warwick's garter stall plate was removed following his escape to France in 1470 after the debacle of Loose Coat Field. It is listed as having been in Stall S5 next to, of all people, that of Charles the Bold (whose plate is still there)! John and Salisbury's stall plates are still visible in Stall S11. William Hastings's is opposite them in Stall N9.

Saint George's Day stirred feelings of patriotism in the fifteenth century just as it does today and always reminds me of the WoTR and those who took part in it.

Requiescant in pace

Today is the 539th anniversary of the Battle of Barnet and hence the deaths, among thousands of others, of the Neville brothers - John Neville, Marquis Montagu and Richard Neville,Earl of Warwick and Salisbury.

The manner of their deaths vary with the author and the audience they were writing for and becomes more bizarre the further from the events one gets.

I believe John was caught up in the confusion surrounding Oxford's return to the battle after chasing Gloucester's men from the field (see earlier post); Warwick was holding together a disparate force and it isn't difficult to believe that thoughts of betrayal were not far from some minds. Though John had made an impassioned speech to the readeption parliament giving his explanation for remaining with Edward's camp, for some he had possibly remained a Yorkist too long and some may have found his hounding and execution of the Lancastrians after the Battle of Hedgely Moor in April 1464 difficult to forgive. But wearing Edward's livery under his own? Nope. John was Warwick's brother and in the end the Neville blood was thickest and when they rode out that morning they were true brothers-in-arms.

And Warwick. Scrambling for safety and a horse? We are talking here about the man who fought at Towton with an arrow wound in his leg; the man who fought at sea, where there is no escaping from an enemy once engaged! I prefer to have him make a noble last stand, circled by his enemies like the bear of his badge circled by dogs in the pit. Realistically he had nowhere to run to, having been let down by King Louis of France, and telling him in a terse letter exactly what he thought of him! And the thought of Warwick kneeling to Marguerite with a leering Somerset at her side after losing a battle doesn't bear contemplation! I prefer to think that Warwick knew that either he or Edward would die that day; when he lost the Battle of Barnet, Warwick knew he had lost everything. In July 1470 he had sworn on the True Cross in Angers Cathedral to fight for Lancaster and I believe that's exactly what he did to his last breath.

'Requiescat in pace'