Before I get into it, I'd just like to say - Captain Blood, this is all your fault...
After seeing the Captain's wonderful Wars of the Roses figures and reading the back stories for all his characters, I was inspired to have a go at my own. But, not being as gifted as him, I decided to have a look at some local history instead.
Turns out, the town I live in (Workington, Cumbria, England) has a tradition of sending its best and bravest off to fight for the King, with the local lordlings, the Curwen family, leading the charge.
Some of the notable battles they were involved in were Falkirk in 1298 (where Sir Gilbert deCurwen arrived late as he did not want to commit because of familiy ties on both the English and Scottish sides. Seeing that the battle was already going in favour of the English, he came in on Edward I's side, later claiming credit for a "last minute victory" and deriving the family motto -
Si je n'estoy or "If I had not been there" - from this event.)...
Agincourt in 1415 (A John Werkyngton was mentioned in the lists, and is presumed to be a cousin of the Curwens and Gentleman of a Company)...
And of course, the Wars of the Roses. In 1454, Sir Thomas Curwen answered Henry VI's call to provide men to quell the rebellion of Richard of York. You can see him here, ready to lead his men on campaign:
And here, with his captains and drummer, displaying the unicorn banner of the Curwens:
Typical of the time, Sir Thomas' forces would have been mainly made up of Bowmen:
And Billmen:
With a central core of men at arms to strengthen the line:
You may have noticed that not all of the soldiery are sporting the Curwen red and white. This is because I couldn't resist inventing an ancestor for myself after I found out that my family has a coat of arms of its own. So, I came up with Sir William Bright, a "cousin" of Sir Thomas, and his retainers, who sport the yellow star on a blue field.
Sir William leads the men at arms, and displays a smaller pennant with his livery, as befits his subordinate status.
Although the Curwens began as Lancastrian loyalists, they were later rewarded by the Yorkist Edward IV for "good works and support" so had obviously switched sides in the conflict. This was not to last, as when Henry Tudor made his claim for the throne, they returned to their original allegiance to the House of Lancaster - obviously favouring whichever side was in the ascendant at any given time.
So from this we can gather that my local noblemen were shifty, treacherous, disloyal, self-agrandising opportunists, who no doubt went on to enjoy a little light Reiving during Elizabeth's reign (and had Mary, Queen of Scots to stay on her way to London to get her neck shortened).
But lets remember them as they were on that day in 1454, as big a bunch of cut-throat bastards who ever roamed the Borders!
Cry "Havoc!", and get their sheep while we fire the barn!
Figures are mainly the new Perry plastics, with their metal "Lord Hastings" as Sir Thomas, and a couple of old Foundry figures and a Front Rank drummer thrown in for variety. Pictures are a bit yellow and fuzzy, sorry. All C&C welcomed as ever.
Thanks for looking, especially if you bothered to read that mountain of text.
Cheers,
JB
26 May 2009, 11:08:09 AM