Chivalry [Paperback]

These ten stories are attributed to Nicolas de Caen who wrote them in 1470 while serving as the priest and secretary to Philippe, Duke of Burgundy. The stories begin in the 13th century and end in the early years of the 15th. During this time the English Kings are struggling to retain their French possessions. In the "Sestina" chapter, Alianora of Provence, the wife of King Henry III, enlists the aid of Osmund Heleigh to help her secure the escape of her son Prince Edward whom the barons have imprisoned. The bookish Osmund helps her with disasterous consequences to himself. In the "Tenson" chapter, Prince Edward defeats the barons at the Battle of Evesham, after which he goes to Spain to get his wife Ellinor who he married ten years earlier. Several try to get him to set aside his claim to her with dire consequences for his opponents. In the "Rat-Trap" chapter, Prince Edward, now Edward I, arranged to marry Blanch, daughter of King Philippe of France. When he goes to France, King Philippe has second thoughts about the marriage and arranges to have Edward assassinated. Edward discovers the plot and humiliates the French king then departs France with a wife but her name is not Blanch. In "Choices," Queen Ysabeau spends a holiday toying with Sir Gregory Darrell and Rosamund Eastney. In "Housewife," Queen Phillipa, wife of Edward III thwarts a conspiracy against him and inspires the English army to defeat the Scottish forces invading England. In "Satraps," Dame Anne of Bohemia, wife to Richard II, prevents Richard's uncles from placing his brother Edward Maudlain on the throne by having Edward M. leave the court and go into hiding. In "Heritage," Edward Maudlain with the help of Richard II's 11 year old wife, Isobel Valois, takes his brother's place in prison and is slain, after which Henry of Derby becomes King Henry IV. In "Scabbard," the deposed Richard II changes his surname to Holland and makes a long tour of the continent. On his return to England, he has a chance to recover his usurped throne but opts to settle in Wales at Caer Idion, marry a peasant girl named Branwen and become a shepherd. In the "Navarrese," Antoine Riczi remains loyal to Princess Jehane de Navarre. In the "Fox-Brush," King Henry V traveling incognito in France as Alain Maquedonnieux the Irish harpist, kills a fox near the Convent of Chartres and has a chance meeting with Lady Katherine the Fair. He falls in love with her, and after an angst-filled courtship they become betrothed in the Cathedral of Troyes. In his "Epilogue," Nicolas de Caen gives the authorities for his tales and apologizes for being unable to confirm solidly the facts of the first three tales. As the events in the tales take place, the Hundred Years War blossoms and the seeds for the War of the Roses are sown.

A young Cabell weaves tales (annotated by authorities (?) of the era) spinning tales of some of the descendants (lineal and "spiritual")(and their consequences)that enrich the History of Dom Manuel of Poictesme. And outlines one of the characteristic approaches taken by the male in his inevitable pursuit of "Domnei".