Chapter VI: Fictitious Persons

Those introduced in this story are the members of the Marnell and Carew families, the waiting-women of the Countess of Warwick and Duchess of Exeter (Mistress Grisacres excepted), and the relatives of John Goose, who is himself a real person: Father Alcock, Master Rotherham, and the Banasters. The name and office of John Combe are historical. The character ascribed to the Duke of Exeter is historical in all but its religious aspect, where it is probable only: that sketched for his daughter is entirely fictitious. That of Sir Thomas St. Leger rests also to some extent on probabilities. All other historical persons are drawn from life.

The names of such individuals as figure in the story are printed in small capitals in the Appendix to assist identification. Where authorities are given within brackets for dates, either the dates are (to my knowledge) hitherto unpublished, or they are corrections from first-class authorities of incorrect dates usually given.