Charles Rex Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Members of Family Currently Played George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham [NPC] Mary Villiers-Herbert-Stuart-(Howard), Dowager Duchess of Richmond and Lennox and Buckingham's sister [NPC] Philip Herbert, Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery [NPC] Henriette de Kérouaille Herbert, Countess of Pembroke and Montgomery [NPC] Captain Thomas Herbert [NPC] Lady Susan Herbert [NPC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Rex Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 Members of the Family Currently Played William Ashburnham, esq. [NPC] John Ashburnham, esq, great-nephew of William Ashburnham [NPC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Rex Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 William Ashburnham Character Name: William Ashburnham, esq. Title: Major-General Estate Name: Ashburnham, Sussex Nationality English Age: 72 (b. 1604) Gender: Male Eye Color: Hazel Hair Color Black Physical Attributes William Ashburnham is old with a well-worn face surrounded by a dark brown periwig. There is a vitality about him despite the fact that he has a nice belly and thin legs. He has intermittent bouts of gout and moves slower than he used to but still manages to get around remarkably well. Personality Ashburnham is known for his joviality and strange stories which Pepys so often likes to recount. He is an old royalist and was arrested and questioned during the interregnum for planning Cromwell's poisoning with Lord Gerard. Background Coming from an old genteel line, mostly of knights, William is the younger brother of the late John Ashburnham. Together they had a host of crown leases and a tapestry monopoly which William is the majority holder to this day. Upon his death, the monopoly and family riches will pass to his great-nephew and ward, John Ashburnham, grandson of his elder brother. William and his brother were both close servants of Charles I, remaining loyal to Charles II and serving him in the same capacity as a Groom of the Bedchamber and Cofferer of the Household (which makes the Major-General a Privy Councillor). The Ashburnhams are one of the royal household's private financiers, oft giving the King copious amounts of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Rex Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 John Ashburnham Full Name:' John Ashburnham, esq. Title None Estate Name Ashburnham, Sussex Nationality: English Age 21 (b. 1656) Gender Male Eye Color Hazel Hair Color Black Physical Attributes A fairly tall, slim young man Personality With an enthusiasm for politics, he is ever up on the latest news about London and the Continent. John expresses himself well and is quite personable, and yet he is quite self-absorbed and accustomed to getting what he wants. Background Coming from an old genteel line, mostly of knights, John is the son of William Ashburnham and Hon. Elizabeth Poulett, John was their only child to survive to adulthood. He is therefore both treasured and indulged, and his father (d.1665) had great aspirations for him as a boy. On his father's death, he was raised by his paternal grandfather John Ashburnham and great uncle Major-General William Ashburnham. John is also the heir of both men being the only boy in their entire line of family. John received the classical education of a gentleman and attended Oxford. John's paternal grandfather (d. 1671) and great-uncle were both close servants of Charles I, remaining loyal to Charles II and serving him in the same capacity as a Groom of the Bedchamber and holding a host of crown leases. The Ashburnhams have a tapestry enterprise and now 21, John has inherited a lofty sum of money from his father and grandfather's portion. His studies have brought him into contact with the theories of such men as John Locke, but he remains staunchly Royalist. Family: Major-General William Ashburnham, Cofferer of the Household, John's great-uncle and guardian. Villiers cousin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Rex Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 George Villiers Nationality:English Title: Duke of Buckingham (and others) Age:' 50 (b. 30 January 1628) Gender:Male 'Eye Colour: Blue Hair Colour: Blond (periwigs) Marital Status: Married (his wife stays in the North) Circles: Libertine, Arts, Politics, Fashion London:'Buckingham House at Pall Mall Physical Attributes Thought of as rakishly handsome in his youth, the duke in his older years is showing some signs of age with lines in his face and a slightly widening girth, but remains irresistible to many. He wears his clothing with fashionable style. Initial Impression of Personality As a childhood friend of Charles II, the duke is known to be shockingly frank with the King due to their being raised together in the royal nursery. Sharing the Kings view on religious toleration, George also shares the cavalier gallantry of the old court and a passion for women.He was witty, good-humoured, good-natured, generous, an unsurpassed mimic and the leader of fashion. Background George was brought up by Charles Stuart Sr|King Charles I, together with his younger brother, Francis, and the King's own children, after the assassination of his father, the first Duke of Buckingham. The infamous man who had been the lover of both James I and, it was rumoured, Charles I, and their most favourite courtier. He married Hon. Mary Fairfax, daughter of Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Baron Fairfax of Cameron and Hon. Anne de Vere, on 15 September 1657, in Bolton Percy, Yorkshire, England. The father of the bride tried to get the marriage annulled later but this did not wash. Currently his wife resides in Yorkshire. He previously fought and held the rank of Colonel, as well as General of the West, and for some time held the office of Lord of the Admiralty and Master of Horse, until forced to resign. He is one of the founding members of the Royal Society. Having held several titles in the past, including Gentleman of the Bedchamber of the king and Privy Councillor, he now exerts his influence without an official court position. Instead, he has angled several allies into key positions and risen in favor, especially since the fall of Danby. George has an unrivalled skill in riding, fencing, and dancing. He is one of the veterans of the Merry Gang. Residence When in London, George resides in Pall Mall. Family Sister - Mary (Villiers Herbert) Stuart, Dowager Duchess of Richmond & Lennox Cousin (secretly nephew) - Francis Kirke, Lord Kingston - Lives with the Duke Cousin - Elizabeth Legge, Lady Kingston (mother of Francis) Cousin - Sir George Legge, Governor of Portsmouth (brother of Elizabeth) Cousin - Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland (former mistress of Charles II) Numerous other cousins (Herberts, Ashburnhams, Fieldings) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Rex Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 Susan Herbert Full Name: Susan Herbert Nationality: English Age: 17 (b. 1660) Gender: Female Eye Color: Blue Hair Color: Blonde Marital Status: Single Physical Attributes Blond angelic curls, a sweet face with sparkling blue eyes. Perhaps not a beauty but certainly worth looking at. Background She has come with her brother the Earl of Pembroke to court to find a husband. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Rex Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 Thomas Herbert Full Name: Thomas Herbert Nationality: English Title: Heir Presumptive of the Earl of Pembroke and Earl and Montgomery (his brother) Estate Name: Wilton House, Wiltshire Age: 21 (b.1656) Gender: Male Eye Color: Blue Hair Color: Dark Brown Marital Status: Single Personality and Physical Attributes Tall and dashing, the young Captain Herbert is everything his elder brother is not. The Captain is a gentle beauty, poetic, romantic, kind, and generous. He picked up all the good traits of his families, the Herberts & Villiers, while his brother got all of the bad, hot blood of both families. Thomas is a mediator and a quietly discerning sort of man behind his poetry and friendly banter. Background From an exceedingly well-known and wealthy family, Thomas was gifted everything by the way of education and tutelage. His father purchased him a naval commission before he died when Tom was a youth, and he spent time serving under Cumberland during the 3rd war. At the end of it he had a Captain's commission and did most of his later naval service in command of one of the ships guarding their ports. Shortly after his elder brother married the sister of the King's mistress (Portsmouth), Thomas was given a position in the King's household. He is at court to help find his sister, Susan Herbert, a husband and to help control his elder brother Philip Herbert. Thomas has yet to marry, but he is considered a prime catch by the matrons of court. His closeness to the King, his good-natured wit, and that he is heir presumptive to one of the most lucrative double-earldoms speaks very well for him. All of court is rather of the opinion that unless Pembroke fathers an heir soon, he'll either be murdered or executed before he can have one due to his violent and unpredictable temperament. He is currently a Gentleman of the Bedchamber in His Majesty's Household. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Rex Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 Henriette de Kérouaille Herbert Full Name: Henriette de Kérouaille Herbert Nationality: French Title: Countess of Pembroke and Montgomery Estate Name: Wilton House, Wiltshire Age: 19 (b. 1658) Gender: Female Eye Color: Blue Hair Color: Brown Marital Status: Married Personality and Physical Attributes Like her sister, Henriette is quite beautiful and baby-faced but dark-haired instead of blonde, with joyous curves. She is very friendly, sweet, and playful. She can be emotional, but she's not a weeping willow like her sister Louise. She delights in fashion is and nearly always dressed in the latest French styles. Background She married Pembroke in 1674 (when she was sixteen) and promptly bore him a daughter, Charlotte. She has miscarried once since then and is currently with child (as of August 1677 she is approximately six months along). Children Charlotte Herbert (b. 1675) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Rex Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 Philip Herbert Full Name: Philip Herbert Nationality: English Title: Earl of Pembroke, Earl of Montgomery Estate Name: Wilton House, Wiltshire Age: 25 (b.1652) Gender: Male Eye Color: Blue Hair Color: Blond Marital Status: Married Personality While he looked like an angel with his blond curls and blue eyes, he was true to the Villiers blood of his mother's side and that of his grandfather and namesake in that he had a most violent nature. Background He married Henriette de Kérouaille, the sister of Charles II's mistress Louise de Kérouaille. She recently gave him a daughter. He has been involved with several duels. He is said to keep a great number of beasts in his estate at Wilton House. He is at court accompanied by his youngest sister Susan Herbert, to find her a husband, and his younger brother Thomas Herbert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Kirke Posted August 18, 2015 Share Posted August 18, 2015 Francis Kirke Nationality: English Title: Lord Kingston (Baron), heir to the new Viscountess Kingston (suo jure) Estate: It's in Staffordshire Age: 28 (b. 1/1649) Gender: Male Height: 6 foot 'Eye Colour: Blue Hair Colour: Blond Marital Status: Bachelor Circles: Libertine, Military, Trade, Politics Business: K.L. Argent Co. Flagship: Argento RESIDENCE London: Buckingham's mansion on Pall Mall Kingston-Upon-Thames: His mother's modest estate Reputation: «... Many adjectives make a consummate gentleman, and this dashing, well-mannered, new lord has found his name attached to most of them, gaining a position close to the King. ...» The First Impression & Physical Appearance At 6 feet tall with long, lean legs, Francis is taller than most though certainly not all, inheriting the Villiers height. He has thick flaxen hair with a natural curl that falls well past his shoulders and large blue eyes with a scar on the top of his right cheekbone. He is still cursed with looking youthful, and thus inexperienced, just barely passing for of his majority. He is almost too pretty for a man, with the build of a dancer and a shape that suggests breeding that his knowledge of court things certainly does not. When he opens his mouth, his accent is a bit atypical with a light suggestion that he is well-traveled (or if he looked old enough would announce that he was raised in exile). While some might expect a soldierly man like him to be cumbersome of movement, he is actually rather delicate and graceful, if not a bit too quick to be quite refined. His young looks and lack of perfect refinement probably would lead many to underestimate him on appearances alone. It is thus not abnormal for the older gentlemen to think him a 'boy.' Personality Francis has seen a lot in comparatively few years of life and it has imbued him with a lot of kindness and generosity to those who are close to him. In dealing with Francis, one might call him ‘silver-tongued’ as he usually has a gift for talking to people. Having begun his young life in the rather deprived woes of exile, he is highly protective of what is his and of his family. Francis also very highly values his honor and ingenuity/education; to him, it’s what announces him as different from his late drunken "father" Charles Kirke even if he carries the man's name. While many have dispensed with the more gallant ways, Francis has the sort of honour and chivalry his grandfather pushed into him before he died and, while he is hardly a beacon of goodness and propriety, he exudes leadership when at sea and in conflicts. A fearless adventurer at heart, there is little Francis enjoys more than the feeling of dangerous exhilaration as this is quite clearly where he thrives. Background Born on the first day of the king-less Republican experiment, Francis’ childhood was probably a bit more tumultuous than most, given both sides of his family were filled with royalists. His maternal grandfather was imprisoned repeatedly, Colonel Legge having escaped a handful of times to rejoin the late king and current king in continual defiance of parliament. Francis’ early years were thus never spent in England, and his speaking voice reflects having listened to foreigners most of his young life. Having a "father" with little interest in him (and who habitually beat the shit out of him anytime he was around) and a maternal grandfather who was always back and forth between England and exile, his intermittent tutors, mother, and grandmother educated him free from much other male oversight until he was 11. Francis was always with his mother, maternal grandmother, and his two maternal uncles, only a few years his senior. His childhood was quite troublesome, and not everything could be afforded to him for an education worthy of even his parentage, and he shared lessons with uncles and family friends to stretch funds until they moved back to London when the king was welcomed back. Francis was eleven and already very well knew what it was like to struggle. With a history of naval service and soldiering in his family, Francis spent much of his youth dreaming of ships, battle, and foreign places. It was in his tender years that he developed his affinity for the freedom of the ocean and his desire to see things beyond what his exiled childhood could possibly bring. The particular fortunes of his mother and father stayed rather stagnant even upon the return of the monarchy, likely due to his 'father’s' extreme alcoholism, poor manners, and uselessness in any position more than for want of connections. Charles Kirke did a good job of ruining their name quite publicly. However, Francis’ maternal grandfather Legge was the beneficiary of liberal gratitude and favor and this finally allowed Francis to receive a flurry of indoctrination into a purpose in the world from his much-loved grandfather who promptly sent his only grandson (thus far) first to Eton and then to Trinity at Cambridge from 1661-1665. It was honestly also a play by the Colonel to get him away from his 'father' most of the time, and as soon as that happened, his mother moved back in with her parents. His 'father' died in 1663 and Francis was finally totally free of him too. Having been raised on the Colonel's war stories, when the 2nd Dutch war broke out in 1665, both he and his maternal uncles left school and flocked to the Colonel to get permission to join as volunteers with the navy under the leadership of their cousin Admiral Spragge (on his ship). They had all sailed with him previously and were eager for the glory of war. By the time the war was over, Francis had earned a few worthy scars and served as the primary navigation officer under his eldest uncle, who had been promoted to captain of a ship toward the end of the conflict. Unlike his eldest uncle, barely older than him, Francis gained little external attention for his service probably thanks to his father’s ruined name and his grandfather’s need to obviously first advocate for his eldest son. After the war, with Colonel Legge’s reluctant blessing and help, Francis impulsively fronted the money with his other Legge uncle (William, his grandfather’s younger son) to one of their elder cousins whose gambling debts had crippled his abilities to make repairs to his own merchant ship. After the repairs were seen to, they were gone with him for much of the next two years, bringing back an entire ship’s worth of goods in the fall of 1669 and turning each of their investments into hefty profits and setting the stage for them to separate from their cousin. It did not go entirely as planned, executed, or envisioned as the Colonel died shortly after helping them to get their necessary charters. After that neither young man was eager to stay around in England, and in the true fashion of youth basically ran away to their optimistic and very grand dreams. Where it not for the outbreak of the 3rd war a few years later, Francis and William might have found themselves living excessively for want of little with more than 6 ships by now, but royalists through and through they entered the war with Letter of Marque. When their brand new fleet of four came across an English ship being threatened by Dutch privateers strong-arming their trade routes, they stepped in and soon found their calling as privateers for the duration of the conflict, significantly annoying the Dutch. Over the course of the conflict they lost their investment in two ships, never making a shilling on them, and found themselves instantly short on capital with crews and bonds to pay. While they, probably foolishly, expected to be compensated for the lost ships, both instead got a baronetcy for their actions in the war. In their situation, both felt it was better to be rich gentry than potentially destitute baronets on the verge of financial crisis; one more string of bad luck could put them under. However, the honor of it seems to have to be compensation enough even if it's taking years to recuperate their losses. (This was the status of his personal affairs when he came to court knowing nearly nobody.) Currently During Fall of 1676 and Spring 1677, Francis rose in esteem of the King, among other things taking him and his friends on a debauched, swiving yacht tour with mermaid prostitutes and entertaining him on his birthday with Turkish ladies at the Chelsea estate of Heather O'Roarke in the absence of the hostesses. Through his conduct and the King's and Buckingham's feelings of comfort around him, Francis finally was able to find out the identity of his real father, when both men and the Duke of York recognized the christening plate that his father had given to his mother before going off to war (where he died) and pieced the truth together on the swiving tour. Francis found out that he was truly the son of Buckingham's younger brother. Their familiar comfort around the much younger Francis came from his many similarities to his real father. Thought none of this is known to anyone outside of this small circle, Francis has been catapulted into an entirely different life. Now living with Buckingham, Francis was fitted with a new wardrobe and re-educated on courtly manners, taking up his new position as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to the King (after two and a half years of play! woo!). Business While hardly in it for the money, but rather for the adventuring and freedom, Francis is the majority owner of K.L. Argent Co. and together with his uncle and closest friend Will (Legge) they run several trade endeavors both toward the Colonies, Italy, and the Far East having dealt often in non-enumerated goods* like opium, spice, produce (oranges etc), liquor and Italian wine, cloth, and any oddity that strikes their fancy. Having learned that the weird fetches a pretty price, they haven't been particularly shy in the goods they invest in sometimes making more intuition based decisions than purely rational ones. The only enumerated good he deals in is tobacco, because the Turks want to buy it. Truly entrepreneurial and adventuresome, they usually prefer higher risk but potentially higher yield, which resulted in the loss of two of their ships privateering in the last Anglo-Dutch war. Since then, and because the king didn't pay the bill, their company has been in a recuperation phase. K.L. Argent Co.'s current holdings include 3 ships (including Argento & Georgia) and a large tract of land in the Colonies they use for wood for milling for their ship-building. *Non-enumerated goods are goods that English ships can basically buy and sell without having to port back through England in between (a result of the Navigation Acts). Enumerated goods are those like sugar and tobacco and have to be accounted for in England before going anywhere else (like the colonies). Rumors The Kirke name is definitely far from squeaky clean and anyone well-connected (or alive long enough to recall it) would know that his "father" Charles Kirke was a particular bastard who was a very useless drunk who had a very public downfall shortly after the king was restored. It is also safe to assume knowledge that his father's younger brother, Captain Percy Kirke, is an equivalent bastard simply more useful at killing things. Anyone wishing to blanch at his surname should feel free! His father's reputation with women was predatory as he had a particular dislike of his wife. In the last few seasons this association of him with the Kirkes has dissipated some as he gained his own reputation for gallant conduct and gentlemanly behaviour. The King gifted Francis' mother a title on his birthday in 1677, accelerating Francis to it by writ, for services rendered during the infancy of the King's exile. Family Elizabeth/Bess Legge, Viscountess Kingston - Mother - While married, her surname was Kirke, but as her title was recently given in her maiden name of Legge, she uses that now. Elizabeth (Washington) Legge - Grandmother Sir Will Legge - Uncle - Will is his best friend and like his brother. They are one year apart and have always lived together (aside from when they were on separate ships). He owns the other part of K.L. Argent Co. Captain Sir George Legge - Uncle - Like with Will, they grew up together and are just about three years apart. George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham (Along with the numerous others Villiers relations)- Cousin but also Uncle - Francis' grandmother is the 1st Duke's niece. Francis was discovered to be Buckingham's nephew (a secret, not known IC other than to Buckingham and the King, as well as his mother and grandmother who knew all along) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Defiance Posted March 28, 2019 Share Posted March 28, 2019 William Fielding, 3rd Earl of Denbigh & 2nd Earl of Desmond Full Name: William (Wills) Fielding Nationality: English Title: Earl of Denbigh (Eng) & Desmond (Ire) Estate Name: Newnham, Warwickshire with other properties in Leicestershire and Co Roscommon in Ireland Age: 37 (b. Dec 29 1640) Gender: Male Eye Color: Blue Hair Color: Blond, though he frequently wears periwigs of various colors Marital Status: Personality Lord Denbigh is more soft-spoken than many libertines, but he has the Villiers gift for words. Known for being good-natured, Denbigh has a soft-round countenance, full cheeks, with bright blue eyes. He has the Villiers height but with it a certain cherubic look that would not be considering quite chubby but that is far from the tall and lean physique of other cousins. Denbigh has a certain interest in military affairs and the sea, though his position as sole heir of two branches of his family has always prevented him from being a military fellow. Background Wills is the grandson of Anne Villiers, the 1st Duke of Buckingham's favourite sister and Admiral William Fielding, 1st Earl of Denbigh, and he inherited the titles of both his father and his uncle, making him a very wealthy and influential man in both England and Ireland. He is known as the best friend of the Earl of Ranelagh, and they have known each other for all of their lives. If one cannot find them in the gardens at court, one should always check the theaters. Lord Denbigh is one of the King's Gentlemen and is a member of the Privy Council for Ireland. (His mother gave sanctuary to the 2nd Duke of Buckingham when he was fleeing England as a fugitive. It is either from Denbigh's mother forging his father's signature - he was a parliamentary officer - or from Lord Fairfax or both that Buckingham got his "pass" that allowed him to go secretly in and out of the country undetected. It's likely this pass that found its way to his cousin Lady Morton, who used it to smuggle Princess Henriette out of the country dressed as a toddler boy.) Family Basil, Lord Fielding, & Lady Mary Fielding - his twin son and daughter (born 1668) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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