The King S Dogge

Just how far will one man go in the name of loyalty? Set in an England beset by power wrangling and warfare at the end of the 15th century, The King’s Dogge (the first of a two book series) tells of Francis Lovell’s meteoric rise from humble squire to closest ally of King Richard III. Having courageously fought at Barnet for the great noble the Earl of Warwick, Lovell is introduced to Richard of Gloucester. Impressed by Lovell’s military acumen, Gloucester assigns him the unenviable task of fighting the Scots in the West March. His initiative wins him a knighthood and turns him into Gloucester’s most prized asset. In time, Lovell comes to respect Gloucester and a close friendship blossoms, each aware of one another’s weaknesses but together able to advance one another’s careers – military and political respectively. Lovell’s future is further shaped by Gloucester’s scheming wife Anne Neville, whose ambition exceeds that of her husband. But when their Machiavellian scheming leads to the cold-blooded murder of the princes in the tower, Lovell is forced to weigh his conscience against his sense of duty and ask himself what dark acts he is prepared to carry out in Gloucester’s name. The King’s Dogge is a fictional account of the rule of King Richard III as seen from the perspective of his closest adviser, Francis Lovell. It weaves a story around true events and throws the actions of the king into a new perspective when viewed against the ambition of his wife, Anne Neville.

Originally published in 1937, this book presents short biographies of seven important women who made charitable contributions to the University of Cambridge and played an important role in the founding of several of its colleges. Sorley describes the lives of Eleanor of Castile, Elizabeth de Burgh, Marie de St Pol, Margaret of Anjou, Elizabeth Wydville, Margaret Beaufort and Frances Sidney in elegant and readable prose, and demonstrates the power and influence that these women held and how they used it in the service of the University. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the role of women in the formation of the University of Cambridge.