Text Box: LADY MATILDA de SPROXTON (TILLY) Lower Ranking Lady Text Box:             FEUDAL ARCHERS 1135 - 1216 Text Box:     Text Box: Tilly was born in 1181 and was the ward of Sir Geffrye de Wac. Her father, Sir Oger de Sproxton of South Witham, was serving (as a Confrere Knight Templar) in Cyprus with Sir Geffrye in 1192 when he was killed in a skirmish. Shortly afterwards, Tilly’s mother died whilst giving birth to a still-born son. Sir Geffrye took in the orphaned child of his friend and she became a companion and lady-in-waiting to his daughter Lady Mildred de Bracey until Mildred moved to Nottingham. Tilly is of the right age to be married and she is viewed as an advantageous match for a future knight as she will bring some land and income to her marriage. It may not be long before she is betrothed to a suitable squire of Sir Geffrye’s choice. Tilly is learning the leisure pursuits of a lady. At times she can be seen weaving or braiding wool, or she may practise embroidering small motifs on linen. She also visits the butts regularly to learn and improve her skill with the bow and arrow. Tilly wears a linen shift under a dress of rich aquamarine-coloured silk cloth, decorated at the neck and cuffs with silk embroidery. Sometimes she wears a belt of patterned tablet braid, sometimes of leather. On her head she occasionally wears a linen or silk veil with a circlet of brass but as she is not yet married this is not a requirement. Lady Isabel de Wac donated one of her old silk dresses and she is very proud to wear this lovely pale blue garment with all of the fine hand embroidered embellishments.     RETURN TO CHARACTER’S INDEX PAGE   HOME