From TomG - Follow Your Spirit - Gallery of Ancestors - 25 points

Welcome back to another adventure in to the Chambers of Challenge, this time with a leisurely stroll through the Gallery of Ancestors, and who better to guide us than a documented namesake of yours truly. Although the surname Godson led to unoriginal nicknames at school, not helped by my Dad being the local Church of England vicar (look up nominative determinism), it is one that has been researched and documented as back as the 10th century. The was once even a Sheriff Godson during the reign of King John, or so it is thought!

With much thanks to the work of those at the University of Southampton, and their database of the soldiers documented during the reign of King Henry V, I was fortunate enough to come across one William Godson, who served in the company of John de Roos during the Agincourt campaign/raid.

Although the records show him as a men at arms, I couldn't miss the chance to build and paint this glorious figure from Salute 2015, commemorating the 600th anniversary of the battle of Agincourt. The aforementioned database really is an astounding document, also showing a Robert Godson who was recorded as serving in Orleans around the time a pesky young lady turned up and besieged the city, rather successfully. Unfortunately Robert Godson is not recorded as returning home...

The miniature wasn't given the cross of St George, as was commonly accredited to the English at Agincourt, simply because there was no logical place to imply a sewn on patch of fabric. Although the fallacy of the two primary fingers being removed by French captors, the common medieval "fig" gesture is so very similar, I like to imagine this was what he is actually doing. The account of William Godson shows that he set sail from Southampton, fought at Harfleur, was not sent home or garrisoned there, but did return from Calais along with others from the Agincourt campaign.

As apocryphal as he is, I thoroughly loved the painting process, allowing my years of studying the Hundred Years War guide my choices, and it even gave me the opportunity to use some mud basing effects. Great fun, and now the grey hound is loose from the slip.

And with these words from Shakespeare, I shall end; 

"Men of few words are the best men." 

Henry V, Act 3, Scene 2.

Points - 25pts

28mm Infantry = 5pts 

Challenge Bonus = 20pts

What a cracking entry Tom! Love the background sleuthing you've done, backed up by a special edition figure and with a quote from one of my favourite plays too. Super stuff!

Cap'n Wednesday 

(who must admit to doing a similar hand gesture in the middle of said field in France!)