Tomas de Courcy
Tomas deCourcy is a graduate from Oxford who is now employed as a tutor for Charles Blount's children in This Year of our Lord 1535 in Apethorpe Northamptonshire, England.
In the Kingdom of An Tir, he has rendered such service to An Tir as to be granted an Award of Arms by Princess Bernadette In the Year of the Society XXXIX.
Tomas first came to An Tir in AS XXXVI after hearing about it from some traveling warriors. On his first voyage he was in time to see the annual war between the Barony of Lions Gate and the Barony of Seagirt. Since then he has spent as much time assisting the officers of the Shire as he can, even assisting in the organization side of the local Fencing group.
When he is not studying for his Artium Baccalaureus, Tomas studies the Arte of Defense in the Shire of Lionsdale (his home when he is not at school).
Tomas has autocratted Lionsdale Champion's Tourney twice, in June of AS XLI with his co-autocrat Lord John Shewan in in June of AS XLII with HL Johanna Morgenstochter.
Tomas deCourcy enjoys Rapier, Thrown Weapons, Missile combat, Dancing, Story Telling, Singing, Heraldry, Marshaling, and Cooking.
His Lady, Kayleigh deLeis, is a young Irish woman whom Tomas has fallen in love with. She often accompanies him on his journeys to An Tir.
He and his Lady have just recently won two Arts and Sciences competitions. They won the competition at SeaLion War AS XLIV (2009) for the Barony of Seagirt by entering their Salmon Pie and Grilled Venison dishes, and they won at Lionsdale Champions AS XLIV (2009) by entering their Tarte of Prune.
History
The deCourcy Estate
The deCourcy Estate is in South Eastern Norfolk between Norwich and Yarmouth, a short ride from the River Yare.
Tomas' Grandfather towards the end of his days saw the demand for serfs as the population fell due to plague. In an attempt to keep his serfs, and perhaps increase the number of workers, he began signing copyhold agreements with his serfs. It gave the serfs a section of land and the right to run their sheep on the deCourcy land in exchange for a day of service every week and the first portion of their wool, or the equivalent in money. It also allowed the serfs to pass the land they rented down to their family for the next three generations. This allowed the deCourcy family to thrive in a time where other lords were loosing their serfs rapidly and having to sell land in an attempt to continue in the same lifestyle as before. The deCourcys allowed their serfs to sell their wool with them through the same merchants, thus allowing them all to receive the same prices as the deCourcys. This allowed the deCourcys to expand their holdings and by signing exclusive agreements with a single family of merchants led to their becoming very wealthy.
This was not well taken by the neighboring lords, and by the time Tomas was born his family was considered to be no better than merchants by most other noble families. The family doesn't seem to mind much, as the bad feelings are held mostly by the envious whose families squandered their land.
Family
Tomas has three older brothers, and both his parents still live. His father manages the estate with a wise hand, and his mother manages the household. His brothers all took different paths. The eldest is inheriting the manor and works with Tomas' father, learning how to run the land. The second is a lawyer in London, having studied at Oxford. And the third married into a wealthy merchant's family (the same family with which Tomas' Grandfather made the agreement) and is learning the tricks of the wool trade.
Early Life
Tomas' early life was taken up mostly with lessons and learning about the local trades: sheep and wool. He discovered a passion for his lessons young, and could often be found with his nose in a book of some form or another. Having little interest in trade, and no interest in sheep he decided to follow his brother in education.
Oxford
After beginning his education and being accepted into one of the colleges Tomas decided that he would make his living by the scholarly arts. After having his degree conferred in 1534, Tomas was hired on by Charles Blount, Baron Mountjoy as a tutor for his children. He now resides in Apethorpe Northamptonshire, and frequently travels to London with Charles as a secretary.
Heraldry
He is currently working on arms.