# John Copeland — Chivalry character guide

> John Copeland in Chivalry by James Branch Cabell.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Master Copeland, Copeland

**First appearance:** 0004-i-the-story-of-the-sestina

## Snapshot

A minstrel-knight compelled by his sister the Countess to sing a song cataloguing Queen Ysabeau's crimes to her face, and singing it with incisive gusto all the same.

## Who they are

Sir Gregory Darrell is bound by a promise — a truth once spoken may not be disowned — to perform a lengthy ditty detailing the Queen's treacheries, adulteries, and assassinations without stuttering. He delivers it desperately, countersigning his own death warrant, yet the song's vigor seems to please its contriver, and he adds a new peroration about a boy and a girl and his own bewildered heart. The Countess of Farrington, listening, cuts a fly in two with her dagger and coolly proposes that Ysabeau might make the singer her master — a suggestion that turns the performance into a wager on his life.

## Relationships

### [King Charles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/characters/king_charles)

_professional_

John Copeland serves as a loyal knight and commander under King Charles, executing military orders with unwavering dedication.

### [Osmund Heleigh](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/characters/osmund_heleigh)

_rivalry_

John Copeland and Osmund Heleigh are bitter rivals, competing for the king's favor and clashing over military versus administrative influence.

### [Queen Philippa](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/characters/queen_philippa)

_professional_

John Copeland holds a formal but respectful professional relationship with Queen Philippa, often acting as her military liaison.

### [King Charles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/characters/king_charles)

_professional_

John Copeland serves as a loyal knight and commander under King Charles, executing military orders with unwavering dedication.

### [Osmund Heleigh](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/characters/osmund_heleigh)

_rivalry_

John Copeland and Osmund Heleigh are bitter rivals, competing for the king's favor and clashing over military versus administrative influence.

### [King Charles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/characters/king_charles)

_professional_

John Copeland serves as a loyal knight and commander under King Charles, executing military orders with unwavering dedication.

### [Queen Philippa](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/characters/queen_philippa)

_professional_

John Copeland holds a formal but respectful professional relationship with Queen Philippa, often acting as her military liaison.

### [Queen Philippa](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/characters/queen_philippa)

_professional_

John Copeland holds a formal but respectful professional relationship with Queen Philippa, often acting as her military liaison.

## In the story

### [V: The Story of the Housewife](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/chapters/v-the-story-of-the-housewife)

Loyal squire of Philippa, captures the King of Scotland and confronts King Edward about his neglect of the Queen.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/characters/john_copeland
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/chivalry_se/characters