# Sir Oliver Oates — The Black Arrow character guide

> Sir Oliver Oates in The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Sir Oliver

**First appearance:** 0001-book-i-the-two-lads

## Snapshot

Sir Daniel's smooth-tongued priest, whose breviary and blessings cannot quite hide the guilt he carries for the deeds done in his master's service.

## Who they are

Sir Oliver Oates is the household priest at Tunstall, a discreet, soft-stepping man who has grown comfortable in Sir Daniel's shadow and profited by his crimes. When Dick presses him about the dying Carter and about old treacheries, the priest starts, drops his eyes, and hurries on with an inaudible benediction. He matters because his guilty evasions help convince Dick that his guardian's house is built on murder.

## Relationships

### [Dick Shelton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_arrow_se/characters/dick_shelton)

_rivalry_

Sir Oliver Oates is a corrupt priest and ally of Sir Daniel who conspires against Dick.

### [Dick Shelton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_arrow_se/characters/dick_shelton)

_rivalry_

Sir Oliver Oates is a corrupt priest and ally of Sir Daniel who conspires against Dick.

### [Dick Shelton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_arrow_se/characters/dick_shelton)

_rivalry_

Sir Oliver Oates is a corrupt priest and ally of Sir Daniel who conspires against Dick.

## In the story

### [Prologue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_arrow_se/chapters/prologue)

Priest and clerk, he interprets the black arrow as a political plot and seals the chest and cupboard after Appleyard's death.

### [Book II: The Moat House](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_arrow_se/chapters/book-ii-the-moat-house)

The priest at Tunstall, possibly complicit in Sir Daniel's schemes.

### [Dick Asks Questions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_arrow_se/chapters/i-dick-asks-questions)

Sir Oliver is mentioned as having hurried through mass and being absent when Carter calls for him.

### [The Two Oaths](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_arrow_se/chapters/ii-the-two-oaths)

Terrified and coerced, he swears a false oath to protect Dick, signals warnings to Dick, and is revealed as complicit in Sir Daniel's schemes.

### [The Passage](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_arrow_se/chapters/iv-the-passage)

Seen through a spy-hole praying in the chapel, indicating his presence in the house.

### [The Dead Spy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_arrow_se/chapters/iii-the-dead-spy)

Confronts Dick in the abbey church, recognizes him, and hesitates to turn him in.

### [In the Abbey Church](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_arrow_se/chapters/iv-in-the-abbey-church)

Whispers to Dick about his innocence in Sir Harry's death; later alerts soldiers to Lawless's presence.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_arrow_se/characters/sir_oliver_oates
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_arrow_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_black_arrow_se/characters