Mags

It’s not been uncommon for those who have no fixed place in English society to take themselves abroad and join an army. We English have been supporting the Dutch in their struggle against the Spanish for nearly a century and then intervening in the Empire to try and restore our own Princess Elizabeth, sister of King Charles to her place.

There, fortunes stand to be made for any man with the drive and capacity to build a military career and those who are less fussy about which side they support are well placed to make the biggest fortunes and build for themselves reputations. That will ensure them steady employment in places of command and draw men to serve in their ranks like iron filings to a lodestone.

Fortune, though, can be as fickle as a whore and those she favours one day can find themselves cast down the next. But such shifts in circumstance are nothing for a man who has spent his entire life grasping opportunities with courage and has the skill, determination and intelligence to drain those opportunities to the last drop.

Mags has come to England.

Whatever England won’t give him willingly he will take with his sword.