Stephen de Windesore

Magister Stephen de Windesore was an Englishman who lived outside medieval London and an expert in heraldry. He was a fat, ill-tempered man past fifty.

One year, he travelled to the biennial tournament at the castle of Thunder-ten-tronckh in Westphalia not for the clashing of arms but for the coat of arms of the contestants. This tournament was renowned throughout Europe and attracted great knights from all over. This proved to be a bonanza for de Windesore who recorded all manner of coats that he had studied but had never seen before.

Although not a fighter, de Windesore nevertheless became involved in a clash of arms himself. He disputed with an Italian named Niccolo dello Bosco, he chance to meet in a tavern, over who knew heraldry better. His temper caused him to make a wager over it and they began taking turns asking one another questions about heraldry.