The Black Arrow: A Tale of the Two Roses and calling card is a black arrow, cause Dick to suspect that his guardian Sir Daniel Brackley and his retainers are responsible for his father's murder. Dick's suspicions are enough to turn Sir Daniel against him, so he has no recourse but to escape from Sir Daniel and join the outlaws of the Black Arrow against him. This struggle sweeps him up into the greater conflict surrounding them all. The novel is set in the reign of "old King Henry VI" (1422–1461, 1470–1471) and during the Wars of the Roses (1455–1487). The story begins with the Tunstall Moat House alarm
Gervase Clifton (died 1471) May 1471. Clifton married twice, leaving no sons, only two daughters and co-heiresses by his first wife, Isabel Herbert (died c. November 1457), widow of William Scott (died 5 February 1434) of Brabourne, Kent, and daughter of Vincent Herbert ("alias" Finche) of Netherfield, Sussex by his wife Isabel Cralle, daughter and coheiress of Robert Cralle. Their two daughters were: Clifton's second marriage, before 20 March 1463, was to Maud Stanhope (died 30 August 1497), widow firstly of Robert Willoughby, 6th Baron Willoughby de Eresby (died 1452), and secondly of Sir Thomas Neville (died 1460), second son of Richard Neville, 5th