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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Katherine tell Hugh before he leaves for war?
(a) That she's pregnant
(b) She has discovered that she cannot have children
(c) She's leaving him and not to look for her
(d) He must stop at the Lancaster estate for a blessing first

2. To whom is Hugh indebted?
(a) The King
(b) Alice Perrers
(c) John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster
(d) Geoffrey Chaucer

3. Who helps Katherine deliver her baby?
(a) Philippa
(b) Hawise
(c) Nichola
(d) Blanche

4. All of the duke's men are happy except for Baron de la Pole. The Baron gets sent away for openly expressing his concerns to the duke. On his way to Havering, he meets Brother William Appleton who tells him something interesting about the duke. What does he tell Baron?
(a) He overheard two monks and a Flemish man had created the documents that question the duke's heritage
(b) That John will soon move to Castile and not return
(c) He is in possession of documents that could ruin John forever
(d) He has seen genuine documents that confirm the duke is the son of a Flemish butcher

5. Katherine goes to the Chapel to visit Blanches' body and finds the duke there. What does he tell her?
(a) To leave
(b) To stay until he feels better
(c) He's giving Bolingbroke to the convent
(d) He wishes he had caught the Plague so he could be dead with Blanche

Short Answer Questions

1. What worries Hawise about the affair between John and Katherine?

2. Who, to Katherine's dismay, is in attendance at the ceremony commemorating the death of Blanche, the duke's first wife?

3. As Katherine passes the skin market at Danesgate, she sees:

4. John has a dream in which he "felt the touch of the sacred oil as the archbishop anointed him and he had felt, vivid as in waking, the holy pressure" of a certain country's crown. What country's crown?

5. Katherine reaches Blanche just in time to:

Short Essay Questions

1. At first, the atmosphere surrounding Blanches' funeral and burial is very solemn, very sad. But it turns jovial and circus-like during the supper at court. What happens?

2. What does Katherine do during her pregnancy that leads the servants to believe she might be losing her mind?

3. Despite his love for Katherine, who is the Duke of Lancaster hoping to marry, and why?

4. Initially the duke sends Katherine away, only to suddenly call her back when she's visiting Hawise and the Pessoners. Do you think the duke was rash to turn to Katherine so quickly?

5. What happens between Nirac and Hugh that foreshadows trouble ahead?

6. Was it foolish of Katherine to refuse an escort back to Kettlethorpe? Why or why not?

7. What did you think of the duke when he expresses joy over Hugh's death?

8. What is Richard's reaction when the duke--who calls himself King of Castile--pledges his allegiance to him? Why?

9. Name some of the devastating events of 1369 and how they affect Kettlethorpe.

10. Katherine meets her future husband Hugh Swyndon in this chapter of the story. Why does Katherine have reservations about marrying this man?

(see the answer keys)

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