Verity Rutter

**Verity** **Rutter** (née **Bridges**) is one of the first maids to make wives travelling to Virginia in 1619. She arrived alongside Alice Kett and Jocelyn Castell to wed Meredith Rutter, the tavern’s keeper. Verity has managed to make the most of her marriage to the perpetual drunk Meredith. Leaving behind her past of petty crime, she has become one of the more principled residents of Jamestown. As her husband’s drinking takes a darker turn, she find herself caring more about him. When Tamlin Appleday arrives at Jamestown and enters her life she finds a new sense of purpose and fulfillment.

## Personality

Feisty, clever and sharp-tongued, Verity knows how to stand up for herself and doesn’t remain quiet at the sight of injustice, either her own or the ones she cares about. Being brought up in a damaged household, she became self-sufficient from a young age in order to escape her father’s violence. Because of her loud nature, Verity tends to attract trouble, especially from men whom feel intimated and threaten by her. In spite of her foul tongue and tendency to curse, Verity possesses a kind nature and is always ready to help those in need, specially her dearest friend, Alice Kett. She might mock her husband, Meredith Rutter, in public but she does her best to support and encourage him in becoming a better man, and to make their marriage work.

## Physical Appearance

Red-haired and with deep blue eyes, Verity is considered beautiful and catches men’s attention with ease. However, most men remark she doesn’t look respectful due to her revealing clothing.

## Throughout *Jamestown*

* Background
* Season One
* Season Two
* Season Three

Little is known about her early life, other than Verity comes from a poor family of an unknown location in Ireland. Her father was always a violent and physically abusive man who beat her mother to death, and that was when Verity lost faith in God. It’s implied he was also an alcoholic. She has one brother and sisters. She gave birth to a child when she was fourteen. Verity was imprisoned for stealing until Meredith Rutter paid for her release and to have her transported to Virginia to be his wife.

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Verity befriends Alice Kett during their voyage to Virginia, and while Alice is excited with the prospect of their new lives in a new world, Verity not so much. Once she arrives at the wharf, Meredith Rutter, her betrothal, is not there to receive her like the other men. She wanders around the settlement searching for Meredith and James Read informs she can find him in the tavern, but he’s not there. The next morning, Verity takes a glimpse of her husband-to-be, while Marshal Redwick is charging him of slandering the Company of Virginia and of lewdness and drunkenness, and nails his ear to a post as punishment. Meanwhile, Alice tells her that Henry Sharrow, the man she's suppose to marry, raped her the night before and Verity encourages her to report the crime. She decides to leave Virginia and come back to England, but Meredith stops her. But that night, a drunken Meredith wagers against the other men in the tavern to win a night with Verity. Taken by outrage, she flees the next morning, with some money and men’s clothing she stole from Rutter, in search for Berkeley Town, the nearby settlement. Alice goes after her on her own, finds Verity and begs her to return because she needs her after what happened. The redheaded woman agrees and they are attack by a pack of wolves while on their way back to Jamestown. James Read, who followed Alice, saves them both.

Verity and Meredith struggle to make their marriage work. Secretary Farlow and Marshal Redwick are determinate to destroy Jocelyn Castell's ambitions and influence over Samuel Castell, but since she’s of noble birth they can’t publically punish her so they use Verity as scapegoat and imprisons her at the stocks for humiliating her husband at the tavern.  In the night she’s release from the stocks, Verity curses the Marshal and the man falls ill, not due to witchcraft but because Jocelyn poisoned his glove with belladonna. Nevertheless, Reverend Whitaker suspects Verity to be a witch and starts an inquiry because he witnessed her cursing several men who fell ill and doesn’t attend mass. Verity mocks the Reverend, yet fears when he said she’ll bare the “devil’s mark” for she has a birthmark equal to that of his father and brother. She’s eventually found innocent and escapes the embarrassment of being stripped naked with Jocelyn’s help.

Verity wishes to share Meredith’s bed, but her husband is frequently too drunk for it. Therefore, she forces him to quit drinking but it doesn't last. One night at the tavern, during a drunken fight, Nathan Bailey shots Fletcher and while Christopher Priestley tries to save him, he fails and the boy dies. To protect Bailey, Verity tells Marshal Redwick it was an accident. When standing on trial, Bailey, however, paints Verity as a woman of lose morals and describes how she was trying to seduce both Bailey and Fletcher and she was the one to blame for what happened. While Governor Yeardley is convalescing, the militia, ordered by Marshal Redwick, seizes control of the settlement, and Verity tries to talk Bailey out of it but the boy end ups killed.

After being shamed by Secretary Farlow, Verity decides to steal items from his house, and is later invited by Lady Temperance Yeardley to help in preparing St. John’s festivities. Verity shows Meredith what she stole from Farlow’s and he makes her promise no more stealing. After finding more stealing goods, this time from Marshal Redwick, Meredith takes Verity to the gallows and recalls her that, when she arrived, he warned would report her to the Marshal if she stole anything from him. Verity apologizes but Meredith takes her to Doctor Christopher Priestley, fearing his wife might have some affliction that causes her to steal. Lady Temperance grasps Verity trying to steal the governor’s box, where he keeps the map to the gold mines he stole from Lord De La Warr’s grave and threatens her. Later, she steals the box alongside Jocelyn Castell in order to blackmail Lady Yeardley not to read the letter she’ll receive from her cousin in Oxfordshire about Jocelyn’s past.

When Henry Sharrow returns to Jamestwon, Verity spits on his face and stays with Alice during the night for fearing he might attack her again. After the map reveals to be fake and fearing the gallows, Jocelyn Castell seeks refugee in the tavern alongside Mercy, and they both spend the night with Verity. The redheaded woman asks Mercy to go and fetch Alice. The next morning, while Alice went to the governor’s house to beg for Lady Yeardley’s clemency, Verity takes Jocelyn back to Samuel and lies she’s pregnant. Later that night, Verity confesses Meredith her wish to become a mother.

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Verity helps Alice gives birth to Silas Sharrow’s son in the river with Verity and Maria’s help. The next day, Verity thanks Maria for helping delivering the babe. Maria urges to return home to her children and husband but Verity recalls Virginia is her home now and she can have babies there. When Secretary Farlow expels Jocelyn from the recorder’s house, Verity offers her shelter in the tavern although Meredith opposes to it for he saw Samuel Castell hours before his death clamming to be doing the governor’s business. While walking on the woods Verity finds Maria performing a ritual to speak with her husband, and when Verity tells her not to for she'll be punished, Maria slaps her and runs off. Later that day, Verity is called by Marshal Redwick to testify that Maria stroke
her. In order to protect the woman, Verity denies it and proclaims she was the one who slapped Maria. Verity insists she wants a baby but Meredith is always drunk.

A ship arrives carrying more goods and Verity remarks the clothing is sold at higher prices to fill the pockets of Company men, calling it a robbery. In order to prove himself to Verity, Meredith tells her he intends to rob the Company’s ship. The next morning, he meets with two marines, Carrow and Morrow, who beat him and tell him to remain silent about their dealings. Meredith shows the cargo to Verity and late, that night, he’s force to buy more stolen goods from his pirate friends. However, he's passed out in the morning and Verity goes in his place. Before Verity is able to reach the stolen goods, Henry and Silas Sharrow arrive and chase the men. Morrow takes Verity hostage and while Henry distracts him, Silas sneaks up and slices his arm with an axe. Back in Jamestown, Morrow is punished by Secretary Farlow for his crime. That night, Verity tells Meredith she knows where the hidden cargo is but her husband say they can’t go anywhere near it.

After mass, Jocelyn Castell frowns upon James Read after Christopher Priestley remarks he can’t keep his eyes off her, and Verity tells Mercy she never heard Jocelyn speaking such rudeness to him before, to which the servant girl replies that her mistress seems to seek him out every day and appears disappointed when he’s nowhere to be found. Verity seems suspicious. Meanwhile, Alice’s son disappears and the settlers hold the Pamunkey responsible. Chacrow guarantees Alice he did not take the babe and later, at Lady Temperance Yeardley’s request, Verity asks Alice if she forgotten her child somewhere. After Henry Sharrow’s wedding to Winganuske, Chacrow's sister, Verity informs James Read a ship was sighed off the coast and his wife-to-be, Corinna, is to arrive within an hour. Read is insecure Corinna will not like him therefore Verity decides to help him and washes the dirt of his face and gives him a red silk doublet from the stolen cargo, implying she went back to get it. However the young woman died during the voyage. The next morning, Verity, alongside Mercy, finds Jocelyn asleep in the barn and later asks Read to be careful and she doesn’t just mean the doublet. Later at night, when Verity and Meredith are moving the stolen cargo in the woods they are found by Master Massinger. Massinger wants the cargo and them to forget about it.

When Secretary Farlow returns to Jamestown with Simeon Peck, Verity mocks them at the tavern. Meredith Rutter asks her to stop her jester for many men in there had sweethearts and kissing companions of their own before the women arrived. Verity observes the room and notices the closeness between some of her customers. The next night, Redwick storms in the tavern and Verity informs him that Farlow is with his “sweet apple of a friend”. Redwick recalls the 1610 law that prohibits sodomy. While Farlow and Redwick converse outside, Verity befriends Simeon. The next night, Verity asks her husband if he had a kissing companion of his own and he replies he can’t be certain. Meanwhile, Maria arrives and asks for her help. She tells Verity someone placed luxury items in her and Pedro’s shack so they might be blamed for stealing it. Verity assures Maria she’ll take care of it and keeps the items for herself. The next day, she and Meredith go to Edgar Massinger’s farm to confront him. Her husband tries to stop her, but Verity screams at Massinger she know he was the one who placed the items in Pedro’s shack and will not let him take the blame. Massinger has fit of rage and grabs Verity by the neck. He eventually let go of her and Meredith takes his wife out of there.

When Sir George Yeardley informs Jamestown the Spanish can invade them at any time so they must prepare for attack, Verity isn’t pleased to join the other women in bring food and provisions into town. Later, she asks Redwick if he ever heard of Captain Mary Ambree for she fought bravely against the Spanish. She wishes to fight as well. Redwick denies her request and mocks her. Later, she asks James Read to teach her how to make a sword. The next day, her sword is ready and Read teaches her how to use it. She asks the blacksmith if he killed many men and he replies it isn’t the number that matter but the sound of a man put to the sword, and he wishes her never to know such sound for it haunts a man. After Edgar Massinger is executed for murdering Samuel Castell and as a Catholic spy, Verity stands behind. Meredith urges her to go but she replies that even Massinger deserves a bit of pity. However, the man did not die from hanging and returns to consciousness, fiercely grabbing her leg. Verity screams for him to leave her be and grabs for her sword.  She pierces his neck and the man dies. She returns to town visibly disturbed and runs into James Read, who notices the blood on her sword. Verity tells him the sound of a man dying by the sword is like the cry of an owl.

Verity is hiding food on the woods to help Maria when she’s caught by Secretary Farlow. She lies by saying that she expects the food will persuade Maria to give herself up to authorities. At night, Verity is puzzled because her husband, Meredith Rutter, is trying to read the Bible in spite of being unable to read. Maria visits Verity at the tavern and thanks her for coming after her with food. She reveals she kept the knife with her for so long because she knew she would have to use someday but never for once thought it would be on Pedro. James Read arrives and tells them Pedro has escape and goes searching for him. James takes Pedro to the tavern and he reunites with Maria. They agree to turn themselves in to Yeardley. However, they are arrested by Henry Sharrow, who takes them in chains to the governor's door. Verity tries to defende Maria. Days later, At the tavern, Marshal Redwick gets drunk and passes out on the floor. Both Verity and Meredith urinate on him as revenge. Redwick wakes the next morning and the Rutters mock him, pretending he urinate himself. The marshal threatens them not to say a word about it to anyone. At the tavern, Redwick and Farlow talk. Verity and Meredith blackmail Redwick into allow them to trade with the mariners. Farlow is puzzled with Redwick’s decision.

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The Assembly of Burgesses is gathering and Verity urges Alice Sharrow to go and speak on Silas Sharrow’ behalf. Meredith Rutter talks confused sentences and Verity says he’s been talking like that lately. Jocelyn Castell also agrees that Alice must find a reason for Henry to take her with him to meet with Silas. Meredith wakes up at night talking nonsensical quotes again, but Verity tells him to go back to sleep. Meanwhile, Alice reunites with Verity and Jocelyn and informs she’ll take a ship back to England. At the wharf, Alice takes her farewell and promises she’ll never forget Verity and Jocelyn.

England has delivered English vagabond boys to Jamestown to work on the fields. One of the boys approaches Verity and asks for ale. He says he’ll clean the buckets as payment but Verity gives him water. The boy introduces himself as Tamlin Appleday and says he’s to work on Jocelyn’s farm. He says his mother was hanged when he was little but all he needs is food and drink. He also promises he’ll be King of Virginia one day and Verity laughs and urges him to go to Jocelyn to win her favor. At the tavern, Tamlin is playing and dancing with Meredith Rutter. Meredith calls him a miracle. Tamlin steals James Read drink. James asks if he doesn’t know respect but is pushed by the boy and falls. James gets back on his feet and pushes the boy against the wall and tells him to pick fights he can win. Tamlin throws a clay pot to his head. James says he’ll die a coward’s death and tells Verity to keep the boy away from him.

Meanwhile, Verity finds Tamlin cleaning the buckets and realizes it didn’t took Jocelyn long to be tired of him. Verity says she will feed him breakfast if he brings Meredith home. They return to Jamestown and Meredith tells everyone that Tamlin is his child who has crossed the ocean to find him. When they are alone, Verity asks Tam why he lets Meredith call him “son”. Tam justifies it doesn’t hurt anyone and makes Meredith happy. Verity calls him a “golden boy” and hugs him. James Read warns Verity that the boy stole a knife from his forge. Verity doesn’t want James to act on it because she never saw Meredith so happy but promises she’ll talk to Tam about it. Meanwhile, Meredith gets drunk and tells Tamlin to get out of his tavern. Verity finds Tam and tells him she’s the one to blame. The boy has James’ knife and cuts Verity but she tells him that he has a home with the Rutters. At the church, Verity is praying but is disturbed by James Read. She stands up for Tamlin all the same. James says nothing and kneels by her side and they pray together. At the tavern, Verity finds Tamlin sweeping the floors

Maria goes to the tavern and asks Verity to help her hiring sailors so she’ll leave to England. Tamlin overheards. Verity warns Maria’s plan won’t work because someone will catch her. Maria says the governor will send Pedro away and that Pedro will kill Yeardley because that happens. Verity still says no. Later, Meredith asks Verity if she doesn’t want Maria to go because she already lost Alice. Verity says it’s because Maria doesn’t have the means to pay the sailors. Meredith says he’ll talk to the captain of the Golden Lion about smuggling Pedro and Maria to England. Later, Mercy informs Verity that Tamlin told Jocelyn about Maria’s plan to escape. Verity scolds Tam for betraying Pedro and Maria and promises she will teach him to be good. Verity warns James Read about Jocelyn’s letter. At the feast, Yeardley is looking for Pedro and asks him to raise the flag. Verity overhears and fearing Maria and Pedro's escape is known Verity seeks to warn them.

Meredith is telling everyone about the golden horse he saw but no one believes him because he’s a known drunk. Tamlin says they both can search for the beast. However, Meredith insults Tam and Verity scolds him for it. Meanwhile, Verity gives Jocelyn the letter she wrote for Maria and Pedro. Jocelyn asks what she thinks of Willmus Crabtree. She tells he goes to the tavern to seek gossip from the drunks. Jocelyn asks for Verity’s help to retrieve the promissory note she wrote to Nicholas Farlow. Verity agrees to help. James Read goes to the tavern to ask Meredith where did he witness the horse but he’s lying on the floor, drunk. Verity says it was behind the Blackwood. She tells James about Tam and Meredith’s conflicted relationship. She believes Meredith can’t live up to Tam’s expectations because of how he left his own son to die. She asks James to fetch the horse so Meredith will know a bit of pride in himself. Verity visits Willmus’ shop in hopes of finding out where he is hiding Jocelyn's note. She pretends to be interested in buying a chest to keep Meredith’s gold but Willmus says treasures must be hidden with wit because locks don’t stop thieves. A key on his pocket catches Verity’s attention. At the tavern, Verity talks to Willmus about Meredith. She sits by his side and flirts with him, stealing his key. That night, Verity breaks into Willmus’ house but is caught. Crabtree says he swapped the keys when he knew she would steal it from him. He retrieves Jocelyn’s note and asks if she was looking for it. Later, Verity talks to Mercy. She has heard from James Read that Mercy’s heart is broken because she’s not allowed to wed. Verity says some girls get the man they want by putting themselves with child. Mercy starts crying and leaves. Verity, Meredith and Tamlin go to the stables to see the golden horse. Tam says the whole town now sees that Meredith was right all along. Meredith scolds Tamlin and the boy leaves crying. Verity says her father was like Meredith and he’ll also pay for his sins. Tamlin runs away from Jamestown.

Verity waits for Tamlin to return. Meredith meets with Verity at the wharf but she refuses to speak to him. Mercy approaches and asks Verity if there is no word of Tamlin. Verity says a farmer told her the boy caught a boat to Gloaming Creek. Verity tells Mercy that Pepper Sharrow is a good man and she should have his child. Mercy says God would strike her down if she was to be pregnant and unmarried. Verity says God didn’t care when the governor killed Nicholas Farlow and placed his head on a spike. Later, Verity observes Meredith drinking. She’s disgusted. Mercy approaches her and says she has been thinking about her advice to take Pepper into the long grass and she can’t do it because it will be a sin. Verity laughs and walks away. Meanwhile, Verity approaches Meredith and tells him Tamlin ain’t coming back and he probably won’t last long out there and on the days he has left he believes he isn’t worth of a mother’s love. Verity wants one moment of honesty from Meredith. He says his cruelty is responsible for driving away Tamlin.

Mercy asks Verity why she won’t visit her husband. Verity says Meredith doesn’t deserve any comforts. At the blacksmith’s shop, Verity talks to James Read about Meredith’s illness. She says a coward’s death would suit him but then he wouldn’t pay for the crimes he has done and it won’t bring Tamlin back to Jamestown. At the apothecary, Christopher Priestley wants to get up but it’s stopped by Verity because he’s too weak. The doctor says he must call upon Pedro and Maria. Christopher and Verity arrive at Yeardley's farm. The doctor tells them the governor has written in his will that Maria and Pedro are to be passed on to his children upon his death. They realize they will never be free. Pedro says that even if he kills Yeardley, the governor will own them beyond the grave. Verity asks what can be done. Christopher promises he’ll write to England to the Virginia Company but Maria doesn’t trust in English promises. Mercy tells Verity that Meredith is begging her to return to him. Verity doesn’t care and asks if Mercy has taken Pepper into the long grass. Mercy doesn't reply. Verity advices her to do it properly so he’ll get her pregnant. Mercy begs Verity to visit Meredith. Later, Pedro and Jocelyn have gone upriver to find the seamen. James Read decides to go after them. Verity decides to go along as well to seek out Tamlin.

James Read and Verity find the wrecks of Jocelyn and Pedro’s boat as they travel upriver. Not far from shore, they find Jocelyn with an arrow pierced in the side of her stomach. James urges Verity to boil water and cloths for him to remove the arrow. James cuts the arrow out of Jocelyn’s skin and heals her wound as she cries in pain. At night, Pedro runs into James Read and Verity. James is upset with Pedro for bringing Jocelyn upriver. Verity orders them to calm down and Pedro to sit down and eat. Pedro tells James and Verity they were attacked by a white man shooting arrows from the river bank. He says he chased the man to kill him but he was able to escape. Meanwhile, he lost sight of Jocelyn and went into hiding. Pedro is hurt with James because he went upriver because of Jocelyn. James wants to return to Jamestown for Jocelyn to receive proper medical care. Pedro and Verity want to go on to find the mariners and Tamlin Appleday. Jocelyn wants to go on as well because they can prove Yeardley’s role in bringing slaves to Virginia. James reluctantly agrees. He says there is a lead mine ahead and two former mariners are now working at Gloaming Creek. Pedro assures he’ll recognize the men when he sees them and takes the first watch. Verity and Jocelyn talk about James’ feelings for the widow. Jocelyn says she can’t give her heart to James because she was heartbroken once and swore never to love again. James, Pedro, Verity and Jocelyn are on their way to the lead mines when they stop to make camp because they widow is too tired. James says he and Pedro will go to the mine and search for the mariners. Verity begs Pedro to hold his temper when he meets the mariners for they can know where Tam is. Pedro says he has no idea how he will be when he reunites with those men. Jocelyn relishes on the prospect of Yeardley’s ruin. Verity talks about Jocelyn’s feelings for James and urges her to love him. Meanwhile, James and Pedro return. James says he will return to the mine tomorrow and enquire about work. Verity begs him not to forget to ask about Tam.

The next day, James visits the mine. Later, James tells Verity that Tam worked on the mine for a time until he stole some food and was caught. Verity is beginning to lose hope. They are heading towards the mariners’ shack. James proposes he should approach the shack alone in fear that Pedro might kill the men. When they arrive, however, they find the men dead inside. Verity asks who would kill the mariners. Jocelyn says it’s Yeardley’s doing. Their mission has failed so they decided to return to Jamestown. While on their way home, Jocelyn is shot when she’s telling James the mariners are still alive because they attack her and Pedro by the river. Pedro tries to help Jocelyn while Verity fires back. James, however, kills the mariner with his dagger.

At the woods, Verity witnesses as the Pamunkey perform an offering. At the woods, Thomas Redwick stubbles upon Verity looking at the sacrificial Pamunkey rock. Verity tells she has seen Opechancanough there. Redwick tells her the rock is sacred to the Pamunkey. Yeardley orders the soldiers to destroy the rock. As they leave, Verity finds Tamlin. She promises she will look after him this time. The boy accepts to return home with her. Meredith witnesses as Verity retuns to Jamestown with Tamlin. Meredith approaches them and says the boy is looking fine. Verity and Tam, however, turn their backs on him. At the tavern, there is tension between Meredith and Tamlin. Verity tries to wash Tam’s bloodied face but the boy stops her and leaves, crying. Verity asks Tam what happened to him and Meredith leaves. That night, Meredith apologizes to Tam and promises he’ll be a good father to him. The boy forgives him and they hug. Verity is filled with joy. Verity, Meredith and Tamlin survive the Pamunkey attack.
## Relationships

#### Meredith Rutter

*Main article:* *Verity and Meredith Rutter*

## Gallery

 Appearances

 Episode 8 | **Appears**

 Episode 8 | **Appears**

 Episode 8 | **Appears**

## References

1. ↑ Episode 2.04
2. ↑ Episode 2.05
3. ↑ Episode 1.01
4. ↑ Episode 1.06
5. ↑ Episode 1.01
6. ↑ Episode 1.01
7. ↑ Episode 1.02