Robert Poley is an agent for the British Crown.
The year for the start of these adventures is 1599. The wearer of the heavy ornament is Queen Elizabeth the First. This aging monarch is frail and nearing her life's end. Working diligently to protect her and her interests is Robert Cecil, sitting Secretary of State and Lord High Treasurer, a man who assumed his high position by way of his father many said but in truth it was his own cunning and genius. Considering that Cecil suffered from scoliosis and had a hunchback, making him the subject of ridicule (far behind his back, of course), his accomplishments were impressive.
One of the reasons for his successes were his band of dedicated operatives, known then as 'intelligencers'. The best of that impressive group is Poley. A good deal about Poley is told to us early on:
"Poley was 44 years old. He had been working in the English intelligence service since his days as a lowly sizar at Clare College, Cambridge, the better part of thirty years ago. He was that strange but priceless chameleon, a Catholic and a patriot willing to put his sovereign above his soul. An unrivalled asset to the first Lord Burghley and to Sir Francis Walsingham; and, one generation later, to the men who replaced them: Cecil and Sir Thomas Walsingham. He was of middle height, though also of erect carriage. His build was slight but looked strong enough, perhaps athletic. His eyes and his hands were large. His hair and beard were russet. He might have been accounted handsome. Other than that there was little striking or memorable about him. Which qualities seemed to Grey to be perfect in an intelligencer."
The fact that Poley works for the titular head of Anglican church who was often quite severe in the treatment of Catholics is something that will weigh heavily on him as time goes on. But something that does not change is how very good Poley is at his job, even when he might not want to be.