Burne-Jones designed seven tempera paintings illustrating the romance of Sir Degrevaunt to form a series running around an upper drawing room at the Red House, Bexley Heath, William Morris's new home in Kent. Only three were executed. These two figures appear in the centre of the third work which also shows The Wedding Feast. The story had been published in the Camden Society's volume of Thornton Romances, 1844, and was a favourite with Burne-Jones and William Morris. Sketchbook V&A E.1-1955 contains a study from Dresses and Decorations of the Middle Ages by Henry Shaw (London, 1843) of a serving maid which originated from Historia Scholastica by Guiart de Moulins 1470, this was the inspiration for the serving maid in The Wedding Feast of Sir Degrevaunt and Lady Mildore.