by Griff Hosker
I nodded, “Do you have to ask? And tomorrow we will search for any other such vermin as those that did this. I will ride to Wulfestun and warn Edward too.”
My wife came down stairs. She was nursing William. She sat before the fire. When she spoke, it was though she was speaking to the air rather than to us. “When William becomes a man, I pray that he will behave as a man and not as an animal.”
I sat next to her and held her hand. “We will bring both our sons up to understand the difference between right and wrong. You do not have to be a lord to know such things.” My aunt slipped away. I think she went to the church to pray. It was a sombre night.
I took my squires with me when I rode to Wulfestun. The rest of my men were abroad seeking more felons. As we rode Petr asked, “Lord, when will I be able to fight alongside you?”
“When I think you can do so without risk of dying.”
“Surely, lord, all men can die in battle.”
“They can but as Fótr will tell you a good squire stands close to his lord holding his banner and watching how men fight and how men die before they draw sword themselves. Those animals we slew yesterday were desperate creatures. They were not worth the life of one of my men. Had you gone against them you would be dead.”
Fótr said, “When I cannot beat you in practise then you may be ready. It is only recently that I have fought alongside my lord and I have nearly come to grief.”
That seemed to satisfy Petr who looked up to Fótr.
I saw that Maud was heavy with child when we reached the manor. As I expected Edward was close to home. It was a hot June day and we retired into the cool of the hall for some of Maud’s ale. It was perfect for the weather. She took herself off to allow me to talk and so I was able to be explicit with Sir Edward. He was a warrior who had seen much but I saw him angry. Perhaps it was the prospect of becoming a father soon.
“I know you keep watch for raiders. You need to watch for bandits too.”
He nodded, “The Bishop has returned.”
“Ah, then I can expect either a visit or a summons.”
I then told him what I had learned in York and Northallerton. He looked worried, “Lord, I fear for you. This sounds like treason.”
I shook my head, “When these northern barons come I will speak with them. I am not a fool, Edward. I will not commit but we have legitimate grievances. I need to build a wall around my hall. I need towers but I am forbidden yet Stockton is all that stands between Scottish ambition and the heart of northern England. But I will be careful”
We found no sign of more bandits but we maintained our vigilance. We took on two more men at arms who arrived on a small ship which came from Flanders. It seemed they had served an English lord. He had died of a plague in the fever filled islands of the Frisian coast. They had taken ship and worked their passage for they had heard of my return. I did not hire them blindly. Ridley and David of Wales interrogated them while I spoke with the captain to arrange for cargo. He had brought, speculatively, some lace and fine cloth from Flanders. It was not cheap but I bought it for two reasons: it pleased my wife and it was another ship which would trade with us. We sold him some hides and some iron. It was the beginning of an influx of ships. The new cut made the river more attractive to ships.
The summer passed. Crops grew, animals were fattened and life went on. I heard from Sir Ralph. He was now a married man and he sent a chest of gold to me from his dowry. He had not needed to do it but, as his letter told me, he now prospered. The Lord of Northallerton was a friend and that increased trade.
The two girls improved. The elder, Ada, was a lively chatty thing but Agnetha remained silent and fey. My aunt took her under her wing. While Ada looked after Rebekah my aunt trained Agnetha to be her maid. I heard her talking to her one day as I passed her chamber, “Now you do not need to speak to be a good maid but if you do then it will make life easier.” There was a long silence. “We have time enough to talk. Now here is my brush. Let me see if you can brush this grey hair of mine.” Another silence followed. “Well done. I can see I have made a good choice.”
It reminded me of Sir Edward’s father, Edgar, when he had been schooling a particularly skittish horse. After a month Agnetha actually smiled. Six weeks later and I heard her laugh. As my aunt told us, it was a beginning. And then the ‘Swan’ arrived with twelve horses. It was a great gift and it swelled our numbers dramatically. We would now be able to field over thirty mounted riders. With the horses we were breeding when Alfred had seen ten summers in a year or so we might actually have a surplus.
When Edward’s son, Edgar was born it was cause for great celebration. Preceding the best harvest, we had ever had it was a sign that God smiled, once more, on our valley.
Conspiracy
Chapter 14
It was October when a rider came from Wulfestun to warn me that lords were approaching. He said that they had ten men at arms with them. My wife and Lady Ruth went into action to prepare. The small hall for guests had been recently finished
This would be the first time we had used it. Edward’s rider had just said five lords. We had no idea how many others were with them. I changed into a clean surcoat. Petr and Fótr did the same. I set my servants sweeping up by the stable and had the stable master prepare stalls. Thanks to the horses sent by Sir Richard we would soon need more stables. Some of those used by my father had fallen into disrepair. Horses had not been a priority for Sir William in the dark years when I was away.
I recognised the standard of the Bishop of Durham, and I saw, with him, his nephew Aimeric. I did not recognise the other three lords. They did not look like clerics. Six of the men at arms wore the livery of Durham. The other four and the knights all wore the same livery. They dismounted and Aimeric said, “Uncle this is Sir Thomas. Sir Thomas this is the Bishop of Durham.” The Bishop held his hand for me to kiss the ring. I bowed and did so. It was a deliberate act from the Bishop to put me in my place.
“You are welcome, Bishop Philip, to my hall.”
One of the knights stepped forward. His surcoat had five golden fusils on blue background. “I am Richard de Percy. I am Baron of Topcliffe and Hexham. These are Sir Roger and Sir Robert. They are my household knights.”
“Come, my wife is in my hall.” I pointed to the newly finished hall. “There is accommodation for you there.”
Aimeric shook his head, “His Grace and I will ride back with our people. We will return to Durham when our business is completed.”
Baron Richard said, “We will take you up on the offer for we are far from home. Roger, see to the baggage.”
“Aye lord.”
As I led them into my hall I made certain deductions. This would be a very brief visit. Sir Richard was not with the Bishop. His lands were beyond the Palatinate and I wondered why they were together. I had many questions racing through my head. My wife and Lady Ruth awaited us at the door to my hall and I introduced them. With food and my best wine on the table we waited until the Bishop was seated and then we sat. It gave me a chance to view Philip of Poitou. He was much older than the rest of us. He had a stern face and in all the time I knew him I do not think that I ever saw him smile. He had the look of a cleric. Hugh de Puiset had been a bishop who liked good food and wine. When Philip of Poitou ate and drank it was like a bird. He pecked at his food and sipped at his wine.
I waited for the Bishop to speak. He had invited himself. There was an uncomfortable silence. I could see that my wife found it hard. Lady Ruth saw that I was not initiating a conversation and she smiled. There would be no small talk. Whatever the Bishop had to say he would need to raise himself. He looked at his nephew who spoke, “My uncle has been apprised of the document you were given by the king and the testimony of the priest.”
I merely nodded.
Philip of Poitou had expected me to respond in some way. When I did not he was forced to speak. “My nephew tells me that you withheld your taxes!”
“Yes, Your Grace, for I have had
to use my men to keep the lordless land of Fissebourne safe. Has Your Grace appointed a lord?” My voice was calm but I lifted the end of the sentence.
The Bishop said, “That has nothing to do with the matter. Stockton belongs to the Palatinate and you owe me taxes.”
“That is true and it is part of my responsibility but part of the responsibility of the Palatinate is to keep the people safe. Kelloe and Fissebourne suffered because there was no lord to protect them.”
“You would lecture me?”
I smiled, “I have spent the last fifteen years fighting to keep people safe. I am not certain that you have.”
My aunt said, “There was a time, Bishop, when the Lord of Fissebourne was a strong lord. Your predecessor used his position to remove the lord’s family from that land and destroy the castle. That was not your fault, Bishop but surely you can see that you cannot let the people of the manor go unprotected. My nephew is willing to continue to protect them until you provide a lord. Is not the loss of taxes worth it?”
The Bishop played with the rings on his left hand. “I will seek a lord but I like not this, my lord. It reeks of extortion.”
“It is not. Thanks to Hugh de Puiset, Stockton is not the town it was. The castle was torn down and the town was over taxed. I intend to make it rich once more but that will take time.”
He jabbed a finger at me. “I will have no castle in Stockton! I will not have my power threatened!”
“And I have not asked to build one.”
Aimeric said, “Yet you have built a moat and there are arrow slits in the walls of your hall.”
“The ditch drains the water when we flood. Had we not had the ditch then we would have been inundated in last year’s floods. As for the arrow slits… my men and I hunted down Scottish raiders and bandits from my land. They had come south and killed my people. Would you have me make it easy for a Scottish army to destroy my home?”
The Bishop said, “There may be raiding warbands but the Scottish King will not attack!”
Sir Richard shook his head, “I disagree, Bishop. I have visited Alnwick and Warkworth. The lords there tell me that the Scots plan just that.”
“My lord at Norham has not spoken of danger.”
“Then perhaps they attack further south. I would suggest, Your Grace, that you look to your own position.”
“Sir Richard, I have been assured by King William himself, that the Palatinate will be safe from any Scottish army. He is a pious man.” He rose. “I will appoint a lord but when the taxes are due, Sir Thomas, you will pay them!”
We escorted the two men to their horses and watched them ride away. Sir Richard smiled, “My lord that was a masterful display! Now that he is gone we can talk more openly. Perhaps you could show me what was once the bane of the Scots, Stockton Castle.”
He wanted to be alone. I nodded. “Of course, we will begin at St. John’s well for it is a holy place.” The well was close to my church and, as such, quiet.
When we reached there and there was no danger of us being overheard, he spoke. “I have spoken with Sir Hugh of Northallerton.” He was obviously one of the conspirators. “Now that your knight has married his daughter then you are one of our number.”
“I speak no treason, Sir Richard. If that is your intent then I ask you to leave. I am hanging on to this manor by my fingertips.”
“I know and you should not be. The Bishop’s actions are symptomatic of this King. Where are the rights of the lords? Where are the rights of the people? We live a parlous existence up here at the edge of the realm. We have poorer land than in the south and yet we are taxed as heavily. Do you agree that we should have more rights as barons?”
I could not argue with that. “Perhaps, but I will not rebel against the King. When last that happened the Scots took Northumbria. My grandfather and his father had to retake it. Would you wish that?”
“No, Sir Thomas and we are all grateful to your family. That is why we need you on our side. Baron de Clavering and Baron de Vesci are both powerful barons. We would petition the King to adopt a fairer policy. That is not treason.”
“He might regard it as such.”
“We would keep our swords sheathed.”
“Then, I am sympathetic to that cause and I would support it… peacefully.”
“That is all that we ask.”
“And what of this Scottish threat? Was that to put fear into the heart of the Bishop?”
“No, Sir Thomas, that is a genuine threat. King William is allowing the barons on the border to prepare a raid on Northumbria. King John is beleaguered. The Pope and he are at loggerheads. He has lost Normandy and seeks to hold on to Poitou. What better time to take Northumbria? He will not be part of it so that, if it fails, then he can deny responsibility.”
“Northumbria is far from here.”
“Yet if we lose then there is nought to stop the Scots razing the valley for you no longer have a castle. Besides we would appreciate having the hero of Arsuf with us. We all know how you helped to conquer the Estonians and you were one of the few lords to emerge from the Norman Baron’s War with any honour.”
“I do not have many men.”
“Yet the ones you lead are worth five or six of a Scottish led army.”
He was right. If the Northumbrian barons could not hold the Scots on the Tyne then there was nothing to stop them from flooding the land. The Bishop’s words had told me that there was an agreement between the Bishop and the King of the Scots. Durham would be safe but all else was not.
I nodded, “Very well. It will take a day for us to reach the Tyne.”
“We hope to stop them further north than that. I will send riders to you.” He smiled. “Their men may raid in winter but their lords will not. It is almost the time of the snows. They will not come until March. That gives us all four months to prepare.”
That would give me the breathing space I needed.
He and his knights were courteous and polite as we ate. My son was fascinated by them for these were three new knights. We discovered that they were on their way south. Sir Richard said he was going to Topcliffe but I suspected he was going further south than that. There were other lords whom the conspirators needed. They left early the next morning and I was left with much to ponder.
Petr needed more training. His weapon skills were improving but there was more to being a squire and, ultimately, a knight than just being able to use a sword and shield. Alfred was older now and bigger. Since he had been given a pony he thought himself a squire in training. I decided that he should train alongside Petr. Fótr was almost ready to be a knight. It was only Petr’s lack of skill which had prevented me from doing so. I called Alfred and my two squires together. “There will be a war coming and you, Petr, are not yet ready to carry my banner. Fótr, I want you to spend the next month making him so.”
“Yes lord.”
“And Alfred can also be trained.” My son’s eyes widened in delight. “Not that he will be going to war but when Petr is proficient enough then you shall be knighted and Petr can continue to train Alfred.” I had given Fótr an incentive. He wished to be a knight with all the benefits that would bring. He would train him.
Petr said, “Will I need a hauberk, lord?”
I shook my head, “If Fótr has an old one which will fit then use that but you are growing too much. A hauberk is expensive and you do not need it. The leather jerkin will have to suffice.”
He nodded.
Alfred looked disappointed, “Then I will not have one either?”
“Not until you have seen fourteen summers. But the two of you can have a helmet. In your case, Alfred, it will be leather. Now go, you have much to teach them, Fótr.” He picked up the wooden swords and small bucklers. He led them off to a quiet corner where they would not be observed by the sentries on the fighting platform of my hall.
David of Wales and Ridley the Giant had been waiting close by. I waved them over as Fótr began to teach the two boys how to swing the
ir swords and block with their shields. I saw Ridley smile as his son took a blow to the wrist from Fótr. He knew that such blows were the best teacher.
“Baron Richard warned me of a danger from Scotland. They will attack Northumbria. I know it is far from here but I would rather fight in their lands than in the valley.”
Ridley nodded, “Besides, lord, there is more chance of booty!”
“There is that. We are still short of horses. We will need sumpters if we are to campaign north of the Tyne. David, I would have you and three of your archers ride around the manors close by and see if you can purchase horses. They may not know of the forthcoming war and so we may be able to get them cheaper.” As soon as there was a hint of war then the price of horses doubled. Warriors needed them and merchants were keen to have a beast which could take them away from danger quickly.
“Aye lord. I will leave Cedric Warbow to continue working with the new archers. They are improving but they are still below the standard I expect.”
He left us and I said to Ridley, “We will need to leave men to guard our home when we go. I leave the choice of men to you. Jack the blacksmith appears to know his trade. I want every hauberk to be perfect. Check each man’s sword. We need no defective blades. I would rather spend coin to get good swords and mail.” I smiled. “The Bishop wants his taxes next year!”
I left him to organize the men and I rode to Wulfestun. If my men had known I went alone they would have been worried. I did not tell them. If I could not ride the land of Stockton then I had no right to be a lord of the manor. I rode close to Norton. It had been a greater manor than Stockton at one time. The church was older than mine. It was beginning to grow again for there was more land for farming. The Bishop had yet to appoint a lord of the manor. I had a mind to ask him to appoint Fótr. If he could not find one for Fissebourne then I doubted that he would find one for such a poor manor as Norton.
I waved to the farmers. They did not know me well, yet, but the Reeve, Walter of Norton had told me that they were happier with my men riding their manor. When I reached Wulfestun I discovered that Edward’s son had been named after me. I was honoured. Maud was nursing him as I arrived. She scurried away. She was ever shy around me. Sir Edward and Gilles were working with their men to construct a stone tower attached to the hall.