Baron's War

by Griff Hosker

  I dismounted and Gilles took Skuld to water her. I said, “Are you becoming a fortune teller, Edward?” He looked puzzled. “The new tower.”

  He pointed to the hall. “Now that I have a wife and a son I need somewhere they find sanctuary if bandits come. It is an old-fashioned sort of tower. The entrance is on the first floor. It can only be accessed through the hall.”

  “And it may prove useful.”

  He came closer. “There is danger?”

  “There may be.” I told him of my visit and the dangers which had been mentioned.

  “You know, lord, that I will not have a great number of men to bring. I do not have many horses and I need my family protecting.”

  “I know. The conroi I lead will not be the largest I have ever commanded. There will be but three knights and I doubt that we will have more than thirty or forty men at arms and, perhaps twenty or thirty archers. It will have to do. It will be February or March when I shall need you.”

  He looked relieved. “Good for that gives me time to train the men of the manor. They are better than they were but…”

  I nodded, “And you might invite the men of Norton. It is closer to you than Stockton. They do not have a castle but they have a wall.”

  “Aye lord.”

  I returned a different way. I rode towards Hartburn. Sir Harold had once been lord of the manor there. He had never had a castle but the hall, which had been built by Wulfstan, had been burned during a raid. It was now a blackened pile of timbers. We had neither the men nor the coin to build it but one day I would have a lord of the manor there too. My horse drank from the beck and then I turned and rode to the Oxbridge. This was the start of my manor and the pig farmers who lived there had prospered in the time I had been back. The sight of the pigs snuffling in the muddy ground by the beck was reassuring.

  Over the next weeks, as the weather deteriorated, we did not stop. Fótr worked with Alfred and Petr. When it was too wet for horse work they practised with swords and when the nights drew in and it became too dark he worked with them on the reading, writing and courtly skills. For Petr this was the hardest task. Fótr hit on the novel idea of using Rebekah to act as a lady. She thought it a wonderful game and Alfred and Petr were able to learn how to address a lady, how to bow and, most importantly how to speak. One skill that was hard to teach was singing. Fótr had a beautiful voice. Others, in Anjou, had said that he could have made a living as a troubadour. I had never needed the skill but my father had insisted that I learn. It was part of being a knight. He could play the rote well. It was not an easy instrument to play. Alfred found the rote easier to play but Petr was a more confident singer.

  As the nights lengthened and the days grew colder we prepared both for winter and for war. Cedric Warbow had managed to buy two palfreys, three rouncys and six sumpters. He had done well. It was also reassuring to hear that the land to the south of us was at peace. Just before Christmas I went with my three squires and two men at arms to Whorlton. It would be the first time I had seen Ralph since his marriage. I had deliberately left him alone. His life had changed dramatically. I also intended to speak with Sir Hugh.

  Isabel was with child and Sir Ralph was no longer the youth who had served me in Anjou. He was a man grown. He had broadened out. As I said, when we inspected his impressive defences, “Being lord of the manor suits you.”

  “Thank you, lord. I owe all to you. We are more prosperous and when our ewes lamb I will return some of the coin I was loaned by you.”

  I waved a dismissive hand, “The coin can wait but I will need you, your squire, four men at arms and four archers in March. We go north of the Tyne.”

  “That is when my child is due.”

  “Nonetheless I will need you.”

  He nodded, grimly, “Then I will be there.”

  We rode to speak with Sir Hugh the next day. As luck would have it we could not have picked a better day. When we arrived at the castle he was speaking with ten men. I waited in the shadows of the gatehouse and I listened.

  “I am sorry but I have no need of men at arms. The land is at peace and my warrior hall is full. You might try Sir Ralph at Whorlton. He may need one or two of you.”

  The leader knuckled his forehead, “Thank you, lord.”

  I nudged Skuld forward, “What is your name?”

  He bowed, “William of Lincoln, lord. I lead these men. We were in Poitou when King Phillip’s men captured our lord. The ransom was paid for him but we were left bereft. We worked our passage on a ship to York but the Constable there called us vagrants and had us thrown from the city.”

  That confirmed my decision. If de Lacey did not want them then I did. “I am Sir Thomas of Stockton. I was lord of La Flèche.” I could see that they had heard of me. “I can give you a home and pay if you would serve me?”

  They all nodded vigorously and William said, “Aye lord! We have heard of you and it would be an honour.”

  I tossed a couple of silver sixpences to him. “Here is money for food. Stockton is just a day’s march north. I will be there before you.”

  “Thank you, lord.”

  Sir Hugh led us to his hall. “Did Baron de Percy tell you of the Scots?”

  “He did lord.”

  “I will need Sir Ralph and some of his men. Lady Isabel is due to give birth when I take him. You will need to help watch his lands for me.”

  “That I will but worry not about my daughter. She knows what is expected of her. She can stay here when she is due. My wife would like that.” He lowered his voice, “And what of the Baron’s proposal?”

  “I tell you what I told him. I will not rebel for that will open the door to the Scots but I will support a peaceful protest. I can say no more.”

  He nodded, “Have you heard that King John has been excommunicated? And that there is an interdict. Priests may only baptise and hear the confessions of the dying. That will hurt the church.”

  I knew what he meant. Many priests became rich as a result of weddings and indulgences. King John would also suffer. Matters were coming to a head. King John had enemies at home, in France, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and in Poitou. Now, it seemed, he had made an enemy of Pope Innocent!

  The Battle on the Coquet

  Chapter 15

  If the last Christmas had been a good one then, with three children and the two rescued girls, this one was even better. My wife and my aunt knew that we would be leaving in three months for war with the Scots and they were determined to make it a celebration which would live long in the memory. The blanket of snow which surrounded the hall and the frozen Tees made the hall seem, somehow, cosier. My aunt and my wife spared no efforts to make the children and the two rescued girls happy. Agnetha even managed to speak with my Aunt and say. “Thank you!” It may not have seemed much to anyone outside the hall but to us, it was the best present any of us could have had. She was on the way to recovery and a damaged soul had been saved. By the time twelfth night came we were ready to go back to the preparations for war.

  My son would soon be seven. Even as we left for war he would celebrate. Partly as a gift for a future squire and partly at apology for leaving him at home I gave him his first sword. It was little more than a dagger but the smith had done a good job and the hilt and the pommel were well decorated. With a fine scabbard he was able to strut around my hall like a young knight.

  We had schooled the new horses and the saddler had made saddles for the horses we would ride. David and his archers had spent the winter fletching. We had plenty of arrows. The smith made us spear heads from the poor swords we had taken from the bandits. We had spare spears. Father Abelard, who was a well-read man, told us of the Roman horsemen who had had a scabbard for their javelins on their saddles. We fitted the scabbards so that my men at arms could replace broken spears. I was lucky. I had Fótr and Petr to bring me replacements.

  As the days lengthened and the snow abated the preparations grew apace. Once we had passed February I was watching for the horseman f
rom the north. When the message arrived then we would mobilise. It was not that I wanted to leave my family and go to war, it was just that I knew it was coming. I wanted it over with. It was the second week in March when the sentry on my fighting platform shouted, “Lord, two riders from the north. They wear yellow fusil on a blue background.”

  I knew what it meant and I shouted, “Captains, squires, to me!”

  Petr was the first to reach me. “Take a horse and ride to Whorlton. Tell Sir Ralph I have need of him. Return with him. When you reach here then you will be told whence you ride.”

  “Aye lord.” He had grown over the winter. It was a lonely ride south but I knew that he would cope.

  His father arrived and shouted, “And wrap up warm!”

  He grinned, “Aye father!”

  “The riders approach. We will be leaving as soon as I discover our destination. I know we cannot reach the Tyne this day but we can reach Wulfestun and leave on the morrow. Go, pack and say your goodbyes.”

  All had known this day was coming and the goodbyes would be less tearful.

  The two riders reined in, “Our lord sent us. The Scots have been seen gathering at Jesmond. It is an army. The Baron would have you join him at Otterburn. The other lords are coming to join him there.”

  “And the High Sherriff?”

  “My lord sent to him.” That was the whole of the message and I wondered if the Sherriff would appear or would he let his barons fight the war for him?

  This would be a test of the character of Robert son of Roger. I had heard he was a weak man. A threat to his county would show if that was true or merely a malicious rumour. The two messengers came with us. They would need to rest their horses before returning to their lord. My forty-eight men had fifty-six horses and Dragon. The eight spare horses were laden with arrows, food and blankets. We would take no tents. My men were hardy despite having lived so long on the Loir. Baron Percy’s two men slept. We helped Sir Edward and his men to prepare their own equipment.

  If we left before dawn then we could stay at de Percy’s hall at Hexham. The horses would need rest after that but it was a short way to Otterburn. The extra men I had taken on at Northallerton meant we had left a good garrison at Stockton and we would be able to leave more at Wulfestun. The men I took, with the exception of Petr, were the most experienced that I had.

  It was after dark when we entered the hall at Hexham. There was no castle here but there was a hall. We were all chilled to the bone and ready for food. The two messengers had warned the steward and all was prepared. I first asked about the Scots.

  “There is no further news, lord. They are north of us but the melting snow means that the land is not as easy to travel.” The steward was an old warrior. I saw that he only had two fingers on his left hand. “If I had been the Scots then I would have come a month since. The ground would have been harder. Still, it is the Scots. They are hard to predict.”

  I nodded, “And yet the Baron knew when they were coming.”

  “He is a wise lord. He has spies and he keeps a good watch on the border. I am lucky to serve Baron de Percy.” His words spoke much about Baron de Percy.

  We did not leave at first light. I still hoped that Ralph, his men and Petr would still reach us but, more importantly, I wanted the horses rested. It was not far to Otterburn and we reached it in the late afternoon after an easy ride. I saw many standards there but no sign of Robert son of Roger, the Sherriff of Newcastle. Of the Scots there was no sign. As we headed for the standard of de Percy I reflected that this would be the first time since I had left Anjou that I would not be leading men into battle. I would be following. It had been a long time since that had happened. Even in Sweden I had made the major decisions. I hoped I would not come to rue my decision.

  After I dismounted de Percy clasped my arm. “You made good time. De Vesci and de Clavering are on the other side of the tower. We have sixty knights and two hundred men at arms. I brought my levy.”

  “And the High Sherriff?”

  “He has not spoken of his intentions. I hope that his conscience will make him join us. He has sixty knights at his beck and call.” He looked at my men as they unpacked the horses. “You have tents?”

  “We need no tents. What about the Scots? Do we have news of them?”

  “The mud slowed them down. My scouts reported that they are camped in the forest north of Byrness. They are eight miles from us.”

  “They will have scouts out and know where we will be. Can they get around us?”

  He thought about it. “They could but they would have to go through the forest and over the ridge. If they did then they would be in the Coquet valley. Rothbury Castle might hold them up but it has but ten men guarding it. The rest are here.” He suddenly looked worried. “Do you think they might do that?”

  “Just because you wish them to come here does not mean that they will. If I were leading the enemy army I would do that. Why fight a battle against a waiting army when you can go around them and capture key castles?”

  He nodded, “Walter.”

  A man at arms came over. “Aye lord?”

  “Send four men to watch the Scots. If they do not come here I would know where they go.”

  “Aye lord.”

  When his man ran off the Baron said, “While you make yourself comfortable I will speak with the others. We had assumed that they would come here.”

  I said nothing but it showed their lack of military experience. They were better plotters than generals. They should have had men watching the enemy. We would have done. Edward had been listening and he shook his head. “We would have had scouts watching the Scots all the time.”

  “They will learn, Edward, they will learn.”

  The Baron was away for some time. It was dark before he returned. “Thank you for your suggestion, Sir Thomas. I confess we expected them to come to us.”

  “The Scots will avoid a battle if they can. They prefer to ransack and pillage. You have assembled an army which is large enough to intimidate them.”

  Just then Sir Ralph and Petr rode in. I was relieved. I now had all of my men together. My men had prepared food and we ate in the open. Baron de Percy had provided sentries but I saw that Ridley had men watching the horse lines all night. We looked after our own.

  I was awoken in the middle of the night by Fótr. “Lord, it is Lord Percy. The scouts have returned.”

  I rose and wrapped my cloak about me. It was very cold. Although it was March it felt like the depths of winter had we been in Anjou.

  Baron FitzRobert de Clavering was with him. “You were right, Sir Thomas. The Scots only pretended to make camp. They force marched and they have Rothbury under siege.”

  “You said it was just a small garrison.”

  Baron FitzRobert de Clavering nodded, “It is but the Scots do not know that. Baron de Vesci has marched his men to go to their aid.”

  I felt my temper rise. We had few enough men and you did not divide an army. “Why do we not march with them? It is a disaster to split your forces.”

  “I know but Rothbury falls under Alnwick and that is de Vesci’s castle.”

  “My lord, we must follow quickly. My men are all mounted. Do you have a guide to take us to the Baron?”

  “Of course.”

  I shouted, “Stockton! Mount! We leave!”

  As we mounted our horses Fótr said, “Lord the Baron of Warkworth looks young to be commanding so many men.”

  I nodded. I had thought that myself. I wondered just what I had gotten myself into. We had had a good position and now we had thrown it away. I shouted to my knights, “Sir Ralph, Sir Edward, we go just to stop the Baron of Alnwick Castle being destroyed. No glory. We use our archers to hurt the Scots and withdraw. The rest of the army is following.”

  “Aye lord.”

  The guide took us on a very primitive road. It was barely wide enough for three men to ride abreast and it had an uneven surface. I rode just one horse’s length behind the g
uide. When I spied the enemy, I would not have long to make my dispositions. We soon began to pass the tail end of the men of Alnwick. That worried me. This Baron Eustace de Vesci was so impetuous that he risked hitting a superior force piecemeal! He was not keeping the few men he had together. Knowing that we were catching up the column I spurred Skuld. Fótr and Petr had Dragon with the baggage.

  I had no time for politeness, “Move to the side! A lord is coming through.”

  These were men on foot and they resented having to move but as I was flanked by two other knights and followed by my men at arms and archers, they complied. As dawn broke I saw the men spread out for a mile ahead. We were descending towards Rothbury which I could see perched on the hill above the river. I saw no sign of an attack. I would not have expected one. A night attack on a castle you did not know could result in disaster. When I began to catch horsemen I was more hopeful for we had yet to see the Scottish outposts. The Scots were not fools. They would have men watching for us.

  I saw the banner of de Vesci ahead of me. I knew that Eustace was related to the King of Scotland. Even as I rode up to him to ask him to stop I wondered if this was some elaborate plan to deliver Northumbria to the Scots. Eustace de Vesci reined in. “What do you want, Sir Thomas? I go to the aid of the castle of one of my knights.” He gestured at a young knight who was riding next to him. “There are few men within! I will not wait for the rest of the army to catch us.”

  “I know, Baron, but I would not have you lose your men trying to save it. I have the rest of the army coming. Will you heed my advice?”

  “I was in Palestine and met your father. I was not at Arsuf but, for the sake of that glorious day, I will listen to you but I do not promise to do as you say! This is my land!”