by Griff Hosker
I was a little taken aback but I smiled and nodded, “And I will try to do the same for you. Why will we have to fight each other?”
He shrugged, “The French pay more than the English and the Flemish do not pay at all! My knight intends to marry this woman and then we will go to Normandy for we have accepted a commission to fight for a Norman lord on the border of Brittany.”
“And the pay is worth changing sides?”
“The pay is everything.” He leaned forward. “Soon I will have enough money to leave his service and when I do then I shall become a man at arms. I can return to Italy for I upset no one. As much as I enjoy taking English and French coins, I know the lands of Northern Italy better than this land.” He smiled, “And both the food and the wine are better.”
We ate together and we shared the bill. As we parted I told him that I hoped we would not have to fight against one another for I enjoyed his company and he said the same. We were both mercenaries and as such, we fought whomsoever our paymaster determined. A man did not fight to wound, he fought to kill.
The Captain was in our room when I returned, and he looked happy. “John, I am to be wed. We return tomorrow with Mathilde who has agreed to be my wife. I shall return with her to England to become a gentleman. Since the King raised me the thought has been on my mind that I could leave this itinerant life and, perhaps, even have a family. You are young and when I was your age, I enjoyed this life. I am older now and the wound I had sustained at Portsmouth was a warning that I am no longer able to shrug off such injuries as easily as I once did.”
I was both pleased and devastated. I was happy for him, but I was losing not only a friend but the soldier who had helped to make me what I was. I smiled as I had learned to put on the face that men expected of me, “Congratulations, Captain.”
“The journey back will be a little slower than the one here, John, for the lady has a maid and some furniture which she wishes to take.” He smiled, “She is leaving this life here and the furniture and pots are reminders of her parents.”
The carter we hired looked to be a capable man and as he was local, he would know the speediest route. It turned out to be a familiar one for we had travelled it many times when travelling between Dunkerque and Brussels. Captain Philip and Mathilde seemed engrossed in each other’s company and that allowed me to study the road as though there was an ambush around the corner. The lady and her maid were seated in the middle of the wagon on what looked like a sack of bedding. It would have been a comfortable ride. The captain rode next to the wagon on the lady’s side which meant that I was forced to either speak with the maid or with the carter. The carter did not seem disposed to conversation and so I spoke with Joan, the maid. She was of an age with her mistress, that is to say just a year or so older than me. Some men might have called her comely, but my loins were not stirred despite her obvious attempts to flirt with me. I used it as an opportunity to improve my French as although her mistress was Flemish, she was Norman. The conversation was pleasant enough, but I learned something about women that day, when they try their wiles on a man he should pretend to be engaged. I was too honest, and, on the second day, she gave up and tried the same with the carter with an equal level of failure.
I confess that I became bored on the journey back from Brussels and my vigilance had relaxed when we were on the final stretch. I learned much from Captain Philip who, despite his attention to his lady, still had more of his wits about him than I did! It was when we were a few miles from Poperinge, just forty miles from Dunkerque, that he said, “Carter, stop here for I have a stone in my horse’s shoe. John fetch your knife.”
My suspicions were aroused for the Captain was a good horseman and had a suitable knife himself. I tied Megs to the wagon and walked around the other side. Using the horse to shield us from both the wagon and the road ahead he picked up his horse’s right leg and said, so quietly that I had to lean in to hear him, “There is an ambush ahead.”
As much as I wanted to ask him how he knew or where exactly it was, I resisted and asked a more obvious question, “How many men?”
“I think just five. When we stayed in the last town I noticed five unsavoury characters. They left the inn before we did, and I have been watching for a site where they may ambush us. I saw it just ahead and studied it as we rode. There is a small copse up ahead and opposite is a ruined home. There are two who wait in the one near to the ruined home. When I give the command then ride and take them out! I will deal with the other three.”
I nodded and headed back to my horse. I saw the carter give me a curious look; he must have known that there was nothing wrong with the horse’s hoof. I saw him pick an axe from close to his feet and put it on the seat next to him. The women were looking back down the road and saw nothing. I mounted Megs and surreptitiously slipped my sword in and out of the scabbard; I did not want it sticking. I looked ahead and while trying to appear casual, studied the ambush site. Had not Captain Philip spotted it then I would not have seen it but knowing that there were men there made me look for clues. I saw that there were no birds yet a flock of them pecked at the harvested wheat field which lay closer to us. In the copse I saw what looked like shadows, but they could have been men and then I caught the glint of light on a weapon close to the ruined hut. Later, I would ask Captain Philip what had prompted his interest but for now, we had five men to fight! It was a tall order for two of us to take on five men, but we were still warriors. These were, at best, former warriors. Most importantly we knew they were there and that might give us the edge as we would initiate our own attack and they would not be prepared for that eventuality.
I had my heels read to kick into Megs’ ribs. We were just sixty paces from the ambush site and the two men hiding there were more obvious although they still thought they were hidden and unseen; one had a horse and I saw its tail switch. I wondered if Captain Philip had left it too late when he suddenly shouted, “Ambush! Now!” The first part was for the carter who raised his whip to make his team move.
I kicked hard and drew my sword, leaning over the neck of Megs to make a smaller target in case they had bows or crossbows. It was the latter and a bolt whipped over my head as I ducked. A horse can cover many paces and the crossbowman had to drop his now-useless weapon and draw a sword. I saw the two of them as they left their place of concealment to try to get me and hit me with clear strikes. The crossbowman was behind his fellow and, having dropped his crossbow, he was trying to draw a short sword. The other had an axe and ran at my right side. As he was ahead of the crossbowman, he would be my prime target. I had never fought from the back of a horse, but I had fought horsemen. I made a move to my right and the road and as the axeman made a slight adjustment in his feet to counter the move and to begin his swing I jinked Megs to the left, jerking her head hard with the reins. I leaned out as the axe swung to where Megs’ head would have been had I not moved, and I slashed at his head. I connected with his cheek and his nose. The sword was not only sharp and well-made it was also heavy, and bones were broken. I continued my turn and the luckless crossbowman was just turning to come to his friend’s assistance when Megs’ foreleg smashed into his knee. He fell screaming and writhing to the ground. I then heard the sound of steel on steel. Captain Philip was fighting two men while a third lay trying to hold in his guts. The wagon was a hundred paces down the road and the ladies were safe. One of the bandits was holding on to the Captain’s horse’s reins and trying to skewer the Captain on his left side. The Captain was using his leather gauntlet to hold him off. He was my target and I did not hesitate as I galloped across the road and swung my sword at the middle of his back. He was wearing a leather brigandine but that made little difference as my sword broke his back and the blade tore into his flesh. His feral scream made his fellow turn and that was all that Captain Philip needed. He split his skull in two.
I saw that the Captain’s hand was cut, and I said, “I will tend to that!”
Shaking his head, he said, “No! Get
the horse and take their weapons if they are of any value and if not then bend them. Any coins are yours for I owe you my life. I would have us leave here as soon as we can. If there are five such bandits who knows if there are more?”
I nodded, “There is one, perhaps two, left alive.”
“If they can walk then kill them. If not let them die. That is all that their kind deserves.”
I nodded and he rode off down the road to catch up with the wagon. Two of the swords I found were of poor quality and that was confirmed when I bent them easily. The third was not as good as mine but would fetch a coin or two and I took it. I took their daggers. They were always saleable. Their purses yielded ten florins; it was more than I expected. With a drawn sword I walked across the road to the other two. The man whose face I had slashed had managed to stagger towards the horse and then died as he bled out. The other was trying to crawl away trailing his leg behind him. He was no threat.
“Take me to a healer!” He was English!
I ignored him and picked up the crossbow. I smashed it so hard that the infernal machine disintegrated. I took the axe and hung it from the horse and, after lifting his purse and dagger, walked over to the lamed man. I picked up his sword and saw that it was both notched and bent already. I put it between two stones in the ruined hut and broke it. I threw the man on his back and he screamed. “Have you no mercy?”
“For the likes of you, no!” I searched him and took his purse to add to the others. I turned my back on him and walked to Megs. As I left leading the bandits’ horse, I heard him sobbing. Men made choices in their lives. I had made one when I left my home and sought a new life. You lived by your decisions and with the results! He would not die but if he did not find a healer soon then he would be a cripple for the rest of his life. One thing was sure; he would ambush no other travellers.
I caught up with the wagon in Poperinge. The two ladies were shocked and shaken but the carter was grinning, “I will stand you an ale, young archer, for that was as neat a piece of riding and swordplay as I have seen in many a year.” For some reason that made me feel inordinately proud.
When we were in the inn in Poperinge Captain Philip sought out the captain of the watch and told him what had happened. The shamefaced look told us all that we needed to know. They knew of the bandits and all of the village were complicit. When we did not have to pay for our food, ale and accommodation I knew that we had done them a favour and it was another lesson learned.
The Captain’s hand was hurt and, after it had been tended to and the ladies retired, he turned to me as we finished off the jug of ale, “I will retire to England, John. I have grown old doing this and with the money I have accrued and my new wife I would like to enjoy life as a gentleman. This wound will heal but when I hold the bow, I will always fear that it will weaken and that is not good for an archer.”
“Where will you go?”
“There is a farm I bought some years ago. My cousin was lord of the manor, but he died long since in the Holy Land. His steward takes care of it for me and now I can return it to its former glory. The farm is in the Palatinate and is in the manor of Hartburn which is not far from Norton. I thought to give myself the chance to farm! He patted his leg, “My leg aches and I fear that I would not give a good account of myself if we had to fight again.”
I nodded but I could not hide my feelings, “I shall miss you, Captain, for you have been my rock and I know how much you have done for me.”
“Fear not, before I leave for England I shall tell Sir Richard what I wish. You know how to lead and until a new captain is appointed you should lead the archers here and be paid accordingly.”
The Captain was generous. I kept the horse, the saddle, the weapons and the purses from the bandits. I sold the weapons and kept the horse with Megs. It was not a riding horse but would make a good sumpter to carry arrows for the company. He and his bride to be left a few days later and Sir Richard showed that he was a gentleman by placing me in command of the seventy archers who remained from the original force sent to help the Flemish. The appointment was not universally accepted. There were two other vintenars in the company: Ned and Ralf. Ned the Wanderer was an older man, he had seen almost thirty-five summers and he was also close to Captain Philip. He accepted my command readily but Ralf who was but a year or two older than I was, did not and he challenged my authority immediately. The man was a fool for he did so while Sir Richard was still present and even as Ralf asked what right I had to command Sir Richard turned on him.
“Every right, Ralf of Rotherham, for it is at the request of the best archer I have ever known, Philip of Lincoln and I concur wholeheartedly with it. You have, by this challenge to my authority, lost your post as vintenar. I am the King’s representative and any further questioning of my authority will result in your dismissal!”
That ended any open hostility, but I knew that this was not over, and I would have to sleep with a dagger in my hand. However, my first task was to appoint a vintenar to replace Ralf and that was easy. Jack of Crewe was not only a good archer but a friend. He had not replaced Robert and the others, but he came the closest and we got on. I know that it fuelled further resentment from Ralf as he saw it as a sort of nepotism. I cared not for it was the right choice and he proved to be an able vintenar. Indeed, he became a great Captain of Archers, but that story had yet to be written then.
I knew that Ralf had not forgotten the slight even though more than a month went by and he had yet to show his teeth. He was in Ned’s company and obeyed all orders. In truth, Ralf had little opportunity for mischief as we were kept busy patrolling the road between Dunkerque and Poperinge. The attack on the Captain had made the Constable of Dunkerque realise that order had to be kept and he used the archers to do so. It was neither practical nor wise to use all of our archers and so the three of us, Ned, Jack and I took a third of the archers in rotation. My promotion had also brought me accommodation in the castle of Dunkerque and so I was safe from a knife in the night. I frequently dined with the Constable and Sir Richard.
Ralph Earl of Stafford arrived in the early spring. He brought news and my elevation meant that I was privy to his meeting with his captains. “The King has decided on a three-pronged attack on the French. Lord Henry Plantagenet will take a small force to Gascony of which I shall be a part. The Earl of Northampton will land a force in Brittany and the King himself will come here. Lord Henry will sail in May, the Earl of Northampton a month later and the King a month after that.”
I had grown in confidence and spoke. A few years earlier I would have sat like a mouse and hoped not to be noticed. Perhaps Sir Richard’s defence of me and the support I had received from Captain Philip had emboldened me. “So, my lord, the King hopes that, when we land in Gascony, France’s eyes will be drawn south and, hopefully, his knights too.”
Sir Ralph looked at me, “A sound sense of strategy from an archer. Aye, Master Hawkwood, that may well be the case, but we still have to make a nuisance of ourselves and achieve some sort of success. To that end Sir Richard and you will bring your companies with me at the end of the month and we will be the vanguard. I have orders for the lords of Gascony so that they may prepare. Constable, the men whom King Edward will use are already gathering in England. You will not be without English support for long.” He leaned forward. “This is for your ears! Do not tell your men until they are lining up at the quay to embark. We do not wish the French to know of our departure!”
I confess that I was still young enough to be excited at the prospect of seeing somewhere new and while I could not tell my men that they were heading south I could, at least, encourage them to prepare for war. I did this through Ned and Jack, “I have the men’s pay from Sir Richard and that means that there will be some action soon. When they are not riding forth on patrol, we can relax our rules and allow them some time in Dunkerque town. It will not hurt.”
Ned nodded, “Ralf is still a problem, Captain John.” Ned and a few others called me captain. I had
not been appointed as such and so when men called me vintenar, I did not take it as an insult.
“He obeys orders?”
“Aye, but with ill grace.”
“Then perhaps this potential action is a good thing for it is hard to hold a grudge when you are nocking and releasing as fast as you can.”
“Perhaps but I would still watch your back.” He smiled, “The other men all like you and call themselves Hawkwood’s men.” That was an honour for even Captain Philip had not been accorded that honour by the men he led.
Knowing that we would be heading south I made preparations myself. I went into Dunkerque to find a cordwainer. My time in London had not been wasted and I knew exactly what to ask for. I had more than enough coins to be profligate and I ordered two pairs of buskins. I did not waste my money on doxies and gambling and thanks to the attack at Poperinge I had more than enough money. I ordered them and was pleased to hear that they would be ready the day before we sailed. As luck would have it, that day I was on the Poperinge patrol and when we entered the castle, I handed Meg’s reins to Will the Fletcher, one of my most trusted archers. I gave him a penny, “See to Megs, Will, for I have business in the town.”
He gave me a lascivious leer, “Is it Betty Big Breasts?”
I laughed, “No for I waste no money there. You should know that I have ordered boots!”
He laughed, “Aye, Captain, boots!”
I slung my sword on the saddle and strode into Dunkerque. I was well known now. I had learned in London that a smile and a friendly welcome always bought you friends. Some would be out to get what they could from you but not all of them and I had learned to read men’s faces. Folk smiled and nodded as I passed through the streets. The boots were fitted, and they were comfortable. By the time I left, having paid for them, it was getting on to dark. There was an alley we all took to get to the castle, and it was as I entered the dark place that Ralf of Rotherham stepped out and he held a bodkin dagger in his hand.