by Griff Hosker
I handed my sword to Henry. “When the wagon comes put an edge on my sword. Tomorrow or the day after we will need spears and lances. Sharpen those too.”
“Will I need one?”
I shook my head, “You will be needed to bring me a fresh one if mine breaks.” In truth I had never had a squire and to have someone fetch me a fresh spear was a luxury. I was mindful of the need to train Henry to become a knight.
The Earl and his squires rode down the road. He waved cheerily, “I will ride just half a mile this way. If you hear the sound of combat then be a good fellow and rescue us.”
“Shall I come with you, lord?”
He shook his head, “I can out run my squires. They will protect my back. I will not be long.”
I fretted for the short time he was away. When he returned he was in high spirits. “God must have smiled on me eh, Captain?” He and his squires galloped towards the castle. After he had gone I took the opportunity to wash in the pail of river water Peter had brought. I was lucky. There was no blood spattered on my surcoat.
The wagon had come and my weapons had been sharpened when Geoffrey, the page, ran into our camp. “Captain, the Earl holds a counsel of war and you are invited.”
I saw Henry looking at me with a desperate pleading look in his eyes. “Come Henry you might learn something today. If you can keep your mouth closed and your ears open.”
I saw that the Spanish dead were being interred by the priest. The Earl was being sensible. In this heat the smell of the dead could be more than oppressive and it would calm the Spanish. We were still few in number. The earliest that the Earl’s father could reach us would be the following day, after noon. His household knights were in ebullient mood. They had taken their first castle without the need for a siege. It had been swift and relatively bloodless. I did not say so but our elimination of almost thirty horsemen must have been of considerable help.
I was one of only three Captains who joined the Earl and his four senior knights. I was honoured. Captain Thomas of Northampton commanded the men at arms and archers from the Earl’s town. Captain Black Jack, so named for his black armour, commanded the archers and men at arms from the rest of the army. He had the hardest task for they came from different parts of the land. His four senior knights had all served with his father and were older than I was: Sir John Fitz Edward, Sir Thomas d’Issy, Sir Richard Cheyney and Sir Walter Hood all had experience in battles. As I later learned none had more experience than I did.
We had captured good wine and there was fresh chicken for us to eat. The Earl was in good humour. He raised his goblet, “Here is to the King of Castile and England!” The toast should have mentioned King Richard but no one commented on that.
“King of Castile and England!”
“Already we are all richer. I shall send your share of the booty when time allows. Captain William I fear you will have to wait for the ransom of the young cockerel you captured.”
“No matter, lord, there will be more.”
It was the right thing to say and all banged the table in approval. “Now we need to prepare for the attack by the Spanish. Although my father will doubtless reach us by the afternoon of tomorrow, I fear it will either be on foot or on horses which are too weak to fight. We must face the very real possibility that we have to fight a battle against a superior Spanish army.”
I was unhappy about our lack of intelligence but I was loath to volunteer my men again.
The Earl smiled and used our goblets and the jugs of wine to illustrate his plan. “We will fight on foot tomorrow. Our horses are almost recovered but we are too few to guarantee victory in a battle on horseback. I intend to emulate the Black Prince at Crécy. I plan to use three blocks of men at arms and archers and one block of knights. We will fight with the river at our back. My knights, as they are the fewest in number, will be the reserve.”
The Earl had just one hundred knights and their squires. Although that represented two out of every five men we had, the squires would not be of much use in a battle. Fighting on foot meant that they merely added to the illusion of numbers.
“We will fight a mile from the bridge. If things go awry, which I doubt, then we can retreat down the road and slow them at the bridge. I have found a piece of ground which should suit. There are woods to guard our flanks and the cleared fields are just big enough for three battles.” He turned to the three captains. “I would have your men march there this evening and prepare the defences. We need stakes to be embedded. You should leave a guard there to warn us of the enemy’s approach. I confess I would be happier if I knew the exact position of Duke Henry’s army but as we have seen no scouts we must assume they are still well to the south of us. I want the army in position by dawn. We can eat once we are assembled. Let the enemy march in the heat. We will move in the cold. I hope that Sir Jocelyn arrives back this evening to tell us of my father’s dispositions but he may not.” He sat back. “Any questions?”
“This is the first time we have fought together, lord. What signals will you use?”
“A fair point William. Two horns to retreat and four to advance. That should suffice. I will be behind you and I would not have you crane your necks to see the standards.”
Black Jack said, “They will see that there are few banners amongst our men. As you say, lord, you will be slightly behind us, they will think to ride over us as we are not knights.”
It was a cold smile which spread on the Earl’s face. “And you will hold them for the men you lead are here to serve me. They are all well paid. If that is all I will see you on the morrow.”
Henry had been listening and when we walked through the town he shook his head, “It sounded like the sergeants and archers are not as important as the lords, Captain.”
“That would be right. Most of my men know that. Sometimes weak men will run but the men I lead will not. Tomorrow you and Peter will be the third rank again. We will be using spears for defence. When they are shattered then you will replace them. You will be safe from the bolts of the enemy for they would have to pass through two ranks of men at arms and one of archers to reach you.”
I saw that my words had an effect for he was silent. If bolts did get close to him then it meant that the men he had come to know were dead!
Chapter 7
We fought in the same battle as Captain Thomas. We were on the left of the clearing with a wood to our left. I disobeyed orders. I did not want to leave the woods without defence. We had plenty of archers and so I sent my woodsmen into the woods. The forests were their home and they knew how to use cover. If the enemy attempted to outflank us they would have a shock but, equally, we could launch a flank attack on them. We had also had time to add a shallow ditch before the stakes. That done we sat and ate, watching the sun rise in the east. It was cold but we knew that it would be unbearably hot by the tenth hour of the day. The experienced men made shelters of spears and cloaks.
Captain Thomas and I shared some bread and cheese. “You were the King’s man, Captain Will?”
“I still am but I think you meant I was the King’s Guard. Aye I was.”
“You know our master has ambitions to be a king.” He held his hand up. “I speak no treason and I do not believe for one moment that he would try to seize the throne but you were Richard’s man. How does this sit with you?”
I had thought on this. “Here we are no threat to the King of England. I will not raise my hand against an anointed king.”
“I will ask no more for I hear a ‘but’. I only ask because I know of your reputation and what I have seen thus far impresses me. I would hate to be on the opposite side. That is all.”
“None of us can see the future. We deal with whatever we see before us. When last I was here I was a commoner. Now I am a gentleman. I did not see that. There may be events in the future which change my life. That is the future. A good soldier lives in the present.”
The Earl arrived before the sun was fully up and he sent four knights and the
ir squires down the road. He rode his horse as did his squires. He came to speak to us. “I doubt not the strength of purpose of your men. Know that when we reach Santiago then you and your men will be well rewarded.”
He did not say any more but I guessed that meant his father would not arrive until the battle was decided one way of another. The Earl meant to be the first to Santiago.
Captain Thomas said, “These Spaniards have yet to meet an army such as ours, lord. We may be small in number but our archers have enough arrows to darken the skies.”
He nodded. I pointed south, “And the Earl has a good eye for defence. When they emerge from the woods they will almost be in range of our arrows.” The Spanish would be just two hundred and fifty paces from us when they saw us. I could see that he did not understand what I meant.
“Enlighten me, William. Tell me what I am missing!” There was an edge to his voice.
“With respect, lord, there will be many young knights amongst the Spaniards. If we loose our arrows as soon as we see them then their horses and the knights will be the ones who are struck. It will annoy them and may spur them to charge. We are set up to defend and an impromptu attack will only aid us. This is not like Crécy. There will be no rain today to make the crossbows less efficient. Our archers are better than their crossbows but they can still do great damage. A hurried attack will negate their effect.”
He grinned, “Then let us make it so. I will go and tell Black Jack!”
It was almost noon when the knights and their squires returned. They galloped to the Earl and he became animated. He rode towards us and placed his horse where he could easily see us and be heard. “The Spanish host comes. They are a mile down the road. They outnumber us but they do not have bows. Their crossbows are used by mercenaries. Stand firm and know that my father will be here to relieve us soon. God is on our side!”
I turned to Captain Thomas, “Has no one told him that we fight for pay too?”
He laughed, “Ah but we are English and that makes a difference.” He turned and shouted, “Ready your weapons, boys. Archers, know that when you see the enemy then is the time to release. Let their scouts alone. Wait not upon an order. You are all men skilled in the art of the war bow.”
I went to my archers. “The same goes for you. Aim for the knights and their horses. We wish to goad them to come within range of our spears. When they get too close then draw your swords. I have no doubt you are skilled with the sword too. Sergeants, we will sit and take the sun awhile. It will afford our archers a better view and might make the enemy wonder what it is that we do!”
They all laughed. Happily, they squatted on the ground. They were seated in their battle lines. It was the work of moments to rise and present shields and spears.
Scouts appeared first. They had to have seen our knights and followed them. While four stayed and watched us the other four galloped back down the road. The road bent a little and we could not see the men but their banners fluttered as they approached.
I heard Captain Thomas shout, “Right boys! On your feet! Present shields.”
My archers bent their bows to string them. They always left that act until the last moment. It added to the power of their arrow. They had already jammed into the ground ten good arrows. They now chose the best one. The knights began to appear and we heard a Spanish horn. They began to deploy into line. Their shields were still either hung over their cantles or draped over their legs. Their spears and lances were with their squires. I had counted one hundred when the first arrows flew. The Spanish were closer to the archers of Black Jack than us.
The first flight took them by surprise and eight men fell from their horses. Not all were badly wounded but they were dismounted. Two horses galloped back through their lines, maddened by the arrows sticking in them. Then the archers on our flank let fly. The effect was even greater. Some of the nobles realised that the archers were on the flanks and they spurred their horses towards us. It made others join them. That suited us for they came without spears. They were angry and an angry warrior is always at a disadvantage. I waved my arm and my men rose. Our archers switched targets to the centre and more knights and their horses fell. Their most dangerous weapon, the crossbowmen, could not get sight of us and our archers had free rein.
There were so many men charging towards us that not all of them could be struck by the arrows our archers rained upon them. We had locked shields and spears which were planted against our right feet. Our left hands held our shields and supported our spears. Had they had spears or lances then we might have been at risk but they had swords and we outreached them.
“Prepare to receive horses!” My words were not for my men but for the others I did not know. Stephen and the archers in the woods now had the opportunity for a flank attack. They sent arrows at the unprotected right sides of the horsemen. There the horsemen had no shields. They were less then eighty paces from them. The Spaniards did not have cannons upon their arms. They wore surcoats and mail. The bodkin arrows slid through them into arms and their sides. When they struck us half of the men had no weapon to use. They had raw courage and a horse. Horses baulk at a wall of steel. Roger and my men at arms were strong. They were able to thrust their spears, one handed, up under the mail and armour of the young knights. As the horses wheeled the Spaniards fell. A horn sounded but it was to no avail. The knights refused to fall back. Now the knights had friends to avenge. The ones who had not been struck by arrows slashed down with their swords.
They approached me. I was not afraid of a Spaniard on a war horse for I had a spear, a good shield and armour. I saw a Spaniard with a red surcoat and a horse with a red caparison. I rammed my spear at his horse’s head. He hacked my spear in two and he then tried to rear his horse to flail me with its hooves. I rammed the broken spear up under the helmet of the knight. He began to fall backwards. I hurled the stump in the air. I hoped it might strike another and then I whipped out my sword. As the horse fell backwards I stepped forward. The knight was young and agile. He slipped his feet free from his stirrups. He landed somewhat awkwardly just a couple of paces from me. Although his horse did not fall upon him my sword was at his throat in an instant. “You are brave but surrender or die!” To emphasise my point, I pushed and blood trickled down his neck.
He nodded and reversed his sword.
“Henry, we have a prisoner.” I pulled the Spaniard behind me and into our lines.
The Duke had managed to control the rest of his knights. They had rallied out of range of our men. I saw that others had been wounded by the spears of my men at arms. Disconsolate, riderless horses walked before us. I saw that forty knights and horses had fallen. Not all were dead. Some knights stumbled back to their lines. One or two horses lay kicking in their death throes. Others limped back to the Spanish lines. Many more than forty knights remained. We had not won but we had hurt them. The Genoese crossbowmen began to form ranks. The problem with crossbows was that you could not protect them. Our archers were behind a wall of shields held by men at arms.
Captain Thomas shouted, “Shields!”
We held our shields before us. They covered our heads and bodies and we braced ourselves for a bolt in the leg. I hoped that my leg armour was well made. Our archers sent their arrows into the air. They were fresh and they were fast. Ten flights before a man could count fifty sailed into the air. Even as the crossbow bolts hit shields and struck the gamboised cuisse the men wielding the crossbows died. This was not like Crécy where they had wet strings and were tired. Here they were facing a superior weapon and they lost. Some of our men at arms were hit but the men with the crossbows suffered more. A bolt in the leg was not life threatening. Our archers were protected and they had no one attacking them. The Genoese ran. It was getting to the hottest part of the day and I felt the sweat running down inside my aketon. How much harder must it be for the men marching towards us?
A horn sounded and ranks of horsemen charged towards us. Of course, it was no longer a clear field. There were d
ead horses and men littering it. There were discarded crossbows and swords. The field was littered with obstacles and our small line stood intact. The horses thundered on the field but they would not be able to generate enough speed. Riders would have to negotiate obstacles. The stakes and the ditch before us were yet to be breached. The knight I had captured had managed to wend his way through. He had been lucky. Now there were more knights and horsemen in a smaller area. Horses and knights would have to die in greater numbers if they were to break through.
The Spanish were brave. Perhaps the paucity of our numbers made them think that they could break us. However, we were Englishmen and we were stubborn. We stood and we did not flinch. This charge had spears. I had none. I had sent Henry back with my prisoner. I would have to rely upon my sword. I took the opportunity to put my ballock dagger in my left hand. The archers were tiring now and the rate of arrows slowed. More of the knights would reach us. As the horses closed with us I saw that some of those who had fallen were not dead. They tried to rise. The metal plates they wore on their arms, front and backs were protection against blades and arrows but not against horses’ hooves and I saw two knights crushed beneath the hooves of the horses thundering towards us. They slowed the horses down.
The first knight to reach me struck at my face with his lance. It was an optimistic strike. The knight had had to concentrate on negotiating stakes and bodies. He saw me and urged his horse on. The wavering head came towards my face. I wore a bascinet without visor for I found it easier to judge weapons which came at me. I pulled up my shield, angling it as I did so. The head of the lance slid towards Natty Longjack. He had no foe before him and he, like me, had a bascinet upon his head. He moved his shield to shatter the spear’s head. At the same time, he whipped up his sword to strike at the horse. The horse had a crinet around its neck. The crinet was a metal plate designed to protect a horse from such an attack. Natty’s sword found the crinet. He did not break skin but Natty was a strong man and he hurt the horse. As the horse’s head jerked to the right the knights’ left leg was exposed. The cuisse covered the front of the knee and the poleyn, the knee. The back was just guarded by his chausse. I hacked my sword hard. The tip scored a line along the already maddened horse’s side and the edge tore through the mail. The bending of the knee always weakened mail links. I struck flesh and ripped through the stirrup. The rider fell off to the right. His horse tried to return to the south and dragged the rider a few paces before his other stirrup broke and he lay inert on the ground.