by Griff Hosker
We left to head east and my home. There we would drop off the horses my men had captured in Galicia and I would take them to Windsor to meet with the King. John son of Jack was in awe of the men. He knew Dick Stone Heart but the others were new and he could not do enough for them. Knowing that the Earl of Oxford was to the north of us we kept scouts out and we watched as though we were on campaign. Someone might have told the Earl that they had seen me or he might even have a spy in Monmouth. The Earl now had enough money to be able to afford an army of spies.
It was Lol son of Wilson who spotted that we were being followed. We did not just have scouts ahead of us, we kept a couple behind and a couple on the flanks. From my journey west, I knew that we would not be able to have accommodation all the way east and I guessed our pursuers did too. Lol told us that there were thirty riders following us. He was too clever a scout to give himself away. He knew their numbers but not their make-up. As we neared the end of our day’s ride he nudged his horse next to mine.
“Captain, there are thirty riders behind us. It may just be a coincidence but I think they are following us. When I stopped they did too. They tried to escape observation but I counted thirty horses or so.”
My men were not given to either exaggeration nor unfounded fears. I nodded. “You have done well. Ride ahead and tell Stephen the Tracker to find us a good campsite in the woods. It needs to be one we can defend.”
“Aye Captain.”
Roger of Chester had overheard Lol’s words. “Do we turn and scatter them, Captain?”
“That is not enough. We must lure them into an attack and then hurt them. I think our men will have more skill than they do. We will test their mettle.”
The road, west of Oxford, climbed through a wooded area. There might be a lord of the manor but I knew of no castles which were close by. During the civil war of Stephen and Matilda there were many adulterine castles which sprouted across this part of England. King John had had most of them demolished. The plague had further decimated the population. We would be alone.
Roger and Lol spread the word amongst my men so that they all knew there would be action in the night. The campsite which Stephen chose was a mile or so from the road and close to a stream. It was the sort of place experienced men would choose. It was, however, easy to defend. The hollow by the stream was a perfect place to disguise the presence of horses and keep them safe. The bushes and undergrowth at the edge of the clearing, which looked to have once been the domain of charcoal burners, made a natural barrier which would mask our positions.
When we stopped, the men made the camp as normal but, at the same time, they made it easier to defend. While apparently making water my men were also laying traps to trip unwary men seeking to do us harm. They cut saplings just a couple of fingers up from their base, covered the stumps with leaves and used the sapling as an obstacle. Poor John son of Jack seemed confused by our actions. I had him collect firewood. The stormy weather of a while ago had been replaced by scudding clouds and the promise of a chilly night. A fire would seem necessary.
My men all had mail. Even the archers had managed to acquire a brigandine each. Garth of Worksop had bought or traded a mail hauberk. They all had a good sword and while food was being prepared they surreptitiously sharpened their weapons. I waved John son of Jack over. “Tonight, we may come under attack.” He started. I smiled, “You must learn to control yourself and your face. Pretend I have just told you that we eat rabbit. Just nod and smile.”
“We are being watched?”
“Not yet but this is a good habit to get into. The men you see around you are the best at what they do. None of us fear an attack for the night is our friend and the woods are our ally. You must pretend to sleep when the camp goes quiet. The others will too but if we are attacked then you just stay out of the way of my men. You do not have any experience and they do. Can you do this?”
He smiled, “Regard it as a test for me, Captain, and I will impress you.” He suddenly laughed, “See, Captain, I laugh at the joke you have just told me.”
I nodded, “You will do, John son of Jack, and I can see promise within you.”
As the sun began to set for the days were getting shorter there appeared to be a great deal of activity in my camp. That was because four of my archers, led by Stephen were heading into the woods. Once it was dark they would wait for these potential enemies to pass them. The men in the camp made a great deal of noise and moved around the camp making it hard for a watcher to keep track of numbers.
Roger came to join me while I ate. John son of Jack squatted at our feet. It looked natural for John was little more than a boy. “All in place, Roger?”
“Aye Captain. Joseph and Wilfred will appear to be the sentries and they will talk close to the fire. If any who approach see them then the attackers will assume that they can no longer see well in the dark. The archers will feign sleep close to the fire and the rest of our men will be close to the traps.”
“Good. And who is with the horses?”
“Dick Stone Heart.”
John said, “But Captain how do you know that men will come this night?”
“We do not know for certain, John. It may be a coincidence and they happen to be on the same road. If that is the case then my men and I will lose a little sleep. Better lose sleep than a life. If you would join the ranks of warriors then know that the ones who survive are the ones who are cautious. The reckless die fast. Now eat. This is a good stew.”
I saw Roger smile. My sergeant had no family. I could not see a reason why not for he would have made a good husband and father. If John joined us then he would be under Roger’s wing and my sergeant would keep him safe. After we had eaten I walked to the bushes and made water. I could see nothing but I knew that four of my men were hiding and they were watching. If there was an enemy out there they would see me. If they had an archer or a crossbow then I was a dead man for with the glow of the fire in the dell I was a clearly silhouetted target. I finished and shouted, “Keep a good watch Wilfred!”
“Aye Captain.”
“We leave early on the morrow. I can smell a change in the weather.” The little play was for the benefit of any watchers in the woods.
I went back to the blanket and cloak I had laid on the ground. I was far enough from the fire to be slightly in the shadows. I laid my bare blade and dagger next to me and I rolled in my blanket with my back to the fire. Then I waited. My men all made water and retired to their beds. A couple chatted first. That was natural. Roger was the last one to turn in and he lay just five feet from me. We waited. Autumn had made the trees shed their leaves. They would be a natural warning in the woods. A good woodsman, like Stephen and his men could move through them and not make a sound. I couldn’t. I would be more silent than most but even I would make a noise. There was silence. The rustling in the branches would be roosting birds. The rodents and animals who lived in the woods would steer clear of the smell of men and woodsmoke. Their scurrying would be in the distance.
There was no way to tell the passage of time but when I heard John son of Jack making the snuffling noises of sleep I knew that we had been feigning sleep for some time. Joseph and Wilfred had stopped speaking but I knew they still stood by the fire. The difference now was that they had turned so that they had their backs to the fire and their faces were concealed by the hoods of their cloaks. The noise I heard was in the distance. The night made it hard to determine the true direction but there was a noise. Having heard one I soon heard another. There were men approaching. They crunched leaves. Their visit could still be innocent. They could approach and call to the camp that they wished to share our fire but, in my heart, I knew that these were enemies and they were coming for us. My hand slipped to grasp the hilts of my dagger and my sword. The noises grew. From the stream one of our horses whinnied in the night and was answered by another far to the west of us. The guard with their horses would be cursing the animal which might have alerted us.
The traps we h
ad made were simple ones. Old and worn bow strings were strung between trees close to sharpened stakes. They would not kill but when they were tripped they would wound and it takes a strong-willed man not to cry out when his thigh is punctured by a sharpened stake. The saplings and their stumps would trip a man. We would hear their stumbles. I heard the sound of the fall and then the cry as the hidden warrior sprang the trap. He cried out and I jumped to my feet. I heard the whizz of a crossbow bolt and then the snap as it struck the shield which Wilfred of Loidis had pulled before him. Arrows flew from the dark but this time they were sent by my archers and they struck the attackers in the back for Stephen and his men were behind the warriors. I moved towards the shadow I saw heading towards me. Our men were spread around in a circle and I knew it was not one of my men. I pulled my sword back and swung it hard. The man ran at me for all he saw was a silhouette before the glow of the fire. I blocked his swinging sword with my dagger. The firelight’s glow glinted off the helmet he wore. My sword struck him hard in the side. I heard him grunt in pain. My dagger was across the hilt of his sword and I twisted it as I lunged at his eye. He screamed as it was pierced and then fell silent when it entered his skull.
All around me was the sound of battle. My men were masters of the night. I saw Roger of Chester used his gauntleted left hand to hold his enemy’s sword while he rammed his own sword up into the man’s neck. My archers had laid down their bows and were using their hatchets and short swords to deadly effect. I heard screams and cries as men died. Then I heard a horn. Men ran west.
“After them!”
I did not want to be looking over my shoulder all the way home. We would kill as many as we could. I saw the back of a man and knew it was not one of my men. I used my long legs to catch him and brought my sword down hard. Although he was wearing a brigandine it was one which fastened at the back and straps are always a weakness. My sword split the straps and laid his back open to the spine. He screamed, fell twitching and by the time I had passed lay still.
We reached their horses just as fifteen of them escaped. I looked around for any of them who had survived and there were none. “Bring back the horses and their dead. Let us examine them by the firelight. Are any of our men hurt?”
A voice came from the dark, “Lol has a dagger thrust to the leg.
“Geoffrey of Gisburn has his face laid open.”
“Then see to them. We have been lucky!”
Stephen the Tracker ghosted next to me, “Not lucky, Captain, simply better than the dogs they sent after us! They were the men of the Earl of Oxford.” He held up a surcoat. There were three crowns quartered but the white star on the red quarter was the most obvious sign that Robert de Vere had sent his men to kill us. Now I did not care if the King approved or not. The Earl of Oxford was now my enemy and I would oppose him with every fibre of my being.
Chapter 15
We buried their bodies before we left. I did not know the people who lived close by but they could do without carrion feasting on the flesh of the dead. John son of Jack was shocked when he saw the wounds we had inflicted. As we rode east I said, “Do you still wish to be a warrior?”
“Aye Captain, but I can see that it will be a hard journey to become as accomplished as your men.”
Roger of Chester nudged his horse next to me. “It seems you have annoyed the Earl of Oxford, Captain.”
I nodded, “When the King sent the messenger to him he must have spoken of me. The Earl regards me as a danger to him.”
I did not speak of the attempt to murder the King but in my mind there was now no doubt that the Earl of Oxford was in some way implicated in the murderous plots on Henry Bolingbroke and King Richard. I knew now that there might come a time when I would find myself fighting against those who supported the King. I could not and would not fight alongside the Earl of Oxford. I wrestled with the dilemma all the way back to my farm. As we came east we saw increasing signs of the approach of winter. I would have to ride with my men to King Richard sooner rather than later. I did not know when he intended setting out but Roger and my men would need time to get to know Captain Dick.
It was dark when we reached my farm. I had no warrior hall but I had a good barn and my men were happy to use that. My wife had not been expecting us and so I ordered the slaughtering of a couple of older sheep and my men set to making their meal.
“Master Henry came a few days since. He was less than happy with you. He said you had not finished training him.”
“But I had! The rest of his training requires a knight to do it and, as yet, I am not a knight.” As much as I liked Henry I had enough to worry about without having to fear for his life too. I had too many enemies and my position was becoming more dangerous by the day. Allied to the King, what were becoming known as the Lords Appellant, the Duke of Gloucester and his camp, would regard me as an enemy. The Earl of Oxford and those who ostensibly supported the King thought me a threat for my connection with Henry Bolingbroke. My only ally appeared to be the son of John of Gaunt and by his own admission he was going to play a dangerous game of duplicity. The quiet life of a farmer appeared not to be for me.
My wife made my welcome a warm one for she knew my mood and gave me comfort. The result was that I woke in a better humour than I went to bed. After I had broken my fast I went to the barn as my men were rising. They were all warriors and knew that weapons needed to be kept in good condition. Roger of Chester and Stephen the Tracker came to speak with me.
“Captain, how long do we stay here?”
“I thought to leave for Windsor in the early morning.”
“Good we will be ready.” Roger walked off leaving me with Stephen. The archer appeared to have something on his mind.
I smiled, “Come, Stephen, speak. Better to let that which is on your mind out than allow it to fester within.”
He nodded, “Wise words, Captain. It is this. My men and I are happy to serve the King but we are not sure that he will need archers.”
“He needs good men to watch over him.”
“But what if he does not need us? We have enjoyed our employment. Regular food, a roof over our heads and coins in our purses mean we cannot go back to the life under the greenwood.”
I had not thought of that and he was right. The King would have no battles to fight. He just needed men around him whom he could use as a wall of metal twixt him and danger. “You have a point. How about this, if you are not required by the King then I will retain you as my archers.”
“That would cost you coin, Captain.”
I did not say that Henry Bolingbroke had promised me a knighthood. When that happened, I would be given a manor. A manor meant I needed a retinue. “Let me worry about that. Besides, I will need a hall for warriors such as yourself. I will pay you to build me a hall and you shall live in it.” He looked relieved. “But if the King wishes to retain you then he will have first call upon your services.”
“That is fair, Captain.”
When we had cuddled I had told my wife that I would be leaving for London. She had been eminently sensible about it, “Then better you leave as quick as you can. I would have a Christmas celebration this year for we have much to celebrate and Christmas is a time for a family to be together. Your son is growing and he misses his father.”
She was right and we prepared. John son of Jack now understood what would be needed on the journey. He had watched the others and taken lessons from them. It was an easier task for me. Master Henry arrived with Peter and his horse the night before we were due to leave.
“Master Henry, what brings you here?”
“I do not wish to sit in my grandfather’s hall and wait until I am ready to be a knight. I am learning the rote and I can already speak the languages. I can practise just as well in your hall as well as my grandfather’s and I will learn more.”
“Master Henry I have a poor farm and your grandfather has a mighty hall. You would be more comfortable there and your grandmother misses you.”
; “She smothers me, Captain!” He pointed to my men in the barn as they prepared their mounts. “And you are going on a journey! Let us come with you.”
I had no time for an argument. “You may come with us but you will spend Christmas in your home. I would have mine with my family!”
If I thought to hurt him with my words then I failed for he grinned, “Excellent, Captain. Peter and I will sleep in the barn with the men. I would discover what their journey was like.”
We headed south and east while there was still a night’s frost on the ground. Owls still hunted. The King has said he would spend Christmas at Windsor and so we headed there.
My poor horse had had to deal with the heat and arid nature of Galicia and now had to contend with autumn storms followed by bone chilling cold. They were hardy horses. Jack was like an old friend. He was the best horse I had ever owned. As we rode through the start of winter I wondered just what the future held. We rode down deserted roads. The fields were empty and the towns we passed appeared deserted. I could see why the Duke of Gloucester had opposed the levy on the people. They could not afford it. The war would be to regain land lost by the King’s great grandfather. The lords who would benefit were the ones who had lost land in France. I found myself changing my views as we neared Windsor. We did not need a war. We needed a stronger England with people who were not over taxed and were well fed.
Dick of Craven greeted us at the gate. His welcome was a little muted, “You bring a large number of men, Captain. Do you mean well?”
Dick was doing his job. It was exactly what I had told him to do. “The King asked me to return and I have. However, there are ten of my men who would serve the King on his gyration.”
He looked relieved, “I am sorry if I offended you, Captain, but there is unrest in the land. The journey from London was fraught. The Queen was abused by the people as we rode through the city. It was not right and the King was angry.”