by Griff Hosker
When we reached the hall, we saw the disconsolate Constable, his family and the garrison trudging from the castle and the town. The King had wasted no time. Our horses were stabled and we were allocated chambers. Most of the men at arms and archers would have to be housed in the town. Vierzon became an enormous armed camp. All the senior lords were present at the feast that night. King Henry made it seem like a victory celebration but as far as I could see we had a stalemate. The voices were raised and there was heated discussion. I wondered if it might lead to violence. Suddenly the doors of the hall were thrown open and there stood Sir Leofric, Sir Padraig and Sir James de Puiset. What had happened to my father?
Chapter 9
“What means this intrusion?”
Sir Leofric limped up to the table and spoke quietly, “Sire, Sir James has come from the Earl Marshal with dire tidings. I also have news which may bring disquiet to the King’s brow.”
Sir Leofric was well known to the King. He nodded, “Come we will retire to the antechamber. Richard, William, you should be party to this.”
Once we were in the room and a guard placed at the door the King said, “Begin!”
“Sire when I travelled back to my home I overheard some knights speaking of a plot to harm the Earl Marshal.” I kept control of my face and my feelings. “I discovered that they had murdered the family of one of my father’s old comrades, la Cheppe.”
I nodded and spoke, “The Count of Caen mentioned that to me. He said they were crusaders.”
“Aye they were. I sent a letter to the Earl. Then three days since Sir James here arrived from London.” He gestured for Sir James to continue.
“Sire, London is like a tinderbox. There is unrest in the city and your Chancellor struggles to maintain order. The Earl Marshal has uncovered a plot to overthrow your majesty.”
The King glanced sideways at his son, “And who would replace me?”
Sir James hesitated, “The Earl Marshal did not wish this to be committed to paper but he believed it might be your eldest son, Henry.”
“But he has the title!”
Richard laughed, “And that is patently not enough for my brother!”
“This is not amusing Richard.” The King turned his gaze to Sir James, “This London threat is real?”
“The Earl Marshal believed it so. Your Chancellor was fearful of travelling about the city and had hired himself armed guards to keep him safe.”
The King rubbed his beard, “London is full of the worst of men. It is like a cess pit into which all that is venal and vile sinks. They are ever self-serving. They were the ones anointed Stephen rather than my mother.”
I could see that Richard had his own views on this. “It seems to me that there is an obvious solution to this. Go to Henry and put him under lock and key. Then there will be no revolt!”
King Henry shook his head, “Make him a martyr? We did that with Becket. No, we must be more subtle. I will go to my son. I will dissemble. He will not know that which I know. William Marshal is a true knight. I will discover what he knows. The Earl Marshal is getting old and he may be wrong. It might not be my son. It could be the French.”
I spoke, “That makes sense sire for from what Sir Leofric said we know that these rogue knights were seen in France first.”
“You could be right Earl. You fought in the Holy Land. Can you conjure a reason for this influx of killers?”
“It makes perfect sense to me. When I was in the Holy Land there were two kinds of knights. There were those who sought to atone or to help pilgrims; I sought to help pilgrims as did the Knights Hospitallers. Then there were the other knights who sought kingdoms and dukedoms. Many lived outside the law. They could get away with it there. When there was a kingdom of Jerusalem which had power then there was law. Since Nur al-din has come to power then the Kingdom of Jerusalem is hard pressed to hold the city. These knights are no fools. They will know that Outremer will fall. There are not enough good men there to hold it. The rats will leave that sinking ship. I could see how they would attempt to take over England. They see divisions.” Both Richard and the King gave me angry glances. “There is no point in denying that the revolt last year would have given knights such as this hope. Tha Assassin cult works by eliminating the head of their enemies. That is why they seek my father’s life. He is, while you are in France, the head of state. With him gone and London in their hands then your finances would dry up. I believe that you are right about the French influence. They weaken you in England and then attack you here.”
Richard said, “I am a good knight! I will go to the Holy Land and defeat this Nur al-din.”
Henry barked, “You will not! England needs every good knight. I need swords like yours. I will go to speak with my son. I will keep the army together. I will keep your men, Richard.” His son made to speak, “You will go with the Earl to London. The Earl Marshal is old but you are not. Exercise your power in that land. Let me see that Richard, Duke of Aquitaine could be king. If I discover that your brother is behind this then I will take the crown from him myself. My grandfather kept a threat to his crown incarcerated his whole life. I can do the same.”
He was tempting Richard with the promise of the crown. If his other son proved to be treacherous then King Henry would be ruthless.
Richard took the bait and nodded eagerly, “Aye lord, I will go with the Earl.”
I spoke quickly for I did not wish to lose one of my men. “And we will need all of my men to aid my father.”
“Of course.”
We moved as quickly as was humanly possible but it was still not fast enough for me. We travelled slowly. I was too good a horseman to thrash my horse to death and there were many servants with the Duke of Aquitaine. I did all that I could to speed our journey by sending a rider to La Flèche to have ships ready for us.
When we reached Sir Leofric’s manor I was disappointed to see that there were few masts on the river. His constable, Jean of Angers, apologised to us. “I am sorry that I could not get the ships here, lord. Captain William is at sea. I have asked for ships to be gathered at Angers. The man I sent requested English ships.”
Duke Richard grunted, “They will feel my boot up their backsides if they do not move quickly enough for us!”
Padraig was healing well and that was good for I was sure that I would need every knight I could if I was to do that which King Henry had asked and save London. We rested but one night and I begrudged that delay.
On our journey to Angers I discovered more of the plot. Sir James told me of my father’s visit to the Cheap. As the events were related I could see my father and his clever brain. He always had a good ear and eye. Age may have slowed his sword arm but not his mind. He was as sharp as ever.
Duke Richard became quite animated when he heard of the pirates. “The sea twixt England and Normandy should be the safest patch of water in the world for we control both sides! If I were King then I would have ships which I owned patrolling and destroying these pirates!”
I smiled, “My lord, ships cost money. Where would the coin be found?”
He gave me a look of surprise. “Why, the people, of course! Should they not pay for the protection of their land?”
I heard in his voice the imperious tone of his grandfather and father. Both Henrys had believed in their divine right to rule and to tax. “Sadly, my lord, the people have had many years of unrest. We in the border lands are used to raids from enemies. The civil war was different. It showed the worst of behaviour from those who should have protected them. Barons took coin from people because they could. There was no recourse to law. Your grandmother and my father were fighting for the crown as was Stephen the Usurper. I am afraid that chest has been opened and it will take many years to win back the trust of the people.” I felt guilt then for I had abandoned the fight to enjoy life at the Duke of Anjou’s court and then the crusades. My father had borne that burden and it had been largely alone.
“Win back?”
I sigh
ed. He did not understand. He thought that the King was owed coin and duty by divine right. I was not the one to educate him. I had a valley to protect. The task of making Henry’s sons into rulers would have to fall to another. I would not do as my father had done and sacrifice his life and his family to the Plantagenet dynasty. That would have to be a task for another.
“Let us first save London, lord and worry about that later.”
Sir James rode next to me as we neared Anjou, “Your father is weary, lord. He does not know how or when to stop. He should have stayed in Stockton. I know not why he follows the King’s dictates so readily. He has done enough. When we fought the Welsh, he was in danger yet he never thought of himself. And there is something else. He is not well.”
I nodded, “Fear not Sir James, when we reach England I will impress upon Duke Richard the need for my father to step back. Perhaps the Duke will take the reins of power.”
Sir James was a clever man. As the nephew of the Bishop of Durham, he understood politics far better than I did. “That would be dangerous for all, lord. His elder brother, Henry, has been crowned King of England. He might see it as a usurpation of power.”
He was right and there was an irony that the first King Henry did not have enough sons and the second had too many!
We had enough ships for the men but not the horses. We were forced to leave them at the castle of Angers. Our horses would be sent back to La Flèche but Duke Richard’s would be retained for his return. The captains told us that they would be heading for Southampton. I did not question their judgement but Duke Richard did. “Why? I wish to get to the White Tower in London as soon as we can!”
Captain Walter shook his head. His grey hairs and leathered skin bespoke years of experience. “My lord we can be at Southampton a day earlier than the Thames. It can take two or three days to sail up the river to the Tower. You can be there in half a day by horse.”
I put my hand on Richard’s arm. “My lord, these men know their business. Let us heed their advice.” He agreed.
I kept Sir James with me as well as half of my archers and men at arms. The rest I spread amongst the other ships. Duke Richard kept all of his household knights with him. I thought it a mistake but it was his to make.
The journey to the sea was as swift as the skilled captains could make it. I sailed with Captain Walter. I think he preferred that to Duke Richard who seemed to think that he was an expert in all things!
“I know your father’s captain, William of Kingston. He is a good seaman. He is loyal to your father.”
“They are loyal to each other. It is a trait of my father’s. He cares for all from the meanest to the greatest. He is beloved in Stockton.”
“He is beloved in England, lord.” He looked around to see if any could overhear. “If people chose their king then it would be the Warlord.”
“That sounds like heresy, captain. Surely God chooses our King.”
“Perhaps.”
“You hope for a swift voyage? I am anxious to get to my father’s side.”
“I would hope so but we travel in company. That inevitably slows a voyage down.” He waved a hand astern at the other seven ships which followed us. Most were small; there were but two large ones. “Still the number of ships we have and the weaponry available gives me confidence that we shall avoid the pirates. There are many of them these days and they make this patch of water ever dangerous. They do not mind tackling one ship sailing alone but a fleet like this will deter them.”
His words were prescient!
When trouble came we were in the middle of the Channel. We were half way across the sea which separated Normandy from England. We were as far away from land as we would ever be on the voyage. We were leading. Captain Walter was the better captain. I guessed that Duke Richard was fuming to be in our wake. It was coming to noon when the lookout shouted down, “Captain, a ship is being attacked by pirates. It looks like the ‘Rose of Hythe’!”
The captain looked at me. There was a question in his eyes. I nodded, “We cannot leave an English ship to the pirates. Head for them.”
“Alone?”
I laughed, “I cannot see Duke Richard being tardy. Besides they may flee when we reach them.”
He shook his head, “They have huge crews, lord. We are well ahead of the others. They may only see us and regard us as the main course of this feast. ‘Rose of Hythe’ is smaller than we!”
“We will see. Roger of Bath, have the men stand to!”
“Aye lord. Come you idlers. We have enjoyed ourselves long enough. Now is the time for knife work!”
I turned to Ralph, “Fetch my sword.”
“Will you need your mail, lord?”
“I think not.”
Sir James joined me. He had been at the bow watching the three ships as they battled. “Whoever is on that ship is making a brave fight of it. They are holding off the pirates.”
“Then let us hope the captain can bring us close enough before they succumb.” While the men armed themselves, I went to the bow and pulled myself up onto the forestay. I braced myself against the gunwale. Shading my eyes against the sun I saw that the ‘Rose of Hythe’ rode higher in the water than her attackers. That may have given them an early advantage. If you could keep men from boarding your ship then even a crew which was outnumbered stood a chance. Once they boarded you then your days were numbered. The ‘Rose of Hythe’ had a larger sail and mast than the two pirates. The captain had not furled it and the wind was dragging the three ships northwards. The two pirates must have used oars for their sails were furled. We were now less than half a mile from them and I could see that there were men on the ‘Rose of Hythe’ who wore mail coifs and held longswords. They were knights or men at arms. That explained how they had survived for so long. It could not last, however. I saw one pirate reach the stern and although he was cut down to fall into the sea three others managed to use his death to board the vessel.
Our captain was a good seaman and he approached from the west so that we could board the pirate on that side. I turned and shouted, “To me! James you take half the men and help the crew. We will tackle this pirate.”
“Aye lord.”
“Masood get into the rigging and use your bow.”
“Yes my lord.”
“Ralph of Wales, thin them out for me!”
Even though we were still two hundred paces from them, because we had the wind we were in range. “Barbed arrows! These do not wear mail.”
My archers had both kinds of arrows in their quivers. There were the knight killers: bodkin tipped arrows which could penetrate mail. They also had barbed arrows. These tended to fly further and they caused terrible wounds to a man who did not wear mail. The arrow could not be pulled out and the only way to remove it was to push it through the body.
“Nock! Draw!” I heard the yew as it creaked. “Loose!” The goose tipped missiles soared high and then plummeted on to the steering board of the nearest pirate ship. There were screams and shouts as the arrows found their marks. I ignored my archers. They knew their business. I held on to the forestay with my left hand and my sword in my right. The pirates on board the ‘Rose of Hythe’ had seen us and I saw an immediate effect. They began to pull back to their own ship. The second pirate ship had no such worries and they renewed their efforts. Thomas of Piercebridge shouted, “My lord the Duke is heading for the other vessel!”
“Good! Ready!”
The pirate ship was less than ten feet from me. Our captain had taken in some of the sail. It would mean we bumped into the pirate rather than crashing into it. We rode higher in the water and I saw that Ralph’s arrows had decimated the men at the stern. The survivors had gathered around their mast.
As our ship neared I judged the time right. “Jump!” I leapt the gap. The wind and the movement of our ship meant I landed clear of the gunwale on the half-naked body of a pirate. He looked to be Frisian. I had no time to ponder further for the pirates had decided to charge us. The wounded
, dying and dead had bled out and blood mixed with the sea water to make a pink puddle on the bleached white wooden deck.
I heard Sir James shout, “With me! Stockton!” He leapt fearlessly aboard the ‘Rose of Hythe’.
The leader of the pirates looked like some sort of Viking. He had two axes, one in each hand. They were a sort of throwing axe. He wore an old-fashioned helmet with a nasal and had a vest made of mail. He roared at me in what I took to be Frisian and he and his men ran across the slippery and increasingly blood-soaked deck. I barely had time to draw my dagger before he was upon me. I crossed my hands to block the blows. My sword blocked his right-handed axe for I took that to be the more powerful blow and my dagger his left. I barely held them for he was frighteningly strong. He was as tall as me and when I saw him draw his head back I knew what he intended. He would head butt me. I had no helmet and it would be an early end to the contest.
Masood had taught me how to wrestle. He was not a large man but I had seen him throw Ralph of Bowness to the ground. My opponent was stronger and I used his own strength against him. I feinted right and when he pushed against me and brought his head back I swivelled. He began to lose his balance and I rammed my dagger towards his cheek. It went in one side and out of the other. When I tore it out blood spurted. As he screamed in rage, blood and teeth were spat out. Ralph and Thomas lunged with their swords at the two men who flanked the Frisian chief. He swung his axe at my head with his right hand. I blocked it with my dagger and swung my sword hard against his side. His mail stopped the blow from penetrating the mail but it was hard enough to crack a rib. I used Masood’s foot trick and hooked my right leg behind his left and pushed. His bleeding face and ribs must have distracted him for he tumbled backwards over the bodies of two of his oathsworn. I brought my sword across his neck and severed his head.