by Griff Hosker
Wulfric growled, "They caught me out once, lord. A second opportunity will not occur!"
As dusk approached we prepared for our raid. We would not need helmets for we would need our eyes and ears. The helmets would hang from our cantles but we would need a spare spear. I knew that I would lose my lance at some point in the first charge. The spare fitted beneath my left leg and shield.
We were about to leave when the two newest scouts rode in on their ponies. Hal and Osbert were little more than twelve summers old. I had seen more meat on a sparrow yet they were bright eyed and knew their business, "Lord, Aiden sent us. He said we were not yet ready to cut throats. They are at the last camp; the one closest to Northallerton. They will cause mayhem there."
"Good you two can help my men guard the camp!" We headed off down the road. There were eighty-four men at arms and archers as well as four knights in my small battle. We were led by Dick. We followed his instructions and did as his signals commanded. After half a mile, we left the road and our movements became quieter as we walked our horses along the grass which lay adjacent to the road. After a mile he left us leaving his archer, Richard of Middleham, to guide us to the camp.
We smelled it before we saw it. There was a strong breeze from the south and it wafted the smell of the camp towards us; wood smoke and cooking mutton. The local farmers were paying the price for this attack. Richard used hand signals to slow us down and then to warn us of the precise location of their camp. Wulfric brought up the rear. I was at the fore with Sir Harold, Sir John and Gilles. Their squires and Richard were behind us as was the archer, Richard of Middleham. His bow would come in handy.
I waved the column forward and we walked. We moved to the trot and then the canter. Our hooves could now be heard but I knew that the enemy would be confused over the direction of the sound. Night did that. Men would be eating, talking, drinking; they would not be ready for a sudden savage attack. They would look to the skies to see if this was thunder preceding rain. They would turn to each other and question the noise. They would seek the direction from whence it came and all the time we would be drawing closer with death in our hands.
I had my lance held overhand. It made for a better strike. I rested it across the cantle of my saddle. I saw shadows ahead and the shadows moved. There were five sentries. They turned as we hurtled towards them. I stabbed down at one and my lance entered his back. The others were either trampled or speared too.
As his body slid from the lance's head I shouted, "Left and right!"
We went from a column to a wide, loose line. We needed to cause maximum casualties whilst sowing confusion. We did not ride knee to knee, we just rampaged through their camp each rider choosing his own course. I saw a mailed warrior grab his shield and turn to face us. I couched my lance and rammed it hard into his open side. His shield was not quick enough nor was his mail strong enough and my lance tore deep into his body. This time I could not save the lance and I released it. I drew my sword, to save time, and I swung it at head height. My arm jarred as it struck the back and spine of a warrior running from me. He gave a primeval scream as my blade grated along his backbone. The enemy were fleeing. I saw two of them tumble over fires and others were pitched to the ground by the ropes holding their tents. Our weapons were not the only ones to cause wounds and death. It seemed to last but a heartbeat or two and then we were through their camp and into the dark once more.
I reined in and turned to look at my men; most seemed to be safely arrived. When a gleeful Wulfric, the last of my men, reined in I said, "Richard of Middleham, lead us to the next camp." I sheathed my sword and drew my second spear. Shorter than the lance it was slightly less unwieldy.
We headed through the dark. I trusted my archer completely. He had been trained by Dick and he would lead us safely to the place from which we could launch our second attack. I hoped that Dick had managed to capture the horses. That would be a double help. It would deprive the enemy of horses whilst adding to our own herds.
We covered the mile quicker than I had expected we would. We had walked our horses for they would need to charge again soon. This time we were up wind of the camp and did not smell it. They might smell us although I doubted it. We relied on Richard. He signalled and we formed our column again. I spurred my mount. This time there were just two sentries. The turf on which we rode did not make as much noise and the two died without knowing who we were. From the direction we approached we might have been reinforcements. The camp was awake and alerted because of our attack on the neighbouring camp. There had been noise, screams and the sound of battle. They were, however, looking in the wrong direction; to the north and when we burst into their camp, in three long lines, it caused confusion as they panicked.
It was like hunting deer. The enemy were confused and disorganised. Many had no mail and died quickly. I struck three fleeing warriors before my spear broke and I was forced to draw my sword. I had to lean forward to strike men as they threw themselves to the ground. It availed them naught for they were trampled by horses that could not avoid them. I saw two of my new men at arms ride ahead of me. They grabbed the ropes of a tent as they passed and dragged it across the fire. It was an inspired move for the canvas ignited and, as they dragged it towards the horse lines, it made the horses panic too and they tore the stakes holding the lines out of the ground. They thundered north. Our attack was so quick that we were through before they could take breath and, once we were in the dark, I turned to watch for Wulfric and the rest of my men.
I recognised my new men; the ones who had used the tent as a weapon. "That was well done, Ralph of Nottingham. You think on your feet. I like that!"
"It is a shame we have no treasure from this, lord!"
"We have horses and they are as good as treasure."
Wulfric arrived. "We lost but two men at arms, lord, and we have destroyed two camps!” He sheathed his sword and rubbed his stomach. “I have an appetite!"
"We will drive the horse which fled the camp towards our men."
Once the danger had passed the horses stopped and looked to return to their masters. We stopped them by driving them north. As we neared the road our sentries guided them to our own horse lines. Dick was waiting there.
"A rich haul, lord. We captured twenty-five mounts. Some are war horses." He pointed. "We found another twenty one which fled north."
"Then the raid has been worthwhile. Now we prepare our defences. Sir Wulfric, I want you and Sir John to use your men to guard the archers."
"After we have eaten, lord!"
"Of course. The rest of you ride to the main camp and let your horses rest. We may need them tomorrow."
As we walked our mounts down to the dell I heard James and Henry asking Gilles and Richard about the attack. Envy oozed from their words. Richard shrugged, "It all happened so quickly, my lord. The enemy loomed up out of the dark and you barely had time to think let alone bring back your arm to strike them."
Henry nodded, "So you struck none?"
"I killed three and there are another three who will not fight on the morrow. Gilles killed more."
Gilles said, "I was lucky. I am bigger than Richard. Do not forget that my father was an archer. I have naturally broad shoulders."
Henry looked puzzled, "Your father was an archer? Yet you would be a knight."
"Mine was a man at arms who served the Earl." James knew his father's story well and was proud of it.
I saw Henry taking that information in. He was used to nobles and the sons of nobles. This was a different world. As they sat around my fire I realised that this was part of his training to be a king. He was seeing the real people he would rule and not the fawning courtiers who sought his favour. Their language was rough as were they but they were the rock upon which a good king built his kingdom. As Ranulf, the Earl of Chester had shown, nobility was nothing to do with birth. He was as far from being a noble as a swineherd for he did not do the honourable thing. My father would have called him a nithing. My men fell u
pon the food as though they had not eaten for a week. Battle did that. I was not hungry and so I slept. The older I became the less I ate. I remembered that my father had been the same.
When I awoke it was not yet dawn. Gilles was shaking my arm, "Lord, it is Aiden, Edgar and Edward, they have returned."
I was awake in an instant and I pulled myself to my feet with the aid of Gilles' arm, "I fear I am getting old, Gilles."
"Never, lord."
Aiden and his two scouts were each eating some stale bread and ham. Aiden laid down his ham as he spoke to me and pointed south. "We went around each of their camps lord. We had just left the second one you attacked just before you arrived. That was why there were just two sentries. We were late as we went to Northallerton and used our bows to slay four of the sentries on watch." He laughed. "They will have little sleep. On the way back we found eight horses. We brought them back. They are much discomfited by the attack, lord."
"Have Hal and Osbert along with Edward here drive the horses back to Stockton. They can be shared out later."
He nodded, "As for me, I shall sleep!"
"Thank you Aiden. Gilles, you may return to your bed too."
I was awake. I would not be able to sleep anymore and I walked the five hundred paces to Wulfric's camp. Dick was awake along with Sir John. Wulfric's snores made me smile. He could sleep through anything. "Do you think they will come, my lord?"
"I think they will come but I know not if they will fight. I want them to believe that the archers and the two conroi are our only warriors. I want to tempt them into attacking. If they do then I will lead our horsemen around their flanks to destroy them. However, it may be that they just come to inspect us. I will live with that too. If they do not attack, then we try another tactic. We use the archers to infiltrate their camp and cause mayhem with their knives."
Sir John pointed towards the camp, "Young Henry, will he fight today?"
"He might, why?"
"My men know not what to call him. Is he prince or Lord? What do they call him? They do not wish to cause offence."
"Tell them to call him, sir, for he is noble born. We knights can call him Henry. His title is Marquess but I do not think he likes the title. It reminds him that his father took the title, Duke."
When I saw dawn begin to break over the hills to the east Sir John ordered his men to stand to. Dick had already been around to rouse his men and the archers had made water and eaten by the time we saw the sun.
I nodded towards Wulfric. "Best wake the bear, eh John? He will be annoyed if he misses anything."
I turned as Gilles, Richard and James appeared. "Where is Henry?"
Gilles smiled. "He sleeps. He complained about the ground but he slept like a baby. We did not disturb him lord. We only came to receive our orders."
"James, stay here with me in case I need you for messages. You two go and water and feed our horses. Prepare them for battle."
They left. James stood just behind me and we waited. I saw nothing but one of my archers did for I saw an arrow soar followed by a cry.
Will Red Legs hurried towards me, "My lord, Dick says to tell you they have scouts out."
Even as he spoke I saw more arrows arc into the sky and heard more shouts. My sentries were woodsmen and were well hidden. These enemy scouts were not as good as my men.
I walked towards the road. We had made a barrier there of brushwood and brambles. It would not stop a horse but it would slow them down. On both sides of the road we had embedded stakes. If an enemy attacked us we were forcing them up the slope into a narrow trap. There, forty of my men at arms would stop them, no matter how many came. At the moment the men rested. It was the archers who would watch. There were over eighty of them. My ten sentries, who were ahead of the others, could not be seen but the rest were spread out to the east and west of the road. The banners of Sir Wulfric and Sir Phillip told our enemies that knights were here.
I had begun to think that they would not come. It was late morning and, after the first visit by their scouts, we had seen nothing. I did not need my sentries to report to me. I saw the banners as their army headed north towards us. I saw them as they appeared up the road. The road had a dip about a mile away and they rose, like a metal wave over the top.
"James, go and tell Sir Harold to prepare the men. The enemy comes."
Wulfric, John, Dick and Phillip hurried to my side. "You all know what to do?"
Wulfric nodded, "Aye lord. We commit them to the attack and when they close we sound the horn three times."
"Do not be too heroic Wulfric! Just make sure that they press to the centre. Give us plenty of time eh?"
"Of course."
"Then God be with you." I waited while I watched the men at arms get into position. They each had a spear and Wulfric organized them into an old fashioned shield wall in the centre. With the front spears braced on the road the spears behind would be presented over the shoulders of the ones at the front to make a hedgehog of steel. Although their shields hung loosely from their left shoulders they could be presented to an enemy attack in an instant.
Beyond them I saw that they had a solid phalanx of horsemen approaching down the centre of the road. To their sides marched men on foot. Whoever commanded this army had put all of his mounted men in the centre. He hoped to break through the men in the road and then spread out once they had passed the stakes. I could not be too accurate with their numbers for the horsemen stretched into the distance and the foot walked without too much order. I counted their banners and gonfanon. I estimated fifty mounted knights. There did not appear to be large numbers of mounted men at arms. I recognized the banner of William of Aumale. He was the most powerful of Stephen's supporters here in the north and was the Constable of York. I also saw the red and white striped banner. The men of Flanders were here. The banner was that of Charles of Bruges. I had seen enough and I left the rise to descend to my waiting horsemen.
James stood holding the reins of Rolf, my horse. He had been groomed. I had not used him the night before. I did not need a battle-hardened horse then. I did now.
After I had mounted and James had handed me my lance I said, "They come. Sir Harold, you take your men and Sir Gilles to the west of the road. Sir Tristan, bring yours with me. Listen for the signal and when we hit them, hit them hard. They outnumber us. We cannot afford to be dainty." I turned to William of Le Havre. "Make sure this young cockerel stays in the second rank! I would not risk the wrath of his father if he should be lost under my care!"
William grinned, "And we might not be paid either! We will keep him safe, lord."
I saw a scowl on Henry's face. I did not mind. Better a scowl than an extra mouth below his chin because I had been careless.
Leaving the archer’s horse holders to guard the camp I led my forty men at arms to the east. The rise hid us. No enemy would know of our movements. We rode for half a mile. I heard the thunder of hooves up the road and, as we turned to face the south, I saw the arrows as they rose in the sky. My eighty odd archers could keep up a rain of arrows as long as it was necessary. I knew that battle had been joined when I heard a cheer and then the clash of metal on metal. Shouts and cries told me that men were dying.
We had two ranks. I rode between Sir Tristan and Gilles. Edgar was to Gilles' right. Behind me rode my two squires with the banner and next to them Henry and his bodyguards. I knew that the strength of the centre of our attack lay with Edgar, Sir Tristan and myself. We would have to penetrate deep into the enemy ranks.
As time passed I wondered if Wulfric was delaying too long. Then I heard the horn sound. "Forward, for God, England, the Empress and Henry FitzEmpress!" My men cheered and I led them south.
As we crested the rise it looked to be confusion before us. The enemy foot were trying to get through the barrier of stakes and pits my archers had dug. Sir Wulfric and his men had not yet had to break sweat thanks to the endeavours of the archers. While half of Sir Phillip's men loosed their arrows at the horsemen which w
ere massed in the centre the other half were slaying men at arms and with a flat trajectory were causing terrible wounds. As we appeared in their eye line there was a collective wail. I headed for the rear of the men on foot and I lowered my lance.
We rode boot to boot and we came at a steady pace. The men on foot were not all mailed. As they saw us I saw a sergeant at arms trying to organize them. Even as he pointed at us an arrow blossomed from his neck. A shield cannot protect a whole body. The shields that had been carried at Hastings were bigger than the ones we used now. A man on a horse with a lance has a choice of targets. Most men try to protect their head. The first man I struck did so. His thigh was exposed and my lance head tore into the muscles of his leg. He fell screaming in agony as blood spurted from the severed artery. I allowed my right hand to slip backwards as his body fell from the tip. I brought it back to the couched position. In that fleeting moment of death the men on foot had begun to flee. They did not see forty knights and men at arms; they saw a wall of metal and horseflesh. Even as they ran my archers reaped a harvest.
Ignoring the men on foot, we could catch them after we had destroyed the mounted threat, I wheeled to charge the right flank of the knights and men at arms on horses who were attacking my centre. Their shields were on the opposite arm and we rode up the slope to the road ready to cause mayhem.
I glanced to left and right. My men were still in a long line. Rolf was a powerful horse and he had edged slightly ahead. I allowed that for it meant I would be the tip of the arrow. I saw a red and white striped surcoat. It was a knight of Flanders. I rode Rolf directly at him. He was not at the fore and he turned his horse as he became aware of our attack. The knight next to him tried to do the same but an arrow plummeted down and struck him in the neck. As the knight of Flanders tried to turn I stood in my stirrups and punched forward. He could not bring his shield around in time. He tried to fence with his own spear but my thrust brushed it aside and my lance tore deep into his middle. The tip ripped through the mail and into his gambeson. I saw his face contort as the metal head delved deep into his body. The forward momentum of his horse drove him from his saddle and dragged my lance down. I let go and drew my sword.