by Griff Hosker
I donned a cloak for there was still a chill wind blowing from the east. I spoke with every man who had a trade in the town and suggested the formation of a council. Ethelred was the only one who was suspicious. He had done well from the growth of the town and had become rich. I think he worried about having to spend some of his money. We arranged to hold the first meeting the day before the sessions in my hall. There was nowhere large enough in the town. I saw the wisdom in John's suggestion.
The next day I had Harold prepare Scout for I needed to visit Norton and my farms. John would accompany me with his wax tablet. The King's tax man would want to extract every coin he could from my farmers and they needed to be prepared. Once again, Adela approached me. "I would deem it an honour, my lord, if I could accompany you."
"This will not be like a pleasant stroll around my town, Adela, this will be a long ride. You would be all day in the saddle."
"I have been cooped up here for over six months my lord. I would see something of the world even if it is only Norton. It was my home once."
After we had visited Wulfstan we headed east and, Norton. I was pleased I had brought her for she was lively company and remarked on many things I had taken for granted. She saw ways that the farmers might improve their fields and their homes. John scribbled away and nodded at her ideas. The first thing we did was to visit the church and Father Peter. We had decisions to make.
"Father Peter, the last winter was so severe that we could not come to church as often as we would have liked. I believe we need a church in Stockton."
"You are right, my lord, but I cannot be in two places at once."
"No, we need a priest too."
He nodded, "I will write to the Abbot at Guisborough. There may be one of the lay brothers there who wishes to become a priest. It will take time to build a church."
"It will indeed."
We stayed too long at Adela's former home. I enjoyed talking with Edward, Osric and Athelstan. My father's warriors were more content now that Edward was there to manage the defence of the manor. I saw that he and his men had worked to improve the defences of the village which had grown beyond the walls of the hall. The damage from the attack had been repaired and the walls were solid once more. It was getting towards dark when we headed south.
As we rode back I was silent. Adela asked, "What bothers you, my lord?"
"I am thinking about those hungry men we killed in the winter. They were only doing what any man would do. They were trying to feed their families."
"We must have laws, my lord."
"I know, John, but that did not make what we did right."
Adela leaned over and put her hand on mine."
"You think too much, my lord. It was the lord of their manor who was at fault. You cannot be responsible for everyone."
"I know."
To clear my mind of such dark thoughts and guilt I threw myself into the manor. When we held the first council meeting John and I helped Alf and the others create a set of rules. Ethelred was the stumbling block for many ideas the others on the council had. Eventually I used my authority. "Ethelred, you are now a wealthy man." He smiled and nodded. "That wealth has come, largely because I allow you to operate a ferry on my river." I emphasised the word river. "The King's authority to me extends along the length of the Tees. If I choose to award the ferry to another man then what would you do for income? Rely on your tanner? Perhaps I should tax the exports of hides?"
"My lord, this is unfair! I am an honest man. Is it a sin to try to make money?"
"No but it is a sin not to use that money for good. I am going to have a church built in the town. I could ask for a tithe from every burgher in the town and the church and the King would approve. However if I am willing to pay for the church then I would expect you, Ethelred the rich, to improve other aspects of the town."
He subsided a little, "My lord, it sounds as though you are threatening my livelihood."
I laughed, "Of course I am!"
Alf and the others all joined in the laughter at Ethelred's expense. The smith smiled, "I will explain it to him over a jug of ale my lord. He cannot see beyond his tight purse strings. We are all more than happy to pay for civic improvements. We will all benefit in the long run. But, my lord, if I could suggest a fair when you hold the next sessions. There will be many strangers in the town and we can all profit." He nudged Ethelred in his ribs, "Especially those who operate the ferry."
It was Ethelred's turn to laugh. "I had forgotten the sessions. Forgive me lord. Alf is right; I must take the broader view and think of others."
Ethelred would never change. He would always think of himself first but his enterprise was good for trade and that meant we all profited.
The sessions and the fair went well and I even managed to hire three more men at arms and two archers. They had come to the sessions with a claim against the smith of Hartness and they stayed to serve me. William the Mason and John worked on the plans for the new church which would be built at the western end of the town on a rising piece of land. It was a clever piece of planning for it meant that when the people in the town looked west they would see both the church and the castle. In the summer we would be framed against the sunset and be a physical reminder of the power of God and the King.
When the tax man arrived we were all prepared to pay our due but that was not the most important aspect of his visit. He brought a missive from Robert of Gloucester. The normally officious official was almost humble when he went through my books. I left him with John while I read the letter. I read it twice to make sure that I had understood it properly. The tax collector, Roger of Ripon, looked at me when I put down the letter.
"It is grave news is it not, my lord?"
I nodded, "It is." John and Adela had questions written all over their faces. I held the letter up. "The lords north of the Eden have risen in revolt. There is a threat to the King's authority. We are summoned to war."
I sent riders to all of my knights and ordered them to Stockton. This would be the first time I met my new knight, the lord of Normanby, Sir Guiscard d'Abbeville. I would have visited with him before had it not been for the wolf winter. Edward and Wulfstan rode over directly. I showed them the orders. "Wulfstan, I will not leave the valley undefended. I wish you to stay. I will leave four of my men at arms to help you."
I saw the relief on his face. His third child had been born during the coldest part of the winter. His second son, Thomas, would be a hardy warrior when he grew. Aiden's hand had healed and he had not lost the use of this other fingers as we had feared. He wore the fur of the wolf which had taken his finger as a reminder of how close he came to death. As he said to me, "I wear death on my back; it is fitting that the dead wolf should protect me still."
When the other four knights arrived I discovered that they had suffered badly during the harsh winter. The wolves had decimated their flocks and outlying farms. All were keen for war as that meant profits. Success breeds success. The castle was full on that last night before we left for war and we ate well. Adela sat on my right hand side. During the meal she leaned over and asked, "How long will you be away?"
I shrugged. "It could be as it was when we went north and over in a few days or it could be like the Welsh campaign and last weeks. Why?"
"I wondered if you might be back by Midsummer's Eve."
I smiled as I remembered my promise. "If I am not back then you can send me a message with your answer."
"I can give you the answer now."
I shook my head, "I said you had a year to think and I will not go back on my word. Who knows what may happen. I may be wounded and disfigured so that you may not even want me."
She shook her head violently, "Do not say that but it would matter not. It is the man beneath the skin that I would wed."
We were both aware of the sudden silence which had descended. When I looked around the table I saw a sea of smiles.
When we left the next morning for the gathering at Carlisle, we sho
wed that we had learned our lessons. We had more rounceys, sumpters and palfreys to carry all of our war gear and tents. The wolf winter had given us time to make leather and linen tents. The surplus of cattle hides had proved useful. It was also the first time I left feeling sad as I saw a tearful Adela waving from the north gate. She and John would have to run the Manor while we were away. It was also the first time that the people of Stockton came to wave us off. I was touched. There were my folk and they were showing it.
We each had a squire and I put them in charge of the destrier and our weapons. Wulfric commanded, as he had before, the men at arms and they followed the squires. Dick and the archers rode ahead. We were slowed by the crossbowmen and those archers who had no horses but it could not be helped. Not all the lords were as well off as Edward, Richard and myself.
I used the first leg of the journey to the castle at Barnard to get to know Guiscard d'Abbeville. He was Norman and the manor of Normanby was his reward for bravery during the border wars against Anjou. After his first winter he was wondering if it had been a mistake to accept the title.
"You cannot upset the King, my friend, and Normanby is a fine manor."
"But you cannot grow wheat there!"
"Have your farmers tried?"
"I was told…"
"Do not listen to those who say you cannot. Try and then you will know. And if you cannot grow wheat then rye and oats can be grown. Trade for wheat. Our river teems with salmon. Encourage fishermen. Your land has iron in the hills. Trade that."
He nodded as thought considering the ideas. After a short while he ventured, "I am told that you are not Norman. You are a Saxon brought up in the Eastern Empire."
"Half Saxon but I feel English rather than anything else. It is in my blood."
"My blood is in the heart of Normandy. I had thought to go to Italy with my cousins the Hautevilles."
"They have done well over there."
"After that winter I wondered if I should not have gone with my heart."
"You will grow to love this land. Believe me."
He smiled, "The main reason I chose to come was because of the Empress."
"You met Empress Matilda?" I felt my heart race a little. I had managed to put her from my mind and replace her with Adela but the mere mention of her name brought her face to mind.
He nodded, "She spoke highly of you as did her Swabian bodyguards. They told me you were a good knight and I could do worse than emulate you. She also said that you spoke highly of this valley."
"That was kind of them."
He waved a hand at the other knights. "They too echoed the sentiments. I will be proud to follow your banner."
When the Earl had sent me the letter he had told me that I was entitled to my own banner for the conroi. We still had the blue background with blue stars but the centre of one of the starts was now yellow. It would show my men where I was. Edward and Wulfstan still had the two blue stars on their smaller banner. While we rode they remained furled.
The lord of the castle at Barnard had already left for the muster but we were expected and we ate well. With his conroi gone there was accommodation aplenty. The next section of the journey took us over the high West Moors and we spent the night at Appleby Castle. The longest and most arduous journey was the last march to Carlisle. It was long and over a rugged descending terrain. I felt sorry for those on foot and I saw their lords looking enviously at our mounted riders.
The Earl of Gloucester had gathered a mighty host at Carlisle Castle. I had thought my own castle had a good aspect but the one at Carlisle was protected on one side by the River Eden and on the other by the River Caldew. An attacker could only approach from the west. I could see why the Scots had failed to take it in their recent raids. The Earl of Chester, Ranulf du Bessin had been Lord of Carlisle but he had to give up that title and he was now with the King in Normandy. Sir Hugh Bacon had been appointed the Lord of Carlisle and it was he who greeted us when we arrived just before dusk.
"The Earl is north of the river scouting for the enemy. He will return shortly. I am afraid that you will have to use the outer bailey for your men. The castle is a little cramped with the retinue of the Earl."
I smiled at Sir Hugh, he was not much older than I was. "Do not worry; we slept comfortably for the past two nights. It will do us no harm to prepare for the campaign."
We discovered, as we struggled to find an uninhabited corner of the bailey, that we were the last to arrive. The majority of the conroi were from the west and Cumberland. We would be fielding over a hundred and twenty knights and we had five hundred men at arms. It was a force almost as big as the one with which we had invaded Wales. My newly elevated status meant that I was invited to dine with the Earl and the other leaders of conroi when he returned. There were six conroi although I led the smallest conroi with just five knights. I looked at the faces of the nights with whom I would be fighting and I saw men who looked much like my knights. Few were older than the Earl and most were of an age with me. Each one looked as though they knew their business. I saw none of the sly sideways glances I had witnessed in Worms. They were not here for political reasons. They were here to punish rebels.
The Earl stood and raised his goblet. "Welcome, now that we are assembled I intend to strike quickly at these rebels. We crossed the Eden this morning and we saw the enemy host gathering just north of here. They are just twenty miles away. They are led by William of Dunbar. He has shown his allegiance by having a yellow lion on his banner. He sides with Scotland."
I almost asked if this made them rebels or Scots. It was a fine distinction. The Solway marked the border. Many knights held manors on both sides of the border. Then I thought better. I did not wish to appear foolish. Sir Hugh asked another question which was on my mind. "My lord what of the east? Are there not rebels there?"
He nodded, "Last year Sir Alfraed and I visited the Gospatric family. They swore fealty but I fear that they are playing a dangerous game. With lands on both sides of the border they are vying to become more powerful. The Bishop of Durham has returned to the Palatinate to organise the defence there. It is why I summoned Sir Alfraed. It may be that we have to divide our forces and Sir Alfraed's knights have shown before that they can deal with the Gospatric family. We will go to the Bishop's aid when we have dealt with these traitors."
I felt my anxiety levels rise as he mentioned rebels in the east. I had left just a handful of men to guard my lands and the river. I hoped that the Earl knew his business. What did a Bishop know of fighting?
"We will advance on the morrow towards the Solway. The enemy has more men than we do but not as many knights. Nor are they as disciplined. Some of the knights may be Norman but most of the men they lead are the savages who fought the Romans. They are fierce and they are wild but they are no match for the men at arms you lead. We will guard our flanks with our archers protected by half of our men at arms. They will be the rocks upon which the enemy will waste their efforts. They will fight dismounted. We will use two lines to break their defence. I will lead the knights myself. Sir Hugh will lead the men at arms. With God's help we will drive them back into the Solway and the heads of the rebels will adorn the walls of this fine castle."
The clatter of hands on the table and the cheers told the Earl of Gloucester that the force he would lead were ready for the fight.
It was a glorious host which headed north the next day. The enemy, our scouts informed us, had marched to Gretna where they awaited us. They appeared confident that the river and the land would protect them. Their lack of aggression encouraged us for they outnumbered us so greatly that they should have attacked. The Earl did not bother to parley. He offered no quarter. They had rebelled against the King and had we not held Carlisle then they would have swept south. My men at arms had been chosen to guard the archers, also led by Dick, on our left flank. The rebels had fewer horses. These they had placed upon their right flank. If they charged it would be against my men at arms and archers.
M
y knights and squires were to the left of the Earl and his household knights. Star was keen to get into action and he stamped and snorted impatiently. The Earl's herald lowered his banner twice and that was the signal for us to begin to move. The rebels had neither prepared pits nor laid traps but they had archers arrayed before them. As we moved forwards, at the trot, I prayed that Star would be spared the attention of the archers. My father had told me how, at Hastings, the housecarls had tried to get at the Norman horses. A knight who fell from his mount would not last long on the battlefield. We had left my banner with Wulfric and my conroi would follow my gonfanon. That now had a yellow centre to one of the stars.
As we began to canter I noticed that the bows the rebels were using were the short bows rather than the long bows Dick and my archers used. They had neither the range nor the penetration of our longer bows. When we were a hundred and odd paces from their front rank they pulled back on them; they were ready to release. The Earl lowered his lance as a signal to charge. I pulled my shield tighter to my body and I rested my lance on my cantle. I glanced at Harold; this was his first charge in the front rank. I prayed he would not suffer Alan's fate. The arrows flew. I tightened my shield close to my body and tucked in my head. Three arrows pinged off my helmet and two off my shield. I was pleased that they had aimed at me. They would have been better to have aimed at Star. I remained unhurt and we were now travelling so quickly that we would be terrifying the archers who faced us. It was then that I concentrated on the man I would kill. It was not an archer, they would flee. Behind them was a line of spearmen. Their shields were not as big as ours and they had no armour. My lance was longer and I could gain extra length when I punched forward.
The archers fled as I pulled back my lance and punched at the red bearded warrior who stood before me. As my lance sank into his chest I felt his spear as it grazed my legs. The mail did its job. It turned the head. Star was a powerful beast and he kept going even with the speared man on the lance. I lowered the end and the body slid off. Star crashed into the shield and the man in the second rank. He crumpled beneath Star's hooves and I punched forward with the spear at the warrior in the third rank. This warrior managed to bring his shield up but Star's momentum and my punch drove the lance up under his chin and into his head. The lance broke and I threw it to the ground. Drawing my sword I saw that I was amongst the rear ranks. These had not expected to fight yet. I could see fear in their eyes. As my sword came clear of my scabbard I pulled back on my reins and Star reared. It enabled me to stand in my stirrups and bring my sword down on the swordsman to my right. Even though he tried to parry my blow the edge shattered his blade and split his head in two.