by Smith, Skye
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The various leaders of Edgar’s mixed army all ate their evening meal with the leaders of the fortress garrison at a long table in the great hall. Everyone else took turns with their wooden bowls at scooping food from large cauldrons that were carried about the fortress. There was food aplenty for all, though it was plain fare, and everything had that wooly taste of mutton fat.
At the table, the discussion was all about who the ships, the plunder, and the slaves belonged to. Every knight and lord was making a claim. All were petitioning Edgar for a quick decision on the split. Raynar and the ships' captains with him stayed silent while they ate, and ate, and ate. They kept to themselves because many of the lords had complained when Edgar had invited Raynar and his ships' captains and wolvesheads to sit at the same table with them. After all, they were just peasants.
Those who had sailed with Raynar had just spent three long nights at sea, and had captured seventeen ships in three harbours. They were hungry, and thirsty, and tired, and chilled to the bone. The hot food revived them, but they still did not talk. They sat quietly and listened to the boasting and posturing of the lords. Eventually Edgar noticed the silence.
He banged his cup on the table and yelled down the length of it Raynar. "You say nothing old friend!. Do you not want a split of what we have captured?"
"There is no split to be bargained for at this table," replied Raynar evenly, "it is set by law." The captains beside him nodded in agreement.
Edgar was intrigued and banged his cup again to have the others be quiet. "Tell us what law!" he yelled over the continuing noise. There was no quiet to be had.
Raynar stood and spoke very quietly to the table, but only those next to him heard the words and they stomped the table in agreement. Around the table there was a hush. "Say that again," said Fulk from the far end. Now there was silence.
"The ships that were taken belong to the owners of the ships that took them, as do their crews and their booty. Ship's owners have contract agreements to cover the split with their captains and crew. In this case I own one ship, and Hereward three. The split will be discussed and paid out in Oudenburg."
The table was in an instant uproar and both Edgar and Fulk had to shout long and hard to bring it to order again.
"Obviously, many of these ships are needed to support this fortress and to secure this coastline. On behalf of Hereward I can agree to charter terms that will be advantageous to Edgar and to Paris. As for the crews taken prisoner, those that we trust enough to ship with us will be separated from their friends and put under captains that I appoint on behalf of Hereward."
The noise grew again so Raynar spoke more quietly, until the noise abated again. He had to repeat most of the message. "Before new crews can be formed, there are prior claims against some of these men that must be heard in front of a moot formed by Edgar and these captains."
"What of the prisoners who were not crew? They will bring us a good slave price."
"I will allow you to take any of the leaders as slaves, once any prior claims have been addressed. Those held here by the pirates by force or as slaves will be taken back to their homes by my ships and set free."
Before the noise and protests could begin again, the fortress priest sitting beside Fulk stood and banged his cup to gain their attention. "What the Englishman has said is according to the laws of both Flanders and France. What he calls a moot is to us a court of peers, and each man that faces slavery has a right to be heard, as do those with petitions against them. The Englishman speaks true, that a court must be held, and that Lord Edgar must chair it, although it is Edgar who will chose the other ealders to sit with him.
Fulk was red in the face. "The Norman knights, what of them? And the women?"
"If someone has a claim against a knight," replied the priest, "then a price will be set. If you pay the price for them then they go with you until they can repay it. As for the women and any other non-combatants, the church must side with this heathen Englishman. If they wish to go home, and if this Englishman is willing to take them, then they are protected by the current Peace of God declared by the Bishops."
Raynar clasped his hands together as if he were making a Christian prayer and bowed to the priest. The priest smiled back at him warily.
The table was growing noisy again, so Edgar stood and proclaimed, "This discussion is adjourned until tomorrow when I will convene a court."
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The Hoodsman - Courtesans and Exiles by Skye Smith
Chapter 25 - English court at Montreuil sur Mer in October 1072
Edgar decided it was best to choose the ships' captains, including Raynar to sit on his bench with him. He also chose the priest and Count Fulk. There were hundreds of cases to hear, so he expected this court to last for days. The priest, however, explained a faster way, which was welcomed by all.
Starting with the prisoners with whom there were likely to be few issues, the women, the court sat on a bench beside their pen and did what amounted to a sorting. The women were first asked to separate themselves by the villages they had lived in prior to being brought here. Then all those who wished to stay at Montreuil were asked to leave the village groups and form a new group.
There was a delay while the women, now surrounded by other women from their own village, discussed what to do. Eventually three-quarters of the women moved to the 'stay' group. Most of the rest were women from Flanders. Decisions on the wounded in the women’s pen were postponed. The seconds from the ships now moved amongst those that wished to be taken home and got the names of the villages so that all those that lived close to each other could travel in the same ship.
The pen next to the women held the non-combatant men. Most had been held as slaves by the pirates, either for their labour or for future trade. The same instructions were given. The result was very different. Three-quarters wanted to go home. Again the names of the villages were taken.
The next pen held those who had been forced to fight and row. They were first grouped by village and once that was sorted, they were asked to decide between three options. Go home; stay as part of the fortress garrison; or stay as part of a ship's crew. There was much confusion and conversation and calling back and forth, but eventually the groups settled with about a third in each. The garrison commanders and ships' seconds now entered the pen and gave instructions to those that were staying, while again taking the names of villages of those going home.
The priest and Raynar had a long discussion before they moved on to the next pen. This pen would take longer for these men had fought freely for the pirate captains. The men were lined up and were one by one paraded in front of the three pens already processed. If anyone had a claim against any of these men, they were to call out the nature of the claim. Those who passed the pens with no claims shouted against them were led to another pen and given two choices. Join the garrison or join a ship's crew.
Those left had claims spoken against them that needed to be heard and measured individually. The claims that had been shouted out were for murder, theft, abduction, injury, and rape. The members of the bench took a recess for ale and to settle amongst themselves what a fair coin price would be for each crime.
With the folk from the already-processed pens watching and listening, they had the first man brought forward and then asked those with claims against him to come to the edge of their pen.
A woman's voice shouted out, "I have a claim on that one! He killed my husband, he stole our metal, he burned our house, he abducted me and my two children. He forced me to live with him as his wife, he raped me, he raped my daughter though she had not yet blooded, he raped my son and then strangled him when he would not stop crying."
The women around her jeered and wanted blood. No one in the pens was willing to speak on this pirate's behalf.
The man was asked for his side of the complaint, and his words brought screeches of frustration from the women’s pen. "A woman cannot speak at co
urt," he said. "A woman cannot make a claim on a man. Only her husband, brother, or son, or a male witness to the act can do so."
"My brother is at my village, I was abducted. He killed my husband, and my son. I have no man to speak for me, because of the very claim I make against him!" cried out the woman, and the women around her screamed their outrage at the unfairness of men's courts and rules
There were whispers along the bench. Raynar stood so that his voice would carry across the pens. "This man speaks true. It is the law. A woman has no say in court. Are there any male witnesses for this woman's claim?"
A man shouted from the group that was to join the garrison. "I will be heard." The men in his pen made way for him to gain the fence so he could be seen and heard.
Raynar waited until the man was in place. "You were witness to any of these claims?"
"I was not, but I wish to speak to the women." Edgar motioned for him to continue. "Woman, do you stay here at Montreuil?"
"I do," she said. "I have no choice. There is nothing left for me or my ruined daughter in my village."
"Woman," he said, "I too must stay in Montreuil and I join the garrison. Will you marry me?"
The entire fortress was abuzz with the words and with laughter, and Edgar banged his ceremonial axe against a metal plate to regain order.
"I will marry you," she said, once the crowd was quieter.
"Priest," said Raynar, "You have heard his offer and her answer in court and therefore under the rule of truth. Is that enough for them to be married here and now?"
"I am not certain," said the priest rising to his feet, "but before we go further I must call on anyone who knows reason why these two cannot marry to speak now." There was silence. The priest was praying to himself that the man on trial would not speak, for with his rape and his forcing her to act as his wife, he could stop this by speaking now. The man was silent. "Since no one has objected, then with the power vested in me by the church and by God, and in front of these witnesses, I declare you man and wife until death do you part. Let all be respectful of this union heretofore."
"Is that it?" said the new husband. "I am married?"
The priest said "Yes, very, all legal." and sat down. There were cheers from the crowd.
Edgar sighed to Fulk who was sitting beside him. "If we must do weddings as well, then this could take a fortnight."
Fulk laughed aloud, and then said "Quiet, Edgar, and listen closely to what is about to unfold. I think that your friend Raynar is a foxy son of a bitch, besides being an uppity peasant wolf with a big bow."
The new husband raised his voice to a full yell and the men standing beside him backed away in surprise. "As this woman's legal husband, I now speak for her in this court. All claims she tried to make, I now make. Let the bastard defend his actions."
There were cheers from the women, howls of laugher from the garrison, jeers from those who still had to stand before court, and general unruliness and dancing and beating of foreheads in every pen. Edgar, still in shock from what had just happened in his court, slammed his axe down on the plate over and over while staring daggers at Raynar.
Raynar came to him and stood bent over between Edgar and Fulk so that both could hear his words. "This is just the first, so we set a precedent for the others here. If this works, then we will have a strong and happy garrison. Moreover, Fulk here will have many men under bond at a cheap price to take to Maine, and the evil sods that would cause more trouble than they are worth will suffer the vengeance they deserve immediately, and not by our hand."
Edgar nodded, understanding, but Fulk queried how he would end up with men for Maine. Raynar spoke only so loud that they alone could hear. "The bondman claim prices will be far lower than it would cost you to buy mercenaries, plus I will cede to you any men that wish to return to villages in France, Anjou, Maine, or Bretagne, and so far my men have counted more than twenty such. All you must do is be first to offer to buy the bonds at the claim price."
Raynar rose to go back to his seat, but then bowed again. "Oh, another thing, Count. Do not offer coin for men who seem truly evil like this first one. They would cause you more trouble than they are worth, I promise you."
Finally the disorder abated, and Edgar continued. "How do you plead to the claims against you? The total of these counts would amount to fifty marks of silver."
"I don't have any silver," the prisoner answered, "I am a prisoner. I have nothing but what I wear."
"Then the price may be paid by a bond. It would mean ten years of service to whomever bought your bond. I remind you that the penalty for telling a lie in this court is death."
The man was silent. When he spoke his voice was shaking, but no one could tell whether it was from fear, or anger, or frustration. "It is as this woman has said. I did it all."
"Then you must pay this new husband fifty marks, or bond yourself to someone who will pay it for you. Is anyone willing to pay fifty marks for this man?" Edgar looked around. Fulk was signaling to some lords that seemed interested. Fifty marks was very cheap for a warrior’s oath for ten years, but no one spoke or offered.
"Since no one has provided your bond, you are now slave to this man and his wife."
The woman came through the gate of the pen, as did her new husband, and they walked together up to the murderer. "He is mine then?" she asked. When it was confirmed, she went up to the tied man and started hitting, and slapping and scratching and kicking the man. When he tried to defend himself, her new husband tripped him to the ground so she could kick him some more.
"Stop!" ordered Edgar, and the woman stopped and looked at him. "Is it your intention to beat this man to death?"
"Too right!" she said.
"I need a ruling of law for this situation," Edgar said.
"Under civil law, she has the right," said the priest, "but not under church law. Under church law only an official executioner can take a life and then only if the court sentences it."
"So she can beat him, but not kill him?" Edgar queried.
"Not quite. She can beat him until he is sure to die or commit suicide; or she can hand him to the court for execution," replied the priest.
"Choose," ordered Edgar of the woman.
"This bastard is mine," she said, and the prisoner whimpered and pleaded.
"Guards," ordered Edgar, "take these three into the fields and take a spade with you. The husband is to dig a grave, the wife is to beat this man until he is almost dead, and then they are to bury him. Then they are to consummate their marriage with you as a witness. All this is to be completed before tomorrow's sunset." He waved them away. "Next."
The trials continued for three days, with the leaders tried last. Forty men were executed by one form or another, but none suffered for more than a day. Twenty-four women were wed, and each was given a house in the harbour village as a wedding present from Edgar. The garrison gained seventy men, most of whom were French, and the ships ninety, most of whom were northerners. Fulk gained thirty-five warriors, but none of them knights.
The surprise at court was at the end, during the trial of the four Norman knights who had captained ships and commanded the pirates. In a bid for clemency they told the court that they were acting under orders from the castellan of the fortress and two of his knights. Edgar quickly spoke to the priest and to Fulk. The priest told him that it was legal to expand the trial beyond the prisoners. Fulk told him that Philippe had reports from his spies that claimed the castellan had taken William of Normandy's salt and had been expected to hand the fortress over to the Normans as early as next spring.
The knights' claims became a trial of the castellan and his fortress commanders, which concluded in the hanging of all three for treason. In their own defense they swore that their orders to the Norman knights had been for them to take everyone who surrendered as slaves for sale in Normandy. As for the Norman knights, other witnesses swore that they had killed or ordered the killing of unarmed men, which countered the castellan's orders, so they
were found guilty of murder.
The claims against the four Norman knights were so widespread and horrendous, that Fulk restrained himself from posting their bonds despite the lure of profit from their ransom, and they were executed by stoning. Only women were allowed to throw stones, in recompense for them not being allowed to speak their own claims.
Once the court was closed, the other two harbours were once again attacked, but this time from both land and sea. Once again the prisoner sorting process was started up but lasted only two days, since most of the raider leaders did not survive the battles now that there were more wolfpacks with bows ranging on the land. The ranks of the garrison, the ships, and of Fulk escort swelled to the point where it was no longer necessary for any bowmen to be left with the Fortress, which eased the problem of manning so many prize ships for the passage back to Oudenburg.
All that remained was for Raynar to fulfill his promise and take any folk home who wished to return to their coastal villages. Captains were chosen for the captured ships. Crews were formed that were a mixture of bowmen and those who had been prisoners. Edgar chartered seven of the captured longships and their crews to be based at Montreuil and keep the coast and the other harbours secure. The rest of the ships spread out in twos to take their passengers home, and then continued back to Oudenburg.
By that time, Count Robert had left for Boulogne with his Corbie garrison. He was very pleased with the outcome of the battle for Montreuil. Unknown to even Raynar, Hereward had promised to become his man once he had returned from the wedding. This expedition had not just put a thorn in the Conqueror's side, but it had cleaned out a nest of pirates that had plagued this coast for years, and it had put ships from Flanders in charge of patrolling the coasts both north and south of Boulogne. This was all good for Count Robert, for Flanders, and for the trading houses of Brugge.
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Fulk arrived back in Paris full of good news to tell to Philippe, but hardly saw him for two days, so busy was he with his new wife. "She has a hunger for sex like I have never experienced," Philippe told him and Fulk had to be careful not to laugh at his young king. At only twenty years, he was hardly experienced with women, although the court women did seem to throw themselves at him.