by Griff Hosker
I already knew that but it came as a surprise to them. It stopped them both in their examination of the horses, “But Lord Percy is your enemy and sent men to kill you.” Roger did not mention that the attempt had also been on their lives. “I thought the Prince was a hope for the future for he knows how to war but if he is changed by that northern demon then it does not bode well for you, lord.” My Captain of Arms neither liked nor trusted Sir Henry Percy!
I had to trust that the young man I had trained to be a warrior kept the heart I knew he had and had not been poisoned by Percy. “There may be difficulties, especially in this campaign, but I have to believe that Hal will not forget the time he spent amongst us. Perhaps this is a test of him; just as Christ was tempted by the devil, so it may be that Hotspur is his test.”
They both made the sign of the cross and nodded.
We would be taking spare horses as well as tents and spare weapons. A campaign was demanding and it paid to be as prepared as possible. We had a small baggage train. We also took four servants. All had come to me as old soldiers seeking employment as warriors. I employed them but as servants. It meant that when we campaigned, I had four good guards for the camp and if we fought that most rare of things, a battle, then they could also act as horse holders.
King Henry had returned from Scotland when he heard of the revolt and was at Northampton where he mustered others of his lords. We would both share the same road, called Watling Street, to Chester for it had been built by the Romans. He was on the road ahead of us but, as with all armies led by a king, it moved slowly. King Henry, like other kings before him, carried his treasure with him. The Tower had been sacked in times past and a wise king kept his coin close to him. It meant we caught up with the baggage train. We moved faster than any army for I had just one knight, Sir John of Dauentre, and, between us, we led less than thirty men. We overtook the baggage train and then custom dictated that we stay behind lords who were of a higher standing than us. I was a baron and I found myself amongst other lords from the Midlands.
One of King Henry’s squires, Sir Richard of Helmsley, rode back to me when my presence was made known to the King. “His Majesty would have you ride with him, Sir William. Your knight can command your men in your absence.”
I nodded. John would not be put out. He had endured Henry Bolingbroke when we had been on a crusade and he knew him, warts and all!
The King looked careworn and that was not a surprise. He had been supported in his attempt to gain the crown by almost all of the nobility and now that he had it, he had most of the nobility trying to rid him of it. He had surrounded himself with young knights who were not affiliated to any of those with claims to the throne. That was a wise move. I was not seen as a threat for I had been King Richard’s bodyguard and, for a while, I had guarded Henry Bolingbroke and his son. I had saved him from assassins on more than one occasion. For that reason, I was trusted more than any other knight. That was shown when he waved away the knights from around him. What he would say to me would be in private and for my ears only.
He gave me a wry smile, “This crown sits heavy on my head, Will.”
“As it did your cousin, King Henry.”
He nodded, “Aye, for you knew him as well as any and better than most. I feel more sympathy for him now than when I wished for the crown.”
“The old, wise women always say ‘be careful what you wish for’!”
He laughed and was, briefly, the young knight I had first schooled in swordplay. “You are like the slave the Caesars had behind them in their chariots bringing them down to earth! It is good to have you at my side again, Will. It seems like a lifetime since the Baltic and now the Welsh raise their heads once again, and this is not even one with a true and legitimate claim to the throne! The men of Gwynedd support this Glendower as do the men of Powys! He has more support than King Llewellyn! I can do without this distraction. I have to be back at Eltham Castle by the end of November for the Emperor of the East, Manuel Palaiologos, comes to make a visit! I have enough domestic enemies without making foreign ones by dint of neglect. I would have you stay with my son while he deals with the threat.”
I raised the subject which would be embarrassing for us both but had to be spoken aloud, “And what of Sir Henry Percy? I thought he was guiding the Prince and we both know that he and I enjoy less than cordial relations.”
He laughed, “Sir Henry Percy is the only man I know could last more than a few swords thrusts in a bout with you, Will Strongstaff, but you need not fear. I will establish your position before I leave.”
King Henry was not a great leader in battle. His father, John of Gaunt and his uncle, the Black Prince, had both been amongst the greatest generals of their age but King Richard and his cousin, whilst brave and able to defend themselves well, did not have the strategic ability of those great generals. Grudgingly I had to admit that Sir Henry Percy, Harry Hotspur, did and, I believed so did Prince Henry. My men believed that was because he had spent some time under my tutelage. All that I knew of strategy had been learned on the battlefield!
“My son will need you, Will.”
“And will I be needed above the forty days service you are owed, King Henry?”
His face fell, “There is the rub, Will. You, of all people, know the problems brought about by money. When I was merely a Duke, I had coin to spare! Now I am King I have to go cap in hand to Parliament and beg for money to defend this land. Now I see the problems my cousin endured.” He lowered his voice, “I cannot afford to pay an army and we both know that the Welsh are poor as church mice. The Scots are different, for they have ransoms and castles which are worth taking. My son is Prince of Wales and until Parliament funds him he will have to bear the cost. We defeat this Glendower quickly and go home but you, my friend, must keep in touch with my son. He is Prince of Wales and he will have to rule the land without me.”
“And find the funds to do so, my lord.”
“Aye. The pity of it is that Cheshire supported my cousin and they have a natural antipathy towards me and my family. My son has a poisoned chalice!” I saw his face break into a smile, “Talking to you makes me more hopeful, Will. You are one of the last men who fought with the Black Prince and all of France and Spain cowered when he shook his spear. You are a good luck charm and with you behind him, my son can become the Black Prince reborn!”
We chatted easily as we rode north and west. Thanks to my position at the head of the column I was able to secure good lodgings and stables for my men at each of our nightly halts. There was something to be said for having the ear of the King!
As we rode towards Chester the King looked behind him at one point, “You do not have enough knights, Strongstaff.” I nodded. “Is your son ready yet?”
“No, King Henry, for he has too little experience.”
“Then knight two of your men at arms; as I recall from the Baltic they are skilled enough.” He saw the question on my face. “Are they good enough to be knights?”
“Of course.”
“Then knight them! I would have you do so, sooner, rather than later.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
I did not mind dubbing them but while Roger of Chester was an obvious choice, the selection of a second might cause dissension amongst my men. I would think about it before I rushed into the ceremony.
Chester was a vast camp. The Prince and Hotspur were within the castle when we arrived and King Henry thought it prudent if I stayed without so that he could speak with Percy and his son. I agreed and my men and I made camp by the old Roman ruins close to the river. Roger of Chester came from the city and it was his advice I took. It was good advice. There was good grazing as well as water. We were all seasoned campaigners and knew the value of both.
I had twenty archers and, while my men at arms and the rest of the archers made a good camp, I took Alan of the Woods to one side. “This will, hopefully, be a swift campaign. To ensure it is I want you to take my archers tomorrow and find the enemy.
I hope that the Prince of Wales and his new mentor have already done so but I would prefer to have the opinion of an archer I trust.”
“You do me great honour, my lord. Owen the Welshman and Geraint the Green both come from this part of Wales. When we rode north, they gave me an idea of where we would be likely to find the enemy.”
“Good. I want one day’s ride, no more. I dare say there will be a council of war tomorrow and we will have a better idea then of the problems we face.”
Sir John and I sat on one of the barrels my men had brought from Weedon. It contained ale. All soldiers are mistrustful of what they deem to be foreign beer and we had brought four small barrels with us. One had been broached but the other two made functional stools for us. We looked south to the hills of Flintshire which gave way to the mountains of Gwynedd. Sir John shook his head, ruefully, “This is not horse country, lord.”
I nodded, “I know and that is why King Edward built his castles around the edges to keep them penned. Harlech, Conwy, Caernarfon and Beaumaris, all are mighty fortresses. They will hold but you are right, Sir John, trying to hold the Welsh will be like trying to grasp a handful of quicksilver! The best we can hope is that they realise the futility of fighting men who are armoured and mounted. A few months of living on the side of a mountain might bring them to the table!”
I looked up as horsemen rode in from the south. They were led by two knights; I recognised one, Rhys ap Tudur, for he had been on campaign in Ireland with King Richard. King Richard had been so impressed with him that he had made him Sherriff of Anglesey. I took the other to be his brother, Gwilym ap Tudur. I was pleased to see them for they meant that not all of the Welsh were on the side of the rebels.
They reined in when they saw us and Rhys dismounted. He took off his gauntlets and held out his arm, “Sir William Strongstaff! Well met, my lord. Here, brother, is one of the mightiest knights you will ever see. He was good King Richard’s protector.” His face darkened, “His death was unnecessary.”
I did not want to get into a debate which might embroil me in treachery. I merely nodded, “All deaths before a man has seen forty summers are unnecessary but I was with him at the end and he was hopeful of seeing his beloved wife in heaven.”
They both made the sign of the cross, “It is to be hoped so. And you and your men are part of this campaign?”
“We are. Tell me, what do you know of this Glendower?”
“Glyndŵr,” he corrected me with the pronunciation; I had used the English one. “He is a cousin and has assumed the title of Prince.”
“Are you not thus conflicted?”
He shook his head, “Our fortunes are tied with those of England now but we hope to bring him to book by negotiation and not a force of arms. He has few knights with him but the people see him as a saviour.”
His brother said, “Aye and he has the support of the best of Welsh warriors, the archers!”
“And that is why we are here, brother, to counsel the King!”
I pointed to the castle, “He is there with Henry Percy and the Prince of Wales.”
“That is good for Owain Glyndŵr served with Sir Henry in the wars against Scotland. He was in the garrison at Berwick-on-Tweed. This is a hopeful gathering of English lords and may bring this rebellion to a swift conclusion. This is not the place to be in winter.”
After they had left us, I felt more hopeful. With so many men on the side of King Henry, we might be able to bring the war to a swift conclusion and for that, I would offer prayers of thanks to God.
I was not summoned to the castle and we ate around my campfire. I did not mind, in fact, I preferred the company of ordinary men to that of nobles. Ralph, who was the son of Red Ralph a man with whom I had served in Gascony, brought me a platter. He was now Sir John’s squire. I spoke to him as he ladled some stew onto my platter; squires cooked and served their masters.
“How is your mother now, Ralph?”
His mother, Mary, had been distraught when her husband had died. It had been exacerbated by the loss of Ralph who had become Sir John’s squire. “She does not write much, my lord, but my brothers delivered some horses two months since and they said she prospers. Since my father’s death, she has thrown herself into the running of the farm. The border should be quieter now although this war will create a great demand for horses.”
“Aye, and it is right that your family should benefit. I intend to visit at Easter for the boys will need new horses. They ride palfreys, but Tom will soon need a courser.”
“My father planned well, lord, and we have good bloodstock.”
After he had gone, I reflected that only Old Tom and Peter the Priest remained out of the Blue Company. The others lived but only in my memory.
Chapter 2
I sent my archers off at first light. They had good horses and could ride eighteen miles before they would have to return. That would take them close to the Clwyd. The long valley marked a sort of unofficial boundary between the Welsh and the English. It was Prince Henry himself who came to fetch me for the council of war. He had two young squires with him and the three of them rode rather than walked.
“You had no need to trouble yourself, Prince Henry. You could have sent one of your men for me.”
“None of this Prince nonsense when we are alone. It was Hal or Harry when I lived with you and your family and I still cherish those memories for I saw a family and that is something I have missed. Besides, I wished to speak with your men for they helped to make me the warrior I have become.”
Roger and the others had seen him arrive at the gathering and they bowed.
Prince Henry spoke to them one by one and then, looking around, frowned, “And Captain Alan and the archers?”
“I sent them to scout this morning.”
He laughed and turned to his squires, “This is what a true warrior does. While the rest of the lords lie abed, Sir William seeks out the men we would fight.” He turned to Tom and Harry. Tom was slightly older than the Prince but he was much bigger. “And you Tom, where will they get the armour for you?”
“We have a good smith, my lord, and I hope to earn enough silver to pay for new armour when I am stopped growing.” He had mail and plate but they were hand me downs and captured armour.
Shaking his head, the Prince said, “You will not make enough fighting against the Welsh but if any can make coins from this it will be your father’s company! Come, Sir William, they await us. I confess that I will be happier with you by my side for you, I know, I can trust.”
Chester Castle had an enormous Great Hall which easily accommodated all of the barons and nobles who had been invited; they were standing around a huge table. As soon as I entered all eyes swivelled to view me. One pair burned with the fire of hatred and they belonged to Henry Percy. I saw he was standing next to the Tudur brothers but their eyes bore no enmity. It was just the knight of Northumberland who wished my death. There were others who wished it, I had no doubt, but none were in the hall.
King Henry beamed, “The champion of kings is now come and we may make a start.” Prince Henry took me to stand next to his father and that was on the opposite side of the table from Percy. This would be an interesting experience. I wondered at Prince Henry’s decision. Why had he not wished to stand next to his mentor? I had little time to ponder the matter for the King began to speak.
“These Welsh rebels are growing in number and we need to snuff out this game of insurrection before it begins. Sir Henry, you have managed to deal with the Scottish incursions well, how would you suggest we deal with these Welsh brigands?”
There was a map on the table and I expected him to point out their defences and suggest ways of defeating them. Instead, he assiduously avoided the map. “That is simple, King Henry, we take our army to the Cheshire plain and threaten Wrecsam and then, Powys. They are the only two strongholds worth worrying about. We force them to meet us on the battlefield and trounce them.”
I was about to speak but there were other
knights who spoke first. Sir Edmund Mortimer and his family had long fought the Welsh and he shook his head. “That might work in the north, on the borders, but here the Welsh will just melt away into the hills. They will use ambush and arrows to thin our numbers. They will sneak into our camp and hamstring our horses. These are not Scots! These do not use knights.” He pointed to Rhys and Gwilym Tudur, “Those are the exception and it is no surprise that they fight with us.”
Percy’s eyes flared angrily despite the fact that he was married to Mortimer’s sister; he was well named, “Then what do you suggest?”
Sir Edmund turned to me, “Sir William once served in Spain in a Free Company when the Black Prince took on the Castilian rebels. I believe that they had a similar country in which to hide. Tell us, Sir William, what did the Black Prince do?”
Many men would have been embarrassed to have their common roots brought up but I was proud of my past. I remembered when we had been split up into smaller companies and sent to forage in the hills and to defeat the enemy in smaller groups. It had not been a total success but then Spain was not Wales and there were differences.
With all eyes upon me, I began, “Your Majesty, soon it will be winter. In Spain, winter meant rain and a chill. Here winter will bring snow and blocked passes. If we want this to end quickly then we do not take this huge army into Wales, we divide it into self-contained companies and attack on every front. Drive them from before our castles and back to their homeland. Come the Spring then we might bring them to battle but, in my experience, the Welsh will avoid battle at all costs.”
Sir Henry Percy snorted, “And there you have the advice of a mercenary! What you suggest, Sir William, is little more than a chevauchée.”
I did not rise to the bait. If he thought calling me a mercenary was a slight on my honour then he did not know me, “Tell me, Sir Henry, do you know where the Welsh army is to be found?” I looked around, “Do any of you? Have any sent out scouts to ascertain their whereabouts?”