by Griff Hosker
The nearest Welsh knight, for I was at the fore, had a full-face helmet with a boar’s snout. He galloped at me wielding a war hammer. It was a deadly weapon. It could crush bones and the beak could tear a hole in plate. His problem was that he was riding uphill and I had Hart galloping. My horse had not been impeded and was eating up the ground. I pulled back my arm and punched my lance as he swung his war hammer. He was slightly unsighted and the war hammer swept over the top of my lance which punched into his plated shoulder. Normally the cantle holds a rider in the saddle, even one stricken, but my blow had been so powerful that he had slipped and, as he tumbled over the side of the saddle, his weight pulled his horse over.
I saw that Alan of the Woods and his archers had won the battle. The survivors were fleeing south. Sir Roger and his cohort were sweeping around the side of the helpless knights and squires. I reined in and rested my lance at the knight’s throat, “Yield!”
He raised his visor and said, “I yield.”
Just at that moment, I caught a movement behind me. Two archers had feigned death and risen. They had their daggers and were trying to drag Tom from his saddle. Even as I wheeled my horse to go to his aid, I knew that I would not be in time. He tumbled from the saddle. He had the wit to throw the standard from him and kick his feet from his stirrups. I saw him draw his dagger. It would have ended badly for him but for Wilfred of Loidis who brought his sword over to split one archer’s head in twain. As his brains and blood spattered the other Tom lunged up with his dagger and drove it into the thigh of the second archer. The arcing spray of blood told me that he would soon be dead.
I shouted, “Make sure all these bastards are dead!” To prove the point, I reared Hart and her hooves smashed into the skull of a foot soldier who lay nearby and showed signs of movement. I had almost forgotten that the Welsh liked to play dead and then leap up to gut a horse with the rider still upon his back.
It had the desired effect. Weapons were thrown to the ground and men lifted their arms in the air. I dismounted and went to Tom. His horse had stood and I helped him to his feet. Wilfred of Loidis dismounted, “How are you, Master Tom? That was bravely done!”
“I owe you my life!”
He laughed, “And how could I have gone back to Lady Eleanor and told her I had allowed you to die!”
I had seen this done before and this would be the right moment for such an act; I would knight my man on the battlefield. I shook my head, “You deserve a reward. Take a knee!”
He looked around and Sir Roger laughed, “Do it for it seems I am not the only man at arms to be elevated!”
He did as I asked and I used my bloody sword to dub him, “Arise Sir Wilfred of Norton!” Norton was a tiny manor between Weedon and Dauentre. I was sure it would suit Wilfred. I now had my two knights and I hoped that would satisfy the King. This knighthood had been truly earned. He had saved my son!
There was a derisory laugh from the Welsh knight. I turned to look at him. He was younger than I was. He shook his head, “If you are forced to knight swords for hire then Owain Glyndŵr will triumph and this land will all be ours.”
His accent was not Welsh. He wore fine mail and he had a breastplate. The blow I had struck with my lance meant it would need work. “Know that I am Sir William Strongstaff and I was an urchin who followed the Blue Company behind the Black Prince and yet I rose to be the captain of King Richard’s guard. What is your name, knight? Have I heard great things about you?”
I saw that he had heard of me and the confidence evaporated from his face like morning fog. “I am Sir Richard of Talacre and I have yet to achieve greatness.”
“Well, I hope that your family has coin else you will be enjoying the hospitality of my hall in Dauentre!” I looked and saw that we had cleared the battlefield. “We make camp on the flat ground. Have men sent to the families of the knights for ransom and then pile the enemy dead together. We will burn them for we have no time to bury them!”
I watched my archers as they took the arrows and bowstrings from the dead archers. If there were bracers and arrow bags, they took them too. The arrows would be sorted and new heads fitted. We wasted nothing. Horses were gathered and weapons and mail taken from the dead men at arms. There were few of them. The fire lit the road as we camped and ate cold rations. We had done that which we were asked. Had the others done the same?
Chapter 3
I sent the prisoners back to Chester the next day. They were escorted by Sir Walther of Leamington. He had suffered a wound. Alan of the Woods had tended to him but he needed a surgeon. Six other men had also been wounded and they made up the guards. The Welsh knights had surrendered their swords and given their oath. They would not attempt to escape.
The smoke from the funeral pyre still burned as we viewed the land. Autumn was here and there was a damp feel to the air. There would soon be fogs, showers and winds from the west which would make the campaign unpleasant and I wanted it over as soon as possible for the men, even the ones with small holdings, had crops to harvest. I stood with Sir John and Sir Henry and spoke aloud my thoughts, “What to do now, eh? Our orders are to close this road while Prince Henry reduces Ruthin. There is little point heading further into Wales. What say you?”
Both of them had been my squires and were confident about making suggestions. Many lords would do as I had done merely to mock suggestions made by inferior knights. “There is a village just a mile away. We passed it yesterday. We could camp there.”
“Aye John, and that would be a good suggestion except that it would be hard to defend if we were attacked but we could head there and use their water and grazing. I should have noted the road when we passed along it but I did not. Take the men and graze the animals, give them water. I will ride with Tom and my archers. We will find somewhere to defend.”
Sir Henry ventured, “But perhaps we will not need to defend the road if the Prince is successful.”
“He will be successful, of that, I have no doubt, but there will be those in the valley who are raiding even as we speak. We are too few in numbers to hunt them down and so we must stop them getting back to Powys.” I pointed to the mountains to the south and west of us. “They can get home that way but it will be on foot. The ones led by knights will come down this road and we were charged with preventing any escaping. We have to be prepared to fight them.”
I took just half of my archers and we rode back towards Ruthin. I knew that we were close to the manor of Owain Glendower, Glyndyfrdwy. Our enemies, when they were defeated, would try to get there. We came upon a small hamlet which lay just eight miles from Ruthin and ten miles, as the crow flies, from Glyndyfrdwy. It was a small, mean place but it had potential for there were woods on both sides of the road and it was at the crest of the rise in the road. It would do.
“Stephen the Tracker, fetch Sir John and the rest of our men. Here we will guard the road to Glyndyfrdwy.”
“Aye, lord.”
Stephen had once led my archers but, now, he was a solitary figure who enjoyed his own company. While many of my men had married, he lived in a small hut in the woods close to my home. Sending him alone on the road was a task he would enjoy.
“Owen, tell the people at the hamlet that we will be camping here and there may be fighting. If they wish to leave, they may do so and we will not take from their homes. Give them my word.”
“Aye, lord.”
I was not certain they would believe my word but I had to give them the opportunity to leave. They would not be harmed in any battle but the aftermath would be a different matter. Unlike my men, many other knights would be unconcerned what their men did after they had won. I had seen terrible things in Spain. Even in England, there had been acts which turned my stomach. When I had been without a title I had had to stand and watch. Now I was a baron I could take action.
None left and I took that as a good sign. Most of those in this part of the world would not worry who was their lord for the majority would have a hard life no matter who ruled
. When my men arrived, they set up a camp in the woods. They had grazed our horses and here there was water and a little grazing, it would do.
The next day a rider came down the road from Ruthin. He had an escort of four men at arms. We had men in the woods watching the road in case they were Welsh but the livery was recognised. It was one of Prince Henry’s pages. “My lord, the Prince sends his compliments. He hopes to enter Ruthin on the morrow and asks you to be vigilant for there are many bands of men fleeing up the valley. It is why the Prince sent me with an escort. The Earl of Stafford has closed the estuary.”
I nodded for it meant we had succeeded and that meant we could all go home soon. “Tell the Prince that we had a skirmish and defeated a force of a hundred and twenty who were heading for Ruthin. Is there any news about Glendower?”
The page shook his head, “There is no sign of him in Ruthin, lord.”
After he had gone, I wondered at that. I suspected that he had been warned of our attack and left Ruthin. There was a vast area to the south of Snowdon and he could gather men there. The knight I had captured had been confident that his leader would gather men. The capture of Ruthin would not end this rebellion but it would, at least, contain it to those parts of Wales which were desolate and bare.
For the next two days, we rode the trails which fed into the main road. Although the warriors whom we caught were defeated, it was to our benefit to capture them for it meant we could take away their means of making war. We had to kill those who fought against us but they were few and far between. When mounted archers, not to mention knights and men at arms appeared, the Welsh brigands surrendered. We took their arms, helmets and mail. There was precious little of the latter. Then we let them go. They were surprised at our humane treatment of them and I hoped it would encourage them to remain loyal. It did not.
Three days later came the news that Ruthin had fallen and the Prince had captured many knights. Our work was done and we headed back to Chester. We were the first to reach the castle and that meant we had accommodation in the warrior hall. As the autumn rains had started that was more important than anything else for the loop in the river where we camped would soon flood. Technically we were done with the campaign but protocol dictated that we await the return of our erstwhile commander, the Prince of Wales. For my part, I was happy to do so. I was anxious to talk to him about the campaign. I had high hopes of young Henry.
The ransom for our knights arrived the day after we did and we sent them on their way. Despite the fall of Ruthin, they all seemed arrogantly confident that their leader would prevail. I divided the ransom for the two knights we had captured between my men at arms. Sir Wilfred and Sir Roger were most grateful. They had more expense now and that was thanks to me therefore it was only right that they share in the bounty too. The Prince and Henry Percy, along with the Earl of Stafford reached us the following day. Lord Grey had his castle back and they had brought many knights who awaited ransom. It soon became evident that there would be too many men for the castle to house and so Prince Henry’s steward, Sir John Stanley, spoke to us in the Great Hall.
“The Prince thanks all of you for your good work and tells you that you may return to your manors. The rebellion is over.”
I heard a voice say, “And what of our pay?”
It was not one who had followed me and I guessed it was one of Mortimer’s men.
Sir John frowned, “When the ransoms are delivered and the fines collected then the monies will be divided up.”
There was grumbling as men left. In theory, we owed forty days a year to the King. However, as a result of problems which had begun in the reign of Edward III, pay was normally forthcoming at a rate of two shillings per knight and twelve pennies for a man at arms. I doubted that we would see that sort of money but the ransom and horses we had collected, not to mention the weapons and mail meant that we were all better off.
As men began to leave Sir John said, “Sir William, Prince Henry would have conference with you, in private.”
I was led by a page to a small antechamber close to the Prince’s quarters. He sent away the page and then spoke, “Sir William, know you that I did not wish you to be isolated at the head of the valley. The decision was not mine; Sir Henry does not like you and I am disappointed in him. He seems small-minded and vindictive. I regret my father’s choice of him as my mentor.”
“Then dismiss him, Prince Henry.”
“Not as easily done as you might imagine. I dare not offend him for he now commands Anglesey and Conwy not to mention most of the land to the north of Cheshire. In addition, there are many men in Cheshire who have switched their allegiance from King Richard to the Percy family. We do not want another civil war.”
The Prince, for all of his youth, was wise and I was pleased that he was aware of the danger the Percy family represented.
“Know, Prince Henry,” I saw his frown and, smiling, said, “Hal, that all you need is to send to me and I will be at your side. When I am asked to train a young warrior that training is for life. I did not abandon King Richard, nor your father and I am ready to resume the training which your father interrupted any time you choose to avail yourself of my company.”
“And I am glad about that but I must learn from this. I will keep Percy close. I smile at him for I can play the game of politics but I know, only too well, that there are few men I can truly trust and you, Will Strongstaff, are one of them.”
We left after noon. It would take us three days to reach home. However, the delay in Chester meant that Sir Roger and Sir Wilfred were able to make some purchases. They both had wives and were sweetening the pill that they would have to swallow. As my wife had discovered becoming a lady was more than just acquiring a title; it involved all sorts of expense not to mention more servants. Both of their wives were of low birth and the climb up the social ladder was a hard one. The two new knights rode with Sir John and me.
“Sir William we are knighted and Wilfred and I are honoured but what else is our commitment both military and financial?”
“When I am called upon to muster men then you owe me forty days service. As you learned in Chester that does not guarantee payment. As a man at arms, I bore the cost for you were my familia. As for the rest,” I shrugged, “that is up to you. The men who serve you on your farms may now be called upon by you as warriors. You need to ensure that your men can use the warbow. You are not barons and for that you should be grateful, for with my title comes the burden of taxes and the maintenance of law.”
They nodded and both looked relieved. “We have been talking and we would ride to Red Ralph’s farm for we need more horses and we have coin we had accumulated.”
I saw Ralph look at Sir John who nodded, “Aye Ralph, you may go with them and see your family for it will be quiet now until Easter.”
Red Ralph had died but we honoured his memory by using his name for his horse farm. His wife and sons still produced the finest horses. It was worth the long ride to Middleham for beasts which we knew were worth the high prices we paid for them.
“And do not forget your squires. I loaned Harry to you, Sir Roger but my son, Tom, will be ready for knighthood sooner rather than later and I want Harry trained by then.”
“Do not worry, lord, I have spoken with Alan of the Wood. His eldest son, Abelard, is eight summers old. That is too young for war but the lad is keen to be a warrior and I can train him. I believe that the Blue Company trained you at about that age?”
I laughed, “I was younger. When I was eight summers, I had already sunk a blade into a man’s flesh. The Blue Company was a hard school!”
Wilfred nodded and gestured back to Harold Four Fingers, “That lad he is raising as his son, Pyotr, is a handy lad with a sword. I will speak with Harold. I know he would be happy for his stepson to become a squire and I like the lad.”
Pyotr and his mother, Magda, had been taken on by Harold when he had saved Pyotr’s life in the harsh winter of a Baltic crusade. This felt right and I nodded
my agreement.
My wife was pleased when I told her the news. “I will speak with their wives, husband, for the lessons I learned were harsh and I would make life easier for them.”
“Thank you, wife. You are a good woman.”
“And speaking of women, you have done all that you can for our sons and that is good but our daughter, Alice, is a woman grown and Mary is not far behind. Alice will need a husband for she is of an age to bear children. He will need to be of noble stock or from a family which is well off for you are a baron. She has grown up as a lady. I was a farmer’s daughter who knew how to get her hands dirty but she will expect a better life.”
I smiled but inwardly I groaned. I had not mentioned this to Roger and Wilfred but it was a fact of life. I would have to provide a dowry as well as ensuring that the young man was a suitable bridegroom. It would not be easy. Running four manors was hard enough without worrying about finding a suitable husband and I confess that I forgot about Alice and her needs as I held assizes, dealt with disputes, collected taxes, dispensed justice and trained men.
There was no longer an Earl of Northampton. The King was the last to hold that title. Northampton was, in effect, a royal castle. The constable of the castle was Sir Richard Knollys and he had begun the practice of having the lords who owed fealty to the Earl of Northampton, to meet once every three months. It allowed him to inform us of decisions made by the King which affected the lords of his manors whilst also enabling us to meet informally. When war came, we would all fight under the same banner. We had not met since the rebellion of Glendower and the next meeting was scheduled for the end of November. I took my two squires but my knights were not required to attend. We would normally stay overnight as the castle was well made with plenty of chambers. I had only attended two before the one in November but I enjoyed them. The other barons were good men and were loyal to King Henry. That made for an easier life.