The Bloody Border

by Griff Hosker

  He was delighted to have armed men who could come to his aid. He went into his house and fetched forth a cow horn. “If the barbarians come again, lord, I shall sound this cow horn three times. That way you will have a warning.”

  “Aye, Cedric but save yourself.”

  “I am a hard ‘un to kill, lord. The French found that out!”

  We headed east to the farm of Phillip the Priest. Alan of Bellingham had already told us of this farmer. He had been a priest and he and one of his flock had fallen in love. It was forbidden for a priest to marry and Peter would not contemplate doing as many priests did and having a secret liaison. They had run away and found the farm high in the hills. He was a good man and the manor hid his identity although calling him Phillip the Priest seemed to be the wrong thing to do. They had four children and all were young. He had a few goats and a handful of sheep. My son asked him about his name. He smiled, “The church from which we fled is far from here but only those in Elsdon call me Phillip the Priest.” His face fell. “The Reeve said that you were a good lord who would understand….”

  My son held up his hand, “I will not judge. You have committed no crime.” I saw relief on the faces, not only of Peter and his wife but also Garth Red Arrow.

  Old Will lived alone. His wife had been taken as a slave and his sons had died when they attempted to rescue her. He lived by trapping animals and growing vegetables. “If you wish to punish me, lord, for hunting your rabbits then take my eye, as is your right. I have lost all else besides.”

  My son shook his head, “You have lost too much already. Hunt them. My father allows those in Stockton to do the same.”

  “Then he is rare, lord for east of here there are many one-eyed men!”

  The last farmer was the youngest and the one who had arrived most recently. David of Amble had had a falling out with his family. His father was the captain of a ship and when David had married the daughter of a swineherd, he had thought his son had married beneath him. David and his young bride had arrived a year since and they farmed a hill farm to the east of Elsdon. They were the most impoverished of the farmers.

  “I am lord now, David. Your farm is just a mile and a half from the castle. If your wife would come and bake our bread for us and prepare a meal, I will pay her either in coin or in kind. I intend to go to Morpeth market to buy animals for the castle. You could begin your own herd or flock.”

  And so my son found his manor and made himself known to his people. As much as I might want to stay, I would be undermining him. Already some of his men looked to me. We had repaired the gates and ditch. Ridley and his men had added two wooden towers to the gates. It was now up to William. He would become the lord of the manor.

  Part Two

  Sir William of Elsdon

  Chapter 5

  My father embraced me and he hugged me tightly. He said, huskily in my ear, “God speed, my son. I am confident that you will do well but I do not like to leave you. I am but two days hard riding from you. Send to me if you need aught.”

  “I will and thank you for all that you have done for me.”

  “You are my son and that is what a father does.”

  He mounted and I went to Sam. My nephew had changed since he had become my father’s page, “And you, young Henry Samuel, I expect great things from you. You are your father’s son.”

  I saw him sit straighter in the saddle, “I will try to emulate him but also you. None of us can ever hope to achieve that which the Earl has done.”

  They turned their horses and headed out of my gate. I watched them disappear down the road. The men at arms and archers who rode with my father were solid men. They were men with experience. I had had their reassuring presence my whole life and now they and my father were leaving. I was alone.

  I watched them ride away and, closing my eyes, I remembered the vision I had had when I had undertaken my vigil. Others, had I confided in them, might have said that the vigil was the result of a dream but I swear that I saw and heard something which will live with me forever. There had been two candles lit on the altar. One sputtered and died. As I rose to relight it, I heard a voice. I still do not know if it was in my head or in the church but the voice said, ‘Stay, William.’ Even as I looked, I saw something which could have been smoke from the sputtering candle or maybe it was a spirit. As it rose from the stone tomb of the Warlord, I assumed it was a spirit and I gripped my sword tighter, holding the crosspiece close to my lips.

  ‘William, you are destined for greatness. Men will try to compare you to me or to your father. Ignore such comparisons. We are all of the same blood. We are of the blood of those who lived in this land before the Normans came. You are English. Like your father, I began with nothing. We both moulded our world to suit us. Use that which you have. Do what your heart tells you is right and you will do your duty. Listen to the voices in your head for they will speak from beyond this world. William, you are the future of this family and it will be safe in your hands.’

  The spirit disappeared. Miraculously the candle had sputtered into life again. I knew then what my life’s work would be.

  As I opened my eyes to survey the castle that was Elsdon I began to see the size of my task. Matthew was improving as a squire but he and John would need much work. I did not know my archers and men at arms. I suppose that Alan of Bellingham was the closest thing to an adviser that I had. I heard the Warlord’s voice. I had to make a start somewhere. I turned and rubbed my hands. My men, all of them, were standing expectantly behind me with Alan of Bellingham, “Let us begin as we mean to go on. I intend to make a rota. We will have an archer and a man at arms in the keep at all times. Each will be there for twelve hours. During the hours of darkness, we keep the gates of the castle and the keep locked and barred. The best horses will be stabled in the lower part of the keep. That leaves one spare man. It will enable us to rotate the pairings. I am keen that you all get to know one another.” I turned to Alan, “Reeve, make the rota. Do we have an hourglass?”

  “No lord.”

  “Then that is something we shall need. Make a list of all that we require. Tomorrow we ride to the market at Morpeth. I promised David and Alice that they would have animals for recompense and they shall.”

  My mother had sent beakers and jugs as well as cooking pots. My father would not have thought of those. There were other things we needed which would make life better. We needed tools so that we could make our own furniture. Mother had not thought of them.

  I gave a series of tasks which needed to be completed and then went with my squire and page to our hall. “Tomorrow we might be seeing another lord. We wear our best in case we do. Your task today is to make our quarters organised. When that is done you can clean and sharpen our weapons. This is the quiet time. Come harvest and winter then we shall be hunting bandits.”

  Alan had told me that it was from September to December that the bandits and raiders were most active. They raided the grain that men grew and the fattened animals which were intended to feed the farmers through the winter. My plan was to be as secure as we could be before then.

  Alan came in and I said, “Come Reeve. I have put it off long enough. Let me see the accounts of the manor.”

  I did not like having to pore through numbers and accounts but it was necessary. By the time we had finished Alice, wife of David, had cooked our meal. The men were also exhausted but that was the physical labour of improving the ditches. My father and his men had cleaned them. My men had sharpened them and begun to embed stakes. After we had eaten my men lay on their sleeping furs. We had yet to build our beds. We had made a table and bench but that was all.

  I took out my crowd. Most knights did not pick one up once they had their spurs. I enjoyed playing and singing. I began to play and sing. The men seemed to enjoy it. When I had sung three songs, one serious and two bawdy, Matthew asked, “Do I have to learn to play one too, lord?”

  “I am afraid so but it is not hard. We will first have to make one. That w
ill not be hard for you as you have skilled hands. Copy mine. It will keep you occupied during the long winter evenings. They have more snow here than in Stockton.”

  I took Roger Two Swords and Idraf of Towyn with me when I went to Morpeth with John and Matthew. The archer and the swordsman just happened to be the closest ones to me as I mounted. We took two sumpters only. I was not certain of the prices nor of the range of goods the market would offer. The journey, as the crow flies, was just seven miles but it was thirteen miles by horse. We would no sooner get there than we would have to turn around to come home. I noticed that the closer we came to Morpeth the more prosperous grew the land. The fields were bigger and there were more animals which grazed upon them. When we neared Morpeth, I saw why. It was a solid castle with a good wall around the town and a fine position over the river. This town could defend itself if a raid came. If we had the farmers they had, then I could make Elsdon as strong. I should have introduced myself to Sir Ranulf de Merlay, the lord of the manor, but I had no time. I had arrived at noon. I went directly to the market. I had a long list of items and I began to buy as soon as I was there. I was late. The better animals had been sold and I only managed to buy a ram and four ewes and four milk cows. They would have to do. Leaving them with Roger and Idraf we then bought the other supplies. I was lucky. I found an hourglass. It cost a pretty penny but it was worth it. Men would know that they had all worked the same length of time when they watched my walls. Fairness was all.

  When those around me began to bow I looked up. I saw a knight with half a dozen men at arms approaching me. He had a face which suggested he was not happy with my presence. “I see, sir, that you are a knight. You wear the spurs but forgot the manners. Why did you not present yourself to me? I am Sir Ranulf de Merlay and the appointed Lord of Morpeth!”

  “I beg your forgiveness, lord. I am Sir William of Elsdon and I am the new lord of the manor there. I have recently taken over the manor and I have left my handful of men to guard my hall. I would have spoken with you had I had time but…”

  His face changed in an instant, “My dear boy! Forgive my manner. I should have recognised your surcoat. It is like your father’s. I did not know that the Bishop had found someone to take it over.” He lowered his voice and spoke conspiratorially, “It is the most dangerous manor in the Palatinate! At least Norham has walls! What is it that you wish?”

  “We have little there and I came to buy sheep and cattle.” I smiled, “If you have those who need a farm then I have land.”

  “Whatever you need I shall provide. I will try to call upon you in a week or so. I have Sir Eustace and he is a reliable knight and now I have you. The blood of the Warlord courses through your veins and you have given me hope.”

  As we headed back to Elsdon I did not feel hopeful. I felt hopeless. I had a handful of men to defend a river crossing. I was not up to the task! Sir Ranulf seemed a good man but he was not close to me. We would reach home at dusk. If danger came, we would be alone.

  As we rode, Matthew said “I am honoured to serve you, lord. Mighty lords seem in awe of you!”

  “It is the reputation of my father and my family. I have much to live up to. But we have made a start.”

  “I know that John and I come from humble origins but know that we will not let you down. We will learn. Platters and dishes may confuse us but put an enemy at the end of our swords and we will show you that we are warriors. Alan of Bellingham has promised to show me how to ride. I like him. He reminds me of my grandfather; God rest his soul.”

  The words were probably insignificant, but they showed me that we had the kernel of a body of men that could fight. If an untried youth could feel this way then what could we not achieve?

  Four days after we returned Walther of Coxold, who was on duty, sounded the alarm. It was in the late afternoon and if there were men trying to attack us then this would be a good time. Riders were heading form the south. I hurried up the keep and shaded my eyes. I felt my anxiety subside. It was not a rabble of bandits racing to overwhelm us. There were wagons and animals. It had to be the Bishop keeping his word.

  I hurried down to the gate and ordered it open. Alan, Matthew and John joined me as did the other men who were not on duty. I recognised Brother Paul who was in the leading wagon. He jumped down and bowed, “I am sorry we are late, my lord. We are not drovers and the animals seemed unwilling to move. We have wheat, barley, and oats as well as beans and vegetable seeds. We have three firkins of ale and one amphora of wine. There is a bull and, with him, two cows. In addition, the Bishop sent a pair of breeding pigs and fifteen ewes. The bishop would have sent more but the winter last year was hard and we did not have as many surplus animals as we would have hoped.

  I clapped the priest about the shoulders, “Brother Paul it is good to see you again! This is manna from heaven. You must stay the night.”

  He gave me a wry smile, “The thought of returning south never entered my head, lord.”

  “The Bishop is a generous man.”

  Brother Paul lowered his voice, “It is an investment, lord. Sir Robert lost all because of lack of support. The Bishop knows that a strong Elsdon keeps the rest of his lands safer.”

  I turned, “Put the grain in the granaries, the ale and wine in the kitchens and put the animals in our pen.” Alice, the wife of David, had prepared our food and gone. She was a generous cook and there would have to be enough for the carters. “Matthew, go to Rafe and buy some bread and some cheese.”

  “Aye, lord.”

  As we headed up to the hall Brother Paul saw Garth Red Arrow, he gave a smile and a nod. “Brother Paul, Garth told me his story. You forgave him?”

  “He was a troubled youth but, aye, it seemed to me that he was speaking the truth. I saw no lie in his eyes and his words came from the heart. I am pleased you believed him. I can think of many lords who would have chosen to rid themselves of him. He is raw clay but I see a nugget of gold within him. If you are aught like your father then you can work miracles and redeem the prodigal son.”

  I laughed, “I will try.” I waved a hand. “This is my manor.”

  “And you have a hard task ahead of you. Still, the Good Lord rewards those who take on such challenges. At least I hope so.” I cocked an eye at his enigmatic words. He smiled, “I am your new priest of the manor.”

  My heart soared. I had Alan of Bellingham and now I had Brother Paul. I was young but they were older men. I would have sage advice. I took my sword from its scabbard and kissed the hilt, “Thank you, God!”

  I delivered on my promises and David and Alice were given a ram and two ewes. We had a small flock. Our cows would give us milk. The bull, although small, was an unexpected present from the Bishop. Brother Paul confided that he came from the Bishop’s own herd and he had hoped for a bigger beast. I did not mind the small bull. So long as his seed was hardy then it would do. Rafe’s daughters who helped us were augmented by his only grandson, Brandon. He had seen six summers and for a penny a week he watched our animals for us. His grandfather was grateful for the income. This was a manor where the farmers knew that success or failure could balance on a single penny or animal.

  Now that we had grain, we had to improve the granary. Alan of Bellingham suggested that we build a new one and use the old one as an animal byre. I agreed as it would not require much work. He had the idea of making them close to each other so that we could defend them.

  As well as work in my castle I needed to get to know the land. Leaving my men at arms to toil I took my archers and squire to explore the woods which lay to the north of us. We followed the beck north of us. It was not deep for it was summer. Alan had told us that in winter when the rains came, it could be an impassable torrent. Now, at the end of summer, it was almost a trickle.

  I waved forward Garth Red Arrow. He and Walther did not speak to one another. It was a problem to which I would have to find a solution. Walther had served my father for many years but Brother Paul’s words showed me that there was ho
pe for the former outlaw. “Garth, here your experience and your life will be valuable. I want you to look for signs of bandits.” He looked up at me and I saw the hurt on his face. “Garth, we cannot hide your past. You are forgiven but your past is still a part of you. You were sent to me for a purpose. If there are no signs of bandits hereabouts then good. We will sleep easier this winter, but if you do find signs of them then we can be prepared.”

  “Aye lord. I will ride just ahead. Their signs will be most subtle.” He kicked his horse in its flanks and they headed up the stream.

  My archers watched the woods which flanked us for danger and I studied the trees. They were good timber. If we needed more buildings then we could hew them from these woods. There was a wide variety of types. Perhaps that was as a result of the banditry. There had been fewer men to thin them. They had been allowed to grow and proliferate while farmers just defended what they had.

  Ahead of us, Garth suddenly stopped and dismounted. He tied his horse to a willow branch. He neither drew his sword nor nocked an arrow. There was no danger. He disappeared into the woods. Walther and the rest of my archers had each nocked an arrow. A short time later Garth reappeared and he untied his horse. “I have found their signs, lord.” He mounted and clambered up the bank. We followed.