The Road to Agincourt

by Griff Hosker

  We passed through Amble with Warkworth harbour to the sea side of us and saw Warkworth rising before us. It was a well-made castle and I, for one, would not have liked to assault it as it had water on three sides and a bridge covered the moat. Once they raised the bridge then it would take the blood of warriors to take the castle. Of course, as we approached, I realised that they could, if they so chose, close the gates and prevent us from even entering the castle. We were not wearing our helmets and our shields hung from our sides. We had not even donned our coifs for I wanted the Percy clan to see that we were here on a peaceful mission. If they did attack us then that would suit King Henry as it would be perceived as an act of rebellion. As we neared the gatehouse, I knew that they would admit us for the gates remained open and the bridge over the ditch was in place. I turned to my two captains. “Choose just six men to enter the castle with us. I would not be seen to be aggressive.”

  Captain Edgar nodded, “And besides, if there was to be an act of treachery then we could summon help.”

  When we reached the gate there was a knight waiting for us. I recognised him as Sir John Pulle who had been with the garrison of Shrewsbury before the battle and had defected to the rebel side. I dismounted and handed my reins to Abelard. He had his own reins in his right hand and he would lead the horses. His left hand had already swollen to twice its normal size. I hoped there was a doctor in the castle who could attend to our wounded.

  Sir John did not smile at me. We were enemies and we both knew it. There would come a time when we might have to fight and when we did it would be to the death. “I am here to take you and Sir Ralph to the earl.”

  “I would have my men accommodated too.”

  He pointed beyond the gates, “There is ground there for them to use!”

  I smiled, “They will do so for they are men but they will remember, as will I, this act of discourtesy; especially from a turncoat who did not have the courage to fight to the end with his master. You are not worth my scorn!” I wondered if I had gone too far for his hand went to his sword and I laughed. “Oh, please, draw your weapon and I will end your treacherous life here and now! You are not fit to be the Hotspur’s shadow!”

  His eyes narrowed as he moved his hand away from his weapon and he gestured towards the castle, “If you would come with me to the Great Hall.”

  We walked across the bailey to the steps which twisted around to the door. The castle was of clever construction. A ram could not breach the door as it was above ground level and reached by steps and any assault would have to be by a ladder; such attacks rarely succeeded. The five of us reached the porter’s lodge and Sir John led us up a narrow twisting spiral staircase to the Great Hall. That word had reached the Earl became obvious as we entered the hall for he was seated on what can only be described as a throne. Around him were his senior knights. They were all mailed and armed. The purpose of my visit was also present, his grandsons, although it was the son of Hotspur who was the real bargaining counter. The eleven-year-old was dressed in the Percy livery with the blue rampant gryphon prominently displayed upon his chest. I did not doubt that he had been told that I had been the one to kill his father.

  I gave a bow for I was addressing the earl. I took out the parchment which the King had given to me. I would only use it in extremis. The Earl said, “I take it you are here from Henry Bolingbroke.”

  “I am here on the King’s behalf.”

  “How typical that he sends the man who killed my son and heir to me!” He looked around at his knights and they gave him encouraging nods of support. I saw then that he feared me.

  “In fair combat!” There was an edge to my voice. The Earl was over sixty but he had a champion who could fight for his honour and I would not be insulted for I represented the King. I had been a King’s bodyguard and champion and knew how such matters were.

  He nodded, “In fair combat which makes you a man to be feared for my son was the greatest warrior in the land.”

  “Then I pray that you will listen to the words of King Henry’s man and heed their importance. The King has heard rumours that you, Mortimer and Glendower are conspiring to divide the Kingdom of England between the three of you.” He said nothing. “I do not ask you to deny it for that is not the purpose of my visit.” I pointed my finger at the youngest Henry Percy. “King Henry wants surety for your good behaviour and your grandsons will be held as hostages in Pontefract Castle. You have my word that they will be well treated.”

  I had expected outrage but the look on the earl’s face told me that he knew what I would say before I said it. That told me that there were spies somewhere close to King Henry for I had not spoken of the actual purpose of my visit to any once I had left Windsor. As I had not mentioned my mission in York then it had to be in Windsor, at the King’s court. He had yet to find all the traitors.

  “Sir William, you are a brave man for you come here to a place filled with your enemies accompanied by one knight and a handful of men but what you ask is wrong.”

  “My lord, when we crossed the Wansbeck, we were attacked by men waiting in ambush for us. Their bodies lie there still. That is wrong and had I been so minded I could have demanded reparation for the unwarranted attack. I will take your grandsons hence for I have given my word and you know,” I looked around the room at the men gathered there, “you all know, that I keep my word! So, my lord, do you agree to allow them to accompany me or shall I leave empty handed and return with an army?”

  This was a moment upon which many lives hung. I stared into Henry Percy’s eyes and although he held them briefly, it was he who looked down and nodded, “You are right, Sir William, you are a man of your word and, here in the north, we appreciate knights who are courageous and honourable. You may take them but I give them into your care and not Bolingbroke’s for he is treacherous. My son and I gave him the crown and then he failed to deliver on his promises.”

  “Then know that your heirs will be safe in Pontefract so long as you do not join in any rebellion.”

  The Earl gave us an escort the next day to ensure that we were not attacked again. It was a game he played for he had sent the men to ambush us. He had failed and he would now try something else. The escort meant we stayed in Percy castles to the Tyne. After that, we stayed with the Prince Bishop who gave us an escort to Piercebridge. The boys we had in our care were quiet but Abelard and John, Ralph’s squire, rode with them and tried to engage them in conversation. By the time we crossed the Tees, they were smiling a little. Our final halt before we reached the Great North Road was at Middleham where I was able to leave Sir Ralph. I gave him a message for Sir Ralph Neville, I did not commit it to parchment for the message came from the King.

  By the time we reached Pontefract the King was already there and awaiting our arrival. I asked for a private audience with him. “Your Majesty, I gave my word that these boys would not be harmed.”

  He nodded, “And I give my word, too, that they will not. It is in my interest to keep them safe.”

  “And yet Percy will not keep to the terms of the agreement. He will rebel and we both know that. Will that result in harm to the boys?”

  “In truth, Will, I know not but I will do anything to hang on to this throne for I do it for England and not for personal power. If the Earl rebels once more then he is abandoning his grandsons.” He smiled, “We will stay here for a few days and I would like you to stay for a day or two as well. I have matters I need to discuss with you. I want a plan to destroy the Welsh rebels!”

  I agreed to stay but my heart was not in it. My priorities were my family and then getting to Prince Henry’s side. In all the discussions and conversations I had had in Warkworth not once had Prince Henry come in for any criticism. It was his father, the King, whom men resented and not his son. That made his life even more important! The King and I managed to devise some strategies and plans in the powerful Pontefract Castle and it was on the morning that I was about to leave with him when we received a most extraordinary
piece of news. Some English pirates had captured a Scottish ship off the coast at Flamborough and captured the heir to the Scottish throne, the young prince, James! The pirates had given the boy to Sir William of Selby and he was bringing him to Pontefract. In one fell swoop, he had negated any threat from north of the border. With the Percy grandsons as hostages, he could now add Prince James of Scotland The King changed his plans. The Scottish heir would be brought to Pontefract and the King, himself, would take him to the Tower. I left with my men wondering if this presaged a change in the royal fortunes.

  Chapter 5

  Magda had not managed to work a complete miracle with my wife but there was an improvement. For one thing, she greeted Harry and me with a hearty embrace and a smile and there were no tears. Eleanor had always been interested in affairs of state, mainly because what the great and the good did affected the prices we received for our farm produce, and so I told what had happened. This did bring a hint of the old Eleanor who said, “Then with the threat from the north ended, for this year at least people will spend more on food and less on defence. It is good. I will speak with John and see if we can seed another field with some late wheat.” She smiled, “Magda, has made some good suggestions to me. We ought to build a second mill which is closer to Weedon. We now produce more wheat than we can use and we can sell the flour. It fetches a high price.”

  I patted the back of her hand for it was good that she had a new project, “You know what is best for the manor and I leave that to you. Fear not that we might need more money for warriors; we will not as I have enough from Northampton to pay for them, but you should know that Harry and I must leave for Wales and I would not leave you in low spirits.”

  “I know and I also know that you watch over my youngest son for you have ever been the good father.” She kissed me, “I am feeling a little better now and the world is not so black as it once was.”

  I handed her the letter from Sir Ralph’s mother. “Mistress Mary sent this for you. She thought it might comfort you.”

  She nodded, “She is kind to think of me for she lost her husband and I still have mine.”

  Her words made me relieved. This was a different woman to the one who had fallen into such a pit of despair. “First I will ride to Northampton and speak with Thomas. There are things he should know.”

  Eleanor was a clever woman and I saw her eyes brighten when she read the message beneath my words, “Then you do not take him with you to Wales?”

  I shook my head, “We shall not need him. I think this year will be one where we consolidate what we have. Perhaps next year he may be needed but we shall see.”

  I stayed at home for just three days. I should have stayed longer for some of the men I led were married and had families but I feared for Prince Henry. My son, Thomas, wished to come with me as I had known he would. I refused but I gave my reasons for doing so as I did not wish a rift between my son and myself. “I know that I have not done my duty as Sherriff of Northampton; that is the fault of the King for he gave me an important task and then set me another. We serve the King and we serve England. Northampton and Lincoln are the two most important towns south of York and north of London on this road. There are few men who could hold it but you are one.”

  He nodded, “And you the other. Yet this does not sit well with me, father.”

  I pointed to his son, Henry, “When you were his age I was fighting and serving the King. I did not see you grow. There will be time enough for you to take a sword and fight again but, for now, enjoy the time with your family, for I did not.”

  With Harry and Abelard, I led my twenty-four men to Worcester. I had heard nothing from the west as all my news had been to do with the north. I hoped that Prince Henry was being cautious. This war was being fought at his expense and the knights who followed him expected payment. He had sold his jewels to pay for men to fight for him and until he regained Wales, he would not have an income. King Henry had been clever by giving me Northampton for he had ensured that I would not require payment as being Sherriff brought a healthy income. Added to that, thanks to my wife, I was rich and as far as I was concerned the coins I spent on soldiers was well spent for I was giving money to friends.

  The army I saw gathered at Worcester was smaller than I expected and that relieved me as it meant the Prince had not taken it upon himself to begin to recover his land. I dined with the Earl of Arundel and the Prince where I discovered much. The King had kept his son informed of events in the north and the east. Henry knew of Prince James and the hostages we held. I learned that one reason he had not been more aggressive was that the French had arrived off the coast and helped Glendower to capture Harlech and Aberystwyth. That meant the castle at Caernarfon was the last English bastion.

  “I have used what men I could to reinforce that castle for I do not wish it to fall. I have little enough coin left to pay for the prosecution of this war.” His wound had healed but his face was terribly scarred and as he slumped back in his chair, the despair on his face appeared aggravated by the wound. This was not like the Prince who had lived with me when he had been Prince Hal. Strangely, it was the effect Magda had had upon my wife which gave me the solution. He needed a plan which would give him hope.

  “Prince Henry, it seems to me that there are many lords along this border who could be charged with its defence.” I used the pots and beakers which lay on the table to explain my strategy. “Here we have Usk Castle in the south. If we head north, we can see that there is Hereford, Ludlow and then Shrewsbury. The north has Caernarfon, Conwy, Rhuddlan, Flint and Chester. You have strengthened the northern castles and used the men of Cheshire to defend them. Why do you and I not ride this part of the border and advise the knights and lords who defend it? Use the loyal Welshmen like Dafydd Gam of Parc Llettis to encourage others to join your banner.” I looked at him and emphasised my words, “Your banner and not your father’s!”

  “I cannot be disloyal to my father.”

  “And you are not. He was never Prince of Wales! You have that title and even though Glendower has usurped it there are still Welshmen who might join you.” I saw him thinking and although the Earl of Arundel looked confused, I knew that the Prince would deduce for himself what I was getting at.

  He smiled, “They would be joining a Welsh cause and not be part of an English army!”

  “There you have it. I know that this means we will not be reclaiming your land this year but you would be putting in place the building blocks which would enable you to use it next year to make a determined attack.”

  He looked animated and nodded to the earl, “And you, Sir Thomas, could go to Arundel and gather more men while the baron and I make this land more defensible.”

  “I confess, Prince Henry, that I have yearned for a visit to my home and now that Strongstaff is here I feel happy that I could go and I would have discharged my obligation to the King.”

  “And I will stay here on the border until it is strengthened. Mayhap it will be a quiet summer. Who knows?”

  We headed for Hereford first which had a good garrison but, as it had been a Mortimer stronghold, Prince Henry had put in command Sir John Oldcastle who was a loyal knight and a good soldier. We spent a month there riding the marches. Ludlow was also a Mortimer stronghold but there its prosperity depended upon trade with England, the mercers and burghers of the town wanted nothing to do with the treacherous Edmund Mortimer. We left it more confident than when we had arrived and headed for Usk Castle. This was in the borderlands and was as close to the Welsh as anywhere else in Gwent and Monmouthshire.

  When we reached the castle, my heart sank for it had fallen into disrepair. In addition, the town was half empty having been destroyed by Glendower two years earlier. It explained why the castle had been allowed to become dangerously weakened. Prince Henry was equally unhappy. “I think, Prince Henry, that the task of repairing this castle and making it a bastion in the south, once more, is down to us. I think that we stay here and help the garrison to m
ake it stronger.”

  He liked a challenge and we set to using the stones which lay close to the castle to make repairs whilst also improving its defences. Autumn was approaching and there had been little action from the Welsh. I was looking forward to a winter with the Prince when Sir Richard Grey of Codnor, the Justice of South Wales, arrived. He had news for the Prince. He was summoned to London for his father was holding a Parliament as he needed money. While the Prince was torn, I convinced him to go.

  “Prince Henry, you can leave your men here with me and we can improve the defences. You need the experience of Parliament and your father needs your support. I doubt that the Welsh will try anything this winter but if they do then I have the men to hold them.”

  He agreed and I was pleased that some of the men who had escorted Sir Richard to Usk stayed on with us. One was Dafydd Gam. We had once rescued him from Glendower’s clutches and a more vehement enemy of the Welsh rebel I had yet to meet. After the Prince had left with Sir Richard, I rode with Dafydd while our men laboured on the walls. Already we had improved the defences. The simple act of taking the stones from the ditch had made it harder for an enemy to attack. The river was the border and so we rode along the eastern side. Dafydd was a real character. He was like Owen the Welshman and David of Welshpool, dour but with a wicked sense of humour. I confess that I found myself laughing more when I was in his presence but, as we patrolled the border, his words were serious ones.

  “It is good that you improve the defences, Sir William, for Glyndŵr, thanks to the traitor Mortimer, knows that they are weak. If Usk falls then the rebels will flood into England. It must be held!”

  “And it will be.”

  “And yet you have perilously few men! You need a larger force than you bring with you, no offence, lord.”