by Griff Hosker
The same problems which had beset Aberystwyth now beset Harlech. Trapped inside their castle the defenders had not had time to lay in supplies of food. Added to that their numbers were swollen by the arrival of refugees and they would already be on short rations.
After joining Sir John and the men who were surrounding the castle, the Prince went to speak with the besieged. This time he took a delegation with him, including Dafydd Gam who had become an integral part of the Prince’s retinue since this campaign had begun. The Prince had us ride horses for he wished to be closer to their eye level. The two rebels appeared with armed and mailed knights close to them. I recognised some of the English ones and they glared daggers at us. Mortimer did not look a well man. He was thin and emaciated while Glendower looked little different from the last time I had seen him.
The Prince took charge and that was another difference I had noticed since he had returned from London. He seemed driven and yet in perfect control of himself. “I am here to demand your surrender. Aberystwyth has fallen and I showed mercy to the defenders. Surrender and I will afford the same to you.”
Glendower laughed but Sir Edmund Mortimer asked, “All of us?” Glendower flashed him a look of pure scorn.
The Prince shook his head, “No, Sir Edmund. You and Glendower will be tried by a jury of your peers for the crime of treason.”
Glendower jabbed a finger at the Prince, “How can I be tried for treason? I have done nothing against the rightful ruler of my land for that is me.”
Mortimer looked angry too, “And where are my nephews? Where is the Earl of March? Are they safe?”
“They are safe and neither have any desire to become King of England. In fact, when I attain the crown, I shall release them for I believe they are both loyal subjects and they are kept as guests and not as prisoners.”
“And my son and family?”
“Are treated well, too, Glendower, but they are closely guarded for unlike Edmund and Roger Mortimer they are not to be trusted.”
“Then my answer is that we will not surrender.”
“Will you allow the women to leave the castle?”
Sir Edmund said, “My wife is the only woman within these walls and she swears that she will stay by side.”
As she was not present, I found that hard to believe. He was making an assumption.
“Then there is no more to be said. May God have mercy on your souls.”
We headed back to our camp which was in the tiny town of Harlech.
The gunners had a problem for the castle was built upon solid rock and the only places we could attack were on the south and the east curtain walls. Even when we battered them into submission, we could not then use our cannons to take on their formidable walls. That would have to be an assault by men and it would be costly.
Once again, the gunners showed that they had learned from the sieges of Aberystwyth and the guns were in position and firing within a day. We had no reason to raid and so we watched each day as the stone balls battered holes in the curtain walls. It took just three days to make inroads and then disaster struck. The gun they called The King’s Daughter exploded, much to the delight of the defenders who cheered as though the siege had been relieved. One of the master gunners and eight gunners died. It was lucky that neither the Prince nor any other leader was hurt for we would normally have been close but as a ship had arrived with messages from Bristol we were by the shore. With only three guns to fire and a slower rate due to the caution the remaining gunners took progress was slow but, by the end of the second week, the curtain wall was destroyed and the gate had been hit a number of times. This time the gunners had aimed at the smaller gatehouses and the gates.
I spent many hours watching the men on the walls. I took the Prince to one side one morning and pointed out the men on the walls. “Prince Henry, what do you notice about the men on the walls?”
He was short-tempered because of the accident with the gun and he was curt, “They are on the walls! That is what I notice and we have not taken the castle!”
I sighed, “Firstly, Your Highness, there are fewer of them today than there were yesterday and if you notice, even at this distance they look thin and in need of a good meal.”
He looked at them again, “You may be right. What does this portend? Are they protecting their men for they do not think we will assault?”
“I think that the siege is beginning to bite, Prince Henry.”
“Should we make an assault?”
I did not want to say yes for men would die but the professional in me thought that this was a good time.
“Perhaps we make an evening assault for they will not expect it. We could make a feint on one side and then use ladders and bridges to cross the ditches.” The castle had a double drawbridge but the defences there had been destroyed by the cannons and the obstacle that would hurt us was the ditch. We would need bridges.
“Then have the bridges built now and we will attack tomorrow at dusk. Have the work completed away from the camp so that they do not know what is afoot.”
The men enjoyed having something to do and the bridges were completed before nightfall. The next day our men rested during the hours of daylight although the rest was not sleep for the guns kept up a constant bombardment on the gate and gatehouse all day. In hindsight, the lack of men on duty could have warned them of our impending attack. When darkness fell, the curtain wall remained intact but it was a small low wall and men with shields could easily scale it. We had our men prepare to attack. Sir John Talbot and his men were ready for an attack on the south wall. They would begin the attack to draw the defenders thence. While that attack began, we would put our bridges into place and then attack silently. Our archers would try to pick off men on the walls. It was as good a plan as we could manage and I lined up with the Prince again. He refused to go in the second wave and that meant that I would go with him.
As we lined up with the men at arms holding the bridges and ladders, I saw that Sir Ralph was closer to me than his liege lord, the Earl of Westmoreland and that my men at arms had placed themselves immediately behind me. They were not taking any chances this time! We heard the sound of battle as Sir John and his men sneaked close to the wall and then used archers to slay the sentries. There was a single cry and then, from within Harlech came the sound of the alarm. Then we heard the clash of steel as men fought. Sir John had strict orders not to risk his men. He was to draw attention and that was all.
The Prince waited; I think he was counting in his head and then he stood and raised his sword. Silently the men at arms picked up the bridges and the ladders and we headed across the open ground to the ditches which lay between us and the castle. There were two of them. Our archers followed and when I heard the twang of a bowstring and heard the whoosh of the arrow then I knew a sentry had seen us. He fell without a cry but his body fell on to the roof of a building below the fighting platform. That another sentry would see us soon was obvious and it added urgency to our pace. The first two bridges were laid across and the Prince led men over one and I the other. We then held up our shields as we waited for the second bridges to be brought. There was a strangled cry from the wall as a second sentry was slain but this cry would bring more men and when the second bridge was across, I ran as soon as it struck the stone next to the wall of the gatehouse. The gates had been destroyed and my reckless run ensured that I beat the Prince and ran towards the huge barbican which was the real entrance to the castle.
Some of the stones had struck the main gate but as it had metal strips it was largely undamaged. The men at arms with the ladders made their way down the wall. Once we had created a hole in the gate they would ascend and attack the inner wall. The Prince and I stayed at the gate where we had twelve men at arms with axes and as more defenders arrived at the barbican they began to hack and hew at the wooden gate. Axes were blunted by the metal strips but we had spares and the men hacked and chopped until they were too weary to continue and another would take over. Stones
were dropped upon us but our archers limited their efficacy. I could hear the defenders bracing the gate. Then the first sliver of light could be seen as a lump of the gate fell.
The Prince shouted, “Ladders away!”
The sound of the eight ladders hitting the walls gave the axemen hope for it meant we were splitting the attention of the garrison in three directions. As soon as the men reached the wall, we would have a chance and the axemen switched with fresh men and axes and renewed their attack.
Sir John Oldcastle was with us and he shouted, “Let us rush at the gate for I can see that the bar is damaged.” We all nodded. He grinned at Prince Henry, “I think, my lord, that we use the men with larger bellies for this, eh Strongstaff?”
I was not insulted and I nodded, “Aye. Let us go on three!” I locked my shield with his and Lord Camoys joined us with six other large men. We stepped back a few paces and I shouted, “One, two, three!” On three we ran and hit the gate. There was still some resistance but our weight did it and the gate cracked asunder. We poured into the castle.
The Prince shouted, “Sound the horn!” It was the signal for Sir John Talbot to withdraw his men and support our attack.
As we raced into the castle men threw themselves at us to try to slow down our progress. Archers sent arrows at us and if I had not held my shield up then the bodkin arrow sent at me would have pierced my breastplate and mail rather than just my shield. As I blocked a blow from a small Welshman with an axe the Welsh arrow embedded in my shield hit him in the eye. Gouging out the orb should have slowed him down but it did not and he hacked at me. I blocked his blow and rammed my sword up under his arm and into his neck.
The door to the guardhouse was open and that guarded the stairs to the barbican. Shouting, “To me, Weedon!” I ran towards it. As I burst in men were descending from the fighting platform to clear the entrance to the castle. The first Welshman died because he had not seen me appear and I thrust upwards when he was on the staircase just ahead of me. His momentum took him over my shoulder and I rammed my shield with the embedded arrow towards the next man. He saw it and he jumped to the side of me where Abelard thrust his sword into his side between back and breastplate. The four who were still on the stairs ran back up. We now had the guardhouse and I had eight of my men with me. I headed for the stairs where, as I ascended, I kept my shoulder to the wall. Any Welshman coming down the staircase would have an advantage but their lack of numbers had undone them. I was moving as fast as the men I was pursuing and when I reached the first floor of the barbican I discovered a huge room. This was a great hall and I saw the Welshmen disappearing through a door to the next floor.
That they were weak became obvious when I caught up with one who should have been able to outrun a knight who had seen over fifty summers. I slashed across the back of his leg where there was no protection and ripped through the tendons. As his knee collapsed, I pressed into the side and shouted, “Ware below!” as he tumbled down the spiral staircase. The chamber at the top of the barbican was empty and the door to the fighting platform was ajar. I was not a fool and I was out of breath and so, once more, I waited for my men. Captain Edgar and Stephen of Morpeth were the first with me and I nodded to the door. Stephen held his shield before him and faced the opening as Captain Edgar kicked it in. The arrow which came at Stephen of Morpeth drove halfway through his shield and almost touched his helmet. My northern warrior did not hesitate but raced through before the bowman could nock another arrow. I heard a cry as the archer died and then Captain Edgar led my men through to the platform. I heard his stentorian tones as he shouted, “Lay down your weapons you miserable apologies for men or we will butcher you where you stand!”
As I stepped through to the top of the barbican and the fighting platform, I heard swords, spears and bows fall to the floor. We had the barbican and as I went to the edge to view the inner bailey, I saw the Prince’s men flooding across to take the Great Hall and the chambers to the west. We had won but had we ended the rebellion and captured Glendower and Mortimer?
By the time we had cleared the walls and collected the prisoners then a chilly dawn was breaking. The Prince and the Earl of Westmoreland were in the Great Hall. I looked at the Prince, “Glendower and Mortimer?”
He pointed to a door which led to a staircase. “Mortimer and his lady are dead. It looks like they starved to death.”
I shook my head, “And yet others who were lowlier did not.”
“I cannot explain it but their bodies are laid out upon their bed.”
I could explain it. King Richard had done the same thing; he had purposely not eaten to die of starvation. It was not suicide and so they would not be denied heaven. As soon as Aberystwyth had fallen then they would have known that there was no hope and that the rebellion was over. All of the major castles in the north, east and south-east were now in English hands and the road to the Gower was barred. They would surrender without a siege.
“And Glendower?”
The Prince looked annoyed, “I have men searching the bodies for him. I assume he was not in the barbican?”
“No, Prince Henry, there were few knights or men of breeding there.”
Just then Sir John Talbot entered with an archer, “Prince Henry, you should hear this man.”
“Speak.”
“My lord, I was on watch at the south-west tower awaiting the orders to begin the attack. Almost as soon as the attack began, I saw a small boat push off from the dock and head north.”
I saw the Prince clench and unclench his fists. Glendower was as slippery as an eel and had a sense of self-preservation which I had to admire.
Sir John said, “We attacked as commanded and then Robert here told us when the horn sounded. We investigated the dock and saw signs of a hurried departure. From the footprints which led from the castle, there were half a dozen men.”
There were some purses on the table and the Prince, smiling ruefully, threw one to the archer, “You have done well, for now we know the worst.” The grateful archer left and the Prince said, “And I thought the rebellion was over.”
I said, “And it is. True, Glendower is at large, Prince Henry, but did you not hear the words of the archer? Glendower went north. Your ships were to the south and he could not go there. He has to go to the Clwyd for that is the only river which is not guarded by a castle. He cannot get to the south. When word of the defeat gets out then the castles in the south-west will have to surrender. His knights and nobles are dead or they have left him. We killed all that were loyal here and at Aberystwyth.”
“Are you just telling me what I wish to hear so that you may go home, Strongstaff?”
“I have served King Richard and your father. I have served you. Tell me, Prince Henry, when have I ever done that?”
“You are right and to speak truthfully, in my heart I know that you are right but I wished to try and then hang the traitor!”
“And sometimes, Prince Henry, we cannot have that which we most want.”
“Then I shall take my ships and head to the Gower. When they are in my hands I shall return to London.All those who are here shall be rewarded. Mortimer’s lands are forfeit and he and his wife brought their treasure with them. Glendower also left his monies. Every man will be richer. Following the white swan is worthwhile, eh?”
Chapter 15
The rebellion was indeed over. As we headed home, I began to anticipate a period of peace. I had done all that King Henry had asked of me and helped his son to regain his birthright. I wondered if I could persuade the King to allow my son to become Sherriff of Northampton for he had done the work since Shrewsbury five years since. I was the titular Sherriff and that was all. I looked forward to spending time with my family and especially my four grandchildren.
We reached home by the start of summer which was a green and verdant time in this rich part of England. In contrast to the stark rock and snow-covered peaks of Wales, this was a land filled with growing crops and fields full of grazing, well fed a
nimals. There might have been war in the north and the west but the southern part of the land had enjoyed peace since before Shrewsbury. The nearest that war had come had been Bramham Moor. The men I had sent on ahead had warned my wife of my arrival so that I was greeted by my sons, son in law, Mary and Alice, not to mention my grandchildren. Weedon was not London but it felt like that as I rode past the village green to be greeted by cheering family and tenants. Normally I would arrive home almost apologetically but the victory had been proclaimed by the Prince’s men in every town in England. He had won and he wanted the land to know. When we had travelled east, we had heard church bells ringing in celebration and we had been feted in every town and castle but they were as nothing compared with the welcome when I reached my home.
The extensions to the hall were completed and so we dined in a Great Hall which was almost as large as the one in King Richard’s favourite home, Eltham Palace. As I walked through the hallway the manor house was filled with laughter and squeals from all. The grandchildren were vociferous and I could barely hear my wife as she first kissed and hugged me and then whispered in my ear, “Welcome home, my hero, tonight we celebrate and the children will stay a week.” She pulled away and laughing, shouted, “We may not hear ourselves think but what of that? We have you home and the family are together.”
And I enjoyed peace if not the quiet. For the first time, I had a whole year without being called upon to fight or to go to war. I enjoyed the birth of my third grandson, Humphrey, named after his other grandfather and I saw my daughter and daughters in law all become pregnant in that year of peace. I took over the role of Sherriff and enjoyed not only the company of my family but also my tenants. My men at arms and my archers all prospered and their families grew. Abelard had been one of the first to join my service but now there were others who would, within the next year or two become archers and men at arms. My retinue was made up of men who had the income of a gentleman. The wars in which we had fought had been good for us and for that I thanked God. I knew that most men did not enjoy as many riches from such conflict.