by Griff Hosker
I even managed to visit with Old Tom and Peter the Priest as well as Mistress Mary. In Old Tom’s case, it was to visit his grave for he had died, peacefully in his bed. He had died without family but his standing was such that the priest told me the church was so full that most of the mourners were without. I knelt and told Old Tom of my family knowing that he would be listening in heaven for he had been a good man and had lived a good life.
Peter the Priest was still alive but now was infirm and was enjoying the benefits of the alms house. I sent a stipend once a year for its upkeep and Peter was the one who benefitted the most. It was hard to look at the old man who appeared to have shrunk. I still remembered the mighty warrior from Spain. He still had his memory and his eyes still sparkled when I told him of our campaigns.
“Here in York, we have many travellers and I still frequent ‘The Saddle’. The landlord keeps me informed of all that goes on in the world and I have heard of your deeds and your young Prince. I heard that you saved the day at Bramham Moor.”
I shook my head, “Peter, you know that no one man saves the day. I led good men and used all that you and the others taught me. The victory that day was as much down to you as to me.”
“You do yourself a disservice. Old Tom, Red Ralph and I all saw, in you, something that was special. Perhaps you are like a fine sword. You needed the tempering of your father and his temper to make you the man you have become and I am proud to call you a friend.” I had told him that Tom had died and he said, “Soon you will be the last of the Blue Company. You should know that while you live the company lives too.”
I said, “It will live on for my sons know the tale and when I am too old to war and sit entertaining my grandchildren, I shall enliven their lives with tales of the Blue Company.”
When I left, after three days, I did not know that it would be the last time I would see him but we had said all that needed to be said and I was content.
Of course, when I was at home I learned of the wider world and of the in-fighting between the Royals for it was not just the King and his sons. There was the extended family, the Beauforts, the Mortimers, the Beauchamps and the Hollands. Prince Henry and his brother fell out because Prince Thomas married Margaret Holland, the widow of John Beaufort, his uncle. That was not a major problem but when Prince Thomas tried to claim the estates it brought him into conflict with Henry Beaufort, the Bishop of Winchester. The Prince of Wales and his uncle were close and the Bishop was a staunch ally of Henry. It meant that Thomas was driven to side with his father in the internal squabbles of the Lancasters. Prince Henry was, in effect, running England for his father was still ill and something of a recluse. My year and more of peace ended when King Henry sent for me and I travelled, with a handful of men, to Windsor where, for the first time in over two years, I met with the King of England.
I expected to see a shell of a man for he had rarely been seen in public and, I confess, that as I headed towards Windsor I wondered if this might be the preface for an announcement of abdication. Prince Henry ruled England and, as he was now twenty-three, he was a man who could rule the Kingdom. I was in for a shock.
The man who greeted me seemed to have healthier skin than even five years earlier. He was also more alert and had bright eyes which bored into me. This was Henry Bolingbroke reborn. I was never much of a dissembler and the King laughed, “Will Strongstaff, I have missed you and your honest face. Aye, I am somewhat recovered. The doctors say it may not last but while I am in better health, I thought to take my Kingdom back!”
It was as blunt a statement as I could have expected. I looked around and saw that we were completely alone in his chamber. He waved me to a seat and poured us both a goblet of wine. “You do look better than you did the last time I saw you, Your Majesty, but what mean you, take back your Kingdom? Has Prince Henry usurped you?”
He laughed, “As blunt as ever. No, he has not usurped me but the Council is now made up of those who support him. I languish here without an ally on the Council”
“And do you need one?”
“It is my Kingdom.” He sipped his wine and I saw him self-consciously touch the skin which, while not completely healed, was far less angry than it had been the last time, I had seen him. He smiled at me, “You are above politics and still the one man I trust more than any other in the whole Kingdom. I say this for I know you are close to my son, Henry.”
“And that was at your command, King Henry. It was you asked me to help him recover his lands.”
“To the point and as true as ever. Yet now he makes decisions and determines policies which should be mine to make. I did not ask you here as a politician but as a soldier.” My heart sank for my year and more of peace was ending. “You know that there is discord in France?” I nodded. “There are two factions: the Burgundians led by John the Fearless and the Armagnacs and the Duke of Orléans who support the Dauphin. I have decided to throw England’s hat into the ring.”
I took a draught of wine. It was, as I had expected, the best. I was not surprised for I still kept an ear to the ground and I had heard whispers of the Prince’s plans. “And Prince Henry wishes to support the Burgundians.”
“There you have it. I would prefer to see which leader gives us a better offer. Our longbows, as you have so ably shown in the past, can defeat any enemy. Whoever we support will win. To that end, I intend to lead the army which will travel to France in September myself.”
“Will the council grant you the funds you need?”
He gave me a smile which I had seen regularly when he was Henry Bolingbroke and sought the crown. It was the schemer reborn. “I have, as commanders of the army, Arundel, Warwick and Bishop Henry Chichele.” It became clear what he planned. “They are all allies of my son. I will not say which side we will support for that should be secret anyway and then, when we land, will give our support to the one who comes to us with the best offer. I will regain Gascony, hopefully, without losing a man!”
I saw it all clearly and I slumped back in my seat, “And the last appointment will be William Strongstaff who is seen as the Prince’s right hand.”
“Clever as ever. I know that you are loyal and with you as my chief adviser then we will defeat whichever faction we fight and when I return with the same sort of success which my son enjoyed in Wales, I will reclaim my throne and replace the Council with my own men.”
I did not like being used but it was a clever plan. However, if I was the one making the decision then I would have sided with the Duke of Burgundy. As usual, this would not be my decision. “And when do you need me?”
“Bring your men and knights to Dover by August. I will meet you there and we shall sail in ‘Trinité Royale’, my new ship. When we land in Calais I shall send for the emissaries of both armies. With luck we shall not even need to draw sword for our army will sway the balance of power!”
When I left, two days later, I had spoken with him at length and I knew the King’s mind and saw a Henry Bolingbroke reborn. I had sworn an oath and I would keep my word. At least I would not have to fight Prince Henry and fighting Frenchmen was never a problem for an Englishman. I had fought them in Spain when I had been in the Blue Company and in Wales too. I just wondered if I was getting too old.
I had some months before I needed to begin preparations in earnest but I sent for my knights, Sir John of Dauentre, Sir Henry of Stratford, Sir Richard of Kislingbury and my two sons. They were each expected to bring men at arms and archers. I knew that Sir Henry had not been to war for some time and he might have allowed his numbers to fall. I summoned them to Northampton where I told them that we would be sailing to Calais but no more than that. In truth, I could not tell them more for I did not yet know with whom we would be fighting. Sir John would be taking his two sons as squires and Sir Henry of Stratford would be taking his son. I knew that my elder grandsons, even though far too young to be even considered as pages, would be distraught that they were being left at home.
Sir Henry of Strat
ford had been with me the longest and was almost forty years old. He had been with me on the early campaigns and knew King Henry well. It was he voiced the worries that they would all be feeling. “So, Sir William, we go to France, prepared to fight a war but we will not know whom we fight?”
I nodded, weakly.
My son, Thomas said, “Then we may not need to fight at all?”
“There is that possibility.”
“So, who bears the expense of the venture?”
“I confess, Thomas, that we did not discuss that but as I am the one who agreed to support the King, I will guarantee that none of you are out of pocket.”
Harry shook his head, “That is not right, father! You have done more than enough for the house of Lancaster!”
I banged my hands on the table for the talk was becoming rebellious, “And I will continue to do so for none of us would be in the position we are but for King Henry and his cousin. They were the ones who gave me my manors and good ones they were. You have all travelled north and seen how hard is the life in Yorkshire and Northumberland and would any of you even consider a manor in Wales? Whatever I have I owe to the King and I have given you all that I can. That is an end to the matter.” I saw the shock on their faces.
John, Henry and Richard were all older than my sons. They were aware of my journey but my sons had been born the sons of a rich and prosperous man. I think that meeting was the first time they understood how privileged they were. Once I had cleared the air then we got to the serious meat of the matter. We had to work out how many men, horses, arrows and spare weapons we would need. As we would be in Calais at first the provender would come from the King and if we went to war then we would take from whichever enemies the King chose. It was easier from that moment on as they all understood how to prepare for war.
My knights all stayed the night and we enjoyed a fine feast with venison which had hung for a month. I used my best wine. If we were going to war in France then it could be easily replaced even if we took it from the cellars of our enemies.
Harry felt bad about his outburst and he came to speak with me as we ate some fine, aged cheese, “I am sorry for my words, father. Young Humphrey does not sleep well and …”
I smiled and patted the back of his hand, “And I was not offended. If you cannot speak that which is in your heart then my table is badly run. What you do not know, Harry, is that the Prince paid us well for the sieges. He used punitive fines for all those who rebelled and he took land from them. The money I may have to spend is not that which we have saved for it was given to me as a reward for what we did for him.”
He nodded, “And Glendower?”
“He hides somewhere. The rebellion is over and the fact that he has not been seen leads some to believe that he is dead. I doubt that for the man has more lives than a cat but he can do nothing from his hidey-hole in the vastness of the Welsh mountains. He can rule that part of Wales for there is nothing there worth fighting for. Let him listen to his Welsh songs of Llewellyn the Great for that is all that they have, memories.”
After they had left the hall felt empty and I did too. It had been some time since I had had all of my knights together. All had been squires and I knew each of them as well as any man. That set me to thinking about my men at arms and archers. I had no more manors to give but I had the power to raise them. I decided to make my captains, Esquires. It was more than I had been given by King Richard but they had been both patient and loyal. A week before we were due to leave, I gave them the papers the clerk in Northampton had made up for me. They were titles which could be passed on to their sons and they gave them status. It also meant that they would no longer command my men and they would have to find their own men.
Captain Alan’s eyes narrowed, “Does this mean we will not be coming with you to France, my lord?”
“It does.”
“Then I refuse the title!”
I smiled, “You cannot but hear me out. It is no secret that Prince Henry has designs on France. He sees it as his birthright. When he becomes King, he will need to go to war and you have until he becomes King to raise your own retinues. I will follow his banner and you will follow mine. Who knows, Master Alan, by then Abelard may well be a knight and have men and archers of his own. I am planning for the future for I know I am old and that I have been lucky to live this long. When Thomas, inherits my lands and titles, he will need men to follow his banner. Now, do you see?”
They both nodded and Alan said, “We do, my lord. You are wise. Forgive me.”
“There is nothing to forgive. I should have explained all to you without the questions.”
I had had more than a year at home and with another grandchild and the prospect of more I knew that I would not be missed. In fact, my sons and son in law had more tears than were shed for me as we left for Dover. We would stay in London on our way south. I knew enough lords who owed me favours to be granted chambers for us all. We only stayed one night but the word of my presence spread and I was visited by Prince Henry who strode into the hall as though he owned it. He grabbed me by the shoulders and hugged me. That it was a genuine hug was not to be doubted.
“Why did you not tell me that you were coming? This is not the residence for you. Come with me! Abelard, fetch Sir William’s gear.” He grinned at my son, Thomas, the two had played together as adolescents. “Tom, I will fetch your father back on the morrow! I need to catch up with this hero who has shunned me for more than a year! Come, old friend!”
I did not wish to go but I knew I had no choice. I did not wish to alienate the Prince nor did I wish to humiliate him and so I went. We did not have far to go. His father had given him a residence called Cold Harbour although originally it had been called the Pulteney Inn. As soon as I walked in, I felt ancient. It was filled with the young bloods of Prince Henry’s acquaintance. I saw knights alongside whom I had fought but they were all Thomas’ age. I saw Humphrey and John there too, Henry’s brothers. Both looked worse for wear. This was obviously Henry’s centre while in London. It was not a castle nor was it a hall and I knew why he made it his home. It would endear him to the common soldier and the people of London. As we had walked to the old inn the Prince had been greeted almost as a friend. None of them would ever have called Henry Bolingbroke a friend.
The Prince, however, was both sober and serious as he sat me at a table in what looked like it had been a small room in the old inn. He said, “Abelard, my man will show you your room and then enjoy yourself, there are young doxies here and they will show you a good time!” My squire left us. A servant brought us wine and then stood so that the two of us could speak privately.
“Here’s to you, the protector of the crown and of England! Thank God we have you!”
I downed the wine and then said, “And to you, Prince Henry, but you did not bring me here to flatter me, my lord. Speak what is in your head.”
He frowned briefly and then smiled, “My father said that you would say that!”
“You have spoken to your father recently?”
“Do you mean since he asked you to go to France with him? Aye. Do not believe everything that you hear. I am not disloyal but my father is ill and sometimes his judgement is flawed.” He quaffed some wine and sighed, “I will not insult you by asking you to remain silent for I know that you are like the confessional. What I say stays in your head. I would have the King’s army fight for the Burgundians.”
I nodded and sipped my wine, “But your father will lead the army!”
“He will not. Men will say that he is unwell and, in truth, he has relapsed since you saw him but the real reason is strategy. We fight against the Duke of Orléans so that when we defeat him the King of France will fear us. I intend to ask for the hand of King Charles’ daughter, Katherine. We can change sides from the Burgundians and I will have the throne of France in my hands.”
This was a complicated plot but I saw the hands of Henry Bolingbroke all over it. He had ever been the master of chess when he and
Richard had played together. “And who will lead the army in France?”
“The leader, officially, will be Thomas Fitzalan, the Earl of Arundel, but you and the Earl of Warwick will make all of the military decisions. We just need the Armagnacs to be defeated and we can leave the rest for later.” He saw the doubt on my face. “Will, would my father have made me the Captain of the Pale of Calais if he did not support me?” The Captain of the Pale of Calais was the effective ruler of the port which contributed one-third of all the taxes England collected. It confirmed what my gut told me, the King and the Prince had colluded to deceive their enemies.
“And you will be in England as will the King so that if we fail then the blame will be on Arundel.”
The Prince shrugged, “Sir Thomas has been well rewarded for his service. If he fails, again, he can bear the humiliation. My father and I cannot.”
I emptied my goblet and filled it again. I said, to no-one in particular, “I grow weary of games and yearn for the days of the Blue Company.”
The Prince looked hurt and leaned forward, “Do not say that, my old friend. What we do is for England. We will be stronger and with France as my kingdom too then no-one will ever threaten us again!”
“Prince Henry, if there is one thing I have learned it is that there is always someone bigger and stronger somewhere but I will do as you ask because I promised the Black Prince.” He beamed a smile at me. “Do the other leaders know of this arrangement?”
He nodded. “I have spoken with them all. There are four of you who will be seen by the army and the French as the leaders and, in public, you will all defer to Sir Thomas but he knows his shortcoming and he is in awe of you. He will do all that you ask of him. The Earl of Warwick is also a good man.”