by Griff Hosker
There was a hiatus as the men below reorganised themselves. "Gilles, Richard, wait until you see a face and then stab. They have to hold onto the ladder with their right hand."
"Aye lord. Sorry!"
"You are doing well!"
I heard shouts from below. I risked peering over the top and saw men at arms preparing to ascend. The first four each carried a war hammer with a spike on the top. They could use that against us as they were climbing. I turned, "Fetch pitching forks!" I cursed myself for not having them on the walls. Had this been Stockton then John of Craven would already have seen to that. A pitching fork, pushed by three or four men, could force the ladder from the wall. Until they were brought I would have to use my sword.
The men at arms had thrown the largest rocks. The ones which remained were smaller and thrown to dislodge the climbers. They were less effective. I put down my shield. As the first man at arms drew near me I grabbed the edge of his shield. He tried to jab up with the spike on the war hammer but my left hand was on the opposite side of where he thrust. I pushed his shield and he began to overbalance. I punched him in the face with the hilt of my sword and he tumbled backwards, his arms flailing. His fall took him away from the ones who were climbing. I leaned over and saw that Gilles and Richard were working as a team and their ladder was half empty. The men at arms were falling on to those climbing.
I saw that the next man at arms who climbed was using both hands to hold onto the ladder. As soon as he was in sword's length of me I slashed across his hands. The tip of my sword hacked through the mail and took his fingers. The spurting blood made the rung slippery and he could not retain his grip. He fell.
"My lord! Pitching forks!"
I grabbed one of the forks and jammed the prongs on to the top rung of the ladder. I tried to push but the weight of men on the ladder was too great. "You men, help me!"
With four of us pushing the ladder began to move. I wondered if it would break but soon, I saw that it was moving away from the wall. "One three, push! One two three! We all pushed together and the fork was in fresh air for the ladder was crashing back, falling on those who had been waiting to cross the bridge. There was a cheer as Gilles and Richard, along with their men at arms repeated our feat. I was about to congratulate my men when Dick shouted, "My lord!" He pointed to my left. I saw that Stephen and his men had swum their horses across the moat and were already scaling ladders. They would soon be over the stones. The town wall had been breached!
"Back to the castle! Now!" Gilles and Richard looked at me as though I had gone mad. "The wall is breached. We cannot hold."
At the bottom of the gate I waited for Dick and his archers. They had further to descend from the two towers. Already the men at arms attacking the gate house had put the ladders in place and were ascending.
"Gille, Richard, at my side. We will back down the road. We have to buy time for the others to reach the castle." Dick and his archers tumbled out of the gate house. "Get to the barbican. We shall need your arrows! Warn them that we have lost the town!"
Dick and his archers ran beyond us. The men at arms who had been on the walls with us stood behind us as we walked backwards down the street.
"Fill the street and make it hard for any to pass us." The men at arms took their places next to Gilles and Richard. We were within six hundred paces when the first of the enemy men at arms descended the ladder. I could hear fighting to our left where Stephen and his men had scaled the walls but until they opened the gates we would have time. The first enemy began to unbar the gate. We had four hundred paces to go. I was aware of men joining us from our left and our right. The ones from the left showed that they had been fighting. They were wounded.
"Get the wounded inside the castle. The rest of you behind us."
As soon as the gates opened the enemy flooded in. We were less than two hundred paces from safety but there were still men who still survived trying to reach us from the walls. We would need every sword we could gather if we were to survive a siege. Five enemy warriors outran the rest and hurled themselves at us. I had no doubt they saw our livery and sought to gain some glory. The leader was a young knight and he leapt at me, swinging his sword wildly. I held my shield up and let the blade slide down. I stepped forwards on my right leg and stabbed as I did so. He impaled himself on my sword. I pulled it out sideways and his body fell in front of the man trying to get at Richard. He tripped and Richard brought his sword down on the man's spine. I heard it crack. The other three were butchered by Gilles and the men at arms who punished them for their reckless attitude.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw that we were less than fifty paces from the bridge and the barbican.
"Everyone, across the bridge!"
For the briefest of moments there were just the three of us there. I was daring another to risk my wrath. I heard William Martel shout, "Form shields!"
We stepped back and I felt the wood beneath my feet. As the shields came towards us arrows began to strike any flesh which was shown. Two men at arms fell. Suddenly from our left Robert D'Oyly and four men managed to make the bridge. All of them were wounded and had lost shields. I waited until they were on the bridge and then continued under the barbican.
A voice behind said, "Hurry Warlord1 Let us raise it!"
I knew there would be men still trying to reach the castle but it was too late for them. As I stepped beneath the gatehouse the bridge began to rise. I stepped into the barbican and the gates were slammed shut. We were now truly trapped.
Chapter 14
Oxford Castle
We had lost fewer men than we might have expected by the sudden attack of Stephen. He was my enemy but I admired his action. He had struck where we had the least men. The Constable was wounded but the healers assured me that it was not life threatening. We were lucky; the castle had a physician and he was tending to the Constable. Had not my archers been alert then we would have lost even more men but their skill saved lives.
The Empress and Henry looked distraught. I smiled. Despair was the last thing we needed. "That means we have less mouths to feed! Stephen will have to find food for the townspeople."
Henry asked, "How did they get through our defences so quickly, Warlord?"
"Not enough men and walls that were too low. This castle has much stronger and higher walls than the town. He will struggle to break our defences." I reassured Henry but I could see the doubt in the Empress' eyes. "Henry, go and find Gilles, tell him that his lord is thirsty and hungry. Killing gives me an appetite!"
When he had gone we were alone and the Empress shook her head, "Lying to our son! The last thing you want after combat is food. I know that of you. We are in dire straits are we not?"
"We are. The food will run out and we have no avenue of escape save through the town for the moat and the stream bar our way."
She nodded, "You and your men could swim the stream and escape." I nodded. "But you will not leave us."
"No."
She shook her head and held my hand in hers, "So chivalrous and so foolish. What you are saying is that we will die here together or face a future in captivity?"
"I do not foretell the future but I do know that I will not give up hope. Until they prise my sword from my dead fingers there is a chance. I did lie to Henry but it was a white lie for I do not want him to be consumed by despair."
Had I been in Stockton I would have called a meeting of my knights to discuss the situation and to plan what to do. However here I had only Dick. Sir Robert and his knights were brave but this was a new experience for them. I would be Warlord and I would make the decisions. After returning the Empress to her ladies and Henry I sought out Dick. "I put you in command of the archers. The barbican is the only way in or out of the castle. You and the archers must keep them as far away as you can."
"We will run out of arrows unless we are relieved."
I would not lie to my men. "We will not be relieved. Either they give up the siege or we are captured."
&n
bsp; "Or die."
"Or die but let us hope it does not come to that. We have much to do in our valley eh Dick?"
He nodded, "Besides when I die I want it to be in the open and not in a stone tomb. I will find the archers first." He hesitated, "I have the authority?"
"You do, but just to clarify the situation I will see the Constable."
The Constable was in the healing hall. The priests and the physician were tending to the wounded. Some looked serious and I wondered how they had dragged their bodies back into the castle. The cold part of me realised they were another mouth to feed but they had fallen in battle and deserved our care. The Constable was lying on a pallet of straw. He lay on his back and his eyes were closed.
I stood over him and looked at his bandages. His right arm and leg were heavily bandaged. He would not fight for some time. I was about to turn away when he opened his eyes, "Earl. This is a pretty pass. I am sorry we could not hold them. We did our best."
"Do not berate yourself. It was a clever ruse and no one could have foreseen it. We are secure now. The physician said you will recover but until then I will take command."
"Of course. But there will be no help coming to us!"
"Keep that to yourself Robert. We hold on for as long as possible. Who knows the Earl may return. The last I heard was that Normandy was almost ours. Even Stephen admitted as much in his talk. The Count of Anjou will not leave his wife here. Miles of Gloucester and the other leaders may well try to raise an army and relieve us."
"You do not believe that."
"No but I hope for that."
"You will command?"
"I have given orders already."
"Good." He tried to rise but he could not. "Take my seal. I cannot even rise. It gives you added authority."
I did not need the seal but I nodded and took it. "You know the state of the castle better than I do. What supplies do we have?"
His voice was flat as he replied, "We will run out by January."
I left him and went out in to the inner bailey. The walls were high and protected by a moat and a stream. A ram would not work. He would need to build a bridge and use siege engines to reduce the barbican. My squires and Henry found me as I looked around at the defences.
"Gilles and Richard come with me. Henry ask the Empress to meet me at the castle gate tower."
As we walked I said, "You two will need to act as knights until we escape. We have few enough of those. I will need you to command men."
"But lord, am I ready?"
"We will discover that, Richard, but I have faith in you. You have learned well and your defence of the town gate was heroic. Besides we have little option."
I led them up the stairs of the gate which lay behind the moat and the barbican. There were just four men at arms there. "Who commands here?"
The oldest said, "Me my lord, Thomas of Abingdon."
"Do you have bows?"
"No lord. We have two crossbows."
"Sir Richard will command the barbican and he has archers. I will be there with my squires and the men at arms. If we have to concede the barbican then you four will have to enable us to reach the castle. Get yourself two bows." I pointed to the narrow bridge which led from the barbican to the gate below. "If we have to cross we will be followed closely. Our lives will be in your hands."
"We will not let you down lord."
The Empress ascended with Judith and Margaret. Henry followed. The men at arms bowed. I led the Empress to the wall, "My lady, that is where the battle will be decided." I pointed to the barbican. "Our best men will be there but if it falls then we withdraw to here." She nodded. "If we hold the barbican then we hold the castle. I would have you and your ladies take charge of the supplies and the rations. I will need every man on the walls."
"The Constable?"
"He is wounded and will not fight for some time. I have his seal."
She laughed, "You need no seal to command."
"No, but it is good to have one." I brought her closer to me so that I could speak quietly. "Do you want Henry with you?"
"I do but he would hate it. He resents the fact that you seem to have discarded him. I know that you did it to keep him safe and I thank you for that but he is part of this. He can stand a watch."
I nodded, "Henry, I shall need you by my side." His face lit up. "It may only be as a messenger but that may be the most important job in this siege."
"I care not. I get to wear my hauberk and helmet and my sword is sharp."
"Good. Then we will go to the barbican and see what the enemy does."
The light was fading as we walked through the gate and across the moat to the barbican. Sir Robert's father had built a good castle. The barbican was like a small castle in the moat. The diversion of the stream had been a master stroke. The bridge across which we walked could be destroyed if the barbican fell. We ascended the ladder to the fighting platform and towers atop the barbican. In contrast with the gatehouse this was crowded. Dick had collected many archers and they were in the towers and on the ramparts. He had men at arms guarding the bridge mechanism.
"How goes it Sir Richard?"
"They are busy moving men into the town. They will not attack today."
"Good. I will be here with you tomorrow. I will let you organize the sentries. We will need to rest while we can. Food will be served in shifts. Gilles and Richard can stand a watch too."
Dick nodded, "Aye, they can command. They have grown."
"Then we will return to the hall. I will relieve you Dick and take the watch until midnight. Gilles you will command the night watch."
"Aye lord."
"Come let us walk the walls."
We returned to the gate tower and we walked the ramparts. The five towers all had four men in each of them. They would have little to do and I decided that I would rotate them with the men in the barbican. The round tower and St. George's Tower were the strongest after the Keep. When we reached St. George's Tower I descended to the sally gate. When I had it opened I saw that it was wide enough for a horse. It was like the one at Durham. We walked outside. The Isis lay on one side of a tiny spit of land and the stream leading to the Thames on the other. The ground was soft and spongy. It had flooded at some time and the ground was heavy.
"This is somewhere the enemy might attack. They could swim the river as they did by the walls."
Gilles looked at the walls. "The walls are high here. They could not scale them as easily but the gate is vulnerable."
"It is. Richard I will put you in command here. You will sleep and eat here. I will send another couple of men. You will need to keep a good watch. I want you to go to the blacksmith and have him make caltrops. They will give you warning of an attack in the dark of night."
"Aye lord. The nights will be getting longer."
Henry said, "If you put two torches here and kept them burning you would see any approach to the sally port."
Richard nodded, "A good idea."
After instructing the men in the tower to obey Richard we left and walked first to the Keep and then around the southern towers and wall. The points where we could be attacked were the sally port and the barbican. It made life simpler for me. Night had fallen and we walked back to the hall for our first frugal meal.
The nights were getting colder and, as I stood my watch on the walls of the barbican I pulled my cloak tighter about me. Alice's new white cloaks were still to be used. They were woollen and they were warm. I would appreciate them more when winter began to bite. The men at arms had a brazier.
"Do not look into the fire. Let it warm your backs and keep your eyes searching the dark."
The four of them nodded. "Aye Warlord." I leaned over the battlements and stared into the moat below. It would have to be a brave and desperate man who would swim that water at night and then clamber up the walls but it could be done. I pointed to two of them. "Go to the kitchens and bring a pot of pig fat."
"Heated, lord?"
"No for I w
ish to make the walls slippery in case any try to climb them."
When they had gone the elder of the two who remained asked, "Would they try such a thing, lord?"
"If I was in their position then I might try something like this." I smiled. "I have, in the past and when I was younger, done such foolish things."
"Men say you cannot be beaten, lord."
"Men say many things but it does not make them true. The fact that no one has defeated me yet does not guarantee that they will not one day."
They nodded. I did not know them. I knew not how they would stand up to death. That was a measure of a man. If he faced death and emerged alive then he would be stronger for it. Even my squires had done that but these two might have served as sentries and never fought an enemy. Should I have brought more men?
When Gilles relieved me I could see that he was nervous. Dick had helped my squire by giving him two of his archers as part of his four man watch. They would ensure he had an easy watch. I virtually collapsed in my bed. It had been a long day. What would the morrow bring?
Dick and the larger daylight watch were in the barbican when I arrived after a few hours sleep. Henry had been waiting outside my chamber for me. While he fetched my sword Judith, who was passing, told me he had awoken and dressed at dawn. He was learning habits which would stand him in good stead. "Have you eaten yet, squire?"
"No lord."
"Old soldiers eat the first chance they can. That is how they become old soldiers. You go and find us something to eat and I will meet you at the smithy."
When I reached the smithy I gave my sword to the blacksmith. "Put a good edge on that would you?"
"Aye lord." As he began to oil the blade he gestured with his head to a pile of metal to the side. "One of your young squires asked for caltrops. Was that right, lord?"