by Griff Hosker
He grinned. “Then we will come with you my lord and we will be suitable.”
“We will see. When we leave then join us.”
They both repeated their thanks and returned to their table. “Do you see Ridley? We are here but a moment and I have two men. When the word spreads we will have many men for there are always swords looking for new masters.”
As we left, having paid the landlord, I repeated my request. “Remember landlord I am not far from this inn and I like it. You will have good custom from me and my friends if you serve me well.”
I could see the greed in his eyes as he effusively thanked us and we headed back south. Branton and Osbert had celebrated with much ale and were quite noisy as they rode along the Roman road. We had to go at a slower pace as they were afoot but I did not mind. I listened to their words to gauge the kind of men they were. Osbert was definitely the leader and I picked up that he had been the leader of the warriors of the lord he had served. That suited me for I needed someone who could be decisive and take command. They fell into the hay and fell asleep before Ridley and I had taken the saddles from our horses.
“We could have made them do this?” grumbled Ridley.
“We could, but I intend to work them both hard tomorrow and an early night will mean I will have greater work from them.”
I was up before dawn for I was excited. When we had ridden around the land the day before I had seen, just north of the church, the perfect site for a defensive home. The river made a curve and a small stream joined it. With a little judicious engineering the smaller stream could be a formidable barrier. I rode out to it. Dismounting I reached down to grab a handful of bare soil. It was malleable. I led my mount to the river to drink and examined the river bed. There were many stones there which we could incorporate into the building. As I mounted my eyes were drawn north west to Medelai but fifteen miles distant. I wondered if my father and brothers knew yet that they had a new neighbour and he was a member of their family. I had been tempted to ask Ridley’s father for help with the building but I decided against it. I wanted to be slightly more secure for I knew that my brothers still harboured dire thoughts.
By the time I had returned Ridley and the brothers were awake and eating the bread and cheese provided by Thomas’ wife. I talked as I ate; Nanna would have disapproved of such bad manners but time was of the essence. “Thomas I need men of the parish to come and start the building of the citadel. We will need them for two days, no more. Then I want you to go to Ripon and buy tools. Take the silver box. If there are any carpenters or masons on the land let me know otherwise you can hire a couple for a few days. While you get the men Ridley and I will give these men at arms a try.”
The words had come out in a torrent and I think they overwhelmed Thomas who, none the less mounted his nag and rode off. I would need to think about buying horses for breeding. There were some horse farms to the east and that would be another task. I was suddenly aware that there were not enough hours in the day. The one commodity we had plenty of was weapons for Ridley and I had collected them from the men we had slain. I chose two of the short swords and gave them to the brothers. Ridley and I used our own.
Branton looked worried, “My brother told you my lord that I am an archer.”
“Do not worry, Branton, you need not be a champion but in my experience archers sometimes run out of arrows and I would have you sitting on your arse while we do your fighting eh?”
Osbert laughed. “Come on brother you are not as bad as you think.” He took a good stance with his feet well balanced and I watched Branton copy him.
Ridley and I advanced and swung our blades. The metal clashed and clattered as we exchanged blows. I did not expect either of them to give us a good match for we were Housecarls, I just wanted to see if they were afraid and they were not. After we had disarmed them a couple of times I was satisfied. “Branton get your bow and show me what you can do.”
Grinning he went into the barn to get his bow and his quiver. I saw that he had but three arrows, a sure sign that things had been hard for them. He carefully took out his bowstring and strung his bow. He selected the best arrow he had and smoothed the goose feathers with wetted fingers. When he was happy he turned to me, “Target my lord?”
I shrugged. “You know your own skill better than I. Impress me!”
I could see that he relished the challenge. His eyes scanned the land and then he smiled. A crow was perched atop a tree. I estimated that it was at least two hundred paces. It would be a difficult shot. He drew back and then the arrow flew. With a half squawk it fell to the ground.
I nodded, “You are both hired and it looks like we have supper. Now come along with me for the four of us will work as labourers this day, not warriors.”
By the time Thomas’ wife had brought us refreshments, just after noon I could see the difference that we had made. The twenty labourers were a mixture of men, boys and old men; I suspected that some of my people had not come, and remained tending their own land. I would deal with that later but I did not really mind for it afforded me the chance to get to know my men. These would be the men I would lead when called by the Earl to supply the fyrd; the digging of the ditch showed how they could work together. Branton and his brother were a revelation for they took to decision making quite early and I was pleased that I had hired them. I sent Osbert off with six men to cut down some saplings for the palisade and by nightfall we had a mound surrounded by a wooden wall as high as Ridley. “You have done well men and when you return tomorrow I will reward you.”
I could see from their faces that they had not expected that and they left cheerfully. As we trudged wearily back to the barn I turned to Ridley. “Two more days my friend and then we will go to Coxold to claim your land. Osbert, we will need horses for you and your brother. We will need to look like warriors of note.”
Later that night, after we had eaten and Thomas had returned my depleted funds, Ridley and I equipped the two men at arms. We had our old leather helmets which we gave to them. We had spare swords and daggers but neither shield nor spear. Osbert solved that problem. “When we have finished the walls I will make our shields and I will find a spear staff. Branton can make his own arrows; he is a skilled fletcher.”
I had noticed a flock of geese but so far no smithy. While the brothers began to try out their new weapons I sought out Thomas. “Do we have a smithy on the land?”
Thomas shook his head. “No we go to Ripon when we need iron work.”
“I shook my head. That is no good. We waste time and we need one here. When we have built my house we will build a smithy close to the palisade and we will find a smith.” Thomas looked at me as though I was a magician. His expression told me that he thought they would be hard to find. I knew that I would find one.
The next two days were hard work but we were rewarded by the house appearing at the top of the mound. We used stones from the river to give a sound base and to build a tower at one corner. The door way was built half way up the tower with a ladder next to it. Thomas looked at the structure doubtfully. “It will not be easy to get in and out my lord.”
“I know but that is its function. If we are attacked by the Scots I intend to make it as hard for them to get in as possible.”
I rewarded the workers with a half penny each and they went away happy. We left Thomas to finish off the roof and the lath whilst we rode down the road to Coxold. I could see that Ridley was eager to emulate me and, having managed to acquire two sorry looking horses the four of us rode east. Osbert had performed well and the shields of the two brothers were painted with my red horse. We were hardly Housecarls but, armoured as we were, we looked martial enough. The two parishes were remarkably close to each other and we were but a couple of hours apart. It was smaller than Topcliffe but it had a fine old church, St Michaels and, as we later found out, a less avaricious priest.
All of Ridley’s fears were allayed when he met Garth, the Steward. He was an old white haired man but he
was delighted to see a new lord. “Jove himself has sent you master for we have been praying that the king would send a saviour to us and here you are.”
We discovered that the previous lord, Ragnar, had been part of a plot to invite Harald Hadrada to come to Jorvik. He had been executed and his land taken by the crown. All the monies from the estate had gone directly to the crown for the priest, who was a holy man refused to flatter and fawn on the Bishop. Now that Ridley had arrived things could only get better. He also had a fine house partly built of stone and I think he felt guilty that I had so little by comparison. When he offered to house me I shook my head, “I am pleased, my oldest friend, for it means I can take my men back to my demesne and build that up without worrying about you!” I took him to one side. “I feel a storm coming Ridley. The attempt on the King’s life was a sign and since we have returned I sense that people around here are unhappy with the Earl. War will come sooner, rather than later and we should be prepared.”
Chapter 10
Jorvik 1065
War did come but not as swiftly as I had expected. We had the autumn and the winter to consolidate our holdings. My citadel was finished and I was proud of my tower. Thomas had managed to acquire a blacksmith, Ralph of Thirsk, and we had not only produced fine weapons and mail but also improved the tools we used on the farm. The money the priest had returned was not the full amount but I knew that I had had all that he could lay his hands on and my threat of exposure meant that he worked for me and not against me. My people were religious and the last thing I needed was to alienate my church. My retinue was now larger. We had four men at arms and two archers not counting the brothers. During the winter I had seen that Osbert was a good warrior and he now fought in my old armour with sword and spear. It felt good to be riding the hills with my men. Ridley too had four men at arms and his property was doing as well as mine.
When Earl Tostig raised the taxes so much that I knew people would starve, we refused to pay. We were not the only ones and were not singled out but when we heard that the Earl had led his Housecarls from Jorvik to collect the taxes we knew that trouble was coming and prepared accordingly. I ensured that there were plenty of supplies of food in my tower. If we were attacked then my people could be safe behind my wooden walls and we could laugh a siege to scorn. I invited Ridley to join me but he had become quite attached to his land and determined to defend it. He did take up my offer of weapons for his fyrd however for my smithy, a huge man called Ralph, made fine short swords and axe heads. With Osbert training my fyrd after church on Sundays I was confident that they would fight well.
One morning one of Ridley’s men galloped in on Ridley’s horse. “My Lord, Thegn Ridley says that there are armed men heading up the road from Jorvik intent upon taking taxes.”
“Up the Roman road?”
“Yes sir. My master is waiting there now for you with his fyrd and his men.”
“We will be there shortly.”
“Thomas, ring the bell for the fyrd and get the people in the citadel. Osbert prepare the men.”
We had been planning this for some time and the fyrd and their families flocked to the citadel. Taking their tearful goodbyes I led my forty men down the road. I took just one horse for I knew that, whatever occurred, it would be axe work. Ridley had remounted his horse and was at the head of his thirty men. He grinned at me as I arrived and I was astounded in the change the winter had wrought. He was a far more confident man than he had been and the looks on the faces of his men showed that they had loyalty to this young lord who had thrown himself into his work with energy and humour.
“How many are there?”
Ridley shrugged, “The man who told me was not good at counting.” He shouted over to a young eager looking man with a billhook. “Robert, come here.”
“Yes my lord?”
“How many men did you see?” He looked at me in panic. “I swept my arm around our gathering. “More or less than this number?”
He seemed relieved. “Less but they were all armoured.” He pointed at Osbert. “They looked like him.”
“Any riders?”
“Just one at the front.”
“So they are men at arms and not Housecarls. If it is a small number then it will not be the Earl.”
Before I could ask Ridley leaned over to me and said, for all to hear, “You command my lord. My men are yours.”
I was grateful. “How many archers do you have?”
“Five.”
“Branton take the archers and Lord Ridley’s over to that stand of trees on the right. When I shout, ‘Branton’, then keep loosing arrows until you have none left.” Grinning he gathered his band and left. “Osbert gather all the men at arms and line them up before the fyrd.” I dismounted and led my horse to a tree behind our force. Tying him there I returned to the front line. We had ten men with some sort of armour. Only three of us, Ridley, Osbert and myself had mail shirts but the other seven all had helmets and shields. They each had a spear and then either a short axe or a sword. The fyrd were armed with everything from hayforks and billhooks, to hatchets and daggers.
“Some of the Earl’s men are coming up the road. They want to tax us so that we starve and they want to take the food from your bairns’ mouths. They think they will walk in here and take it. I think we will stop them.” They all gave a ragged cheer which gratified me. “We at the front have the armour and we will do any fighting, although I hope that they will return from whence they came peacefully. Your job is to stop them from attacking our sides. When they charge us, push against our backs as though we are a bull you are trying to shift.” They all laughed at the image. “No-one charges until I give the orders. Is that clear?” I had hardened my voice at the end so that they knew I meant it. I turned to the front rank. “I will be in the middle, Ridley to my right and Osbert to my left. The rest of you split yourselves evenly.”
The waiting was the hardest part. I was never a patient man. Osbert sensed my frustration and he began to talk to the man next to him just to break the silence. Osbert was, in his own way a very clever man; he had the ability to get anyone to do what he wanted through persuasion not force. “Is this your first battle then?
“Aye it is.”
“Well remember that if we keep shoulder to shoulder we have more chance of winning. Isn’t that right Lord Aelfraed?”
“It is Osbert.”
“And our two Thegns fought against the Welsh king. Thegn Aelfraed killed their champion and made them run so you need not fear, we have two heroes with us this day.”
I felt uncomfortable at such praise but when I glanced around I could see that everyone looked prouder and more confident, including Ridley. My ears were spared any more unwelcome praise by the sound of a horse’s hooves on the cobbles of the old Roman road. There was a hollow before us and I saw the mailed rider appear over the top. I could not see his face for he had a helmet with a nasal and a mail coif. He also had a kite shield and I wondered if he were a Norman or merely someone who aspired to be one. Our sudden appearance was unexpected which relieved me for it meant they had no scouts out. The line of mailed warriors suddenly spread out behind the rider and I saw that there were but twenty men and only ten had mail shirts. I was confident that if we held our nerve we could defeat them.
The rider rode forwards and halted twenty paces from us. He pushed the helmet back as he said, “Well, well this is my lucky day for not only do I get to take prisoners back to the Earl but I get to kill the Runt!”
It was Edward! “Well brother, a little premature. You can return to the Earl and tell him that his taxes are too high and we will not pay them. When the king hears…”
“Forget the king, it is Earl Tostig who rules this land not the weak man of the cloth who spends his days in prayers.” He saw Ridley for the first time. “Another throwback to be killed.” His face became puzzled for the first time. “Where is your lord, the man you serve?”
I laughed. He did not know who we were. “I am so
rry brother I thought you knew. The King gave me Topcliffe and I am the Thegn of that land.”
Ridley’s voice came out overloud but was effective for all that. “And I am Thegn of Coxold!”
My brother’s face was partly hidden by his mail coif but I could the anger in his face and his eyes. “All that this proves is what a dotard the king has become for appointing two runts to be Thegns. You have made my work today an easy task brother! Charge!”
I had been expecting such treachery and I shouted, “Branton!” I knew that he would do his job and I almost laughed at the ragged, uneven line which lumbered towards us. This was no wedge, not even a shield wall this was a line of ten warriors having a foot race to see who could reach us first. That suited us and I lifted my shield to cover my face and prepared Boar Splitter to spill blood. I noticed that Edward had not charged but sat watching his men as they closed with us. His face suddenly fell as the arrows rained down on his force. Four arrows pitched some of those in the rear rank to the ground. The rest of the rank slowed up, looking for the hidden archers, and it was then that I knew we would win for the front rank now had no support.
The first warrior was so desperate to reach me that he had outrun his fellows. Boar Splitter pierced his skull and spitted his brain. I allowed the blade to fall away and drew my axe. Next to me Osbert had killed his man, as had Ridley. There was just the second rank before me and I swung my axe above my head and roared forwards. The poor warrior before me stood no chance and his head was taken cleanly off by Death Bringer. The blood showered the man next to him and the head rolled along the ground to lie looking at the sky with a surprised look. Edward’s horrified face suddenly saw the dead warriors and the rest looked over to their leader for help and for leadership. In answer Edward dug his spurs into his horse’s flanks and galloped down the road, back to safety. The six survivors turned and fled leaving just the dead , the dying and the wounded on the battlefield.