English Knight (20 page)

I had to lean to one side of Star to slice down at the men who tried to make themselves as small a target as possible. Sometimes their mail and their helmets saved their life as my sword failed to find a vital organ but each one I struck was out of the battle. I had a powerful arm, lifting blocks of stone had ensured that and my sword was a powerful and well made weapon. If I hit them they went down and stayed down. My descent down the valley was marked by a trail of dead and wounded Welshmen.

We were no longer galloping.  Even Star was tiring but I could see the sea ahead.  With any luck there would be a line of men at arms and King Henry waiting for them. I saw the brilliance of his plan.  We had been the beaters driving the prey into the trap that was the men at arms. They would be a solid line of shields bristling with a variety of weapons.  The Welsh had nowhere to go. They would break themselves upon King Henry’s steel.

I watched them slow as the line of men at arms appeared from valley side to valley side. Sir Richard shouted, “Leave those and bear left! Follow those knights!” I glanced to where he pointed.  There were twenty or thirty knights and men at arms riding hard to the south.  They were trying to escape.  Their fluttering Gonfanon showed that there were a number of Barons amongst them.

I wheeled Star to the left and with Sir Richard close by we joined Robert of Gloucester. I found myself riding to his left. He turned his head.  “Still with me eh? That is a fine warhorse.” He had no lance but his sword dripped with blood and gore.  There were just twenty of us. Others were either engaged upon the field or one or two had suffered wounds to their horses.  Twenty knights would be more than enough to deal with the threat which remained.

“Ride in a column of four!”

The land was climbing and it was hard to maintain a line twenty knights abreast. The others pulled in behind us. It was a trot rather than a gallop. The Welsh knights ahead made the mistake of trying to whip their horses up the slope. They were blown and we watched as the fleeing knights became an extended line. Robert of Gloucester stood in his stirrups and, leaning forward, brought his sword down across the back of the last Welsh man at arms in the line. Robert of Gloucester was a hugely powerful knight.  The blow split the man at arm’s back open to the bone and he tumbled from the horse. His dying cry made the next four knights turn and when they saw us approach the four of them held up their hands and shouted, “We surrender! Quarter!”

It was lucky for them that Robert of Gloucester led us for he was able to rescind his earlier order. “Sir Guy, secure our prisoners!”

One of his knights reined in to watch those who had surrendered and the rest of us carried on.

The land spread out in a small plateau before rising to sharp rocks, cliffs and gullies. Three knights darted to our left.

“Sir Alfraed, fetch them!”

I wheeled left, taking Sir Richard with me. Star seemed to be coping well with the difficult terrain and the land was flatter.  I urged him on and began to outstrip Sir Richard.  I angled my attack so that I came at the last knight from his shield side.  He would feel protected. I noticed that he was riding a palfrey and not a destrier. I stood in my stirrups and leaned forward. Star did not falter as he crashed into the knight’s horse and I brought my blade down hard upon his shield and his shoulder.  Our joint attack threw both horse and rider to the ground where he remained stunned.

I wheeled Star around and Sir Richard and I came up alongside the second knight.  We were on both sides of his him and he threw his sword to the ground, “Quarter!” I was becoming tired but there was still one knight relentlessly trying to evade us. God must have been with us for the knight tried to jump over a small stream and his horsed faltered.  He flew from its back and his head was crushed against the small rocky cliff which rose to our right.

I reined in Star. The battle was over.

Sir Richard searched the body of the dead knight and secured the horse.  I returned to the knight who had surrendered. He bowed and held his sword, hilt first towards me, “I a
m
 
Cynwrig ap
Cynan and I am your prisoner…”

“Alfraed of Stockton. Bring your horse and we will see to your companion.”

“That is my elder brother Gruffyd ap Cynan.”

“Then I hope that your family has gold or you will rot in Chester castle.”

The young man gave me a worried look. The stunned warrior stood as we approached.  My prisoner asked, “Are you hurt brother?”

He took off his helmet and shook his head.  His expression showed that he regretted the action immediately. “I have a bloodied head.  That is all.”

Sir Richard arrived with the last knight’s body draped over the saddle of the horse. Cynwrig bowed his head, “Well Gruffyd you are head of the family now, our father is dead.”

There were no tears and the two brothers led their father’s horse and carried his body back to the battlefield. We walked back for there was no need to rush and Star deserved the rest.  The squires and the archers covered the valley sides.  They looked like a flock of crows picking over the dead. They sought anything of value. By nightfall it would be the turn of the foxes and the rats to begin to rid the field of the bodies.

Robert of Gloucester waited for us.  There were six sad looking knights surrounded by our companions. Our leader grinned at us. “You have done well.” He spread an arm around the prisoners.  “We have all done well. We share the ransom!”

It was not a request it was a command but I understood.  For the day we had fought beneath his banner.  He was entitled to determine the spoils. Sir Richard and I would not make as much as we might have done but we would have enough and we had won the favour of the king’s son.  I was learning that such trades were worth making. I also knew that Harold, Dick and John would have gathered a great deal of booty from the dead. They were my men and they fought for me.

By the time we reached the mouth of the valley we saw the huge number of prisoners who had been captured. It had been a great victory. King Henry greeted his son with a huge grin and a bear like embrace.  He winced a little and I saw the bandage on his arm.  He had been struck by an arrow. He dismissed the wound as nothing. “It is like the Welsh king, a little prick!” Everyone laughed. He put his good arm around Robert of Gloucester. “What a son! You have done well Robert.” He was close enough for me to hear his words. “
Maredudd ap Bleddyn has fled towards Anglesey.  Tomorrow morning take your battle and demand his surrender.  If he does not then tell him I will put his land to the sword and make Powys a wasteland. I would go but I have a pin prick of a wound.  I am not in a good humour.  Your words might be kinder.”

“Aye father.” He nodded to me.  “You were right about this cockerel.  He is a fast blade!”

“I know.  He is one we should watch!”

Although he was smiling I felt a threat in his words.  However that night I was happy.  I had fought in my first battle as a knight and I had acquitted myself well.  None of my men had been hurt and all had profited from the day. It did not get any better. As we ate around our camp fire Robert of Gloucester sought us out. “We will not need our destrier tomorrow. Speed is of the essence. Bring your archers, Sir Alfraed, my squire told me they did well today.”

I nodded, “They are the best archers in England.”

He looked at them, “As good as the outlaws of the woods?”

I smiled and said, enigmatically, “Their equal, at least.”

Robert of Gloucester burst out laughing. “You are no spoiled aristocrat I can see that!”

Edward and the others had had a good day. They brought out their spoils and divided it up.  They were going to include Sir Richard and me but I shook my head.  “We have ransom coming.  You deserve the victory.”

Harold was full of the battle. It was the first time he had fought without me by his side. His experiences both with me and in the woods had stood him in good stead.  He, along with Dick and John, had used their arrows well and brought down two knights. I discovered later that they had killed a local leader and it had precipitated the head long pursuit of the archers. My conroi was held in high esteem by our comrades.

As we galloped along the coast road the next day I found that Sir Robert de Brus had fared less well. His squires and men at arms had been too busy looting and it had allowed the Welsh king to escape. His men had also allowed the enemy archer to close with the king and to wound him.  King Henry was not a forgiving man. He had De Brus and his knights sent back to Hartness without any ransom as a punishment. I later wondered if this contributed to the treachery of De Brus. Our campaign was not over but the king had broken the hearts of the opposition and we could mop up the last vestiges of resistance with those that remained.

“Will the king not wish to conquer Wales?”

Robert of Gloucester swept his hand around the mountains which surrounded us.  “What in God’s name for?  You cannot grow grain here.  Anglesey is the only prize worth having and it is preyed upon by the Irish pirates.  No, my father will fine this Maredudd ap Bleddyn harshly and we will go to Maine.”

“Is there trouble there?”

He leaned in to me. “Count Fulk of Anjou promised his daughter Matilda to my half brother, William, who drowned on the White Ship.  He wants the dowry back he gave and my father is loath to return it.  Count Fulk has come from Outremer, the Holy Land. He is a rich man now and a more dangerous enemy than he was. Lie all rich men he is never content with the riches he has and seeks more. The men of Anjou will prove a harder nut to crack than these Welsh.”

Ahead we saw a stone tower surrounded by a curtain wall.  The castle was well sited for the mountains rose on one side and the sea was on the other.  I wondered what Robert of Gloucester would do.  It looked too difficult for us to assault.  He did not seem worried. We halted out of bow range.  Robert rode forward to address the castle. “I am Robert of Gloucester, the emissary of King Henry of England and Normandy.  I have a message for King Maredudd ap Bleddyn.  Is he within?”

There was no reply.  All that we could hear was the crash of the waves on the beach and the cries of the gulls.  All within the tower were silent. “Come, make haste.  We have much ransom to collect and we have little enough time to waste on a beaten king who ran with his tail between his legs.”

A figure appeared at the gate house, “I am King Maredudd ap Bleddyn; what does your king require of me?”

Robert of Gloucester laughed, “Why, your surrender of course. Your knights are dead or captured and we have a mighty host ready to tear your land apart should you refuse our kind and generous offer.”

“Fine words for someone who is beyond my walls whilst we are safe within.”

Robert of Gloucester laughed, “This is not a castle! This is a pile of stones gathered from the beach and if I so chose I could take it with my battle of knights.” He began to jerk his horse’s head around, “If that is you answer then I will find my king and he will bring the full force of his army upon you.  I, for one, would fear his wrath!”

“Stay!” The voice sounded resigned, “What are your terms?”

Robert of Gloucester turned his horse around, “Terms?  I told you, total surrender.  My father will determine the size of the fine for your destruction and rampage in Cheshire. You are beaten and you know it. You are wasting my time. What say you?”

There was a brief silence, “Very well.  I agree.  Open the gates.”

Robert of Gloucester turned to me, “Return to my father and tell him that King Maredudd ap Bleddyn has surrendered.”

I led my warriors back to the main camp. The king was delighted with the result. He turned to Ranulf. “You command here.  I will take Alfraed and my household knights.  Send for the ransoms. I would have us away from here before the end of the month!”

I felt honoured to be riding with the leading knights of the land.  All wore armour as good, if not better than mine and they were from the noblest families in the land.  It was sad to realise that within twenty years they would be fighting each other and picking over the corpse that would be England but on that glorious day we rode with Gonfanon flying and armour gleaming.  We saw not a single Welshmen.  They fled in fear at the sight of the mighty host. Robert of Gloucester had secured all the prisoners and the Welsh king dropped to his knees when King Henry sat on his temporary throne.

“You have been a foolish king, Maredudd ap Bleddyn.  You have dared to attack my lands.  Your knights have paid a fearful price and now you shall pay an even greater one. I fine you and your people ten thousand head of cattle! They shall be delivered before we leave!”

“But my liege, that is too great a number.”

“Nonetheless that is the number that you will provide and we will hold you and your family prisoner here until they are delivered.” He leaned forward and said, threateningly, “I leave you your sheep but my men will eat mutton until the cattle are here.  Unless you wish your people to both starve and freeze this winter then deliver my cattle sooner rather than later.  You have fourteen nights to do so.”

He was a beaten man.  He sent out his riders to begin to collect the cattle.  I could not begin to conceive of the size of a herd of ten thousand cattle. As we made camp in the valley close to the castle I asked Robert of Gloucester what the king would do with the cattle when he had them.

He laughed, “I can see that you are new to this. The king will take half.  Ranulf and I will each take half of the ones who remain and the remaining half will be divided between the knights who fought for the king.  Sir Robert has returned to his home in Hartness and so that means there are one hundred and sixty knights who will share the bounty. You represent one fiftieth of the knights and so your share will be fifty cattle.”

We were rich.  With the ransom from the captured knights and the cattle we would return to Norton with enough cattle and gold to pay our taxes for years to come. My father had been right to come to England.  This was indeed a land of opportunity. If all my campaigns were as easy and successful as this one then I could build an even bigger and better castle than the one I had.

It was late September when we left with our cattle and our gold to return north to Norton. The king requested that I provide three knights and thirty men at arms in April the following year for a campaign in Maine. I was to be at Caen before the start of spring. I knew that there was little point in protesting and, to be honest I was looking forward to more loot and spoils of war. Even dour Sir Richard seemed happy as we headed slowly north leading our fifty cattle. We had also managed to acquire some sheep.  They were, ostensibly, food for the journey home but I knew that we could use them to induce people to farm our land. We had captured some five palfreys and a rouncy.  They carried the chest with the forty gold pieces of ransom which were mine. My men and Sir Richard had their share of ransoms. There would be many impoverished Welsh families and King Maredudd ap Bleddyn would not go to war so quickly again.  His knights would need to recover their fortune. My men could not believe the riches they were taking back.  Edward and Sarah the Ale wife would be wed and I knew that Edward had plans for an inn in the town.  Others had similar dreams.  What Sir Richard would do with his money I had no idea.  He never seemed to spend anything. I still found him too cold and distant to be a friend.

Each time we halted in a town, on the way home, we attracted attention.  Out of work men at arms sought employment with me.  I let Edward pick the best.  He knew his men.  It was close to Harrogate, however, that we had our stroke of fortune.  We were passing the stocks and I saw a man with a white apron being pelted with rotten fruit. This had been a familiar sight as we had passed north for it was a common punishment.  There was, however, something about this man that attracted my attention.  He did not look cowed but he stared each person who passed in the eye. He had pride despite the indignity he was suffering. I waved my men forward and dismounted.

“What is your crime, sir?”

He shook his head defiantly, “No crime, sir, I am innocent.”

I shook my head.  It was ever thus with criminals.  The gaols and prisons were full of innocent men. I half turned to leave. “Then you deserve your punishment.”

“Sir, you look like a kind man.  You are the first to stop and not to punish me.  Will you not hear me out?”

I thought of my father and knew that he would have listened. “Speak.” I was aware that while I stood there no one threw anything at him.  I was not a fool.  The man was getting some respite from the abuse but I would hear him out. I had given my word.

“I am William of Knaresborough and I was the miller there.  I left my father’s mill and came here with my wife. We found success.  I took on a young apprentice and taught him all that I knew about grinding grain. What I did not know was that they were making free behind my back.  I worked too hard and spent longer at the mill than in my hearth. They enjoyed themselves in my absence. Stone and chalk were found in my bread.  I was accused by the village of trying to defraud them.  My wife and my apprentice also accused me and I was thrown from my home.  She and my apprentice now have my mill and I am punished for working too hard and being blind to the deceit under my roof.”