Baron of the North (5 page)

The woman was persistent, "Walls and ditches did not help at Elsdon. It is warriors that we need."

"I cannot conjure warriors." I saw faces filled with despair. "If any of you wish then you can make new homes further south.  I know that the Palatinate will be defended and I watch over the Tees."

For some reason that brought cheer to their faces. The relentless woman said, "I for one would take you up on your offer, Baron."

There was a chorus of,"Aye."

I saw Edward shake his head. He would have left them to their own devices. "Then on the morrow, all those who wish to travel south will be escorted by my squire, Hugh of Gainford and my wounded warriors. They will protect you but you must watch your own animals on the way south."

The news filled them not only with hope but activity too.  They all departed save the relentless woman whose daughter clung to her skirts still. "I am sorry that I appeared obstinate, my lord, but we had been driven to Elsdon from our home in the east. I lost my men I would not lose my daughter."

"What is your name, mother?"

"Judith wife of John, this is my daughter Susan."

"I do not blame you Judith wife of John.  I would do the same for my family if I were in danger but I do not promise an easy life in Stockton."

"Just so long as you promise me protection then we will fend for ourselves."

After she had gone I summoned Oswald, Hugh and Gille. "You will need to be patient on the way south. I know that we could travel it in one day.  These people cannot."

Oswald nodded, "I will watch over them Baron.  I have spoken with them for the last few days and they are good people."

"And I am honoured that you put them under my protection too Baron.  We will treat them as though they are our own." Hugh was taking his responsibilities seriously.  That was a good sign. He would soon be ready for knighthood.

With the wounded men and those, like Oswald, who had been caring for us left, we were a small number. We spent the next two days improving Otterburn's defences.  The ditches were deepened and my men gave the villagers lessons in using weapons.  It was not enough but it was all that we could do. On the third day I took my conroi on a leisurely ride through Elsdon, Rothbury and back to Morpeth. There was no sign of the Scots save the devastation they had left.  We saw flocks of carrion in the skies over farms where the living had been replaced by corpses. My warriors too were depressed.  We had driven the Scots hence but this still felt like failure.

Edward asked me, as we rode south from Rothbury, "This Guy Fitzwaller why do you think he is here?"

"He is an opportunist.  We have had them before, have we not?  And, more importantly, if the Empress is to marry Geoffrey of Anjou then there will be little opportunity for him to ferment rebellion in his homeland.  What surprised me is that he has not gone to Italy.  The rewards are greater there than on this border." 

Tristan had been listening and suddenly said, "Baron, perhaps you should look closer to home for the reason."

"What do you mean?"

"If you and your father were responsible for his family losing their estates and their money then it may not be the King alone who is the object of his hatred.  Is a simpler answer that he comes for you?  It is no secret that you defend Durham and the borders. He can find allies aplenty in Scotland.  As we have seen it is not an easy place to defend.  He can become rich, gain power and build up an army.  He can seek greater power. Who knows he make think he can gain a throne up here."

Edward laughed, "You have a fertile mind, Tristan." The young knight coloured, "No, I do not disagree with you.  I think your assessment is a good one it is just that I am a simple soldier and I would not have made all those connections."

I nodded. "And I, too, think you are right. We will spend the winter planning how we deal with this threat.  I would rather campaign here than have to defend my land."

"And do not forget the Irish mercenaries. You bloodied the noses of the Vikings and the Irish last year but both places are filled with swords who seek a lord." Edward shrugged, "I was one such was I not? They can find many such warriors. They are easy to kill but they can still cause us hurt."

We rode in silence as I sifted through all of the information I had just received. Even though we had hurt them over the last few years there would still be individual knights who would join Fitzwaller.  He now had the winter to improve his defences and build up his army.  We had given him a setback but if Alnwick was in his hands then he would attract warriors.

We stayed for three more weeks. We saw no Scots but we were aware of their scouts and their spies.  Aiden found camps and hiding places close to our patrol route. They had learned to evade Aiden's scrutiny. However we knew that they had not departed completely. It was the weather which made us return south.  The first of the hard frosts came followed a day later by a flurry of snow.  Although it soon melted in the morning light we knew that it meant winter was coming. We left Otterburn.  The tower and the village were stronger than when we had arrived but the villagers were unhappy at our departure.

We spent one night with Sir Hugh. We could have hurried home and reached it in one hard day but I needed to apprise the Baron of the situation as I saw it. "I intend to seek permission from the King to take a battle north and recapture Alnwick next year. To do that I will need the help and support of all the knights who have manors north of Durham."

"What you really mean is loyal knights." I nodded, "Then I will send spies to find out their affiliations.  This is a good manor and I would not lose it."

"And Alnwick, what kind of castle is it?"

"Potentially the most powerful castle in the north for the site is a natural fortress but it is still a wooden structure.  I think that was why your enemy captured it with such relative ease."

We left the next day, calling only briefly at Durham to inform Hubert of our news. "I will return in the spring but I will need soldiers from Durham if we are to retake Alnwick and, more importantly, drive these usurpers back to Scotland."

"Then I will spend the winter building up our forces, Baron."

I left him and the Dean preparing for winter in what was now the most important castle in the north.  If a large enough army came then they would sweep through Morpeth and Hexham.  Only Durham would slow up an invader.

By the time we finally reached Stockton the winter had begun in earnest. In days of old this would have meant that many animals would have either been killed by the cold or butchered to be preserved. We had perfected the technique of sharing homes with our animals so that far more survived than when I had first arrived.  It explained our prosperity. Many of those displaced from Elsdon had settled across the river. Thornaby and Preston, as well as Elton, were growing quickly. New huts were already in evidence. I understood the reasons behind the choice.  There was the barrier of my castle and then the river.  A raider from the north would be hard pushed to break through those barriers.

Oswald and Judith had set up home close to the Oxbridge. Since the attack by wolves we had cleared much of the land and Oswald had built a large hut. Hugh told me how the two had been inseparable on the way south.  Judith was not a poor woman; she had three cows and four sheep.  She had had more but they had been lost in the attack. Her daughter, Susan, was also less fearful of gentle Oswald than my warriors.  She had been damaged in the attack. For them both it was a new start and I was pleased for them. They were like Wulfstan and Faren. They had found each other when they were older.

I was just pleased to be in the bosom of my family once more. The last nights in the north had been fearfully cold.  I was too used to my warm castle. The first thing I did, however, after greeting my family and playing with my children was to summon John, son of Leofric, my steward and clerk and dictate a letter to the King.  I sent a copy each to the Archbishop of York and Robert of Gloucester.  I would have sent one to London and the Bishop of Durham but the bishop, it was rumoured, was even closer to death now.  He seemed to be hanging on to life as though it was a prize.  The Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire had done the same. I would have thought a man of God would have welcomed the chance to go to heaven.

I left nothing out of my report. John's eyes widened once or twice but he remained silent.  I wanted the King to draw his own conclusions but I knew what I wished for. I wished for knights who could be trusted to come to the border lands. Finally the missive was finished and John made two more copies. Getting the message to York was relatively easy but I was lucky that Olaf had one more visit to our port before winter set in.  He would deliver the two other messages to London.  I had no idea where the King was but I hoped that the message would reach him.

Then we prepared for winter. I took John and Leofric hunting before the snow began to lie.  Wulfric had our men cutting down as much firewood as possible while Dick and his archers made bows and fletched their arrows. The little money we had made went directly to Alf who made the arrow heads and the new spear heads.  War was expensive. However, as Edward pointed out, peace came at a very high price- much higher than war.

Winter proper arrived a week before Yule. Although the river did not freeze there were thin patches of ice upon it. Edward, Richard of Yarm and Harold joined me in sending men out to hunt the wolves. This was the time to seek them for the cold made their sense of smell weaken and they had yet to create their cubs.  The meat, whilst a little tough would augment our supplies. The late winter was always a time of tightening belts; even for lords of the manor.

It was close to Candlemas when I received a reply to my letter from the King. I had not expected a reply to my other letters. I sat with Hugh, John and Leofric when I read it. I did not read aloud but I commented to them as I read.

Stockton,

I was most disturbed to hear that the Fitzwallers still harboured treacherous thoughts. Your prompt action is gratifying. I am also more than a little angry that many of my lords have decided to abandon their people.

I have summoned D'Umfraville back from his crusade.  He owes me his fealty! I am concerned that there are so few in that part of my kingdom.

I will visit the north when next I visit England. You have my authority, in the meanwhile, to take whatever action you feel necessary to regain Alnwick and to make the border lands safe. New lords will be appointed.  Until that time you will continue to protect the lands north of the Tees.

Henry Beauclerk

              By the Grace of God

                                          King of England, Count of Maine and Duke of Normandy

The seal which was attached to the letter was all the authority I would now need. It was a terse letter and to the point but it matched the King.  He wasted nothing!

"Well what do you make of that?"

"You have more power than any other lord save the Bishop of Durham, Baron."

"But you miss the point, Hugh.  It is now my responsibility. If I do not recapture Alnwick nor keep the border safe then it is I who will suffer and my family. You assume I can do both successfully."

"You can my lord."

"Thank you for your confidence, John, but I have never taken a castle by assault.  The border is many leagues from here and we have fewer knights than the Scots."

Hugh nodded and then leaned forward eagerly, "But it is not the Scots is it, Baron?  It is a rebel knight and the sweepings of the gutter."

"Others will join him. The rebels I fought two years ago will fight alongside him.  They have nothing to lose.  If I defeat them then Fitzwaller will take the blame. If I am defeated then they will all benefit from the victory. Many will fight behind false liveries; I have seen it before in Flanders. We have this winter to make the three of you into fine warriors.  With luck, Hugh, you shall be knighted next year."

"I fear I have much to learn and… to be truthful, Baron I am a little fearful of going back to Gainford."

"I can understand that. You should be looking around now for those men at arms you might like to follow your banner when you have one.  It would not do any harm to visit Gainford now and again.  Remember what Dick said about archers.  If I were in your position then I would train up a large number of archers."

"But will we be campaigning in the coming year?"

"Aye.  As soon as the first sign of spring comes then I will send for my barons and we will move north.  We will have to leave before the lambing season and before the animals are returned to their pastures."

Often times we make plans and when we attempt to put them into operation they fail.  At other times you make plans and they are jeopardised from the start. My most reliable knight, archers and men at arms belonged to Edward.  He came to see me a week after I had received the letter from the King. His face told its own story as he approached me in my inner ward. "Baron, I have been summoned to Anjou to attend the wedding of the Empress Matilda and Geoffrey of Anjou."

Now I saw the reason for the short letter from the King. The King knew what he was doing. "It is not your fault, Edward."

"I know but you are going to campaign in the north and I will not be there."

"But you go to guard the Empress, possibly for the last time. I am happy that you, Rolf and the Swabians will be there to watch her once more. It is right that you go."

"I do not need to take my whole garrison."

"No, but you will need to leave some men to guard your manor.  I shall be away and Wulfstan will be hard pressed enough as it is."

"Baron, I leave you with a heavy heart." His face showed his earnestness. "Beware this Fitzwaller. Your young knights think that they have easily bested him but from what you have told me he is a cunning warrior.  Be wary. Expect tricks and expect treachery. I have served such knights when I was younger.  I know what they are like. I will return as soon as I am able."

"Thank you, Edward; I too will miss your mighty right hand.  When you see the Empress…" I tailed off lamely.

"I know Baron.  I will find the words."

"The words are easy, old friend; they are goodbye."

Without Edward I had more planning to do myself. In this I was aided by both Hugh and John my steward. John and Leofric were both willing squires but they were unused to such enterprises. We spent the next few days poring over lists and musters and determining which knights we should take and how many of their men. It was not as large a list as I had hoped.  We only took archers who could be mounted. That limited my choice for some knights did not have horses for all of their men. We had to leave men at arms and archers to guard the castles and manors we left behind; I was mindful of the words of Edward and, as we would be away during the busy season on the land we could take no servants with us.  It meant we had but eight knights, ten squires who would be required to see to all of our needs, forty four men at arms, forty archers and five crossbows. I know that Dick would be angry at the crossbows but, if we were to assault a castle, then I needed all the missiles I could muster.

I spent a week, with my squires, riding around the manors and telling them of my orders. They were all gratifyingly happy. Tristan was convinced that he would gain a manor in the north from this. I did not like such over confidence. The others had not campaigned with me in the autumn and were eager for action. We left at the end of March. Even that was later than I would have hoped but it took time to gather such a force together. This time we took our war horses as well as palfreys and sumpters; Fitzwaller had knights.

Hubert had not found as many men for me as I would have hoped. I was disappointed in his efforts.  In fact I was not even certain he had bothered to gather a muster. He had Ralph Espec who brought with him four men at arms and four archers.  He had had more but they were not mounted and I wanted a swift force. I also refused the fifty men of the fyrd who had been raised. They were unreliable and more trouble than they were worth. They either charged off, as they had at Hastings, or fled the field when things went badly. He did however,  give me a priest, Father John, and the standard of St. Cuthbert as well as a holy relic.  Two other priests accompanied Father John.  I knew how valuable such a Pyx could be. Finally we were ready and we rode north under fine banners and standards. As we headed along the Roman Road towards Hexham, Richard of Yarm and Raymond de Brus flanked me.

"My son tells me that you sent back a larger force at the Coquet. Perhaps that bodes well for us."

"No, Richard, we dispersed Irish mercenaries.  Not a knight was taken and they have had the winter to gather allies.  I have no doubt that they have been doing as we and building up their forces."

Raymond had little experience this far north.  "And can we expect much help from the local lords?"

"Sir Hugh is the most important. Guiscard of Morpeth, too can be depended upon but the main lords, Gospatric and the like have fled to their Scottish lands.  They will not show themselves in open rebellion but they side with the Scots. The D'Umfraville family was given the land but, until they are summoned back from the Holy land there is an empty land where there should be bristling spears."

Hexham brought hope to my heart.  Sir Hugh had not been idle.  He had improved his defences and spent his money wisely. He would be supplying twenty men at arms, ten archers and he had six foresters as scouts. We camped close by the castle next to the river on the wide flood plain. I held a council of war. I had more knights this time and I wanted them all to know what was in my mind.

"We will travel to Morpeth and move up the coastal road.  Our first aim is to recapture Alnwick. Once that has been achieved then we will drive any other Scots back to Berwick and the border."

Ralph Espec was new to me.  I felt happy about the qualities of the rest of my knights but he was an unknown quantity. "Have we the men to attack a castle? Where are the fyrd who will make the assault?"

I smiled, "I have only attacked one or two castles but even I know that sending the fyrd to make the assault would guarantee failure. We weaken the castle first and then we use knights and men at arms to capture it."

Ralph shook his head, "That too would be doomed to failure."

Before I could speak Harold said, "It is how the Baron took Hexham from the rebels and now Sir Hugh has improved it."

Ralph looked at Harold who still looked little older than a youth.  "You fought here then? Were you a child?"

That could have caused offence but Harold merely laughed, "I have been fighting since I was but ten summers old.  Do not let my lack of a full beard deceive you."

They all laughed and I said, "If age and beards were qualifications to fight then I would have brought my old men with me.  Fear not Ralph of Fishburn; I will not waste lives and we will capture the castle." I spoke with a confidence I did not feel. I had a plan but I wanted to see the castle first.

We picked up Guiscard and another fourteen men from Morpeth.  It would not do to leave that most important of river crossings unguarded. It gave us ten knights and, more importantly over seventy men at arms.  Wulfric was my Sergeant At Arms.  He knew how to command.  Dick was my Captain of archers. Some of those we had brought were not of the quality of Dick's finest but they would do.  They were all mounted and would be able to move swiftly around the field of battle. Their arrows would whittle down the enemy but it would be Dick and my best archers who would win the day.

We reached the mouth of the Aln. Although a wide estuary, it was shallow enough at low tide not to present an obstacle.  The scouts we had brought told us that the castle was on the southern side of the river which was narrow and easily fordable.  We crossed the estuary and made camp on the northern bank.  I had no doubt that we were seen.  We were too large a band to be missed. Although most of those in the area might be loyal to King Henry, it had changed hands too many times over the years for that to be certain.  I wanted us to be seen. I needed our enemies to come for us.