Mistress of mistresses (50 page)

Lessingham
struck camp in the misty early dawn of Friday, marched by the road south a mile
or so, then turning suddenly north-eastward behind Proud Eldir, the little
black crag that stands on the last spur of the ridge that runs south-west for
two leagues or more from Eldir itself, took to the rocky upland valley of
Nivararnadale and so came with his army up into the bare wild hill-country that
goes up to the watershed of Swaleback. The spring was late, and there were
still snowdrifts where the gills look northwards, and ice sometimes in the
passes. A wind sprang up out of the north-east, bringing hail and sleet in
swirls. Breath of man and horse blew misty on the ice-cold air, and the beards
and mustachios of Lessingham and his men were stiffened with hoar-frost. Their
march was due east among the heights till past noon, then in a sweep
south-east, south, and so down south-westward from Stoopland Brink. In the
failing light they rode down to the fir-wood's edge that fringes the open
pasture-lands of Leveringay. The wood and the gathering darkness covered thejr
presence: cold they supped and ill, and cold they laid them down.

Ercles's
pickets came in to report no enemy this side of Eldir. None the less, as night
wore, Ercles began to be ware of somewhat afoot. About the third hour after
midnight he summoned his captains and upon counsel taken bade make all ready
and so be in posture to join battle, if need be, at point of day. Lessingham
waked all night maintaining a kind of frettling skirmishes all night long
against Ercles's outposts, as if he feared nothing so much as that Ercles
should carry away his army westwards ere battle could be joined, and so touch
hands with Jeronimy; for, call it a fine rashness against so great odds to
fight with either, Ercles or Jeronimy, to have fought with both at once had
been plain madness. But Ercles and his held good espial north-westward along
the high road, mindful too of these threatenings from the wood upon their right
north-eastward, which yet they supposed belike (since, when the sun is set,
all beasts are in the shade) sheltered but some country levies gathered to
harry the prince's march and take any stragglers they might hap upon. No man
was so fantastical as look that way for Lessingham, last seen at Arrowfirth
head, or imagine he and his army could cross, like a flight of battle-cranes,
with such suddenness and in such weather and thus early in the year, so wild a
tract of mountain and surprise the prince's army upon the flank.

At
spring of day Lessingham drew up his men before the wood and let blow up the
war-blast. Ercles disposed his battle hastily as best he might, his main battle
in the centre, the levies from the free towns upon the wings. His main battle,
that had in it his own bodyguard of two hundred chosen men and was all of old
tried soldiers, alone outwent in numbers the whole vicarial army under
Lessingham which, like a mighty storm thundering from out of the north-east,
now fiercely assaulted them. Under that onslaught, this main battle alone of
Ercles's held ground: the levies, beginning to be cut down in heaps, presently
broke. In an hour, the field was won. Lessingham carried the pursuit to the
out-fields of Mornagay and about by Shottenshaw and Hangwater and the
Rid-dering valley. Some fled east to the fell with Brandremart at their heels:
some scattered westwards: some fled into the tower of Leveringay. The prince
himself escaped to Eldir. There were, by estimation, slain in that battle, and
in the rout, seven or eight hundred of his army: scarce had it been more had
every soldier of Lessingham's slain his man. Of Lessingham's side but three
lost their lives: but one of these was Hortensius, to the Queen a servant of
price.

Twelve
days Lessingham rested his army after that battle. Men drew to him from the
countryside, and he was now fourteen or fifteen hundred strong. Last news of
the Admiral was that he had, of all arms, somewhat less than three thousand
men, and lay this night, the eighteenth of May, but ten miles off, at Ran«by.
The next morning Lessingham said to his men, 'You have come south with me upon
an enterprise to throw down them that would o'erset the ancient governance of
this land of Rerek, and to bring again the Queen's peace upon all this land,
like as it was when we fared north last summer to Rialmar. Them that followed
and obeved Prince Ercles, when he would poll pill and shave the Queen's
subjects in these parts about Leveringay and Mornagay, we have bloodily
overthrown. Now there be many a hundred men here that follow me in war who have
their belongings 'twixt these parts and the coastlands. For sake of these that
have served me truly in every tide, loth should I be to bid 'em fare south now
and leave their homes and families to the Admiral and his h'red fighters out of
Fingiswold or Meszria, that are not friends nor well willers of yours. Nor I
like it not we should turn our back on these pick-purses: leave 'em so, when
they have gotten our money, then to strike us in the brain from behind. If it
be odds against us, I care not, seeing that which was seen o' Saturday two
weeks. But now is no time to play the lither-by now, or lazy lubber. We must
on, and we must in, and we must in deep: huddle blow upon blow. And now, if
there be a man had rather turn back now 'stead of follow me against the
Admiral, let him stand forth. I will bid him go in peace.' But the whole army
roared with a great shouting that they would follow him and drive the Admiral
back into the sea.

The
Lord Jeronimy, considering with himself that he had force of men sufficient to
crush Lessinp.ham: that Lessingham even so was eager for battle, and moved now
upon Rangby to engage him: that a patient outlengthing of delays is of good
effect to wear down such rash hasty spirits: that westward the landfolk bore
slacker allegiance to the house of Parry than they of these more inner parts:
that being enticed westward Lessingham would be the less likely to draw to any
dangerous head, and that the face of the land there, standing much in mud and
ooze and much cut about with streams, was less fit for horsemen, wherein was
the main power of Lessingham but the Admiral's weakness: weighing these
things, the Lord Jeronimy wisely refused battle and fell back north-westwards,
drawing Lessingham after him towards Telia. A little beyond Arminy he changed
his course leftward and lay that night at Bank. Lessingham, willing to force
battle ere the Admiral should win to Kaima, came by swift marching across to
the coast-road at Minearness, three or four leagues east of Kaima castle and
betwixt it and Jeronimy; but Jeronimy, still holding his enemy off, swung now
south-eastward into Fitheryside again and the open marish lakelands and
streamlands. Lessingham, thus drawn in a circle into this little habited and
little friendly countryside, could gather little sure tidings now, save by his
own men's eyes and tongues. He came at evening of the twenty-second of May to
the farm at Ridinghead, that sits on a rise between the low lands of Westerwater
and the Fithery. It was a dank unseasonable misty evening. The farm was
deserted and no intelligence to be had. With the fall of darkness the rain
began in a heavy downpour, and so settled in for the night. Lessingham supposed
the Admiral heading now for Streamsteads, whither next morning he was minded to
follow him. But not to be caught by any means at unawares in so thick and
water-curtained a night of darkness, he threw out his sentinels and outposts
far afield upon every hand with command to maintain an alert through every hour
till morning.

The
lord Admiral with his forward passed a bridge into Eastering Side and there
lay. But as evening fell and the weather thickened, he called a council of his
chief officers, whether it were not now the moment to dislodge and to draw
westwards again toward Lessingham, happily to surprise him in the night and in
these unhandy water-soggen ways destroy him. Which thing being by all applauded
as rrood and forthwith put in ure, they came short of their suppose so far that
Lessingham's out-sentinels brought him word of the enemv's approach in time for
him to array his army to receive them.

Day
broke up, grey and wet, while Lessingham posted his men for battle. The foot,
between five and six hundred strong, he posted upon the right where the high
ground runs down south and east beyond the steadings. Of these was Brandremart
in command, and Lessingham bade him bear forth there the Queen's banner of
Fingiswold, so as the enemy should think that here was the Captain-General and
his main battle, and should that way throw the main weight of their assault
accordingly. The steadings and outbuildings along the ridge in the middle he
held lightly with but a handful of men, bidding them still make great show and
din as if of numbers so as the Admiral should imagine a strength of men there
and Lessingham's whole force more than the little it was. The whole main body
of horse Lessingham held on purpose out of sight upon his left, behind the
crest of the little hill, north or leftwards of the farmstead. Towards
Fitheryside the ground falls gently to a bottom of moss and bog with a little
syke running along beyond it, may be a half mile's distance from the farm.
Below the steadings eastwards it is rough muirland, overrun with heather and
sweet gale and here and there a dwarfed birch straggling among the blaeberry
bushes and tussocks of coarse grass.

The
lord Admiral drew up his battle east of the syke, and they advanced now, the
main body of foot in the centre little short of three thousand strong, and upon
either wing two hundred and fifty horse. But Brandremart, beholding the enemy
before him cumbered (and most of all, their horse) in soft ground where they
must cross the syke, forgot in that fever the orders laid down for him by Lessingham,
and forgot the vantage of his position on the hill and the odds of seven to one
they bare in men against him, and suddenly, unable to abide this waiting for
them to attack him up- the slope, came down with his five hundred, point and
edge upon them. Gayllard and Bezardes stood with Lessingham at the corner of a
wall north of the northernmost cow-byre whence they could overlook the whole
unfolding of the battle: the fury of Brandremart's onset: the bloody brunt in
the low wet bog-land: and now the weight of numbers thrusting him back south
and west towards the upper ground: and great man-slaying they saw was befallen
now. Both in a breath, they willed Lessingham take pity of Brandremart and his:
bid the horse charge and succour them.

Lessingham
stood there stiff and erect, like an arrow new-fastened in the ground from a
far shot. His nostrils quivered: his eyes like wind-troubled stars stared down
intg the hurly-burly. 'Not yet, on your life,' answered he. They, knowing that
look, durst not for a minute speak to him again.

'My
lord,' said Gayllard at length: 'flesh and blood can no more. Let us in to help
them. See, they are thrust backward up to the pigstyes and the hay-garths.
Shall your men die like sheep? Shall my own brother Brandremart? And half of
'em butchered belike already! O 'tis past bearing!'

Lessingham,
never shifting his gaze, shut his hand upon Gayllard's strong wrist like hasps
of iron. 'Will you lose me this battle?' he said: 'you and Brandremart?' He
watched the field in silence a minute: then, 'He at least is about man's
work—ha! see the heads fly off: cabbages under his drawing swash-blows! But
hath outjumped the time: so, as he brews so must he bake. But you,' he said
after a while, through gritted teeth, 'you and Bezardes, be still, you were
best. Show me by your quietness you be men, and fit to govern an army—ha! well
done, by heavens!— govern an army. Aspy the time. Then strike. Not to stand
quittering like quails when the event walketh on razors* edges—' In a sudden
witched stillness, his voice faded to silence: a stillness and a silence that
had in that rush and tumult of outward things no proper being, save as it were
of shadows thrown by the sudden stiffening of Lessingham's eye and mind to a
yet tenser strain of inward readiness, while he stared across into the unequal
battle, as a great beast's sinews should gather and stiffen before the spring.

'Now!'
he said, letting go Gayllard's wrist. The word came as a trumpet's blare, and
the face of him, suddenly facing them, as the thunder-smoke of dawn.

The
lord Admiral Jeronimy, well assured now of a most complete victory, looked on
the battle from a knoll upon the other side to the eastward, beholding (not
without some discomfort, as at a sight his very flesh rebelled against) how the
royal banner of Fingiswold staggered still backwards, with sway ings and
swoopings and sudden backward rushes, towards the steadings. From which
contemplation he was suddenly shaken by the trumpets and shout and thundering
hooves of Lessingham's horse that swept now round and down from the shoulder of
the low hill on the west, and came upon his right flank like a rock-fall. The
Admiral's two hundred and fifty horse were swept like a herd of goats before
that onset, and the flank of his main army of footsoldiery left bare. These,
taken at open shields with so well knit a body of fresh horsemen, and in the
moment when they had supposed the work done, all save the slaying of
Lessingham's remnant among the pigstyes, found for a time in that reeling
confusion no respite and no rallying-point. Brandremart, in this
breathing-while, gathered his weary and bebloodied companies where the Queen's
banner still stood aloft before the steadings, and against all odds struck
again. This, as the last axe-stroke when the tree creaks and totters, brought
down all in havoc. The Admiral's great army was turned to a rout, which spread
many miles over Fitheryside. Belike six hundred perished. Peropeutes, that
fought in the centre against Brandremart, was slain, and every man that
followed him. Lessingham himself was wounded, charging the Admiral's flank at
the head of his men; but of his army the losses, save in Brandremart's battle,
were few. Of those five hundred indeed that with Brandremart had withstood the
first brunt, more than a hundred fell, and scarce a man of the four hundred
that remained but took some hurt or other.