Leofstan, the Thegn of the nearby villages of Great and Little Holland, a wealthy and influential man in the local community and Alan’s deputy on the Hundred Court, and his wife Erlene stood together with the Bigods by the font and swore their oaths as Juliana’s godparents.
CHAPTER NINE
Thorrington and London Mid-September 1068
Alan shifted his grip on the sword hilt and stepped forward, bashing his shield into his opponent before launching a series of powerful overhand blows which sent the other man reeling. He then stepped back to observe his opponent reposition himself and shouted, “No you stupid bastard! Why are you pointing your sword at the ground? It’s not a fucking shovel! Keep your sword in the proper position! You can't be tired yet as we’ve only been going for five minutes! That footwork isn’t what I showed you. You can’t swing the sword properly if you’re unbalanced. Keep your feet a shoulder-width apart and step with one and then the other foot to keep your balance, instead of jumping around like a bloody hare! Now let's do it again!”
Moments later, after performing several beat-parries to deflect his opponent’s sword, he crashed the hilt of his sword into the face of the young man, making sure that the blow was delivered by his leather-gauntleted fist so as not to smash the youngster’s face. The young man stepped back to clear his head, a spray of blood from his nose as he shook his head. “That's enough of that for the moment. We’ll work on your technique more tomorrow.”
Alan was training six new members of the fyrd in basic sword technique and fighting, and this was the youths’ third half-day of training. He then addressed the whole group. “Fighting in the line is different to what we’ve done so far. You don’t have the room to move to put yourself in a better position or disadvantage your opponent. You are crammed in tight with a man at each side and men behind. Also the footing is usually treacherous, with bodies and equipment lying everywhere. In the line you fight as a unit, not individuals. The men in the line provide mutual support. If you get killed because you can’t handle a sword, that's tragic. If you kill one of your companions because of your mistake, that's unforgivable.
“Udell, you stand there. Eadwold stand to his left. Averil you stand on his right and Wulfhere behind him. Putnam, you stand on my left and Dreogan to my right. Eadgard, you pick a spear from the rack and stand behind me. Wulfhere, you get a spear also. Stand half a pace apart so that you're not crammed in tight. Most of your opponents will be right-handed and have their shield on the left.
“Now we’ll just walk through this. You’re each responsible for the man to your front. If you can provide support to the man on each side, without getting yourself killed, you do that. You have to be aware of what every man within three paces of you is doing, as each one of them can kill you. You can’t fixate your attention on one man. Now Putnam, Dreogan and myself step up. Putnam and Dreogan you push your shields against those of Averil and Wulfhere, but watch what I’m doing. I can step forward to my opponent easily enough, but moving back is difficult because Eadgard is in the way. Udell’s shield is on my sword-side, and mine the same for him as we face each other.” Alan had made a slow wide overhead forehand sweep of his sword, clipping Dreogan, who was standing to his right, on the helmet. He then did the same with an overhead backhand blow, narrowly missing Putnam. “As you just saw, there’s no room for flashy swordplay and you’re more likely to kill your comrades than your opponents. Keep the sword low, hit them with your shield and try to stab them in the guts. You’re fighting a battle, not a duel. If your opponent is put out of the fight, even for a few moments, you can assist the man on your right.
“Udell, you are dead. Step back for moment. Now you can see Eadwold’s unprotected side is open to me. He’s concentrating on Dreogan and I would have a moment or two before the next man steps in front of me to do this.” Here Alan took a diagonal step with his right foot and performed a lung-thrust to Eadwold’s stomach. “Note how I've kept my shield protecting my left side, which my movement has made vulnerable. Also note I’m on Averil’s left and he can't hit me without turning, taking at least half a step and exposing himself to the man on my left. If he tries to hit me without moving, it would be a very weak blow on the backhand, with him being off-balance. The chances of me being injured in this case while killing Dreogan’s man are slight. Unless,” here Alan gestured to Wulfhere with a sharp inward motion of his right hand, “There is a spearman behind either of the three nearest opponents, in which case I'm in trouble. My shield should protect me from a man either standing where Wulfhere is at the moment, or behind Eadwold.” Here Alan waved Wulfhere to stand behind Averil and continued, “But where he's standing now, I’m a dead man.” Wulfhere pushed slowly forward with his spear, gently hitting Alan in the chest as he remained extended in his lunge towards Averil. “I say again, you must be aware of what everybody within three paces is doing and what weapons they have. I may have killed Averil, but that doesn’t console my widow. Keep yourself alive!”
Alan noticed that his steward Faran had come on to the training ground and obviously wanted to speak to him. “That’s enough for today. We’ll do some more mutual-support training tomorrow. Also, tomorrow I’ll show you some ways to deal with a man who is using the two-handed axe. Brand here will help demonstrate. Make sure you wear brown trousers.” Here Alan indicated the massively-built huscarle who was standing watching. “I’ll get Brand to take over now and I'll see what Faren wants. Spend another half an hour in one-to-one swordsmanship and then break for the meal. Brand please take over.
“What is it, Faran?” he asked his steward.
“There’s a young lad presented himself at the Hall. He’s absolutely filthy. He insists on seeing you but won't say what it's about. He says he’s your man.”
Alan frowned in puzzlement, shrugged and walked to the weapons rank, where he replaced the training sword and shield before doffing his helmet, turning his back to Faran and raising his arms for the steward to untie the buckles and leather thongs on the mail hauberk and assist in pulling the forty pounds of metal off over Alan’s head. Wearing his rust-stained and sweat-soaked padded gambeson and a pair of woollen trews he walked into the Hall.
Waiting there was a youth about fourteen years of age. He was small in stature, lean almost to the point of emaciation, dirty and wearing clothes that were little better than rags. But his face looked familiar. Alan stared at him closely, before the lad said, “My name’s Linn, my lord.”
Alan nodded to indicate his recollection and pointed to the door to the left at the end of the Hall. “Go into my office and sit on the bench next to the table,” he instructed. “Faran, get some food and drink for the lad. Some bread, cheese and beer will do for the moment and he can eat with the servants when we have the midday meal shortly.”
A few minutes later Alan was sitting in a chair in his office, with a quart jug of ale in his hand to quench the thirst caused by his morning's exertions, and watched the youth wolf down the simple fare that he had been provided on a wooden platter. “So what did you and the other man, Pierce, find out when fitzWymarc released you last year to act as spies amongst the bandits?” he demanded in an abrupt manner.
The boy spoke through a mouthful of food, “Well, my lord, as you know I sent word that I'd been sent to the south and that Pierce had run as soon as he was freed. I tried to pass on information to the sheriff, but I don't know if it was received nor did I get any response, so I gave up after a while. Sending messages by other people was too damn risky. Now I’ve been sent back with another band, led by a man named Eadwyn. They are eight of them in the forest near Alresford, using the same deserted woodcutter's cottage used by the last band. Two have brought their women and there’s a young lass who they seized in Lexden Hundred who is kept in thrall. She’s about my age. She’s badly used by the men and the other women use her as a servant.”
“How long have they been there?” asked Alan.
“A little less than a week, my lord. They haven’t started wa
ylaying any travellers yet and have restricted themselves to stealing a few pigs from the sties of the local cottars while they get themselves familiar with the area and the boltholes where they can hide. This is the first opportunity I’ve had to slip away, as a leader wants me to steal some wine for him from the tavern.”
Alan spent several minutes questioning the boy about the bandits’ daily routine. “Linn, I’m glad that you remained true to the promise you made when you were released after being caught previously. I’ll lead some men to the woodcutter's cottage and we’ll attack at dawn in two days. Make sure that you and the captive lass stay out of the way when we kick in the door. Now, I’ll get my steward to give you a decent meal, which you look like you could use, and two skins of poor quality wine such as you would expect in a village tavern. I’ll see you at dawn the day after tomorrow.”
It was half an hour before dawn as Alan crouched behind bushes a hundred paces from the abandoned woodcutter’s cottage in a clearing in the forest near Alresford. With him were ten of his own men, including Brand and Edric, and thegn Edward of Alresford with four of his men. It was Edward’s land and Alan had thought it politic to advise him of the situation and invite him to participate in the punitive expedition.
“Remember, there are eight bandits, a lad who’s on our side and three women. One of the women is a captive and she is to be left unharmed. So is the lad, Linn. We don’t know which of the three women is the girl, so don’t hurt any of the women. Several of us saw Linn the other day and we’ll go in first. Myself, Brand, Edric, Aeldrid, Thrydwulf, Redwald and thegn Edward. It’s only a small one room cottage so there’s no space for any more. Four men remain outside the door in case any dash out. You, you, you and you. The others, who are the archers, I want at the edge of the tree-line. These men are bandits and, except for the boy and girl, I don’t care if they survive to see the sun rise. Preferably not, as that would save the trouble of a trial. Right! It’s first light, so let’s kick arse!
The darkness was indeed just relieved by a tinge of grey as Alan stood outside the door of the cottage and nodded to Brand. The huge huscarle raised a booted foot and with one massive kick smashed in the rotten wooden door. The assault party stormed in, all wielding the seax large fighting-knife in preference to a sword- better for use in the confined space. Inside was almost pitch black and the attackers found their targets by stumbling over them as the latter rose groggily and shocked from the vermin-infested straw palliasses on which they had slept.
A hastily-lit torch was carried in by the last of the assault team and provided the required illumination. The bandits had been taken completely by surprise and had little opportunity to resist. Four men and one woman lay dead. Alan had no quarrel with his men about the fate of the woman, as in the darkness any figure standing had been fair game. In a corner Linn was lying atop a woman, holding her down and talking quietly in her ear. The other four men and one woman were quickly bound and thrown outside, where they lay supine and in shock. Alan stepped over to Linn and gave him a hand to rise, before slapping him on the shoulder. Linn in turn helped the girl up. She was thirteen or fourteen and would have been reasonably comely if not covered in filth, wearing dirty rags, with her hair matted and tangled.
“This is Eab? the lass I told you about,” said Linn, as the girl clung to him like a limpet.
Alan nodded. “The cooking place appears to be outside. Is there anything fit to eat here?” he asked prosaically.
“Not much. There’s a part-joint of swine-flesh over there, but not enough for your men,” replied Linn.
“No matter, we brought some rations. Come outside and have some cold smoked meat, bread and cheese. We have a few skins of ale. We’ll take this filth off to Thorrington for trial and hanging. Which one is Eadwyn?” Linn pointed to a corpse lying in a pool of blood. “Pity,” said Alan. “He might have had some information we could use. Never mind! Perhaps the others know something.”
They were back at Thorrington by midday. The captives, including the remaining woman, were placed manacled and under guard in the Tithe Barn. Alan and thegn Edward wanted justice to be swift and messages were sent out for a trial the next day. The idea was to have a fair trial and the captives hanged as soon as possible. Linn and Eab? were instructed to bathe and were provided with fresh clothes, food, drink and a place to rest.
At mid-morning the next day Leofstan, the thegn of Little and Great Holland and the largest land-holder in the Hundred after Alan, called to order the court sitting in the Old Hall at Thorrington. With him on the bench were Brictmer of Great Bromley and Edwold of Alresford, the latter one of the several thegns who held lands in that village. Alan and Edward of Alresford were not on the bench as they were likely to be called as witnesses. Osmund was acting as clerk, providing a written record of the evidence.
The defendants were arraigned and their names and villages of origin ascertained. Leofstan adjudged them as not being oath-worthy, being caught in brigandage. Being from outside the Hundred they had no frithboghs or relatives to speak for them.
The allegations were first put to the four men and they were given the chance to speak, despite not being allowed to give sworn evidence. None admitted the charges, but nor did they have a convincing reason as to why they had been staying at an abandoned cottage in the middle of a forest many leagues from their own villages.
Linn was called, adjudged oath-worthy despite his young age and not having any local relatives, sworn in and gave evidence as to what he knew of the men and their depredations elsewhere, and their theft of livestock locally. Eab? although again not a local lass, was again adjudged oath-worthy and gave evidence as to her abduction and subsequent abuse. The men were allowed the opportunity of rebuttal, again without any convincing statements.
One of the women, Aedilhild, was called and adjudged oath-worthy. She said that she had joined with one of the men several months before and had not participated either in any brigandage nor abuse of Eab?. Leofstan, although usually a very conscientious judge, was just going through the motions of providing justice as this was an ‘open and shut’ case. As lunchtime neared he called an end to proceedings. He wanted to eat a fine meal at the New Hall and be home by dark.
Leofstan, Brictmer and Edwold, together with the clerk Osmund retired to the Judge’s Chamber at the end of the Hall. They were accompanied, in a breach of proper legal procedure, by Alan and Edward.
In the Judge’s Chamber was a table set with pints of ale, two jugs of good French wine, cups and a large platter of nuts, fresh fruit, candied orange, dried dates and cheeses. Each helped themselves as was their inclination.
“Well, it seems straightforward enough,” commented Leofstan. “I move that the four men are guilty of kidnapping, rape, theft and brigandage. All in favour? Well that was easy. Alan, can you arrange the tree, rope and boxes? Now as to the woman Aedilhild, that’s more difficult. She’s probably not, strictly speaking, guilty of any offence as she has the defence of being under the control of her man, although they were not married. However, I don’t think she should go unpunished. What do you think, Brictmer and Edwold?”
Brictmer replied, “I agree. She did participate of her own free will, even if she has a legal defence to the more serious charges. I suggest that she be convicted of assault of the woman Eab? and be ordered to pay bot of twenty shillings and in absence of ability to pay have one ear cut off, with her to abjure the shire. With that she’ll be getting off lightly as she was a willing participant to all that was done.”
The others agreed and they walked back out into the Old Hall, where Leofstan announced the judgment, to the delight of the assembled onlookers, who were looking forward to the entertainment of the hanging.
The official party removed themselves to the New Hall, where they wined and dined in style, and at mid-afternoon the four bandits were hung from the gallows-tree. Hemp ropes were placed about their necks. Each stood on a large box. As a matter of courtesy to the condemned Alan had arranged for each
to have their own box on which to stand, so all could be kicked away at the same time and the condemned men swing and twitch together. The villagers had granted themselves a half-holiday to watch the spectacle and were disappointed with Alan’s decision. They preferred to watch the gallows-bait hanging and kicking one by one as they gasped out their lives, and to have the executions carried out in succession rather than together. Having simultaneous hangings made it difficult to keep track of the bets as to how long the victims would each take to die. The villagers sat on the village green, chatting and eating the food and drink that they had brought, laughing and exclaiming as the convicted men twitched and writhed at the end of their ropes.
As the last body was cut down from the tree and bundled with the others to be thrown into a common grave outside the consecrated land of the church graveyard, Alan was unmoved. These men had already wreaked far worse fates on others and would have again done so in the future in the land under his jurisdiction.
Back at the New Hall as they sat at table and ate and supped Alan chatted with the thegns who had attended at the trial. He and Anne then met with Linn and Eab? in the office-room situated off the Hall. Both youths were now clean and dressed in second-hand clothing which Faran had located. Alan noticed with a smile the way that Eab? sat close to Linn and that he put his arm around her shoulders. Eab? was offered a safe return to her own village, which she declined, and both were offered places as servants at the Hall, which they accepted happily.
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