Northern Knight

by Griff Hosker

  Had I had enough men I would have placed a small number at the south of the bridge at the New Castle but I had to work with those that I had. I sent a rider back to tell the Bishop of the situation and I advised him to have the road from the New Castle watched. He had enough men at arms to do that. A warning would be all that they would need to give. Secretly I was still convinced they would travel down the road we guarded. The river could be forded at many places. When the Romans had built their wall they had known they could not stop the old tribes of Scotland crossing the border and raiding but by building their forts and their wall they could stop them taking their ill gotten gains back. That was my plan. They would try to cross the river first. It would be later that they would try the river fords.

  On the fourth day the scouts reported a column of men heading south. We saddled our horses and, leaving the archers on the crumbling walls of the Roman fort, I led my mounted men to the end of the bridge. The valley rose gently to a high point a half a mile from the end of the stone structure. We rode to the top of the rise. As soon as we were there we saw the banners of the Scots. It was a large, raiding warband.

  "Aiden ride to the New Castle and warn them that there is a Scottish warband on the loose." As he turned to ride I said, "Keep your ears and eyes open. See how they react."

  He grinned, "Aye, Baron." He knew men as well as he knew animals.

  If we could see them then I knew that they could see us. The rabble that approached became more organised as their leaders gave orders. I sought the banners. I was looking for the banner of the Scottish king. I could not see it. Nor could I see Gospatrick's banner either. In fact I recognised none of them. That was both a good and a bad thing. It meant that we had not fought them before; they would not know us but we did not know them either.

  Raymond de Brus' family had estates in Scotland too. "Baron Raymond, do you recognised any of those banners?"

  He peered north, "I can see the banner of Fife and Dunbar but none who are Norman."

  Harold had the sharpest of eyes. "My lord, there are some knights with plain shields and they follow no banner."

  "They will be English rebels who do not wish to be identified." I had seen such deception before.

  We had the slight advantage of a slope. "Prepare lances." Our formations had been practised. The one we adopted was a line of knights with the squires as a half line and banners behind and then four equal lines of men at arms. I had chosen the formation because the width of the road allowed it. The old Roman Road had ditches and scrubby bushes alongside. They would either have to knock us from the road or find another way around.

  When I saw them forming a line of knights I knew they intended the former. "They mean to try to destroy us with a charge up the hill. Let us earn our coin this day."

  We began to trot down the road. I had impressed upon all of my men the need to obey orders. Leofric was directly behind me with my banner and it was his movements with the banner which would give the commands. The Scottish knights rode up the hill towards us. I noticed that they came at us in a ragged line. They were not knee to knee. Our speed increased so that we were cantering. We needed to go no faster for the slope was with us. In contrast the Scots were whipping their horses as they struggled up the slope which sapped energy from already tired legs.

  I lowered my lance when we were just fifty paces from them. At twenty paces I pulled back my lance and then we struck their line with a shattering smashing of wood. Their lack of discipline meant that we knocked aside the five knights who had faced us and the four who followed were pushed into the ditches. The third line did not even have lances prepared. I saw a knight with a yellow shield try to bring his shield around to his right side. He failed and my lance took him under his arm as his sword failed to break my lance. Edward, Guy and Richard were in their element. They had all done this many times before. My men were constantly at war and it showed. When their spears shattered they drew their swords in one easy and controlled motion. They did not panic. The Scots, in contrast, showed that they might have practised with their lances but they had not fought together. They fought as individual knights.

  We had done enough already. The knights and mounted men at arms had been disrupted. If we continued to charge we might kill more Scots but we risked being overwhelmed by superior numbers. I could see a mass of men on foot with spears and they were forming a shield wall already. "Fall back. Leofric, signal retreat!"

  We had practised this too. We all stopped our horses, punched forward at the warriors before us and then turned. We had the problem of negotiating the road littered with men and horses. Four Scottish knights were down and would not rise again. Two horses lay writhing with lances in their bodies. Other knights and men at arms crawled into the ditches to avoid the thundering hooves. It would take them some time for our enemies to reorganise.

  We had not escaped unscathed. Sir Raymond's horse was injured. I sent him back to the camp. Tristan had also suffered a wound to his leg and he accompanied, reluctantly, Sir Raymond.

  "Wulfric bring up eight men at arms. If we have to charge again they can lead."

  "Aye, my lord."

  We watched as the Scots debated what to do. Harold's sharp eyes saw their intention. "They are sending men into the woods and forests, my lord. They are going to outflank us."

  "Sir Edward, take the rest of the men back to the bridge. Harold, stay with me. They cannot see beyond us and we can return to the bridge when they have tired themselves out in a charge."

  The top of the hill felt lonely when they left. There were just eleven of us. My men at arms were not worried. I could see that in their posture. All seemed relaxed. This was a calculated move. I wanted to show the Scots that we did not fear them. If eleven men could halt them then they might be more tentative in their attacks in the future.

  The Scottish knights and men at arms reformed and began to come at us. Someone had taken charge and they came at us tighter now; they were knee to knee and there were no chinks in their defence. Our retreat would need to be timed well. I knew that they would have their foot racing through the woods. The Scots liked to use lightly armed warriors who had a helmet sword and shield only. They were fierce warriors and the woods would suit them. They would move almost as fast as the horses which advanced up the road.

  I waited until the Scots lowered their lances and I shouted, "Fall back!" I did not need to say 'to the bridge' they already knew that. I could see my knights on the bridge already. We had cleared away the scrubby growth at the end of the bridge and an enemy would have to risk my archers on the walls of the fort and at the southern end of the bridge. As we descended the hill I saw that the Scots had spurred their horses on. It was a mistake for they lost order and their horses were becoming exhausted. They were no longer knee to knee as the more eager knights went to the fore.

  "Leofric, signal the charge!"

  He signalled the charge and I saw Edward lead my knights up the road. "Two lines along the edge of the road!" I was the last man and I watched as my ten companions split into two lines so that the road was clear for our charging knights. As Edward and the knights charged past me I pulled Scout around and followed them. This time our charge was halted as my men smashed into the enemy. Sir Geoffrey was unhorsed. I rode into the gap and punched my lance through the face of the exultant Scot who thought to finish him off. He tumbled backwards from his horse. We had stopped them and there was no point in risking further losses.

  "Sir Geoffrey, lead your horse back to the bridge. We will follow."

  I looked up the road to the enemy. They had superior numbers and were now using them. I suspect they thought we had fled through fear. They would learn differently. The rest of their horses had now followed and were galloping down the hill.

  "Fall back to the fort."

  Once again the Scots had to negotiate the casualties on the road and we reached the end of the bridge with ease. Dick had taken it upon himself to bring ten archers to the bridge and, as the Scots adv
anced they were showered with arrows. Three horses and two men were hit. They quickly retreated.

  "Well done. Wulfric, have a barrier erected here and Dick have six of your archers watch them."

  As my men set about their task I dismounted and took off my helmet. "You did well Leofric!"

  "Thank you my lord."

  Sir Richard and Sir Edward took off their helmets and joined me. Edward pointed to the west. "They will lick their wounds and cross the river you know."

  I nodded, "But that cannot be today for it is coming on to dark and they will not risk the Tyne at night. They would lose too many men. Tomorrow we place scouts along the river and when we see where they are using to cross we make life difficult."

  "This is a large band, Baron. I estimate almost two hundred men." I could see that Sir Raymond was worried by the large numbers facing us.

  "But we have hurt them already. They were knights who fell. The bulk of their band is made up of those who fight on foot. They cannot out run us. The knights are the leaders. Without them the rabble will fall back when we attack. The advantage is still with us and our plan works yet."

  As we led our horses back into the old fort I pointed to the land which rose gently south, towards Hexham. "There is little for them south of here for twenty miles. Those are twenty miles we can use. If they pass us we can attack from ambush. For now we wait and see what they will do."

  We unsaddled our horses and took off our mail. Some bathed in the river. They were my men and they were showing the Scots, now camped on the other bank, that they were not afraid of them. I stood with my knights. Tristan had his arm in a sling. Wulfric had assured me it was a precaution but advised against having him in the front rank.

  "Tristan, you can carry the Bishop's banner the next time we fight." I saw him swell with pride and the nod of thanks from his father. I pointed to the Scots. "They have no archers. If they had then our men would have been attacked when they bathed."

  Edward smiled, "Then we can use our archers to keep them at bay."

  "But they could cross the river anywhere!"

  "Yes, Sir Guiscard, but, if they do, then tomorrow our scouts will be out again and they will soon pick up their trail. We are all mounted and we use that advantage. We can move much faster than men on foot and they have to cross rivers. That limits their movements. It is one reason the Bishop and I chose this as our base." I began to plan our next moves. The enemy might not know what he would do but I had his options in my head. I would plan to defeat whatever they might try.

  Chapter 9

  We had eaten when Aiden came galloping in. His horse and his breeks were wet. Edward laughed, "Have you been swimming, Aiden."

  He had the good grace to laugh. "Aye my lord." He pointed to the north bank. "I came from the New Castle along the northern bank. I saw movements ahead of me and I watched. The Scots are building a raft two miles downstream. I chose the wet road back here."

  "And the garrison?"

  "I think they were taken by surprise, my lord. They certainly began to prepare for the worst. I do not think they knew of the attack."

  "Good. Then get something to eat and after we have eaten we will see about this raft."

  Sir Guy pointed to the Scots across the river. "Then there must be almost two hundred in this band for there are still many camped yonder."

  "Just because you see fires do not assume that each one has men around it. I have used such ruses before. And besides there is no point in worrying about the odds. We are paid to fight and we will do so. We fight until they go away."

  Edward laughed, "Why worry? They are only Scots. They may be brave but they are reckless. They hope to intimidate with a wild charge but if you are resolute then it will come to nothing." Edward was the rock of my conroi. He would still stand when all else lay dead.

  I gathered my archers and Wulfric around me. "Dick, choose ten good woodsmen. Wulfric find ten men who can wield an axe and move stealthily. Edward you and the other knights stay here. Move around as much as you can and make them believe that we are unaware of their raft. Keep a watch to the west. They may have two rafts under construction. I will take Harold. He is a good woodsman. We will not need armour."

  We slipped out of the south gate. It was as far away from the Scots as it was possible to get. We did not take horses and Aiden let us swiftly through the woods to the place he had seen raft building. Although they had chosen a spot well away from the bridge we heard their axes as we neared them. We moved even more cautiously then. I was not wearing mail for I did not wish to be seen. I expected to have to do little save watch my archers and men at arms.

  The Scots had done well and already the log raft was floating in the water. The Scots who had built it were making it more secure. They could not just launch it and pole across; the current was too swift for that. They would need to use a rope and secure it to the southern bank and then have men haul it across. It was the way Ethelred moved his ferry at Stockton. I waved my men towards the trees across from the place they would need to use to land the raft. I intended to let them cross and then destroy them and their raft. It would discourage further raft building. We hid ourselves just twenty paces from the river bank. We were invisible. Trees overhung the river and tall grasses and reeds rose high to give us cover. The wait gave me the opportunity to identify them. The huddle of men who supervised was the knights. The leader was the Earl of Moray. I recognised William fitz Duncan and his livery. The quartered lions and the blue and white checked fess were distinctive. If these were his men then they had travelled a long way south. There were five of his household knights with him and I counted at least thirty men. They were men at arms and half had mail on. The other half did not and I knew that they would be the ones to haul the raft across.

  We were close enough to hear them speaking. Unfortunately the sound of the Earl was hidden by the guttural Gaelic of the men below his men toiling with the raft. He was giving orders, for one of his squires mounted his horse and rode back along the bank to the main camp. I saw why when four men dived into the water and swam across. They were pulling two ropes behind them. Even though they were strong swimmers they were still pulled downstream and they had to struggle back along the southern bank towards us pulling the sodden ropes with them. They tied the ropes around the bole of a mighty willow and then waved. The men at arms who had mail on began to board the raft. The ones without mail lined the two sides. Half of them had poles, to use on the downstream side while the others took hold of the ropes on the upstream side.

  I tapped Dick on the shoulder and he and his archers nocked an arrow. I nodded to Wulfric whose men slipped through the undergrowth to the four exhausted men who were resting on the bank. When the raft was half way across I yelled, "Now!"

  Dick only had ten archers but they were less than forty paces from their targets. The ten men hauling the ropes died instantly. The four swimmers died even as they watched their comrades raise shields to protect those who were poling. The current had the raft and even though the men worked hard they were fighting a losing battle. Dick's arrows did not always find a target but gradually the men with the poles fell into the river. I heard the crack of axes as the ropes were severed by Wulfric and his axe men. The raft with the doomed men at arms drifted away eastward in the dark. Soon it would meet the South Tyne and become even faster. Even if it beached on the south bank the fifteen men at arms who had survived would not be a threat. We waited until the Scots marched back to their camp before we did the same.

  Although my men were excited and exultant I warned them against over optimism. "We are still outnumbered and I think they will try to force the bridge."

  Sir Geoffrey shook his head. "That would be madness We have archers and the bridge is narrow."

  "We have but twenty archers and, as we saw tonight, they have men who can swim beneath the bridge and attack us."

  Sir Raymond asked, "Will we be mounted when next we fight?"

  I knew the reason for his question. His pal
frey had been injured and he would have to ride his destrier. In such a confined space it could easily be badly hurt and his destrier was his most expensive piece of equipment. "No, there is little point. We face them on foot. If they are foolish enough to charge us across the bridge then they will suffer many casualties. When it is pitch black then I will have logs placed in the middle of the bridge. If anyone tries to move them then Dick and his archers will have some easy target practice."

  We enjoyed a peaceful night. We had spoiled their plans and they would, even now be working out another strategy. I knew that we had not hurt them enough to deter them. They had much support amongst the absent rebels. None of those who had risen the in the previous rebellion would join this attack but I knew it would have their tacit approval. Cynically, I knew that this was why the Bishop of Durham had sent us north to fend off the attack. He could absolve himself of all blame should the invasion and a future rebellion take place. I was King Henry and Robert of Gloucester's man. We were expendable.

  I had Wulfric wake everyone before dawn. The logs which had been cut down in the night had been jammed between the walls of the bridge and would prevent horses charging. I had had them placed irregularly. I knew horses could jump logs. Wulfric and my men at arms had taken some of the poorly made weapons we had captured from the dead Scots and fashioned them into crude caltrops. They were spread between the logs on the bridge. If they used their horses then they would get a shock. Finally we had taken some of the fat rendered from the pigs we had eaten and that has been poured onto the bridge. It would make the surface slippery. It would not be an easy crossing for the Scots.

  I made sure my men ate. A man fought better on a full stomach. I lined my knights up at the bridge. We each held a long ash spear. I could have used my men at arms but it was dishonourable to risk our men while we watched. Behind them I had two rows of men at arms who were also armed with long spears and, behind them, I had my archers. The squires, led by Tristan and his injured arm, held the banners before the gate so that the Scots would know whom they fought. The remaining men at arms I split between the gate of the camp and guarding the buttresses of the bridge. The only ones not fighting were Aiden and those watching the horses. We had to hold them at the bridge end. If they reached the gateway then we had lost for there was no gate; it was just a wooden barrier to stop a surprise attack.