Enemy at the Gate

by Griff Hosker

  "A Scottish army has attacked castles in the west and captured them. King David is bringing an army south. That is the news. However we know not the size of the army nor when it will come. We deal with what we know. My steward has supplies laid in. I suggest that the people of Stockton share their supplies and you two ration them. Remember that we will have those from the outlying farms joining us. The folk of Hartburn and Elton have no castle. They will be housed in my bailey for the duration of the incursions. The people must know that I have made plans and that we know what we must do."

  "Aye my lord." Alf looked relieved.

  "Father Henry, the Archbishop has summoned the levy. There will be succour from the south."

  "They will help us? Even though we fight against King Stephen."

  "You should know that King David says that he comes here to aid the Empress Matilda but I know it for a lie. He seeks to enlarge his kingdom while anarchy reigns." They both nodded. "I have also gained seventeen more men at arms as well as the new members of the garrison. We might not be able to meet the King of Scotland in the field but we can greet him from behind our walls."

  "I will speak with the people, lord, and give them comfort."

  "Thank you, Father."

  That done I walked my walls. Would the King come this way? He had to. If he did not then he left a dagger at his back. He would come. I would need to send a messenger to Norton. They had been raided many times before and they would require my protection. Luckily they were as close by as Hartburn Manor and could wait until the enemy were seen on the Durham Road. I looked north. Would the Bishop of Durham fight? There was so much that I did not know. I had made plans but this was not like fighting a battle where you knew the lie of the land.

  I glanced down and saw Aiden and his two hawkers. They were just returning from the hunt. A deer was slung over the rear of Aiden's mount. "Aiden, a word."

  He quickly joined me. "Yes lord?"

  "The Scots are coming. I need your eyes and ears again. He is coming down from the Tyne. I need to know numbers but, most importantly, I need to know when he arrives so that we can gather the people within my walls."

  "Should I leave now?"

  I nodded, "I think we have some time but take Edward and Edgar with you. Take care for I would not be without your services."

  He smiled, "Fear not lord, if I cannot hide from an army of Scots then it is time for me to take up telling tales in the ale wife's kitchen. We will leave in the morning."

  As he turned to leave I asked, "Where could an army cross our river?"

  "In winter there is nowhere until Piercebridge and the bridge there but in summer, if there has been no rain, then there are places by Neasham, Hurworth and Croft which a bold general could use."

  "Thank you, Aiden. As ever your knowledge is invaluable."

  I was disappointed. I had hoped that we could deny the King the crossing of the river. I had contemplated sending men to hold the bridge at Piercebridge but if there were fords then there was little point. The next days were spent in frenetic activity as storehouses and granaries were filled and more weapons made.

  Philip of Selby returned before Aiden. He had left sooner and had less distance to travel. "Lord Archbishop Thurstan will meet with you at the priory as you suggest. He was leaving at the same time as I did. He will be there by now."

  I looked at the sky. There were still some hours before dark. These were still long days. "Then I will leave now."

  I sought Sir John. "I go to visit with the Archbishop. I shall return on the morrow. You command until then." He nodded, "Wulfric, I want ten men to escort me. You stay here with Sir John."

  "Aye lord."

  Gilles and I led the men as we left the ferry and galloped south. It was only fourteen miles to the priory and we rode hard. The horses were strong and speed was of the essence. We reached there in less than two hours. The Archbishop had brought a company of men at arms with him. Gilles and I were admitted immediately. We were taken to the Prior's chambers. The Archbishop and the Prior were there along with the High Sheriff of York, William Espece. I had met him before but I did not know him well. He was Stephen's appointment.

  The Archbishop looked every day of his seventy years. He held out his ring for me to kiss, "It is good to see you Aelfraed."

  "And you, your Grace."

  "You know the Sheriff?" I nodded. "These are dangerous times but we are joined against a common enemy. I have persuaded the Sheriff that you are a noble who puts loyalty to the land above all else."

  It was diplomatically put. "I am, your Grace. How stands our defence against the Scots?"

  "We have men coming from Nottingham, William Peverel, Geoffrey Halsalin, and from Derbyshire led by Robert de Ferrers. The King has sent De Brus and Balliol from London with mercenaries." I frowned and the Archbishop held up his hand. "They are on the side of England in this. I know that you doubt their loyalty." He paused. "I have sent them by ship to meet with King David to discuss terms."

  I began to lose my temper, "They have allegiances in Scotland; you cannot trust them! What were you thinking? They are traitors!"

  He waited for me to subside, "I hope, my son, that you trust me." I paused and nodded. "We still prepare for war. Will you join us?"

  "That may be a moot point, your Grace. If David comes south then he will have to cross the Tees. I believe that he will come to take Stockton. I may not be able to join you for I may be the only thing which keeps King David from Yorkshire."

  "My sources tell me that he has more than twenty five thousand men with him, Aelfraed, can your castle hold out against those odds?"

  It was a grim smile I gave him, "Whatever the outcome you would not have to face twenty five thousand men, your Grace for my castle is strong. We will make them bleed for every inch of my land. I know what you are asking and the answer is no, I will not abandon Stockton to the Scots. They are beasts and my people deserve more."

  Sir William spoke for the first time, "My lord, you are wilful! Think of the country! We need your men here with us! It is known that the Scots fear you. Abandon Stockton. We can rebuild a town but if we are defeated then we lose the country."

  "What is the country if it is not the people? Would you have me abandon my people? I would not be a knight if I did so. I will bleed for you, your Grace, we will die for you. But I will not leave my castle. When we are gone they will have to cross the river upstream of Yarm. They will have to come down this road. If you dispose your men between here and Northallerton you can halt him. My people will be as the three hundred Spartans, Themistocles, and buy you the time!" I smiled as did the Archbishop.

  "I am flattered by the illusion but do not die just yet, Earl. Our emissaries may yet succeed."

  I laughed, "And the sun may rise in the west! Balliol and De Brus will not bring you success. They bring only treachery!" I rose. "I will return to my home and prepare for the worst. If that worst becomes fact then I pray that you will tell the Empress, the Earl of Gloucester and my son that I did my duty."

  "Do not throw your life away, my son. The loss of the land north of the Tees would not be the end of things."

  I stared at him, "It would be for my people, your Grace. Farewell."

  I rode north, in the dark. I could have stayed but I was angry. The lives of my people rested upon the shoulders of two hypocritical traitors. Once more I was on my own. Sir Hugh's words came back to me. We would have twenty five thousand Scots descending upon us and I had less than two hundred and fifty warriors to defend my valley.

  I headed through Yarm even though it was after dark. "Who goes there?"

  "Stockton!"

  I was admitted. "My lord! What is the danger?"

  "It is the Scots. An army of twenty five thousand is heading south. We will hold them at Stockton. I came here, Sir Richard to offer your wife and the family to sail to safety on the 'Adela'. She waits in Stockton."

  Lady Anne put her arm through her husband's. He smiled, "There was a time, my lord
, when I doubted my duty but no longer. What can I do?"

  "The Scots will attack me but they may try to force a crossing here. Deny them and slow them down. That is all. The Archbishop has an army south of us but there will be no more than ten thousand of them. If we live then we will join him."

  "I will do so lord. But I do not fear for Stockton. With you on the battlements the Scots will waste their fury on its fine walls."

  It was beyond late when I entered my gates. "Alice, fetch me red wine! I have need of it. Sir John, Gilles, Wulfric, Dick, join me I have need of like minded fellows."

  They came warily. Gilles knew my mind, he had been with me. The others said nothing of my mission and they drank with me. I needed no words of support. I just needed the companionship of men with whom I had faced danger. We were about to be destroyed and I wanted some memories to take with me. When I had had enough drink to make me smile and to loosen my tongue Dick asked, "Lord, what troubles you?"

  "We face twenty five thousand men and the Archbishop has sent Balliol and De Brus to negotiate the peace. That is like letting the fox in the henhouse!"

  Wulfric filled his beaker, "Lord, it makes no difference. They are treacherous and the Scots will still come here. We know that. We hold the walls and they die. It is as simple as that."

  Sir John smiled, "He is right, lord. You were wise in the times of plenty and you put your gold into the walls of this castle. We will laugh away a siege. The King could have a hundred thousand men. He has to cross a moat and scale our walls. Even if he does that he has to face us beard to beard on our walls and we now have more men. I would back any of your men against ten Scots."

  They all nodded, even Gilles.

  "Are you all mad? Is it the full moon?"

  Dick said, "No lord, we are not mad. We are your men... to the death! We fight with you and stand shoulder to shoulder. We face whatever comes our way. I fear no man when I am led by," He stood and raised his beaker, "the Warlord of the North!"

  The others joined him and suddenly I felt at peace. If I was to die then what better company than that of these men.

  On return from my meeting I visited my knights and made their families the same offer I had made to Sir Richard. None took me up on it. They understood my offer but wished to stay. Sir Tristan and Sir Harold however had their families prepare to leave their home and join me as did the people of Norton. Their manors could not be defended. We would lose the men who defended them and gain nothing. Better to protect the people. We could rebuild manor houses. My leaders were now aware of the seriousness of the situation and they all worked harder than ever to prepare for the enemy. We were a people under threat and we worked together.

  I wrote letters to the Empress, the Earl and my son. They would be both my will and my legacy if the worst came to the worst. I told them what I intended and what I foresaw as the outcome. I would send them on my ship at the last possible moment. William the Mason worked every hour he could to add defences to my already impressive castle. Each extra stone would slow down the enemy.

  Aiden and his two scouts arrived back two days after I had finished my visits. They looked dirty and dishevelled but they were all full of news. "Lord, they are at Durham and encamped outside."

  "Numbers?"

  "More than twenty thousand but only fifteen or sixteen thousand are warriors. To be honest, my lord, I have never seen as many banners and standards."

  "Did they try to reduce Durham?"

  "No lord, for they were visited by two lords, De Brus and Balliol. They spent some time talking and the two knights left for the river. I think they came by ship. I do not think the Scots will attack Durham. They have captured all the other castles of Durham. Wark and Hexham are the only two places which remain in the hands of our knights."

  "How do you know?"

  "We captured two of their scouts and before they died they told us all."

  "So they are a couple of days away?"

  "Yes lord."

  I shouted, "Dick!"

  He had placed himself within earshot as soon as my scouts had returned. "Send riders to Norton, Hartburn and Elton. They should come here now. Send riders to Yarm and to Thornaby. Tell them that the Scots are two days away."

  I actually felt better now that we had something to do. The castle became a hive of activity as shelters were erected in the inner and outer baileys. Alf and Father Henry organised the town and I fell asleep that night, exhausted.

  I was summoned to the walls the next day by my sentries. When I reached the gate I saw De Brus, Balliol and their guards. "Yes!"

  "We have to come to tell you to flee. King David marches here to destroy you."

  "I thought you were sent to discuss terms?"

  De Brus said, "We failed. He will come no matter what we offered."

  I wondered what that was. "It changes nothing for me. I enjoy killing Scotsmen as you both know."

  "Earl, this is no time for petty squabbles. We have been enemies before but now we fight on the same side."

  "No we do not for you two fight for yourselves and I fight for this land and the rightful ruler of England. Ethelred!" I pointed to the ferry. "Take the ferry and tell the Archbishop that the men of the valley still fight beneath my banner and we will die before we surrender!"

  De Brus shook his head, "You are my enemy but I admire your courage. I will see that you are buried with honour."

  Ethelred looked up at me, "Take them across the river and then anchor by Sir Edward's castle until this is over."

  Ethelred turned to his son. "Take this over. I fight with the Earl for my home! I am an Englishman and I know where my loyalty lies."

  When the ferry had left and Ethelred entered my castle the doors slammed shut. With those of Hartburn, Elton and Norton within it felt, somehow final. At least we knew where we stood; alone. I walked down to the jetty with my letters and handed them to Captain William, "Take these to Anjou. If we are not here when you return or if the castle has fallen then serve my son."

  "My lord, you will prevail. This is not the end!"

  It felt like the slamming of a door as the tiny ship sailed east. My last lifeline was now gone. We were alone.

  The last of the villagers from Norton trickled through the north gate as Dick and my archers stood watch in a protective half circle. When they were within the gates would be slammed shut for the last time and we would hunker down to await whatever King David had to throw at us. The last time they had come to besiege us I had been in Normandy and they had almost captured the castle. That had been a weakness of the design and we now had a stone tower by the ferry and a curtain wall which joined the town wall. The tower was strongly garrisoned. We had prepared the ground around my town and my castle. We knew what to expect. We were ready this time.

  The first Scottish outriders and scouts arrived at noon the next day. They were cautious and stayed well beyond arrow range. My archers were respected and feared. Some watched the town walls while others went east and west along the river. My castle was calm for we had prepared as well as we could. We had enough archers and men at arms to man the castle walls, the towers, and, with the men of my town, the town walls. Every man had a helmet; even those from the town. Every hand held a weapon, most of my men had two. Even the boys had their slingshots and a leather cap. Below the ramparts the women were ready, under Father Henry's supervision, with bandage, cat gut and ointments. We were a valley at war, No one would hide from the enemy.

  We signalled Sir Edward's tower on the opposite bank of the Tees. It told them that the Scots had come. Until they crossed the river the burghers of Thornaby could continue their daily lives. Our signal merely warned them of their presence. A rider had ridden to warn Sir Richard. The King of Scotland took two days to reach us such were the numbers of men he led. By then the town and the castle were ringed with camp fires. There were neither cattle nor sheep for them to eat. They had been taken south of the river or brought within our walls. I had no doubt they would hunt our deer but t
he army which lay without would take much feeding.

  Each morning I was on my walls as dawn broke. I was cautious. If I was King David that would be the time when I would attack. Perhaps he was confident for he did not attack at dawn. I stood with Wulfric as he looked at the winking fires of the Scots. "How many?"

  "I would guess more than twenty thousand. I confess it is many years since I have seen such a host."

  "Are you worried?"

  He laughed, "Lord they are limited in where they can attack. I am guessing it will be the town walls but when they fall the enemy will have to scale these mighty battlements. My only fear is that I will need a spare axe to hew the heads as they appear. A blunt axe is no weapon at all."

  He was right. The huge army he had brought would be better used on a battlefield. He would waste his men attacking such strong walls. I had no doubt that he would bring a ram. That might work on the walls of the town but the ditches to the castle were double ditches. We had copied Roman design. He would need to build a bridge first. Any attack would be expensive. My fear was for the town. Although we had a strong wall and it was manned, equally, by my men and those of the town it could be breached. The hard work of years could be undone by the vandals that were the Scots.

  That August morning I heard trumpets and a rider, bearing the banner of the Scottish King rode to the gate. He bore no helmet and he held no weapon. My men respected the sign for truce. "His majesty, King David of Scotland would speak with the Earl of Cleveland."

  "He may approach with no more than five riders."

  My knights joined me at the north gate. We looked down on the west gate of the town which abutted up to the castle wall. I waved to Alf who was armed and armoured as well as any man at arms. In his hand he held a war hammer. Woe betide any Scot who came within range of his powerful right arm. Sir Harold pointed, "That looks to be Prince Henry with him. "

  Sir John said, "Aye lord, and your friend Redere."

  I recognised both of them. Prince Henry had grown somewhat and he had a reputation as a good leader. The Archbishop had told me that Stephen had allowed De Brus to offer him the title of Earl of Northumbria in exchange for peace. I would not have done that but I could see that as the present incumbent was Gospatric, and a rebel, it made little difference.