by John Daines
“What a crazy, frightening bunch,” said John.
“Hatred of the English spurs them on,” said Sir Cedric. “We haven’t seen the last of them, so be prepared.” They rejoined the main army and moved on towards Berwick. The Kings forces had taken the bridge and had joined with a force that had entered the town from the West. John accompanied the Earl to a Council called by the King who had taken up residence in the Castle. Edward outlined a plan to march on Edinburgh and establish a governing body there to control the Scots. John would have preferred to be marching home, he had had enough of this wild land and wanted to be back in the relative peace of his own home. When he returned to the house they had commandeered he called Tristan and told him of the plan. On the march north they encountered small groups of Scots who disappeared before the army, John wondered if they were gathering for a final battle. They left the land they marched over scorched and bare, feeding off the villages they passed through and killing those who opposed them and some who didn’t. Edward was bent on showing them he was King and rebellion would be severely dealt with. John did not like this kind of warfare even when Sir Cedric tried to convince him that it was the only way the Scots understood. He went out on a scouting party to see some more of this inhospitable land. He saw that the standard of living was far below that in the South, people scratched an existence from the rocky soil and it was only in the larger towns and cities that their wool trade allowed some citizens to become rich. Returning back to Edinburgh John was given instructions to go back to Berwick on Tweed and start collecting men who would be needed to build the walls around the town that Edward had planned. They were pleased to leave the mountains behind and were soon marching along the shoreline to Berwick.
Arriving in the town John commandeered the town hall for his base and started to send out for the men he needed. A man approached him who said he was the King’s Mason and had already designed the walls so John put some of his men to supervising the labourers.
Edward returned to Berwick on Tweed to make sure the walls were going up according to plan and John was given leave to go back home. Tristan and the men were in high spirits to be on their way back to Norfolk but John warned them to stay alert as there were still roving bands of Scots below the border.
They camped outside York of a few nights and John journeyed into the city to see if the new cathedral had been finished. There were still workmen busy around the building which John could see would be very large when finished. Tristan found him looking at the new altar and called to him.
“We should move out of this place as there is sickness here, it is fortunate we are camped out of the city.” John joined him and they went back to their camp warning everyone to stay out of the city and they would move on in the morning.
They marched on getting ever nearer to Norfolk, they lived off the land and stayed away from the main roads. As they neared Norwich the mens spirits rose, they even broke into song as their feet took them nearer to Dunston.
As they approached Dunston Woods the scouts came back to report that there were several armed men on the track and some were cutting down a large oak. John halted the column and sent Tristan to investigate, he sent the men to the edge of the wood and to keep out of sight. When Tristan returned he brought disturbing news, he had ventured to the other side of the wood and had seen a large force of men attacking the Castle. There were ranks of archers shooting fire arrows high into the Castle and a small catapult firing rocks at the walls. He had crept as near as he dare to the men cutting the oak and it was clear this was for a battering ram should they succeed in lowering the drawbridge. Tristan said he thought there were about two hundred men that he could see.
“Did you see a standard,” asked John.
Tristan answered he could see nothing clearly. John called his captains together and organised his attack, take out the men in the wood first quietly if possible then bowmen to fire at the catapult and any other foe. This would be followed by his horsemen charging the archers while the rest, under Tristan, followed to destroy who ever it was attacking his home, but John told him to leave a group of horsemen in the woods to defend their rear.
“I do not understand who would do this,” said John. “We are not at war with our neighbours.”
“Remember you fought two Barons in Yarmouth,” remarked Tristan.
“You think this might be a reprisal, if it is then they will go the same way as last time.”
John’s temper was rising and he strode over to the baggage and donned his armour while the rest of his men prepared for the coming battle.
He called out, “Tristan, clear these interlopers out of the woods and the rest of you prepare to chase these beggars from our lands.”
Tristan sent a runner back to tell John the woods were now clear and he could bring the rest of the men up. The bowmen stepped out of the trees and walked to within range, there was no alarm from the attackers, perhaps they thought they were their own men returning. They soon thought differently as arrows were finding their marks and men were falling. The crew of the catapult were the first to go down and then it was anyone who turned to face them. There was pandemonium for a few minutes as someone tried to organise the attackers to face this new challenge. John’s Squire sounded a horn and John led his horsemen in a charge down the slope to the Castle. They met the attackers head on and a fierce fight began, John and Mace were in the thick of it until the rest of his men reached them then pushed through the melee to see if he could find their leader. He came through the main fighting to see four riders making off and by their armour he could see they were nobility. He set off after them with Tristan in pursuit. Mace, even though he was a big horse, had a good turn of speed and with John urging him they began to gain on the four when out of the wood rode the horsemen that had been left there. The four riders in front of them turned and tried to outflank them but it was too late and John was amongst them. As Mace barged into the first rider John swung his sword and just missed the gap between his helmet and shoulder, the rider spurred his horse but Mace hit him again and threw him off balance. John parried a thrust from his opponent and then thrust his sword into the unprotected part under his shoulder this made him drop his sword and he called out.
“I yield.”
John turned from him to find one other man slumped in his saddle from a blow that Tristan had inflicted and the other two surrounded by the group from the wood. One of the men called to John.
“I am Robert Fitzherbert, son of the man you murdered in Yarmouth, I demand the right of single combat with you to avenge my father.”
John removed his helm and asked Fitzherbert to do the same. The remaining man also bared his head and John was surprised to find himself looking at Cuthbert of Aylesham who was also at the event in Yarmouth. John looked at him and said.
“You know very well it was not murder and you were trespassing on my land. I told you not to cross my path again or I would have your head, it appears I now have two opponents, well so be it. I have the choice of weapons and ground, for you young man,” he said looking at Fitzherbert, “sword, and on foot here.”
With that John dismounted and replaced his helm. Fitzherbert dismounted and drew his sword and immediately rushed at John who parried the blow and stepped back. Fitzherbert sensing he had the upper hand pushed forward with a flurry of swings, John parried them and sized the man up. He noticed the young mans swings were misdirected on a back swing so after the next forward slice he made, John stepped in drove his sword up under his breast plate. Fitzherbert staggered back as John withdrew his blade, he tried to gather himself to continue and John said.
“Enough, you are severely wounded.”
The young man drew himself up and swung his sword again saying.
“To the death!”
John’s sword felt alive in his hand as he stepped inside the swing and the blade entered Fitzherbert’s unprotected throat. He fell and John went to him and removed his helmet, as the young man’s eyes fluttered to a
close John said to him.
“It was not murder.”
John stood and looked for Cuthbert who had dismounted and was looking fearfully at John.
“I am not a skilled swordsman so I yield to you now and you may do to me what you will.”
John thought for a moment.
“I charge you to return home and not to come south ever again. I will ask the Earl to increase your tax to recompense the damage you have inflicted here.”
Cuthbert bowed and said he agreed.
“I wonder how the rest of the Barons in North Norfolk will look on this,” said Tristan.
“No doubt Sir Cedric will have an opinion when he gets back,” said John.
The remaining attackers had been rounded up and John told them of the Baron’s deaths.
“You are free to return home, after you have buried all the dead. Remember we are all Englishmen and should not fight among ourselves. Save your strength for when we fight off invaders.”
With that he rode towards the Castle which had now lowered the drawbridge and was opening the gate. He entered his home and found his family waiting for him, Tania ran to him as he dismounted and he took her in his arms. Looking over her shoulder he espied a young man standing holding his brother’s hand and a nurse with a toddler.
“Have I been away that long?” asked John.
“You have my love,” responded Tania. “You left me with something to remember you by, a beautiful baby girl, come and see her.”
John said he wanted to get out of his armour first so as not to frighten her, but before he could move the younger boy ran over to him and said.
“You have been a long time away father, will you stay with us now so we can learn to fight like you?”
“I will I promise, my son. These old bones are getting tired,” answered John.
The older boy had moved closer.
“We know how to fight and we would not have let them in.”
“I am sure you would not have, and I thank you, Harold, for protecting your mother, brother and sister,” said John as he put out his hand to Harold.
The young man was hesitant but shook the proffered hand and suddenly put his arms around John.
“Let me get out of this tin can and we will talk together,” said John, a little taken aback.
After he had refreshed himself and they were sitting in his room, with his new daughter on his knee, John turned to Tania.
“Perhaps the country will settle down now and the other Barons will leave me in peace. Come Ceolwen, I love the name you chose, we will all dine together tonight. That is if you can keep awake,” he said to the little girl who giggled and jumped down.
It was a joyful occasion in the hall that night a they all relaxed and related what had happened since they had last sat down together. Jack and Matilda were now looking frail and John was glad his father had handed the Smithy over to William and had employed a new lad in the Castle forge. John, Tristan and Stephen had inspected the Castle and found no serious damage, the fire arrows had burnt a couple of roofs which could repaired easily. Sadly there had been two deaths in the Castle guards and ten had died in the battle outside. In the following days John visited all his Tenants making sure they were up to strength and that the wool was making it’s way to Flanders. He sent Stephen over to meet with Philip de Bleese to make a second outlet as wool was piling up in the warehouse.
II
The years had dealt kindly with John and he still had good health and vigour and his energy was felt by all who had dealings with him. He decided to make a journey to Wymondham to see Sir Cedric, he had heard that he was returned from the North, he planned to take all the family and this pleased Tania. They set off one bright morning with a strong escort, though there had been no reports of trouble. Alban sounded his horn as they approached the castle and they found the gates open and Sir Cedric standing in the Bailey to welcome them. John looked at him and noticed how much he had aged, still fit but slower and heavier. The Lady Ann was still at the Castle but not as a wife, which did not please Tania. Later, as John and the Earl sat talking it became clear why he had not wed the Lady. She had two sons and if she had tied the knot with the Earl they would have inherited Wymondham. Sir Cedric spoke to John.
“You have always been like a son to me as you know, so I am making it official and legal that you shall be my heir when I die. There has to be continuity to run the estate and the area I am responsible for as Earl. I want you to come to London with me to make this official and we will see the King at the same time.”
John was stunned at this announcement and it was a few moments before he responded.
“You do me a great honour Sir, it will take me a while to get used to this.”
“You have two sons John, so the line of succession will be stable for a few years unless war intervenes.”
The Earl grasped John’s arm and the emotion could be felt in the air. They made arrangements for their trip to London and John went to tell Tania of the news. Tania was full of questions about where would they live, would they move to Wymondham, what would happen to Dunston, would he be an Earl and what would that mean. John fended her off as best he could but some of the questions he knew he would have to find answers for to satisfy himself.
They returned home and John accompanied Roderick on his next tour of the tenants, he found most of them in good humour owing to the increase in their income due to the new arrangements with Flanders. John considered increasing his business with Philip de Bleese to give Peter of Kortrijt some competition. Settling back in Dunston John spent more time with his sons making sure they attended their lessons he also devoted time with Harold to school him in archery and sword play, The lad was developing into a strong young man and he had to have his wits about him to keep ahead of the boy. Ceolwen was growing too and Tania was schooling her how to be a young lady. She was a quiet girl, not like her mother.
They had not been home long when word came that Sir Cedric had arranged the trip to London, he requested that the whole family went and also to bring Tristan. The whole cavalcade moved off and with his protective men at arms they caused quite a stir as the processed through the villages. Harold and Edmond were fascinated with the London house and the River Thames, they soon found a spot in the garden where they could watch the boats going up and down. Ceolwen was fascinated and it took all the boys time stopping her falling in the river. One morning they spotted the Royal Barge, Edmond was disappointed that the King was not on board.
Sir Cedric returned from a meeting with the King to inform them that he had decided to stand down as the Earl of Norfolk. He was finding it difficult as his age increased and as he now had a successor the King had agreed that John should take the position now. The ceremony would take place the next day to which they were all invited. Dressed in all their finery they set off for the palace.
Most of the Nobles were assembled and King Edward stood and stated that as an Earl John must support his King at all times. John stepped forward and knelt before his sovereign who placed the belt and sword around John and congratulated him saying he was looking forward to having him join him on his next venture. John’s heart dropped as he knew this would be another march to Scotland. The necessary parchments were signed and they went to an anteroom where a meal had been prepared. The King was in a jovial mood and teased Tania and told Harold he must study hard and become a Knight.
Returning to the London House John was in a thoughtful mood and later in bed he was rather perfunctory in his love making which did not please Tania who said she might as well go to a nunnery. The next day a servant reported that a sickness had struck many people in the City and John decided they would not venture out, Harold and Edmond were disappointed as they wanted to see the sights so John arranged a River Barge so they could at least view the Westminster Palace and other buildings from the water. When they returned Sir Cedric and John decided that it would be better to move back to Wymondham as the Earl wished to make sure that John took u
p his position with the least amount of trouble. They knew the North Norfolk Barons would not be happy with the new situation as John had already crossed swords (literally) with two families. That night they celebrated John’s new position and Sir Cedric’s retirement, many of his London friends said they were pleased that he would be joining them and adding to their strength in running the country.
When they eventually arrived back in Wymondham John and Cedric spent many hours in Cedric’s room discussing the best way to approach the changes that they had to make. John’s thoughts were who should reside at Dunston, should he make that his base. He rode to Dunston with just his escort, leaving Tania and the family at Wymondham, by the time he reached the Castle he had made his decision. On entering the Castle he found everyone in a sombre mood, Boorman came to him and told him his father was seriously ill.
