King Henry IV

by Griff Hosker

  I shook my head, “He wants money but he sees Wales as his son’s problem. If he asked for the money then he would be in Parliament’s debt.”

  “I never liked him as a young man and he has not improved as a King.”

  “Speak softly, friend, he is vindictive.”

  Old Tom laughed, “I am past worrying about kings! I have lived longer than any man I know and besides, here I am amongst friends.” He leaned in, “However, I have to say that I have heard that Hotspur seeks to broker a peace or a deal of some sort with Glendower. He would make concessions!”

  I was confused, “But why?”

  “If land is conceded to Wales then it weakens Prince Henry and the King. They lose income. Hotspur raids the Scots and that is like his personal bank. He needs no Jews for coins for he has the Scots. He grows richer and if Glendower wins then the King grows poorer. Hotspur has ambitions.” Captain Tom had lived in the murky world of politics longer than I had; I respected his opinion.

  I had much to think on as we headed north with my new men at arms, Rafe Red Beard and Kit Warhammer and my two archers Egbert Longbow and Will Straight Shaft. My son Thomas was followed by his two men, Harold of Derby and Will of Corby. Our new men were not riding with Thomas and I but with our two captains. They would discover all there was to know about my manors and my particular ways of leading. I spoke, instead, with my son. “So, you have had an early lesson in being a lord.”

  He laughed, “I already knew about the expense. When Richard was knighted, he could not believe his new costs. I have told Harry already that he should begin to make a war chest. I hope that the Earl of Dunbarre asks for us again. It was lucrative.”

  It was my turn to laugh, “And there is a word I did not expect you to use. But remember we are the King’s men. It may be he wishes to use us against the Welsh.”

  “Perhaps the rebellion is over.”

  Shaking my head, I said, “I can guarantee it is not. Winter approaches and only a fool fights in winter. Glendower was not hurt in our raids and he has the support of the Welsh.”

  “Yet you fought in winter in the Baltic.”

  “They have adapted there to fight in winter. They have such thick snow that it hardens to become almost as good a surface as a Roman Road. Here we endure rain and mud!”

  When we reached my home, I inspected the work on the new wing. As I had expected, with my wife supervising, it was on time and under budget. I had to admit that it was a good investment. It made the hall stronger and showed me how we could make it even bigger if we wished. After the children had retired, I spoke with my wife and told her the news I had heard. “Then we had better invest our extra money wisely, husband. When there is rebellion you can pick up land cheap on the borders. Cheshire would be a good place to look. Next time you are on campaign keep your eyes open for properties which have lost their owners. The King and his son think highly of you. We should use that!”

  “Is that not a little cold, my love?”

  My wife was a practical woman and a realist, “Probably, but that is the way of the world. We do charitable work and there are neither poor nor beggars in any of our manors. You support Peter the Priest and the alms-house in York. God sees our good deeds and when St Michael judges us I will be content. You wish to continue to do this and so we need to make money. If we did not buy the land then some other, less worthy, would. Keep your eyes open. We have another daughter and a son to find a manor. We owe it to them.”

  I had been lucky to marry my wife. She complimented me so well and we worked well together. Other men were not as lucky.

  The days became much shorter as December approached and the work on the new wing became more frenetic. Even as the work was progressing, I saw my wife looking to the other side of the hall where we had the space to build a second wing. I knew her well enough to know that she saw a grander house at Weedon. The poor reception we had received at Dauentre meant we would never live there and her aim was to make Weedon an even more impressive hall. The tiny manor I had been given had grown immeasurably since we had first come. That had been inevitable as we had parcelled land for my men at arms and archers. There were, however, other incomers. We would never be large enough to justify a market but we had men living in the village who made things which we needed.

  As well as a new wing I had had an extension built to the stables. This was not mason’s work. My men and I toiled at this. The new horses we had bought on our visit to Middleham and our success on the field meant we now had twenty good horses which needed to be housed. The sumpters and lesser palfreys spent all but the worst of days outside. If we had winter snow which was particularly cold then we brought them into the barn. Hitherto we had not needed it. With such a stable we needed a horse master and James was a good horse master. He had come to us some time ago. He had formerly been a man at arms who served in Poitou. He had been badly wounded and his left leg became lame. He had been lucky in that his company had not let him leave penniless and he had enough money to make it back to England with his wife and young son. They had worked in inns where he had been ostler and his wife had tended customers but, as their son grew, they knew it was not the life for him and so they left London and I had met him in Northampton at the market where he had been with the other men seeking a master.

  I knew as soon as I met James that I had to find a place for him. His faded tunic had told me all that I needed to know. He had served in a company and, despite my title, that made us brothers in arms. His son also reminded me of me. He had seen nine summers and was his parent’s only child. He accepted my offer immediately. As we had headed home, he told me that he had heard of the urchin from the Blue Company who had been elevated so high. It had given him hope. Now, as the stable extension was complete, I walked through the building with James and his son, John.

  Caesar was the head of my herd and he had the largest stall and received the greatest attention. The other horses were placed in their natural order. “Will you be extending the stables any further, my lord?”

  “Perhaps, but we have enough land. Why do you ask?”

  “I do not mind hard work but, even with John to help me, it is difficult to give all of these horses and the others the attention they deserve. I am not complaining but…”

  We had reached Hart’s stall and I fed her a windfall apple I had taken from our orchard. James was right. Thomas and Henry helped groom my war horse but horses demanded much attention. If they did not receive it then they could suffer and horses were the way we rode to war. “You are right. We have to visit Northampton soon to buy that which we need for the ceremony of knighthood; bring your son and we will see if there are any old soldiers in need of employment.”

  My policy was always to take those who had been warriors. That meant that most of the men I employed had some sort of disability but it did not impair their ability to work. In fact, the reverse was true; they all worked harder for they knew they were lucky to be employed at all. James was a case in point. He could not run but his lame leg was no impediment in the stable.

  The night before we were due to ride to the market we heard the rain as it thundered down on the roof. My wife shook her head, “I will not come to the market on the morrow, husband, I will give you a list of all that I need.”

  I saw Thomas and Harry exchange a smile. That meant that we would be able to visit an alehouse. They both liked such places but my wife would not cross the threshold.

  My wife saw the look and her eyes narrowed, “And you, Thomas son of Will Strongstaff will need to buy the bolt of cloth for your surcoat so do not think you will spend all the day in the alehouse while your father hires men and makes purchases for your day! Remember, this will be your last winter as a single man. Come Lady Day you will no longer be a bachelor. Then will your life change and you will have responsibilities.”

  Thomas knew that but I saw, from his face, that he had not quite realised the other changes that would follow.

  “Aye, son, you and Mary will
have your own quarters here in the hall. You will not need them yet but you will need servants. It is not just a squire that you will require. Tomorrow you will need a clear head and sharp eyes to watch how I engage new men.” That hit home. He had known he would have to have a squire but while his squire would wait on him while he was at home, when he was away there would have to be servants for his wife.

  We huddled beneath oiled cloaks as the five of us rode to Northampton. There were other travellers heading for the market but most trudged afoot. I used a few coins to stable the horses in the alehouse. The Lamb and the Lion was close to the west gate of the town and was quieter than the ones closer to the market. It helped that I knew the innkeeper who was an old soldier too. Old Will had not been wounded like Captain Tom; he had made enough money from war to buy the inn and he was still hale and hearty. His large belly showed that he had bought the ale house for a love of beer.

  “First, Thomas, we buy the bolt of cloth and send it to the alehouse. That is a task which has to be done or you risk the wrath of your mother and, besides, those seeking employment are still making their way here.” We had arrived early, having left before dawn. The shorter days meant you used every moment of the thin light of winter. By the time Thomas had paid for the bolt of pale blue cloth the market had filled up and we wandered, with the list from my wife, making the rest of our purchases. Poor John and Harry were laden. When we reached the hiring market, we sent them back to the Lamb and Lion. Their grins told me that they would tarry on their way back. It did not matter for it would take time to choose good men.

  After they had left us I turned to Thomas, “Do not forget that you need to see what sort of men and women are available. You will need them come March.”

  “Women?”

  I saw the look of surprise upon his face. “Do you think that Mary will be able to manage without a woman to help her.”

  “She has no servant now!”

  “Now she is not the wife of a knight! The tap of the sword on the shoulder means even greater responsibility. And remember that you will need a squire. I know you have given little thought to that but a squire is even more important than a servant. I was lucky with Sir John. You may have to seek yours!”

  The hiring market was off to the side of the main market. There were thirty or so people there. Some had chosen to seek work while others had been forced, by changing circumstances, to seek employment. The women and girls tended to be gathered together. There were just three of them and I would not be hiring any. That was my wife’s domain.. House servants also gathered together. They were markedly different from those who did physical toil. They tended to be smaller and thinner. This was a bad time of year for them. Those who laboured outside were used to the harsh conditions of winter. The house servants were not.

  We stood and studied them. We could not tell yet what skills they might have. Other men were there hiring too but I was the only lord and I saw eyes looking expectantly at us. There was a hierarchy in their places. There was an awning above them and the bigger and stronger men were close to the wall where it was drier. James said, “There is little choice today, lord. We can always wait.”

  I shook my head, “When we dub Thomas, we will have guests and they will bring horses. You and John will need help. There will be fewer at the next market and by January almost none. See, already men are being hired.” As we watched a merchant took two youths, they looked like brothers.

  I put my hands on my hips and raised my voice, “I seek ostlers! Who has experience with horses?” Hands were raised and I nodded to James to speak with them. I saw one man, off alone at the side, who began to raise his right hand and then changed it for his left. He had a split nose which told me that the man had been an outlaw.

  John and Harry had rejoined us by the time James had spoken with the potential ostlers. He shook his head, “None of them know a sumpter from an ass! They are all desperate for work and will be foresworn to get a job.”

  “What was his tale?” I pointed to the former outlaw.

  James shook his head, “I did not speak with him for he was an outlaw!”

  “Would you judge a man before you heard his tale? Go fetch him, Harry, and we will speak with him.”

  The man was in his thirties. He had a few flecks of grey in his beard. He was also emaciated but I saw from his frame that he had been a powerful man once. He had fallen on hard times. He kept his right hand hidden as he knuckled his forehead with his left hand, “Yes my lord? Can you offer me work? I am a hard worker that I swear.”

  “What is your name?” I saw his eyes and they told me that he was considering making a name up. “The truth!”

  “Harold of Lincoln.”

  I held out my hand, “Show me your right hand.” He reluctantly held it out and I saw that he had lost the middle three fingers from the knuckle. “You were an archer?” He nodded. I pointed to his nose, “And an outlaw.”

  He withdrew his hand and began to turn, “I am sorry to have wasted your time, my lord.”

  I pulled his arm back, “I have not yet done with you and do not presume to tell me when my time is wasted. It is my time so indulge me. Tell me your tale.”

  He sighed as though he had told this before and it had not helped his cause. “I fought in France, lord, and was caught. The French took my fingers. When I returned to England, I sought employment close to my home town. The lord I served was not a pleasant man. I had some skill with horses and cared for his animals. I like horses for they are not as cruel as men. He beat a horse when he fell from its back. It was his fault for the man was a poor rider, lord. I made the mistake of telling him that he should not have punished the beast for his error; it was a foolish thing to say. I was whipped and thrown from his land with no pay. I went to the forests there and lived with those who eke out a living in the green wood. It was a hard life but I survived. Then, in the spring, some lords came hunting for us. They said that deer had been hunted and that was a crime.” He held up his maimed fingers, “How could I hunt with these?” He shook his head and hid his fingers. “They marked me as an outlaw and we were driven from the forest. That was last spring and I have been moving south trying to find work ever since. After this, I will head to London.”

  “What was the name of this lord?”

  “He is a powerful lord, my lord. Sir Richard de Ros is a relative of the Percy family.”

  I smiled, “I am familiar with the family. So, Harold of Lincoln, could you work under James the Horse Master here at my manor of Weedon?”

  He looked shocked. James looked surprised but Thomas smiled for he knew me better than the others. “You would take me on despite my mark?”

  “As you spoke, I looked in your eyes, Harold of Lincoln, and I saw no lie. I was a member of the Blue Company and know that some lords are less than honest and many are mean and cruel men. I hope you find that I am not. What say you?”

  He dropped to one knee, “That I will gladly serve you, lord.”

  “Good, then get your belongings and let us retire to the Lamb and Lion for ale and hot food.” As we left, I saw the envious looks from the ones who had yet to find a master. Many would end up heading for London where there would be many more opportunities but life would be far crueller. I heard James speaking with Harold. My horse master wished to discover if I had hired a liability or an asset. The rain had stopped but the air still had a damp feel. It felt good to walk into the warm fuggy alehouse.

  Old Will beamed a smile as we entered, “Ah, my lord, a successful day?”

  “Aye, it was. A jug of your best ale and what hot fare do you have this day?”

  “The wife has baked some fine rabbit pies.” His face became serious, “Taken legally, my lord.” I nodded and smiled. “And some good, freshly baked bread for the gravy.”

  “That will do. Have you a table?”

  “Aye lord, I kept one for you.” He lowered his voice and gestured with his head towards an angry looking man who was standing with a thin and emacia
ted youth of about twelve summers. “That streak of misery wanted it but there are just the two of them. I would have thrown him out but the boy looks like he needs the warmth.”

  I saw that, while the man was eating, the boy was just standing looking hungrily at the ever-emptying platter. I wondered at their story. The man had a sword and looked to be a sergeant at arms although I saw no mail. I might need men at arms but he looked to be the wrong sort. He would find a master but not one I would wish to associate with. We sat around the table as a serving wench brought over the jug and some beakers. She was of an age with Thomas and Harry and she grinned at them flirtatiously. Thomas just smiled but Harry blushed. He was still coming to terms with his manhood. Will snapped, “Enough of that Marie, let the young lords alone. They come here to eat and not to enjoy your company.”

  As she went Thomas grinned, “I don’t know, I think Harry took a shine to the wench.”

  “Thomas, enough.”

  Even though he was present James said, “Harold here seems to know his horses, my lord.”

  I shook my head, “I am pleased you approve of my choice, James.” I lifted my beaker, “Here is to my new company, welcome Harold!”

  “Welcome, Harold.” As we all chorused the toast, I saw the angry looking man scowl in our direction. It seemed we had disturbed him in some way.

  Harold almost finished the beaker in one. He looked at it guiltily, “Sorry, lord, it has been a long time since I enjoyed an ale.” Thomas topped him up. “When I was in France, I heard of a sergeant who was knighted. Is that you, lord?” I nodded. “And you were King Richard’s bodyguard?” Again, I nodded. He shook his head, “I had put that down to campfire talk. You know the dreams men have of a future beyond the battlefield.”

  “I was lucky, Harold, and it has made me have a different view of the world. The Black Prince changed my life. When I am able I like to change the lives of others.”

  We all enjoyed the ale and the food was welcome too. Harold worked his way steadily through the pie and bread. When all was gone, I waved over Marie and asked for another loaf. Harold used it to mop up every particle of the pie from his platter. He had been hungry. I remembered Spain. I had endured such hunger.