King Henry's Champion

by Griff Hosker

  We rode back to our refuge. I put the favour in my gambeson. I could smell the Empress as I stuffed it beneath my mail. Sir Edward and I were to the right of the Earl while the younger knights were to the left. I had not seen Stephen of Blois at the feast but his brother Theobald led the knights of Blois. I wondered where Stephen was. I did not recognise any of the others. I was under no illusions. The six men we faced would know their business. I hoped that the three young knights were not overconfident. I smiled at myself as I adjusted my helmet. When I had fought the Count of Stuttgart I had been their age; I had been the young inexperienced knight. They would learn as I had learned. I held the reins loosely. I did not need to hold the bar at the back of the shield as it was firmly fixed to my shoulder and arms by leather straps. I would use my knees when I was in close combat but for the initial charge I would use my reins.

  The trumpet sounded and the Earl spurred on his warhorse. The men of Blois saw that we would charge them and they began to turn to face us. The knights from the Empire had been charging us but the Count of Ponthieu had emulated us and made a flank attack. We were all closer than we would have been on a real battlefield and Star barely had the time to get to the canter. I would have to use the swiftness and strength of my arm to make up the deficiency in speed.

  The two knights at the end of the Blois line were slow to turn. They were at an angle to Edward and me. I stood slightly in the stirrups and, pulling back my arm punched hard at the knight’s shield. He was leaning slightly when my blunted spear shattered on his shield and threw him from his saddle. He crashed to the ground. I threw the stump of my lance away and drew the tournament sword. I reined in Star. As he rose I tapped him on the helmet, “Yield!”

  He took off his helmet and nodded. Edward had despatched his foe and we led the two of them back to our refuge. William was ecstatic, “You had the first victory!”

  “Then get me another lance and I will try for a second.”

  Thus armed we returned to the fray. I saw the Earl leading back his captive while Sir Phillip and Sir Gervaise were now fighting with swords from horseback. I saw Sir Geoffrey in the refuge of Blois. His victor had a lance and was now cantering to attack Sir Gervaise. I spurred Star on. We had no line to keep and I gave him his head. The knight from Blois saw me and jerked his reins around to meet me. The move slowed down his horse a little. I pulled my lance back and hefted my shield around a little tighter to my front. In a tourney you used the shield as a target. The aim was to knock the knight from the horse. I chose a different tactic. I aimed for the centre of his chest.

  I saw him pull his arm back as I stood in my stirrups again. It was a risk as I could easily topple over but I would have more power in my blow. His lance struck first as I punched at his chest. Had I not been lunging forward so hard then the blow to my shield might have unhorsed me. As it was I regained my seat as the knight was knocked from his horse and crashed to the ground.

  I pointed my lance at his chest, “Yield.” He did not move. I waved over his squire.

  He ran and when he found the knight he took off his helmet. Kneeling down he put his ear to the knight’s mouth. “He lives!”

  I nodded, “I take this knockout as a victory but take him to your refuge and have him cared for.”

  “I will, my lord.”

  I saw that we had vanquished the men of Blois. All had been unhorsed or captured. That was the way most combats developed. As soon as you knocked out one or two then the other team was outnumbered. A quick strike worked. I went back to the refuge with the fallen knight’s war horse. He was a fine animal. The Earl had Theobald as his captive and our leader was in high spirits. “We have won much already. How goes the other?”

  Robert, his squire, said, “There are two Normans in the Imperial refuge. The Count of Ponthieu has one prisoner.”

  “Then we are in a good position. Come, let us mount and join this mêlée.”

  As we rearmed and formed our line I knew that this would be the most dangerous time for who were friends and who were foes? Even as we galloped across I saw the Count of Ponthieu knocked from his horse. He was led to the Imperial refuge. The outnumbered three who remained were quickly taken. We now had parity of numbers but we had two young knights and all five of the enemy looked to be experienced.

  The inexperience of Sir Phillip and Sir Gervaise showed when they spurred their horses and left the safety of our line. They had had a victory and assumed that the next would be as easy. They charged the Imperial knights as they formed their own line. Three of them, led by Lothar himself, charged the two border knights. Both were thrown from their saddles and captured. Our parity of numbers had vanished in the blink of an eye.

  “Damned fools! We must strike now while they are escorting them to the refuge.”

  Two Imperial knights faced us while Lothar and a knight encased all in black hurried to meet us. The Earl was the target of the two knights. Both their lances hit him as Edward and I hit them. All three were hurled to the ground. Then we were struck by Lothar and the black knight. I kept my saddle and I used my broken lance to punch hard against the black knight’s helmet. Already overbalanced he fell to the ground. Edward was reeling and Lothar pursued him across the ground. As the black knight and his two companions rose I said, “Yield!”

  They nodded and I escorted them back to our refuge. The Earl had managed to make his way back too. They had failed to ask him to yield but I could see he had been wounded. He had a cut across the side of his head. I saw Edward making his way across to the refuge; Lothar of Passau had his lance pressing against his back. I was on my own against the last two knights of the Empire.

  “A lance, Leofric!” My one chance was to unhorse the last knight before Lothar could rearm. He handed me one and grinned. He had more confidence in me than I did. As I spurred my horse towards the charging knight, himself keen for glory, I heard a cheer erupt along the stands. I had the support of the crowds at any rate.

  I hoped that this knight had not watched me fight the others. I would try my trick of standing and punching down. As we galloped towards each other I was acutely aware that both of our horses were tiring. That could affect the outcome. He was a smaller knight than I was. He would be harder to unhorse. I waited until the last possible moment before standing and punching. It worked for his lance caught the bottom of my shield and leg only. My lance caught him square in the middle and he began to fall backwards. He dropped his lance and would have lost his shield if it were not for the fact that it was strapped to his arm. I whipped Star’s head around as I caught sight of Lothar of Passau heading for me. I saw the knight trying to right himself and I punched him in the chest with my broken lance. It proved too much. His left stirrup broke and he fell to the ground. I slapped the rump of his horse and it dragged the knight towards my refuge. I would not need to ask him to yield. My squires would guide his horse into our sanctuary.

  Throwing away my now useless stump I yelled, “Lance!”

  The horse dragging the knight entered the refuge as John gave me a lance. “My lord, wheel left!”

  I trusted my squire and I jerked the reins to the left and spurred Star. I felt the lance as it grazed the top of my cantle. But for the warning it would have been over and Lothar would have won. He had seen me rearming and used the opportunity to make a sudden hit. It was within the rules. He circled with his horse, ready for his next charge. I still had a chance. However the continuous blows on my shield had taken their toll of my shoulder, arm and elbow. All ached; and now I faced the most feared of all the knights in the tourney, Lothar of Passau.

  I rode to the middle of the field and waited for Lothar of Passau to charge me. I needed to rest Star as much as I could. When he was fifty paces from me I spurred Star who leapt forward. I suspected Lothar had observed me standing in my stirrups. I could not use that particular attack this time. I rested the lance on my cantle and slid it back. We both punched at the same moment. I saw him reel back but he retained his seat. He had anticip
ated my stroke and his own had hit me high on the shoulder. Although the shield took most of the impact I felt my left arm grow numb. I had been warned of this.

  I could not risk a lance again and so I drew my sword. Neither of us wore a great helm and Lothar’s helmet was even more open than mine. I saw him grin as he drew his own sword. “Your weak shoulder and elbow have caught you out eh Earl? Perhaps I will hurt your arm some more or do you wish to yield now?”

  I chose not to answer him. Instead I put spurs to Star and swung my sword hard at the German. My quick hand caught him by surprise and I saw him wince as my blow clattered into his shield. Combat on horseback is never easy. Both horses were constantly moving and it was harder to judge the positioning of the blows. I was lucky as Star responded well to my knees. He had to for my left hand was still tingling from the lance blow. Before Lothar could bring his shield around I swung the blade horizontally at his neck. There was no edge on the tournament swords but it could still inflict a wound if it hit. I was rewarded for my efforts. As he pulled back he exposed the inside of his shield and the sword, blunt though it was tore through the fastenings and the whole shield dropped. He reached for the bar as the fastenings had gone and I urged Star forward. Unable to control his own war horse his mount stepped back and I kept Star advancing.

  This time I did risk standing in my stirrups and I brought the sword over my head. Lothar of Passau had managed to grip his shield and his reins. My blow forced him to bring up his shield to defend himself and this time I brought much greater force down onto the shield and it was his hand which took the force of the blow holding the handle as it did. The shout from his face told me that I had hurt his hand. Star was still pushing his mount back and Lothar found himself turning so that it was his sword arm which faced me. I brought my sword down again. Even though I was tiring I had to end it soon. He brought his own weapon up to counter the blow. My strike knocked the sword from his hand. I brought my own around to his throat. “Yield, Lothar of Passau, or do I drag you to my refuge?”

  His face was filled with fury but he could do nothing. He had been beaten. He bowed his head and lowered his shield. I raised my sword and the crowd erupted. We had won. As I felt feeling rush back into my hand I thanked God that I had had extra padding fitted to my shield. Otherwise I might have been hurt even earlier in the combat and then all would have been lost.

  He followed me to the refuge where the Earl was now standing with his head already bandaged. William and my squires were screaming with delight. The Earl grasped my hand as I entered. “Well done, my friend. That was masterly.” He pointed to the main stand. “Go and receive your prize.”

  Taking off my shield I handed it to John. “But it is your team, my lord, you should go.”

  He shook his head, “Were it not for you I would have been captured. No, my friend, the honour belongs to you. Beside we will make a fortune from this. We have captured two whole teams and only four of ours have been captured. The ransoms will be great.” He patted my squires on their shoulders. “We will let these young men have the honour of collecting our treasure.”

  I turned Star’s weary head and, with my helmet in the crook of my left arm I rode to the main stand. The crowd tried to reach out to touch Star’s flanks and the King’s men had to hold them back. They shouted comments to me or just cheered, wildly. It was as though I had won a battle rather than a competition. I reached the stand and turned to face the King, the Queen, the Empress and the Count. I bowed my head.

  The King stepped forward with the golden laurel crown. “This is richly deserved, Alfraed, Earl of Cleveland. Truly I have never seen such courage and such skill. My daughter chose her champion wisely.”

  Matilda nodded. He husband jumped to his feet, “I shall learn to joust as well as you, my lord. I will have my own team at the next tourney and you shall come to Anjou and be my adviser!”

  “I will be honoured, my lord.”

  The King shook his head. The tournament had been important but it had been a distraction. I had a greater role. “But that will not be this year, my son. The Earl has tasks in the north. He has enjoyed his pleasure and now he must return to defend our land. I know that the north is in safe hands!”

  I felt foolish, with the golden crown upon my head as I rode back to the refuge but the crowds loved the spectacle. The captured knights were speaking with each other as I entered. Lothar looked at me with pure malevolence, “You were lucky today, Alfraed, Earl of Cleveland. Should we ever meet on the field of battle then you would do well to avoid me for next time you will be lucky to escape with your life!”

  The Earl burst out laughing, “Lothar you are a fool! I have seen the Earl fight. He is even more deadly in a battle where there are no rules. If you see the blue standard with the wolf and the stars then avoid it.”

  The Count looked at the other knights, Theobald of Blois nodded. “I hate to agree but I fought in the border wars against Coucy and Puset and I too have seen him fight. He is a war machine.”

  The Count shook his head. He did not believe them. “I will send the ransom. I have had enough of this English hospitality!”

  Although it was against the rules we allowed him and his knights to leave the refuge even though the ransom was not yet paid. He would have to pay whatever the Earl demanded, honour was at stake and he was representing the Emperor.

  I rode Scout back to the hall of the Earl. I was desperate for the salve which I had. My shoulder and arm still ached. I would have to see the Earl’s healer for his advice. William chattered like a magpie all the way back. He was just full of the spectacle. Equally inquisitive were the three knights from our team, all of whom had been captured. I felt as though I had been interrogated by the time we reached the hall. I was disappointed that my men were not there. I had expected them to have watched the tourney and reached the hall before us. Perhaps they had taken the opportunity to enjoy the delights and doxies of London. I would not blame them. They were men, after all.

  The Earl had baths for us to ease our aches and pains. I sent Leofric for the Earl’s healer. His doctor, a Greek, examined my arm. “It is the elbow which troubles you, I understand?” I answered the question in Greek and he smiled, “Your words are like music to my ears.” He used his hands to search my arm, elbow, hand and shoulders. It took some time. He asked me, when he touched various places, if I could feel it. Eventually satisfied he nodded, “Yes it is the elbow which is the heart of the problem. Do you occasionally lose feeling in your fingers?” I nodded. “When it has been struck?” Again I nodded. “I could make a cut and try to remedy it.”

  “Might that make it worse?” I did not like the idea of a scalpel being used to cut me open.

  He nodded cheerfully, “It might; in fact it probably would. I think the only alternative is to give up being a knight but I can’t see you doing that.” He took the salve. “What is this?”

  “It eases the pain.”

  He sniffed it and tasted it. He nodded. “What you need, my friend is something which will delay the reaction. I will make something for you.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Oh you need not thank me. You won today and you can afford to pay a good price for my medicine. A good doctor and his cures do not come cheap!”

  I laughed, “It will be worth the price if it works.”

  “It will work, my lord. You have my word on that.”

  His words made me feel better and after the Earl’s slave had massaged and oiled me I felt a new man. I was in the Great Hall with Edward and the Earl when Wulfric was admitted. The Earl frowned at the intrusion.

  I gave an apologetic nod, “Wulfric would never dare to come uninvited unless the news was important.”

  Wulfric dropped to a knee. A man of few words he came directly to the point. “We have found the man who hired the outlaws my lord. The dark skinned knight with the white streaked beard. He is in a tavern close to the Abbey of St.Peter; the Confessor’s church. Ralph of Wales and Roger of Lincoln watch him.�
��

  I looked at the Earl who nodded. “Go and find this assassin.” He took his seal from around his neck, “Take this, you may need it.” I took it and he grabbed my arm, “Try to get him alive eh, Alfraed. It would be good to know who pays this killer.”

  I went to my rooms and said, “John, get my armour. William, fetch my sword.”

  “You go out father? Should we come?”

  I shook my head, “Stay here. I want the three of you safe.”

  We took all of Edward’s men as well as mine. I wanted a show of force so that he would surrender rather than fight. Like the Earl I wanted to know who had paid him. “Wulfric, the tavern is it close to the quay?”

  “Aye, my lord.”

  “And were there ships tied up?”

  “I am not certain.”

  “Sir Edward, when we get to the tavern, find out which ships are in port and where they are bound. Find out also the names of any ships which are expected.”

  “You think he is fleeing?”

  “Perhaps. Wulfric, where did you first see him?”

  “He was at the tourney. He had four men with him. As soon as you defeated Lothar of Passau he left. That was when Ralph of Wales saw him. The five of them were the only ones leaving and they barged their way out. It was how we noticed them. The rest all stayed to see you receive your prize.”

  “Then we must be careful for the Earl is right. We need to know who pays them.”

  We reached the tavern. Ralph and Roger appeared from the shadows. Night had fallen and the streets were narrow and dimly lit. Edward and his men disappeared. I left Griff of Gwent with the horses and approached Ralph. “They are still within, my lord and this is the main way in.”

  “Good, John and Brian, see if you can find the rear entrance in case they try to flee.” They hurried off. I had Wulfric. Roger of Lincoln and two archers; my archers had wickedly sharp knives whilst Wulfric had his axe. It would have to be enough. Watch my back, Wulfric.”