Games of Otterburn 1388 (60 page)

“Interesting,” said Thomas in a disinterested manner as he took another bite of food.

“You could catch them if you hurried,” encouraged Neville.

Thomas smiled at Ralph’s innocence. “And fight in the dark… again?!”

“You could chase them down a bit and fight in the morn,” suggested Ralph. I know where they’re bound…
The fords at Burgh on Sands.”

“My dear Lord,” started Thomas tossing his head back and looking down his nose at his much older peer. “Have your garrison
troops
ready to be
a’chasin
’ the Scotch rabble at first light… like chivalrous men at arms ought to do! Your grandson, Hotspur, should take a lesson on that!”

“But he won, did he not?”

Thomas drank from his goblet for a chance to think. He replaced it back onto the table and into the same condensation ring from whence he got it then answered, “But fighting in the dark is so distasteful… and that part was
all
his fault,” Then he chose to end the subject of conversation before he slipped and hanged himself on his own fabricated rope.

Lord Thomas Umfraville was true to his word and ready to go at the first hint of light. He was bent on glory to cover his lies.

Lord Ralph Neville
sallied
his own garrison from the south gate inspired by the recent victory of his grandson, Hotspur, and bent on revenge for the siege.

“Where to Lord Neville?” asked Thomas as a courtesy more than any other
reason.

“The Solway fords,” answered Neville and turned his horse toward the northwest.

August 22 - Early Morning

Burgh-on-Sands

The Solway Plains have a long and famous history. It was the site of a Roman fort that guarded the western terminal point of Hadrian’s Wall. Some propose the area to be the legendary
land
of
Avalon
where the sword Excalibur was forged and where King Arthur died. Oddly enough it was where King Edward I, an Arthurian enthusiast, also died in 1307 taking an army across the fords into
Scotland
to attack King Robert the Bruce.

Old man Jessup came from his clay dabbin and into his tool shed of no more than woven tree branches and a thatch to retrieve a scythe to be used to began his day of August harvest of his two furlongs of wheat.

As he left the shed he saw on the horizon a great herd of animals heading his way. Fear was his first thought. His second was anger for he knew his crop that was only a quarter cut was doomed by the many trampling hooves and hungry mouths headed his way.

He replaced his scythe on the wall of branches and went into his one room house to fetch his wife.

“Trouble this way, comes, wife,” he said trying to be calm.

She could tell, however, that it was serious and she immediately clamored to stuff clothes, a cook pot and a pan and wood-carved utensils into a gunnysack.
“How far?” she asked.

“
Comin
’ over the Jones furlong now… normal walk for kine, it is,” he replied as he did his own packing of small tools. He continued to glance out his doorway at his oncoming disaster.

Soon Jessup and his wife were on their way to kin and neighbors down the lane and beyond for what they hoped would be out of harms way.

The herd that was made up of as many horses as there were bovines and oxen and few pigs was slow traveling even though it had been only eight miles from Castle Carlisle to their destination of Burgh on Sands, it had taken yesterday’s afternoon and into the night and again that morn.

“There ‘tis,” happily said Sir William Douglas pointing down the hill and across the water at the low undulating countryside. “
Scotland
!”

His father rode up beside him and looked across the landscape. Some of the herd had already worked its way half way down the gentle green slope toward the water.

“
Scotland
’s there, ‘tis well,” replied Archibald, “‘
ecpt
we’re trapped… on this side.”

“Trapped?” said William.

“High tide ‘tis, son,” came back Archibald. “And ye just know Umfraville is behind us and
bearin
’ down at full gallop.”

“Ought not
get
caught on that mushy ground near the water when they get here, I think,” opined William pulling at his chin beard.

“Right ye are, son,” agreed Archibald. We ought to make our stand here on the high ground before it slopes off.”

Archibald stopped the herd from further travel and conferred with Earl Robert.

“We need to get a man to the water’s edge to see if it’s
goin
’ up or
goin
’ down,” advised Robert first off.

“Then we need to array for a full frontal attack,” advised Archibald. “Any word from the scouts we left along the trail?”

“Not heard as yet,” said Robert.

“That means they did not leave last
evenin
’,” replied Archibald.

“And if they left at first light they’ll be here by high sun,” calculated Robert shifting in his saddle to see where and how their army was spread out.

“All depends on the tide water,” said Archibald.

“I’ll go figure it,” said William cheerfully.

Archibald nodded his approval and William with a retinue of four close-by knights went on toward the water.

Robert looked at Archibald and then the landscape of mostly farm plots of growing food.

“Any way to use the herd?” asked Archibald.

“Ye mean to run them into the
chargin
’ knights?” asked Robert.

“I mean that,” replied Archibald.

“Not
a’riskin
’ what we bled to get,” said Robert seeming to be pragmatic.

“Might be
bleedin
’ more for the sake of the plunder,” gainsaid Archibald.

“I figure to take the herd down to the water edge and keep it there ‘til we can move across the ford at low tide,” snapped Robert narrowing his eyes.

“Then what?” asked Archibald.

“We’ll put some men in that wood yon,” he said pointing to his right at a close copse. “Then more in the wood over yonder,” he further explained.

“And we’ll stand here and suck them into the middle?” questioned Archibald.

“Aye,” replied Robert.

“I like it all except
puttin
’ the men on the left,” said Archibald.
“‘Tis too far away from our position.
Surprise flanking would
not
work.”

Robert grumped. He did not like to be rubbed against so roughly. “If we’re still here when Umfraville gets here,” he said meaning he was not conceding but if they were forced to fight he would agree with
Douglas
.

“Might as well feed the men while we wait,” said Archibald.

Robert wheeled his horse saying, “Reckon I’ll see about the tides myself.”

“Don’t trust my son?” questioned Archibald.

“Just don’t like the
waitin
’,” he said setting spurs to his destrier.

Archibald shrugged his shoulders and sent a squire to round up his knights to plan how they were going to defend their position if the English came before they could escape across the fords.

Along about high sun one of the expected spies came roaring into the camp from the back of his small nimble horse. Archibald stood in the open and waved his hands to let the spy know where to alight. There had been three other spies returned during the morning and so they well knew the Umfraville and Neville forces were on their way.

“Close, they are, Milord,” shouted the scout before getting his foot from his stirrup, “Half mile I’d figure, Milord!”

Archibald nodded as he caught the young man in mid fall from his saddle. “Ye in a hurry,
laddie
?” teased the earl.

The man smiled as he straightened himself up saying, “Aye, Milord. Hurry, I’m in… Them
a’comin
’ are a scary lot when yer by yerself.”

The two laughed, as well as the men within earshot.

Archibald looked behind him to see how the bed of the firth was drying out. It was close but not enough to get the herd across. “Reckon we’ll set for war!”

The whole field appeared to be a colony of ants as the word spread and the men went into their various directions according to Archibald’s plan.

Robert appeared beside the earl saying, “Everything ready?”

“Aye,” was the
reply.
“Ye
be
a’ridin
’ by my side?”

“My honor,” said Robert seemingly having a change of attitude for no apparent reason.

“When will we be able to get across?” asked
Douglas
.

“We’re
a’gonna
have to whip the English fully ere we can leave,” answered Robert sullenly.

“No escape, ye
a’sayin
’?” asked Archibald.

“Run them off or die in the
tryin
’,” opined Robert.

Archibald gave the expected signal and the knights on horseback and the mounted men-at-arms who were well armed and well armored sallied forward toward mid field as the van battle.

The archers were easily within range of the front copse from where the combined army of Neville and Umfraville was expected to emerge according to the spy reports.

“Don’t reckon Umfraville would make an unexpected maneuver, do ye?” asked Robert casually.

“Umfraville’s a cockscomb,” replied Archibald. “He has no passion for anything out of the ordinary.”

Robert nodded and drew rein along with Archibald.

The rest of their army halted as well.

They were set and waiting for their enemy to appear out of the line of trees.

Just as expected the English army did emerge from the tree line and spread the field wide.

“Ye want the van?” asked Robert as they watched the English
knights
line up.