[Norman Conquest 01] Wolves in Armour (39 page)

“Well said!” replied Alan. “Sit with us here on this side of the table as we interview the others. My lady, you are most welcome to stay, but I know that you are busy managing two households and several manors with but a week to the Mid-Summer Quarter-Day. If you are satisfied, we three can handle the rest of the interviews this afternoon.” Recognising that she was indeed busy and needed to spend time with Faran, Wybert and the stewards of the other manors who had all been called to Thorrington, Anne left them to their work.

The interview of the remaining huscarles proceeded quickly. Brand knew many personally or by reputation. In the end nineteen were accepted and four rejected. Two because Alan simply felt them to be untrustworthy characters and two because Brand didn’t accept their stories of their involvement, or the lack of involvement for those who claimed not to have received the summons or arrived late, at Hastings.

It was nearly dark when they’d finished and the evening meal was served with Anne again joining them. Brand had been selected as leader of the band of huscarles and a man named Leofwin from Freshwell in Uttlesford Hundred as his lieutenant. Each would command ten men in battle.

“I want another seven men recruited,” said Alan. “Two groups of ten for battle, and six to act as bodyguards for Lady Anne. Your men are currently sleeping in the old Hall? Tomorrow the archers will be vacating their barracks as their training cycle is complete, and you can take over the upper floor of that building. The other floor holds my twenty trained horsemen and the further twenty I’ve just started training, some for the households of the local thegns. There are another forty peasants, mainly refugees from the Danish raid who have chosen not to return home and some local cottars, who we are just starting training as men-at-arms. Your men will not make fun of the trainees or deride their efforts and will assist in their training. We’re also training some of the sergeants of the local fyrd for the local thegns, so that they can teach the fyrdmen to fight properly. Your own men’s training will start tomorrow afternoon, after Hugh and Baldwin have spent the morning training the horsemen.”

“Our training?” demanded Brand.

“Yes, your training. The Normans won at Hastings because the English fought as 7,000 individuals. We fought as 250 groups each of 25 men, each man supporting and protecting the man on each side and each squad supporting and protecting the next. Remember that I said the difference in that battle was training and discipline. I’m not interested in your individual prowess with a weapon, but how you fight together as a group- and that requires training. I’m occupied tomorrow in a meeting, so I can’t give you instruction on sword-fighting. Hugh will drill you on proper use of spears. He’ll also make sure that you can all ride.”

“Spears?” asked Brand in apparent confusion. “And we all know how to use a sword. Each of us has practiced nearly every day. And why do we need to ride?”

Hugh replied, “Yes, spears. That’s how infantry defeat cavalry in the open- that and archery. As for sword-play, let me just say that Alan is a sword-master and I’m sure you’ll all learn something from him in the next few weeks that will help keep you alive on the battlefield. Regarding riding, our force is to move quickly on horseback if needed and to be able to strike with unexpected speed. Your men will all be provided with a hackney when needed.”

Alan continued to the two huscarles, “You two are to keep your men under control. With all the men in garrison or training here there is a shortage of women. The women of the village are of good repute and nearly all are married or betrothed. Your men may form relationships with the maidens, but there is to be no force or coercion- and no payment. Leave the married women alone, even if they may be willing. I don’t want a village of whores- your men can go to Colchester for that sort of thing. How many of your men are married?” A quick check revealed a little over half, most of them with children. “We’ll get a dozen cottages built and those men can live there with their families, rather than in the barracks.”

Just then was a small commotion near the door and the Welshman Owain strode in with his four guards and a stranger, who was as short and dark as he, but more wiry. Alan strode forward, grasped Owain by the arm and shouted for food and drink for the newcomers. Owain introduced the newcomer as Alwin, a Welsh bowman like himself from his own village of Ebbw Vale. Sipping a mug of ale he briefly told the story of their trip, journeying to Bristol to take ship to Cardiff and thereby avoiding the fighting that was still taking place in Herefordshire. He had brought back thirty bows and the other twenty had been promised for delivery within a month, with arrangements made with a ship’s captain and a carter for delivery.

“Excellent!” enthused Alan. “See the fletchers tomorrow here and at Ramsey, Great Oakley and Wivenhoe, explain to each how to make the arrows. We want 500 practice arrows within a week, and then 6,000 war-shots delivered within two months, starting in two weeks. That will give each archer 120 arrows, or about ten minutes worth of shooting. What price would you suggest? Would a half-penny each with me to supply the arrow-heads be reasonable? After that I’d want another 6,000 at say 1,000 a month. Alwin can start teaching our archers here in Thorrington and Wivenhoe and you can move between Ramsey and Great Oakley teaching their archer squads.”

“It’ll take time to train them up,” warned Owain. “The longbow has a draw strength four times that of a hunting bow and we’ll need to put in place a training regime under which the archers practice for two hours a day at slowly increasing ranges. It’ll be at least six months before they can exceed a distance of 200 paces.”

“Everything that is useful takes time and training,” agreed Alan. “Do it as quickly as you can, but do it properly.”

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Alan had invited 27 of the main landholders in Tendring Hundred, mostly but not all thegns, to meet at Terce on Monday 18th June at what was now called The Old Hall at Thorrington. The usual Hundred court had been delayed until Monday the 25th to allow the thegns time to collect their taxes and rents.

Notable amongst those not invited to the meeting were the stewards of the large estates of William Bishop of London at Clacton and St Osyth, Earl Ralph at Little Bentley, Engelric with the land held by him at Birch Hall from St Paul’s Cathedral at London, the huge and rich estate of St Paul’s at The Naze, St Edmond’s land at Wrabness, the king’s steward of Brightlingsea, and Robert fitzWymarc at Elmstead. With those absent, Alan was by far the largest landholder present and he sat with Anne sat at his side. He had invited his new huscarles to attend to hear the discussions and they stood, without arms or armour, around the walls of the Hall, mainly with arms folded against their chests.

“Hlaford! Gentlemen! Thank you for attending at such short notice. Notice was deliberately short as there are some that I wished not to know of this meeting. Now, why should a roomful of Englishmen listen to what a Norman has to say? One reason is because I believe that the three men responsible for the Heriot in East Anglia are abusing their position and powers. The other is that I believe we need to work together for the protection of the Hundred against attacks such as that of the Danes on Lexden and Winstree Hundreds last month. In addition to those who are here, there are many freemen and sokemen who own small plots of land, and of course the other major landholders of the Hundred. I’m aware from visiting Suffolk that the Heriot Officers there are abusing their positions. I’m sure that, as they are the same men, if they do so there, they’ll do so here.”

One of the Englishmen stood up. “I am Edward from St Osyth. I hold 3 hides of land, woodland and meadow, for which I have to pay a Heriot of £12,
1 ½ times its value for tax assessment. O
n Sunday I pay 6 shillings geld. Why should we believe that you, a Frenchman is concerned for the thegns of the Hundred? Just a few months ago you invaded our lands. Five thegns in this Hundred fell against in battle against you. You hold the lands of Wulfric and Aelfric Kemp- amongst the best and most valuable holdings in the Hundred- and you will pay no Heriot redemption money on your five manors. We know after last month that you can lead warriors to victory, but why this sudden interest in our welfare? I noticed your new castle as I rode in. We English don’t like castles. Why should we think you are different to the other Normans?”

“To answer your last question first, perhaps it’s that I’m prepared to listen and consider the position and needs of other people without getting greedy. As a group, and individually, we Normans tend to be arrogant and believe we’re better than anybody else. The Normans strutting around England are no different than those doing the same in Normandy, Italy or Sicily. Normans don’t just despise and patronise the English. We do the same to the French, the Bretons, Flemings and Italians- in fact nearly everybody except the Vikings and the Germans- including anybody in Normandy who isn’t a knight.

“As to your first point, I would say my concern is not just for the Hundred, but of the shire and the kingdom,” replied Alan. “You’ll be aware that I have retained Englishmen in my service rather than engaging Normans or Frenchmen. I believe that it is inevitable that changes will take place at the top of the social hierarchy. Your nobility was comprised of four families and dominated by the family of Godwin. With their fall, and the coming of a foreign king- and I don’t believe it would have made any real difference had it been a Norman or a Norwegian, or even a Danish king- many changes will take place.

“I do not agree with the Heriot charge and spoke against it with the king. Nor do I believe that the geld, which I do have to pay, should be levied at the rate that it is being levied. But the king has made those decisions and they are law. I also have to provide men in military service for forty days a year, which the thegns of this shire are not required to do.

“What I do object to is that officers of the king- who as I have said before are at least by legal definition Englishmen, Ralph being half Breton and half-English and Bishop William a Norman appointed to his position by Edward the Confessor- are taking advantage of the Heriot for their own advantage. I intend to report those abuses to the king and I’m sure he will act on them, as he’s completely intolerant of corruption. Is there anyone here who is suffering abuse in the application of the Heriot? Not disagreement with its implementation or difficulty with its payment, but who is suffering actual extortion?”

One man put up his hand and said. “I am Alstan of Dickley, with one hide and 37 acres of land. My geld is £1 a year, and so should be my Heriot, if pay it I must. I have no sons, and two daughters. My eldest daughter Hilda is fifteen and fair. The clerk who visited me bearing authority from Bishop William has stated that if she does not marry a Norman of the Bishop’s choosing before All Saints Day on 1st of November my Heriot will be £5. I would have to forfeit and I do not doubt that my land would then be taken by the Bishop.”

Another stood. “Aelfric, a freeman from Old Hall and Lawford. Both myself and the other freemen of the village of Lawford are being charged a Heriot of three times our annual geld assessment. We cannot pay our proper Heriot, let alone that being sought, also by Bishop William.”

Several others made complaint of excessive Relief amounts. Alan asked each to meet with Osmund for him to take their depositions, with attested copies, to be sworn before and witnessed by the local priests Father Ator and Brother Wacian.

“In two weeks I intend to meet with Sheriff Robert fitzWymarc and put to him the depositions I have received by that date for him to investigate and prosecute. I swear I will also raise each with the King’s Chancellor within the month and with the king when he returns. Please pass the word around the whole shire, to those you know in each Hundred, that I need as many depositions as possible when I meet fitzWymarc and that if they want their grievances addressed this is the only chance they will have.

“I don’t care if the complainant is a thegn, a cheorl, sokeman or freeman. I don’t care if it’s for five hides or one acre. All are equal before the law and all are entitled to its protection when abuse and extortion takes place. Next week Osmund will travel to Thaxted, Halsted, Chippingong, Chelmsford, Bilrekay, Maldon and Braintree. We’ll be in Colchester for two days before I see fitzWymarc to take depositions from those in Lexden Hundred. Tell your countrymen to be brave and come forward with their grievances.”

“Won’t this make you unpopular with the Normans?” came a voice out of the crowd.

“Probably. Certainly with those who are in charge of the Heriots,” replied Alan.

“We will take you at your word,” said Leofstan of Great and Little Oakley, one of the larger landholders present. “We’ll dispatch riders all over the shire this day. Now what else do you want?”

“A unified approach to equipping and training the fyrd in the Hundred, with a thegn as my lieutenant in each of the districts within the Hundred, responsible for arranging the training of the fyrdmen,” replied Alan.

“Isn’t that the sheriff’s job?” asked Edwold, one of the three thegns from Alresford.

“So was fighting off the Danes,” interjected Anne, joining in the conversation for the first time. “But we had to do it ourselves. We also have a number of holdings with widows, some of those killed at Hastings and some whose husbands have simply died naturally- although there have been few enough of those this past year! Some estates have heirs not yet of age and who are subject to the appointment of a guardian by Earl Ralph. As Alan has said, Earl Ralph is an ‘Englishman’, but one much taken with improving his own position. How many heirs will survive to inherit? And in what condition will their holding be if that happens? They’ll be stripped bare. And the widows will receive the same threats I received to enter an arranged marriage. You can follow Alan’s lead or not. It’s your choice, but he and I will go our own way irrespective of what you do or say.