The Dunston Blade (37 page)

Leaving Norwich they marched on towards Holt where they met the son of Baron William, David. He was a pleasant young man and had taken over his fathers
lands. With Alfred, son of Hugo of Fakenham, they had become prominent members of the Norwich Council. Sitting in John’s pavilion the two young men
reported that everything was quiet and normal up to Sheringham but beyond that towards Shipden there was unrest in the villages and the peasants were
meeting in groups. Sir William was using his men at arms to try and keep order by using brute strength and stirring up more resentment. John told them he
was there to put a stop to Sir William’s tyrannical rule, they both wanted to go with him . John’s army now increased with addition of their troops.
Following the coast tracks they were soon in sight of Shipden. John turned inland and they made camp in a small forest. He sent outriders to keep watch on
any activity. Sitting around the fire that evening John explained their strategy for the morrow.

“I will approach the Castle and see if we can discuss the situation with Sir William, if this fails we must cut all roads to the Castle. If he fails to
meet me then we have time to lay siege to the Castle. I would rather take this strategy than an all out attack where we would lose more men.”

At that moment the guards brought in four villagers who had walked into the camp. They explained to John that they were fed up with the way they were being
treated by Sir William and wished to ally themselves to John.

“What do you think I am here for?” questioned John.

“Sir, with all these men I would say you are going to capture Sir William and take him to prison,” said the leader of the group.

“Then you would be wrong,” continued John. “I shall visit the Knight as a matter of courtesy but we are on the way to Shipden to see if the port needs to
strengthen it’s defences. I am aware of the friction between you and your Lord but remember your position, he is your Lord and you toil for him. If you
have a genuine grievance then make a case and bring it before the Sheriff.”

The visitors stood in silence for a moment then turned and walked out.

“That was hard talk Sir,” said Gavin. “I assume we are still going to capture Sir William.”

“I am going to call on him, as I said, and I shall demand a change in what is going on here. If he disagrees, which I am expecting, then we shall make him
see the error of his ways,” answered John. “I don’t want those villager to go back and tell everyone that we are attacking the Castle. Secrecy is the way.”

The following day John set up a small camp not far from the Castle and sent a Herald to Sir William to come to him and discuss development of his land. The
Herald was told to tell the Knight that the Earl would not take no for an answer. John and his men waited for over two hours, during this time they were
spied upon by riders from the Castle. Eventually the Herald returned and reported to John that Sir William would come to him in the afternoon. While they
had been waiting John had sent for his army to come nearer but to still keep in cover. Mid afternoon saw the Castle gates open and a group of horsemen
appeared followed by a large troop of foot soldiers, they marched towards John’s camp and as they approached a second, larger group of horsemen joined them
from the other side of the Castle. John and Gavin mounted their destriers in full armour and John’s mounted Knights and cavalry came out of the trees
behind him. The edge of the wood also was suddenly filled with bowmen. Sir William’s troops lined up opposite John’s camp and a Herald approached. The
message from Sir William was that this territory was his and his alone and he did not recognise the authority of John to interfere. John sent the man back
with a terse reply.

‘Yield to your Earl or face the consequences.’ With that he signalled the bowmen to prepare. John saw the Herald reach Sir William and then the line
started to move towards them. The bowmen were given the signal to loose and the first flight hit the advancing troops and men fell. Horses fell too which
caused chaos in the ranks of the advancing men.The next signal was for the mounted men to advance, there was just time enough for one more flight of death
from the sky. The mounted men hit the front of Sir William’s troops and the slaughter began. John rode forward with the rest of his foot soldiers and when
they reached the fighting it was obvious that the battle would not last long as men at the back were already running away. Gavin was fighting Sir William
and they were trading blow for blow. John pushed on towards them and just as he reached the fighting pair Sir William managed to find a gap in Gavin’s
armour and his sword slid in. Gavin toppled from his horse and John took advantage of Sir William’s hesitation after delivering the blow and moved in to
Sir William. His sword flashed in the sunlight and found its mark, Sir William’s head flew into the men still fighting and suddenly the fighting stopped.
John dismounted and went to Gavin who was laying still, he removed his helm and saw that there was no life in his eyes.

“Take him to my tent,” said John. He remounted and called to his men to follow him to the Castle and to pick up the body of Sir William and bring it with
them. They entered the Castle bearing the Knight’s body, his Steward led the way to the Hall where they placed the body on a table complete with its head.
Sir William was not married, which John thought probably was part of the reason he was so aggressive. The Steward said he and his wife would see to the
Knight’s burial.

“I shall leave my Knight, Sir Tristan, here to take charge,” said John. “I expect obedience to him.”

The Steward nodded and bowed and said he would serve the Knight. John left to go back to his camp making sure he had left enough of his own men to support
Tristan. Gavin had been stripped of his armour and his wounds cleaned, John looked down at his friend and sorrow overcame him for a moment.

“Bring a cart to take him home,” said John. “This is a sad day, let the men from Dunston escort him. Stephen, let’s go home.”

As they marched back towards Norwich John thought of what he would say to his sister Joan. Fortunately they had a son so she would have a reminder of her
husband.

II

Tania was devastated at the news of Gavin’s death and immediately made plans to go to Joan. John said he would accompany her but would have to return to
Wymondham as soon as possible. There was also news from London that Sir Cedric was not well. Once Tania had comforted Joan and helped her to come to terms
with Gavin’s death John went back to Wymondham to formalise the plans he had been thinking of on the way home. Who should replace Gavin in Dunston? Who
would replace him in Wymondham eventually?

Edmond was too young and inexperienced to control Dunston but Stephen would be the man to help and guide him, and he always had a soft spot for the home
Castle. He would leave Tristan at Shipden who would soon organise the area the way he knew John would like it. John felt satisfied with his plan and turned
his thoughts to his visit to London and to see Sir Cedric. They mourned Gavin and held a dinner in his memory, many of the Tennants came as Gavin had been
well liked.

Arriving in London John found Sir Cedric recovering from his illness but very angry at the King’s close friend, Gaveston, who had taken over the
organisation of the King’s coronation. The man had been banished by the King’s father but Edward had reinstated him when his father died. Now he was the
cause of much anger from the Barons. John listened patiently and tried to figure out the parts that would affect him and his estates. He told Sir Cedric of
his plans and they sat and talked about them and John could see that the Earl missed his old home. He visited Westminster and kept out of the way of the
builders as he paid his respect to Edward at his tomb in the Abbey. He was sitting quietly when two Barons approached him and asked him what he thought
about the return of Gaveston.

“I think the King needs him but the country does not,” said John. “It would have been better if he had stayed away.”

The Barons looked at one another and then one of them said.

“He is in favour now but many of us feel that he should be sent away again. Will you support us when the time comes?”

John looked at them and said, “I am but a country man, I don’t think my word will carry much weight, I do not visit London or take my seat in Parliament.”

“You, together with Sir Cedric, are a powerful force and many are interested in what you do and say. We are all noticing how well your estates thrive and
your men are loyal. Many here would listen to your views,” said one of the Barons.

John did not respond as he did not want to be drawn into the politics here in London. He politely excused himself saying he had to get back to Sir Cedric.
Sitting in the boat on the way back he thought about what had been said, would he make a difference? That evening he discussed the subject with Sir Cedric
as the Earl was used to the ways of things in London and at Court.

“There is trouble brewing in that area. I no longer advise the King as I used to do for his father. The best advise I can give you is to return to
Wymondham and continue with the plans you discussed with me earlier. I am sure there will a solution to the problems here soon.” John stayed a further two
days and then returned to Wymondham to his family.

Resting at home John mulled over what the Barons had said to him in Westminster Abbey. He did not want to be in London, he thought it was a dirty and
dangerous place and he much preferred his country life.

John felt he was powerful enough in his Shire, he had a good number of men under arms who constantly trained and had proved themselves in battle. He
decided that the politics of London could reach whatever conclusion they did, he would stay out of it. The King and all the fawning courtiers were so
insincere that it made John feel sick every time he met them.

One winters evening John sat in the Wymondham library looking at the collection that Sir Cedric had left there. He came across some old parchments written
in a language he could not understand. He made a mental note to ask Sir Cedric what they were. As he was leafing through them he found one page that had
strange markings illustrated that could be figures or numbers and he recognised one of them, it was the same marking that was on his ring.

II

Over their first meal of the day John suggested to Tania that they ride over to Dunston, he needed to talk to Edmond and to be brought up to date on the
how he was handling his lands. When they arrived at the Castle, Edmond was at first nervous of his father’s visit but after a talk with the Reeve, John
relaxed and said he would ride over to the church as he had not been there for several years. “The new Priest has settled in,” said Edmond. “There was no
one there for a while after Father Aldred’s replacement died but the Bishop has sent a new man.”

John nodded and said it would be a good time to meet him. As he rode to the church he remembered the times he and Joan had made the journey and how Father
Aldred had liked the barrels he brought. The church looked just the same, older and more weeds surrounding it, but the same peaceful air about it. The
Priest came out to greet him and after John had told him who he was the man invited him into the church. After some polite conversation John said he would
like to see anything of Father Aldred’s personal effects that had been left there, if they had not been destroyed.

“Certainly Sir,”said the Priest. “I have disposed of his old clothes but all his other belongings are in a box in the Sanctuary.”

John went to the small room off to the side of the altar with the priest trailing after him, there he found the box.

“I will take this with me and see if it tells me anything of his family.”

“Not that I have found Sir,” said the Priest. “but as you knew him you may find a clue.”

John departed and went back to Dunston Castle. He searched the box and most of the contents were an odd collections of mementoes of the old man’s life.
Among some old parchments John found one that had been pressed between two pieces of wood. John carefully parted them and looked down at a piece of very
old parchment as he looked at it he could not recognise the language, it was not Latin or Greek but the writing was very regular. The next few days he
spent in the library at Wymondham searching through books trying to identify the strange writing. Nowhere could he find the information and as he sat
discussing it with Tania she said.

“Why don’t you ask father, he may know something, he has travelled a lot?”

John left the subject for a while but the puzzle kept coming into his mind so he decided he would visit the Earl. As he was making his mind up when to make
the visit Sir Cedric arrived at the Castle. He said he was fed up with London and the way the King was acting so he had journeyed to the family he loved.
One evening as he sat with John the conversation turned to the library and did the Earl want to move his books to London.

“No, I took what I wanted and the rest can stay here,” he said.

“I have been trying to find out what the inscription on my ring is,” said John. “I can find nothing in the books.”

The Earl smiled and said that the book he needed was in London but he did not publicise the fact that he had it.

“As you know,” continued Sir Cedric. “The Jews have been banished from these shores and the inscription on your ring is in Aramaic which is the basis for
their ancient writings. It was widely used in the Arab lands and we came across it in our Crusades.”

John showed him the ring but Sir Cedric said he could not recognise the figure but it looked similar to what he had seen when he was on his Crusade. John
remembered his father had been on a Crusade and wondered if that is how he came to have the sword and the ring. John thought to himself that he had now two
tasks, one to search through his father’s box again and second to go to London and look at Sir Cedric’s book.

When he was practicing with his sword after Sir Cedric had returned to London, John tried to feel a connection between the ring and his sword but there was
nothing, he was still fast even though he was older but nothing exceptional. John wondered why he had not linked the ring and sword together before.