King Henry IV Read online

  King Henry IV

  Book 4 in the Struggle for a Crown Series

  By

  Griff Hosker

  Published by Sword Books Ltd 2019

  Copyright ©Griff Hosker First Edition

  The author has asserted their moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the copyright holder, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

  Cover by Design for Writers

  List of important characters in the novel

  (Fictional characters are italicized)

  Sir William Strongstaff

  King Henry IV formerly Henry Bolingbroke, Earl of Northampton

  Henry of Monmouth (Prince of Wales and Henry’s son)

  George de Dunbar, 10th Earl of Dunbar and March (Dunbarre)

  Ralph Neville, 4th Baron Neville of Raby, and 1st earl of Westmorland

  Henry Percy (Harry Hotspur) the heir to the Earl of Northumberland

  Henry Percy, the Earl of Northumberland

  Thomas Percy, the Earl of Worcester and Hotspur’s uncle.

  Sir Edmund Mortimer,

  Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March (Nephew of Sir Edmund Mortimer and claimant to the English crown)

  Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas

  Edmund, Earl of Stafford

  Owain Glyndŵr (Glendower), Rebel and pretender to the Welsh crown

  Prologue

  King Richard was dead. At one time I had been captain of his Guard and protected him and his wife. I had been there at the end and knew that he had not died at the hands of his cousin, the new King, Henry Bolingbroke, as was the rumour amongst King Henry’s enemies. I did not like King Henry for I believed that he had inveigled himself on to the throne. His son, Henry Monmouth, I liked. He had been, as had King Richard and King Henry, trained by me but I saw the spirit of the Black Prince in Hal! That had been sadly lacking in both Richard and Henry. Despite King Richard’s words on his deathbed, ‘Prince Henry, when you are King keep this man as close to you as your armour. You will live. Listen to him and heed his words for they are sage. I did not and I pay the price.’ Henry Bolingbroke had sent his son north to Northumberland to continue his training with Henry Percy. The King was a clever and cunning man. He did not trust Percy and thought to use his own son to spy on him. At the same time, he took Hal away from me. It was yet another reason why I did not like him. The death of King Richard did nothing to bring peace to a troubled land. Even some of those who had toppled the former king from power now opposed King Henry.

  As for myself, I was not only happy, for my days of having to protect a king were over, I was rich. When I had been a camp follower holding the horses of the Blue Company in Spain, I could never have imagined that I would own four manors. I had been given Stoney Stratford, Weedon and the rich manor of Dauentre by King Richard and the Earl of Northampton; my wife had bought the manor of Whittlebury. Eleanor knew how to make coin and had a head for both farming and business. We lived at Weedon for it suited us and Sir John, who had been my squire, watched over Dauentre for me.

  I had nothing to do with politics and that meant I kept to myself. My manors were renowned as places where politics were left to others. Despite the fact that I did not like him, I was the King’s man and would not involve myself in plots and conspiracies. I did not think that Henry Bolingbroke was a bad king but I had yet to see him be a better king than Richard. After Richard’s Queen had died; it was only then he became a tyrant. Before then he had tried to do his best for England and Normandy but he had been badly advised and served. He had said as much on his deathbed. ‘I want you as a witness. I forgive Henry Bolingbroke, my cousin. Despite what others wanted he did not have me killed. I forgive him for I wanted him to kill me. I understand why he did not. As for the others? None are forgiven. I hope they rot in hell for having abandoned me.’

  Now those who had abandoned him were plotting against Henry Bolingbroke who had barely attained the throne when they began their machinations! They were self-serving hypocrites and I wanted nothing to do with them.

  Unlike many lords, I maintained good men at arms and good archers. It cost coins to feed them, arm them and provide their horses but it was an expense worth bearing for my family was safe and if England needed me again, I could protect England too. I had two good sons, Tom and Harry; both would be warriors and so I closed a wall around my home and I practised the art of war. I was unsure of my age but I know that I had seen more than forty summers. That meant I had been at war for thirty-five years. I knew that I would draw my sword again and that I would fight. When that day came then I would be ready as would my men and my sons.

  I also had two daughters, Alice and Mary. Both were coming to the age when they would be married. That was a new land my wife and I had yet to explore.

  Part One

  Welsh Rebellion

  Chapter 1

  My wife used to count every penny when we were first married but now, we had so much money that she began to spend more than she saved for we had four manors and a healthy income. We did not have to be frugal and keep some money back for the disastrous harvest. We had chosen to live in our manor at Weedon. Although it was not the largest of the ones I owned it was the one we loved the most. When we had first gone to Dauentre we had been treated badly by the local burghers and vowed to show them that we deserved our position. We had visited Northampton Castle and seen the way it was decorated and furnished. She had tried to copy that which she had seen. She had spent money to have seamstresses sew rich fabric to make wall hangings so that there were no bare walls and the hall was rich with the hue of strong colours. It was mainly a rich blue, which was the colour of my standard, but there were also splashes of red. It was an effective design and visitors to my hall were impressed. In addition, she had the best furniture which was made by the craftsmen of Dauentre. It was made from the finest oak and was well finished. We even had beds for not only us but all of our children. I had enough contacts in Gascony to be able to have supplies of good wine, fine pots and glassware as well as spices from the east. We lived well although I knew there were many who still thought of us as common.

  The armour my sons and I wore was also captured plate armour. Roger of Chester, my captain of sergeants, thought it a waste of money to buy new for, as squires, they would not be in the forefront of battle for some time yet but I knew the effect of bodkin arrows. When I had been growing up the needlepoint bodkin was efficient enough to pierce mail. Now that men wore plate, as well as mail, archers used the heavy war bodkin. It was not a cheap arrow but it could pierce plate armour and was worth the expense! Our horses were the best that money could buy and came from the horse farm of Red Ralph in Middleham. I never liked the destrier; it seemed too slow for me. I preferred the courser which was faster but still a warhorse! What had changed since I was a young man, was the way that we fought. Horses were used for a chevauchée but, generally, men fought on battlefields on foot. Shields were only used by the common men. Plate armour was better protection than a shield. Once armies joined battle then it was harder for archers to use their bows and so once archers had thinned out the opposition the two sets of mailed men closed and fought a bloody battle to see who would hold the field. We also used longer weapons which often required two hands although some skilled men used a weapon in each hand; that was my preferred method
of fighting. My father would have enjoyed the new style of fighting for he had been a wild man in battle.

  I had been at home in Weedon a bare eight months when we heard of the rebellion of Owain Glendower. It was Sir Henry of Stratford who brought me the news. I had trained Sir Henry to be a knight when I was just a gentleman. He was not a natural knight but he fought well enough. His grandparents, both now dead, had brought the boy up and they had not begun to train him for war early enough. He would never be the knight that Sir John had become. His manor was closer to Wales than we were and he and his squire rode in one late afternoon having travelled from the west. I liked Sir Henry but we were not close neighbours and a visit normally meant trouble and so I had men watching. We had a watch tower which I kept manned and we had seen him coming. I had looked at the sky and told my wife to prepare rooms. It was getting late and he would not be able to return home.

  My men all knew him and liked him. As he and his squire rode through the outer gate, I said to them, “We will end the practice. Sir Henry’s arrival has given you some extra hours to yourself.”

  They cheered. The archers moved the butts and the men at arms collected all of the wooden practice weapons. They called cheerily to Sir Henry. Many lords found my men at arms and archers informal to the point of insolence but Sir Henry was not one. The men had saved his life on more than one occasion and, but for their intervention, his grandparents might have suffered a truly terrible end.

  “Tom, Harry, see to his lordship’s horses.” My sons were both my squires and hurried to do my bidding. The life of a squire was little better than that of a house servant.

  I clasped Henry’s arm as he walked over to me. He nodded towards my hall. “Each time I see it I see improvements. One day, my lord, I expect to see it become a castle.”

  “I do not think the King would sanction a castle. This suits me and we know how to defend it.”

  He nodded and, as we walked to my hall, he said, “War is here, my lord, and the Welsh have risen. A Welsh lord has gathered men and raised the people. He wishes to become King. His name is Owain Glendower.”

  I vaguely remembered an Owain although I had known him as Owain ap Griffith. He had been one of King Richard’s squires. King Richard had had many squires. Owain was a political appointment to gain him favour in Wales. It had worked as the Welsh liked King Richard! I shook my head, “He is an obscure landowner. It is like my raising the standard of rebellion over Weedon!”

  Sir Henry said, “And yet he claims to have ancestors who were Kings of Powys. He has many men flocking to his banner and they are causing mischief on the borders. You know as well as any, Sir William, that a few men can cause mayhem in a peaceful land.”

  We had reached my hall and my wife opened the door, “Welcome, Sir Henry. How is your good lady?”

  “She is well and she sends her greetings to you.”

  “She is a fine lady. And your children?”

  “They prosper.”

  “Then all is well. Shall I prepare rooms for you and your squire?”

  “If you would not mind, my lady, for I have business to discuss with Sir William!”

  Eleanor beamed, “You are always welcome here, lord. There are others I dread crossing my door but not you.”

  I sighed. My wife had a habit of speaking her mind, “My love, leave Sir Henry to tell me the purpose of his visit and we will speak further when we dine.” I smiled to take the barb from my words. I had learned that the tone I used seemed as important to my wife as the words! I did not understand it!

  She gave me a thin smile and disappeared. I would pay for the barb, albeit unintended, later. We entered the Great Hall. I paused for my wife had worked wonders since Sir Henry’s last visit and he gasped at the rich colours and tapestries, “My lord but this is magnificent. I fear I will not bring my wife for the purchase of such hangings would bankrupt me!”

  I laughed, “Aye, Lady Eleanor does nothing by halves.” I walked him slowly to the table so that he could take in all the detail of the needlework and the clever use of contrast. We sat and I poured the wine. My servants had learned that I did not need them to hang on every command. I was not lacking a limb and I could pour wine. “So, war? And in September? Is this cunning or happenstance?”

  “A mixture, lord. Lord Grey of Ruthin is Owain’s lord. They had a dispute over land and it was submitted to King Henry.”

  I nodded, “Do not tell me; King Henry decided in favour of his friend, Lord Grey.” This was typical of the knight I had known as Henry Bolingbroke.

  He laughed, “You are prescient, my lord. And when this Glendower objected Lord Grey threw an accusation at him that he had been tardy in responding to King Henry’s muster for the war against the Scots.”

  I had not been asked to join the war for King Henry knew that I did not get on with Sir Henry Percy and his father, the Earl of Northumberland. Percy had sent killers to hunt me down and kill me. There was an old-fashioned blood feud between us. Worse, King Henry had given Prince Hal to Percy to continue the training begun by me. I said nothing for I did not wish to embroil Sir Henry in my disputes.

  “And?”

  “You have been asked to bring your men to Chester.”

  The message would have come from the Earl of Chester and that was now King Henry. I understood his reasons. King Richard had been most popular in Cheshire. The King would mistrust his Cheshire men but he knew he could rely on me. “He did not specify numbers?”

  Henry of Stratford smiled, “No, lord. I think he just needs you to be there and your archers.”

  “You are summoned too?”

  “Yes, Sir William and I have to bring twenty spears and twenty bows.”

  “Have you those numbers?”

  “Aye, but they are not the equal of yours. I will bring farmers and drapers who will be warriors for the working day and when it is over return to their trades. Yours are the professionals. Compared with Baron William Strongstaff’s men, we will be ill-equipped and ill-trained but they are good fellows and I would not lose a one!”

  I smiled. Sir Henry had never changed. He was solid and reliable but that was all. He was not a warrior and would not have lasted long in the Blue Company! My sons entered with Peter who was Sir Henry’s squire. He was older than they were but my sons had become men. Harry had only recently begun to shave but his size and his skills with both sword and shield showed he was a man. Harry would hold our horses in battle while Tom would hold my banner and guard my back. Sir Henry’s news made me realise that this would be their first test in war.

  I heard voices and I said, “Sir Henry, I pray leave all talk of war until the morrow. I would not have my wife distressed before the meal.”

  “Of course, Sir William.”

  As Eleanor came in, followed by servants with trays of titbits, I knew I would have a hard task explaining why we had to go to war. That would be for later. While the cook prepared the evening meal we sat and chatted about family and all the irrelevancies which would soon become the most important memories we took with us as we went to war.

  That evening, as we climbed into our comfortable bed, I knew I would have to broach the subject of war. She snuggled in to me, “It is good that Sir Henry has not changed and he is still the boy you trained. I hope this war does not take him.”

  I started, “You knew?”

  She laughed, in the dark, “Of course. As soon as he and Peter rode in I knew it was a summons to war but I am glad that you did not speak of it while we ate. The girls will be upset when they discover that their brothers go to fight. Is it the Scots?”

  King Henry and Percy, Harry Hotspur, were in the north quelling an ever-aggressive Scottish rising in the borders. “No, the Welsh.”

  “Now I see why the King did not call you for that war. He was saving you for the threat from the West. I thought the Welsh were subdued? Is not Henry Monmouth, Prince of Wales?”

  “Aye, but that means precious little to the Welsh. It is a local lord who has
risen against King Henry.”

  I felt her relax in my arms, “Then this might be over quickly and the men can be at their farms at harvest time.”

  “Perhaps but this is the north of Wales. I take nothing for granted.”

  The next morning Sir Henry and Peter left us. We had discussed the muster; it would be at Chester. I estimated that it would take a week for me to gather my men and make the journey to Cheshire. I used my sons to summon my men. Some lived very close to the hall but most had farms and homes which were some distance away. They enjoyed a life which the men of the Blue Company would have envied. They had land and property but they were paid a stipend to be warriors. Most were farmers albeit on a small scale. They each had an income from the land which had been greater than the stipend paid to Red Ralph and the other members of the Blue Company. They still practised each day for they were warriors but war was no longer their whole life and they had wives and families.

  The captain of my sergeants was Roger of Chester and my captain of archers was Alan of the Woods. Both had been with me for a long time and both lived closer to my hall than any other. When they arrived, we went to the stables so that I could tell them all while we examined and chose the horses we would take. We had many horses and some were the wrong type to take to the mountains of Wales. I had a horse master and he watched over our animals for us. They were a valuable commodity and it did not do to neglect them. When we had chosen the horses we would take, we went into the yard.

  “The Welsh have damned good archers, lord, they are as good as we are.”

  “I know, Alan, but they are not as well armed. I do not think that they have many of the heavy war bodkin arrows and our men have, in the main, plate. I think this will not be a war of battles but of skirmish and chevauchée. I confess that I hope it will be a brief one.” I sighed for Sir Henry had given me news which was both unwelcome and unpalatable. “Young Hal, Prince Henry, is now under the tutelage of Hotspur, Henry Percy.”