The Throne Read online

  “And you, Peter, are you happy?”

  He beamed, “Never more so. The men to whom I minister have all been warriors. Many were from the Free Companies. I have tended some alongside whom we fought. It is a rewarding life although hard at times.”

  I took out my purse. I had kept ten pounds for expenses. I counted out five of them, “Here, this is half my purse. Take it for your work.”

  He shook his head, “I cannot take such a princely sum, Will. This would pay for the almshouse for six months!”

  “We go to war and our food and such are taken care of by the Earl of Northampton, Henry Bolingbroke. There will be more and you know that we will profit from war.”

  He nodded and slid the purse over to his side of the table, “Aye, Will, you were made for war. I am just pleased that you fight for a good cause.”

  “Amen to that, old friend. And speaking of old friends. Do you see much of Red Ralph? He lives not far from here at Middleham.”

  “I saw him some years ago. He came to York with his wife, son and daughter. He has done well. He farms and raises horses.”

  “I know not the land. Is it far from our route?”

  “If you wish to visit with him then it will add just a day to your journey.”

  I looked at John and he nodded, “We have not spent as much time as we thought, lord, on the journey thus far. We can visit your friend and still reach the muster two days early.”

  “Then it is decided. We will travel to Middleham.”

  It had been good to see Peter. When I spoke with the castellan, I pointed out the good work which my friend was doing. He shrugged, “If we fed all of the poor and cared for all the needy then we would impoverish ourselves. The Sherriff does what he can.”

  I resolved, as we headed north and west, to speak with the Queen. She had a kind heart and I was sure that she would wish us to do something for those who had nothing. If I did not see her then I would send coin to him.

  Peter had given us good directions to my friend’s farm. It was on the road north out of the village where his farm was found. He could see the standard on the castle of Middleham from his farm but no more. It was secluded. The road led us through the dales. There were woods but much of the land had been cleared as pasture for sheep, cattle and horses. Red Ralph had always enjoyed working with horses. I was pleased that he had found something to occupy him that was worthwhile.

  We did not have to pass close to the castle but we saw it. I knew that Ralph Neville was not at home for no standard flew. His father had recently died and he was in London to settle the estate. The Nevilles, along with the Percys, were the powerful family here in the northeast. I knew that the Percy family had ambitions and were viewed with suspicion by both the King and his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke. That had been the world I had left. I saw the horses in the pasture before I saw the farm. Ralph had cobbled his yard and when we clattered in it brought all from the small hall he had built. I do not think he recognised me at first for I wore my new livery and I saw him squinting into the sun. I dismounted and, in the shadow of Blaze, he recognised me.

  “Will! Is it really you?” He saw my spurs, “And a knight! Has the world gone mad?”

  I laughed, “Probably!” Sweeping a hand around I said, “And you have done well.”

  He nodded and, turning, shouted, “Wife, we have guests. You will stay the night, will you not?”

  “We are bound for Hart-le-pool where we take ship.”

  “Then the delay will not harm you. I will loan you some horses and I will come with you. With a change of animals, we can do the journey in one day. I have much to ask you!”

  In truth, I wanted to speak with my mentor. He, along with Peter, had been the reason I became the warrior I was. “Very well. Roger, the men can sleep in the barn. See to the horses.”

  “Aye, lord!”

  Ralph nodded at them as they passed us, “Your own company, eh? Are they good men?”

  “Old Tom had a hand in picking most of them. What do you think?”

  “Then they will do! It is good to see you! Come!”

  I saw a youth of about eleven summers hovering close by. I took it to be one of Ralph’s children. He looked to be muscled for one so young and he had his father’s look. Red Ralph himself had aged. He had retained his hair but it was thinner and it was white. He still had the walnut coloured skin of a man who spent his life outdoors.

  “This is my wife, Mary. I am a lucky man.” I saw that Mary was about my age. That made sense for he had children. Had he married someone his own age then that would have been unlikely. “Ralph, go and fetch your brothers and sisters. Let me introduce them to Sir William…?” He looked at me for my appellation.

  “Strongstaff!”

  “A good name and it suits you.” He gestured to a seat. The room was plainly furnished but the table and chairs had been well made. The pot jug in the centre looked to have been locally produced and the beakers were home made of wood turned, no doubt, on a lathe which Ralph must have made. “Sit, and this is your squire?”

  “Aye, John. He is a good squire.”

  Ralph gave John a serious and penetrating look. “Look after this knight, John. He is a real hero. He was a hero when he was even younger than my youngest son, Tom!”

  “I will, sir.”

  Ralph laughed, “I am no sir but I thank you for the compliment.” His son arrived with another boy and three girls. “This is Ralph, my eldest. Tom, my youngest son and the girls are Mary, Isabelle and Maud. Say hello, children, to Sir William Strongstaff. He is a knight and he is my friend!”

  “Good day, Sir William,” they chorused.

  “Now go and help your mother.” He poured me some ale and then raised his beaker. “To the Blue Company.”

  “The Blue Company.”

  “Now tell me all for your journey is so remarkable that I can scarcely believe I am awake.”

  His family had joined us and food had been served by the time I had finished. Even his youngest daughter, Maud, seemed rapt in the tale. The food was plain fare: a rabbit stew enriched with the animals’ blood and filled with homegrown vegetables but it was comforting food and I enjoyed it. As we finished both the stew and the tale John stood, “Thank you, Mistress Mary, that food reminded me of the food my mother cooks but now I must go and see to our men. I will return when I have done.”

  Mistress Mary nodded, “I will keep your posset for you.” She ladled out the pudding.

  Red Ralph nodded towards him as he left, “Seems like a good lad.”

  “He is the son of one of the farmers in my manor. He did not wish to farm and I took him on. When first I did so I was just a gentleman with no prospect of knighthood. Now that I have attained the impossible, perhaps he can too.” I saw Ralph exchange a meaningful look with his wife and eldest. “And now, as I enjoy this excellent posset, you can tell me your tale.” As I sipped it, I wondered where they had managed to get the spices for it was more heavily spiced than I might have expected.

  “When I came here, what was it, wife, twelve, thirteen years since?” She squeezed his hand. “I bought this farm. The hall and barn were as you see them but the land was devoid of animals and crops. I was lucky that I had money enough although this farm ate it all up very quickly. Mary came as a serving girl to me for her father farmed over at Richmond and his farm fared badly. With Mary as my servant, her father had one less mouth to feed.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek. They were as close as the King and the Queen. I was pleased for Ralph. “We soon realised that we got on and we wed. I used the last of my money to buy a pair of mares and a stallion. I was never afraid of hard work and we lived from the land. We grew vegetables and I hunted rabbits.”

  I gave him a sharp look, “The lord of the manor did not object?”

  He laughed, “The Nevilles have great ambitions. Their eyes look further afield than this little backwater. They cared not in the beginning and when I began to breed palfreys which were sounder than the ones they had th
en I was given permission.” He nodded towards my empty bowl of posset. “In the early days we could not have afforded the spice for your posset but fortune favoured me. Young Lord John Neville had a courser which was hurt in a raid on the Scots. They called for me to put the animal down. I saw that, while the animal could never be ridden to war again, it could be given a life.” He smiled at me. “I like saving creatures which are close to death and giving them life. Perhaps I did that with Bill.”

  “Bill?”

  “My courser for that was what I named him. We nursed him back from the brink of death and then began to breed from him. When I sold my first foal, back to the Nevilles, I made enough coin to buy more breeding mares. It may be that Bill wished to thank me or maybe the years of war gave him, as they gave me, an appetite for life for every mare he covers gives us young. I am the horse breeder whom all the knights of the Riding come to for animals. We live well and we have spare coin.”

  John returned, “The men are well and Roger has organised them.”

  “Good, then eat your posset.” I turned to Ralph. “I am glad I came here, Ralph. When I go on crusade, I will be happy knowing that the last three of my shield brothers from the Blue Company have good lives and a retirement which fulfils them.”

  He nodded and poured some more ale. Mary brewed a good beer. “I have a boon to ask, Will, and you can say no. I will understand.”

  “I doubt that I shall say no but ask anyway. I owe you and the others all that I have.”

  “No, you do not. We saved you from your father but you took your own life and changed it. Your mother was the same. She started with nothing and now lives the life of a lady.”

  I shook my head, “She is a concubine but you are right. She has a better life than the one she was given.”

  “I have trained my son Ralph well. He would be a warrior.” He put his arm around the son whom now I saw was almost identical to his father in looks. The red hair must have been the same colour as his father’s when he was younger. “I thought to send him to Lincoln for Old Tom still knows men but your arrival here is fortuitous. You go on crusade for six months and I know that you would teach my son the right way to war. The experience would mean that he could find work elsewhere. It may be that six months of a campaign in the Baltic drives all desire to be a warrior from his mind and he would return here to the farm. His mother would like that but this is a chance for him.” I hesitated and Red Ralph took that as a sign that I would refuse. “I will make it worth your while. I can give you four good horses.”

  I shook my head, “No, Ralph, you misunderstand me. I am more than happy to take your son but we both know that there is no guarantee he would return.” Ralph nodded. “No, the hesitancy is just my musing on the paths we take and the way they intersect. I had not planned on visiting Middleham. Had we not had such a speedy journey and had I not spoken with Peter then I would not have seen you. Of course, he can come with us. We need a groom for the horses and a groom who can fight will be doubly useful.”

  I saw young Ralph’s face fall, “You mean I get to watch the horses while you fight?”

  His father laughed, “You have much to learn, my son. Sir William here used to watch over Old Tom’s horse and scavenge for us. He learned to war that way. Do not think that the practice you have had with me is anything like a combat in a real battle. When we fought at the battle of the bridge in Spain Will defended Sir John Chandos from the French when they were trying to hack his body to pieces. I still know not how he survived.”

  “Your father is right, Ralph. I have archers and sergeants with me. I see from your chest that you have the skills of both. You will have an opportunity to choose which path you take and you will learn from the best. I do not include myself in that but my men, well, they are men like your father. They are honest warriors and they will show you how to soldier.” I stood. “We have an early start. My bed calls. I thank you, Mistress Mary, for you have made John and I welcome.” I kissed her hand, “We thank you.”

  Chapter 3

  We left at dawn. Young Ralph wore his father’s sword and carried the familiar helmet hanging from his cantle. He had a mail coif and a metal studded leather jerkin. He rode a good horse. In fact, only my horses were better. Tom, his youngest son, came with us and Ralph provided horses for my men so that we could change animals halfway to our destination. We would be able to travel faster. Young Ralph was, as I had expected, a good rider. We rode hard and rejoined the Great North Road. We crossed the Tees at Hurworth where we stopped to change our horses.

  Red Ralph said, “We ride regularly to Hart-le-pool. The Nevilles often send their horses to Newcastle for they are related to the Percys. They send good horses by sea. There are still horse thieves north of here. I know many of the merchants in the port and it is from them that I am able to buy spices and the other things we cannot either grow or make. We have simple tastes. The pots and bowls you used last night may not be what you are used to but they serve us.”

  I laughed, “Then you do not know my wife. She is frugal. All the coin we make she uses to buy more land and farms. We also use wooden bowls and the reason we have goblets is that they were a gift from Sir Henry of Stratford. He was the knight I trained.” That seemed to put Red Ralph’s mind at rest. I think he feared I had grown airs and graces.

  We spoke, on the last twenty odd miles to the port, of what the war might be like. Neither Ralph nor I had ever fought in a cold climate. It was for that reason that we had brought good oiled cloaks and extra blankets. “You will need furs, Will.”

  “I know, but I have a feeling that they will be easier to acquire in the Baltic than they are here.”

  He laughed, “Will the Scavenger will find a way to get them. There was none better than you for finding food, lodgings, ale and coin. You will do well.” He turned around to look at his son who was deep in conversation with John and Roger of Chester. “Bring him back alive, eh, Will? His mother wept all night for she is loath to lose him and yet she knows this is right. She hopes that the six months away will show him that he wants to live in Middleham.”

  I nodded, “I will do all that I can but we both know that if the joy of battle is in his blood then he will be as his father was and only settle for a farm when the red of his hair turns to grey.”

  “Aye, you are wise and yet you go to war.” He laughed.

  “We did not know how well off we were in the Blue Company. There we had a choice. If we needed coin we fought. I do not have that luxury. The Earl of Northampton shouts jump and I say ‘how high, my lord?’”

  “They say that Henry Bolingbroke has ambitions to be king. You swore an oath to protect King Richard. You are a man of honour. How will you reconcile the two?”

  “I know not. I am a simple man. I did not fight against King Richard when all others sought to do so. I kept my honour but I confess I walk a narrow piece of rope.”

  “Then let us hope you do not fall from it, for now you have risen you have further to fall.”

  Hart-le-pool was the most important port in this part of the world. King Edward had used it to take his army to defeat the Scots. With a solid wall around the port it was well defended but the icy wind which swept in from the east told you that the nearest neighbours lived in a cold land. It was a warning of what we might expect. The fleet to take us east was already in the port. The Bishop of Hereford had sent priests to organise the loading of the ships. A handful would come with us to give us spiritual sustenance but the ones who greeted us were clerks who knew how to tally. Our horses were placed in pens by the church of St. Hild and we were allocated a ship. It was the smallest of the ships that we saw moored. Her name was ‘Maid of Hart’. She looked a well-found ship. Our men took our war gear aboard. The spears and the chests, along with our shields, were carefully stored for the voyage. It was one less task to worry about. We would not board until Henry Bolingbroke himself arrived. The clerks told us where he was. He was coming from the west for he had visited with the Cliffords. Robe
rt de Clifford was lord of the Scottish Marches. Along with the Nevilles and the Percy family, the three ruled the north. Henry Bolingbroke was making alliances for the future. Red Ralph’s words had stuck in my mind. One day I would have to make a choice and it would not be an easy one.

  Red Ralph’s connections found him and his sons a bed for the night and we had good service at the alehouse which was close to the harbour. This was a fishing port too and the fish we ate was amongst the finest I could remember. The Earl of Northampton had not arrived by the morning. Red Ralph had teased as we ate. “So how do you address the young would be king? Is he the Earl, my lord, your future majesty? Which is it?”

  I had laughed, “It depends upon the company. The more elevated the company the nobler the title. When we are alone ‘my lord’ suffices. We do not mention his aspiration to be king. He and the King have an accord. The Queen keeps the King’s temper in check but the Earl of Northampton does not tempt fate.”

  The following morning Red Ralph and Tom rose and left as soon as the town gates were opened. His parting from his son Ralph was formal but I could see that my old comrade would worry about Ralph while he was abroad. He, of all people, knew the inherent dangers of fighting on foreign soil. “I will fetch home your son on our way south.”

  “Aye, Will, and I am in your debt now.”

  Young Ralph looked a little lost when his father and brother had departed. I waved him towards me, “I am pleased that you have joined us but you should know that, once we reach Danczik, then we will be in a land where there is danger around each corner. None will be able to watch over you. For that reason, I say here, while we are still in England, that we do not expect you to risk your life. Your presence is unexpected. Your skill with horses will be invaluable. If you have to fight then there is no shame in your disengaging and fleeing if you must.”

  He shook his head, “I could not do that. My father told me how the Blue Company all stood together to fight.”