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Authors: Griff Hosker
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hung their heads the other two shouted, "It was not us, my lord. We were led by others. Sir William said he would harm us if we did not obey his orders."
I nodded, "Then you can tell me from whence he obtained his gold and his commands."
One of them said, "Gold, my lord? We saw no gold."
I smiled, "And you did not see any other giving orders."
"No my lord, we just did as Sir William ordered and robbed merchants."
"Then you do not deserve death." I saw the relief on their faces. "Wulfric, take them away. Have their thumbs removed and their noses split. Let all the world know that these were outlaws."
"No, my lord!"
"Take them away!" They were dragged screaming from the hall. The other four continued to look at the ground. "You four did not deny what you did. Do you wish to die?"
One, slightly older than the others, lifted his head, "No, my lord but I would not lie to you."
"Then you all obeyed William of Lucker's orders? You took money from poor villagers?"
"Aye, we did. None of us are proud of our actions but before he took us we were poor and hungry. He fed us and he armed us. We were grateful."
"What is your name?"
"I am Edward of Beadnell. This is my brother Alfred and our two cousins, Aethelred son of Ralph and Harold son of Ralph."
"Your families are dead?"
He nodded, "Or slaves. Our fathers told us to run when the Scots and the Earl Gospatric came and attacked our farms."
"Look at me all of you. I like to see into a man's heart when I speak with them." They all looked at me. I could see resignation on their faces. "Answer my questions honestly and I will judge you fairly. Do you understand?"
They all nodded and I saw a hint of hope on their faces.
"Who visited William of Lucker and was a noble?"
They looked at each other. Edward said, "We knew no names, my lord. You must believe us. But we saw visitors and they were knights, or men at arms at least."
"Good then you saw the symbols and signs on their shields."
They all nodded, eager to please. Edward of Beadnell said, "One, who came in the last few months had a lion with a red tongue."
"Good. Was he alone?"
"No he brought other men with the same livery."
His brother said, "One of them was different."
"No, Alfred, they all had lions with red tongues."
"One had a lion on a yellow background."
I turned to Sir Roger, "Flanders! This is what I want. Omit no detail."
They nodded for I had smiled and they were encouraged. "Most who had visited before had the yellow and red stripes of the Earl Gospatric."
"Any others?"
Alfred seemed to be growing in confidence. "Do you remember brother, there was the knight who had a yellow shield too but not with a lion."
His brother nodded eagerly. "Aye, it was an eagle with outstretched wings looking to the left. I did not like him. He was cruel. He had Harold the Lame slain for muddying his surcoat."
Aachen! The Count of Aachen was my enemy. Our feud went back to the time I had rescued the Empress Matilda. "Is that all?"
I could see them searching their memories for more. "There were others but they wore mail only and we did not understand their words."
I looked at Sir Roger, "Well?" he nodded. "You have answered me honestly and now I will pass judgement." They looked to the left as Wulfric walked in wiping his bloody sword with a cloth. "What would you have me do with you?"
They looked surprised at my question. Then Edward said slowly, "Why let us live, my lord. Preferably with limbs and eyes intact. Even life as a thrall would be better than death or maiming."
"My captain of archers tells me that you can draw a bow."
They nodded, "Aye my lord. We were young when we joined the outlaws but our fathers had begun our training as archers." Edward looked worried, "We lost our bows at the hall!"
I saw Sir Roger smile. "Do not worry about your bows. Sir Roger here needs archers." Hope erupted in their eyes and I held out my hand for caution. "If he were to offer you
I nodded, "Then you can tell me from whence he obtained his gold and his commands."
One of them said, "Gold, my lord? We saw no gold."
I smiled, "And you did not see any other giving orders."
"No my lord, we just did as Sir William ordered and robbed merchants."
"Then you do not deserve death." I saw the relief on their faces. "Wulfric, take them away. Have their thumbs removed and their noses split. Let all the world know that these were outlaws."
"No, my lord!"
"Take them away!" They were dragged screaming from the hall. The other four continued to look at the ground. "You four did not deny what you did. Do you wish to die?"
One, slightly older than the others, lifted his head, "No, my lord but I would not lie to you."
"Then you all obeyed William of Lucker's orders? You took money from poor villagers?"
"Aye, we did. None of us are proud of our actions but before he took us we were poor and hungry. He fed us and he armed us. We were grateful."
"What is your name?"
"I am Edward of Beadnell. This is my brother Alfred and our two cousins, Aethelred son of Ralph and Harold son of Ralph."
"Your families are dead?"
He nodded, "Or slaves. Our fathers told us to run when the Scots and the Earl Gospatric came and attacked our farms."
"Look at me all of you. I like to see into a man's heart when I speak with them." They all looked at me. I could see resignation on their faces. "Answer my questions honestly and I will judge you fairly. Do you understand?"
They all nodded and I saw a hint of hope on their faces.
"Who visited William of Lucker and was a noble?"
They looked at each other. Edward said, "We knew no names, my lord. You must believe us. But we saw visitors and they were knights, or men at arms at least."
"Good then you saw the symbols and signs on their shields."
They all nodded, eager to please. Edward of Beadnell said, "One, who came in the last few months had a lion with a red tongue."
"Good. Was he alone?"
"No he brought other men with the same livery."
His brother said, "One of them was different."
"No, Alfred, they all had lions with red tongues."
"One had a lion on a yellow background."
I turned to Sir Roger, "Flanders! This is what I want. Omit no detail."
They nodded for I had smiled and they were encouraged. "Most who had visited before had the yellow and red stripes of the Earl Gospatric."
"Any others?"
Alfred seemed to be growing in confidence. "Do you remember brother, there was the knight who had a yellow shield too but not with a lion."
His brother nodded eagerly. "Aye, it was an eagle with outstretched wings looking to the left. I did not like him. He was cruel. He had Harold the Lame slain for muddying his surcoat."
Aachen! The Count of Aachen was my enemy. Our feud went back to the time I had rescued the Empress Matilda. "Is that all?"
I could see them searching their memories for more. "There were others but they wore mail only and we did not understand their words."
I looked at Sir Roger, "Well?" he nodded. "You have answered me honestly and now I will pass judgement." They looked to the left as Wulfric walked in wiping his bloody sword with a cloth. "What would you have me do with you?"
They looked surprised at my question. Then Edward said slowly, "Why let us live, my lord. Preferably with limbs and eyes intact. Even life as a thrall would be better than death or maiming."
"My captain of archers tells me that you can draw a bow."
They nodded, "Aye my lord. We were young when we joined the outlaws but our fathers had begun our training as archers." Edward looked worried, "We lost our bows at the hall!"
I saw Sir Roger smile. "Do not worry about your bows. Sir Roger here needs archers." Hope erupted in their eyes and I held out my hand for caution. "If he were to offer you
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