Read Online The King Is Dead by Griff Hosker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Griff Hosker
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the chance to become his archers then we would both need a most holy oath."
"We would so swear."
"Sir Roger fetch a bible."
Sir Roger said, "My church is too poor for a bible, Earl, I am sorry."
I saw crosses around the four boy's necks. They were made of wood but they were crosses nonetheless. "In that case swear on your crosses."
I nodded to Wulfric who said, "Repeat after me. I swear to be Sir Roger of Norham's man unto death."
They all intoned, " I swear to be Sir Roger of Norham's man unto death."
I took out my sword. "From your names you four were named after Saxon kings."
"Aye my lord."
"As was I." I held up the sword. "This sword has the pommel stone from King Harold Godwinson's blade. I would have you touch the blade and repeat the oath. I believe this will be as strong an oath as that on your cross."
They knelt and said, with even more fervour, " I swear to be Sir Roger of Norham's man unto death."
"There Sir Roger, you have new archers."
As I sheathed my sword the four of them kissed the hem of my surcoat. "Thank you, Earl, for your mercy."
Wulfric shooed them out, "Aye well this time you have chosen a master. It is always better than being taken!"
Chapter 5
Late in the afternoon my two knights rode in with their prisoners and news. I saw that they had wounded men with them. None were as severely hurt as John but they were hurt. They had six prisoners with them. Sir Harold spoke for the two of them. "These are Scottish brigands. They had been raiding the villages along the border." He shook his head. We found empty farms where the people had been..." he shook his head as though to erase the memory. "I will not speak of it."
"Did they say whom they followed?"
"Some said Balliol and one said De Brus. I would not trust the words of any of them."
"What would your judgement be?"
"I would hang them and leave their bodies for the carrion."
"No lord!" Wulfric backhanded the speaker.
"Very well, Harold, I trust to your judgement. Wulfric take them to then northern gate and hang them. Leave their bodies there until Sir Roger deems fit to have them removed." Like the two who had had their thumbs removed they were dragged screaming from the hall. "Are you happy Sir Roger?"
"Aye. It will serve as a warning to all such brigands and I will do as you suggest, my lord. I will use the coin well."
"We will stay until the end of the month. By then John and the others will be fit to travel. We will ride the border and make our presence known. We leave it to you to visit your folk in the hinterland and let them know that William of Lucker and his outlaw tax are no more." I lowered my voice, "Speak with their headmen and get them on your side. Have their men practise with weapons. Find a bowyer and a fletcher. Have war bows made for them. You have an army here!"
We rode out as one conroi. We left our wounded men in the castle as a garrison and to recuperate. Sir Roger headed south while I led my conroi across the river towards Berwick. Sir Harold had grown in confidence. "Do we mean well by this, Earl?"
"I need to let the Lord of Berwick know what we have done. It will show them that I fear them not and will tell them that it was I who did this. If they are to have someone to hate then it should be me."
We knew the road to Berwick. We had attacked there before. This time we rode in plain sight along the road. We were three miles from Berwick when mailed men met us.
"You are breaking the peace, Earl Alfraed of Cleveland!"
I recognised Sir James Monteith. He was castellan of Berwick. "I come in peace, Sir James for my men have killed your countrymen and allies and I would not hide from you."
"My countrymen?"
"Brigands who followed De Brus and Balliol crossed the border. They murdered, pillaged and raped Sir Roger's tenants. Their bodies hang from the gates of Norham Castle if you wish to reclaim them."
"It they are murderers then they have what they
"We would so swear."
"Sir Roger fetch a bible."
Sir Roger said, "My church is too poor for a bible, Earl, I am sorry."
I saw crosses around the four boy's necks. They were made of wood but they were crosses nonetheless. "In that case swear on your crosses."
I nodded to Wulfric who said, "Repeat after me. I swear to be Sir Roger of Norham's man unto death."
They all intoned, " I swear to be Sir Roger of Norham's man unto death."
I took out my sword. "From your names you four were named after Saxon kings."
"Aye my lord."
"As was I." I held up the sword. "This sword has the pommel stone from King Harold Godwinson's blade. I would have you touch the blade and repeat the oath. I believe this will be as strong an oath as that on your cross."
They knelt and said, with even more fervour, " I swear to be Sir Roger of Norham's man unto death."
"There Sir Roger, you have new archers."
As I sheathed my sword the four of them kissed the hem of my surcoat. "Thank you, Earl, for your mercy."
Wulfric shooed them out, "Aye well this time you have chosen a master. It is always better than being taken!"
Chapter 5
Late in the afternoon my two knights rode in with their prisoners and news. I saw that they had wounded men with them. None were as severely hurt as John but they were hurt. They had six prisoners with them. Sir Harold spoke for the two of them. "These are Scottish brigands. They had been raiding the villages along the border." He shook his head. We found empty farms where the people had been..." he shook his head as though to erase the memory. "I will not speak of it."
"Did they say whom they followed?"
"Some said Balliol and one said De Brus. I would not trust the words of any of them."
"What would your judgement be?"
"I would hang them and leave their bodies for the carrion."
"No lord!" Wulfric backhanded the speaker.
"Very well, Harold, I trust to your judgement. Wulfric take them to then northern gate and hang them. Leave their bodies there until Sir Roger deems fit to have them removed." Like the two who had had their thumbs removed they were dragged screaming from the hall. "Are you happy Sir Roger?"
"Aye. It will serve as a warning to all such brigands and I will do as you suggest, my lord. I will use the coin well."
"We will stay until the end of the month. By then John and the others will be fit to travel. We will ride the border and make our presence known. We leave it to you to visit your folk in the hinterland and let them know that William of Lucker and his outlaw tax are no more." I lowered my voice, "Speak with their headmen and get them on your side. Have their men practise with weapons. Find a bowyer and a fletcher. Have war bows made for them. You have an army here!"
We rode out as one conroi. We left our wounded men in the castle as a garrison and to recuperate. Sir Roger headed south while I led my conroi across the river towards Berwick. Sir Harold had grown in confidence. "Do we mean well by this, Earl?"
"I need to let the Lord of Berwick know what we have done. It will show them that I fear them not and will tell them that it was I who did this. If they are to have someone to hate then it should be me."
We knew the road to Berwick. We had attacked there before. This time we rode in plain sight along the road. We were three miles from Berwick when mailed men met us.
"You are breaking the peace, Earl Alfraed of Cleveland!"
I recognised Sir James Monteith. He was castellan of Berwick. "I come in peace, Sir James for my men have killed your countrymen and allies and I would not hide from you."
"My countrymen?"
"Brigands who followed De Brus and Balliol crossed the border. They murdered, pillaged and raped Sir Roger's tenants. Their bodies hang from the gates of Norham Castle if you wish to reclaim them."
"It they are murderers then they have what they
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