Man at arms, p.25
Man at Arms, page 25
“Aye, my lord.”
“I will go to speak with the Prince!”
I took my bow and strung it. While my men at arms laboured at the ditches I would not sit idly by and do nothing, with the incentive of a French army seemingly oblivious to our presence, the men worked hard. With a thick wood at our back the Prince, when he brought up the other two battles, deployed them ready to fight and Captal de Buch’s men guarded the baggage. It was then that we heard the trumpets and horns of the French. We had been seen and, with the ditch almost finished the Earl had us stand to. We were facing west. Prince Edward sent some of his own knights to place themselves between the two armies. It made sense for if this had been lightly armoured archers or spearmen then they could have been run down by horsemen.
It was these horsemen who brought the Cardinal of Périgord with some other churchmen. He came to offer a truce and a slightly more peaceful end to this conflict. He spoke to the Earl of Warwick and I was close enough to hear the words. They were suitably romantic and impractical!
“I suggest, Earl, that one hundred knights from each side should fight here between the two armies and their joust should determine the outcome. Think how many lives that would save!”
The Earl smiled, “I fear, Cardinal that only the King of England could make such a decision and he is not here. I think that the men you see before you will have to fight, and I trust that God will be on our side!”
I did not know if the cardinal had been sent by the French King but if he had then the French King was in for a disappointment. We watched him return to the French banners. They had the Oriflamme next to those of the French King and the Dauphin and that showed us that they intended to give battle. They debated for a while and then began to array for battle. It was at that moment that I remembered it was Sunday. There were no rules about fighting on a Sunday, but I knew that the French King was a religious man. Would he delay for a day? It would not help us over much as we were all starving, even the King!
The earls were summoned to the Prince’s council of war and that left me with my men. Some had fought at Crécy and Neville’s Cross, but the majority had not been involved in a major battle. I sensed that they were nervous for the French not only outnumbered us they were, in the main mounted on large war horses and wore good plate and mail. Robin and I did our best to allay their fears.
I looked at them and wondered at the difference the years had made. The young Welshman, Stephen was now a seasoned veteran who along with his shield brother, Henry, would be a rock the French would not pass. The old and the young had bonded and that was good. Michael, Gareth of Chester, and Roger, too had become so skilled that I had seen earls look at the feet to see the spurs. Even those archers who had come from the Bishop of Durham, Martin and Peter Longbow were unrecognisable. Either of them could have been a vintenar. The most transformed of all was Dai; the slinger from Knighton had become the bowman on the cog and was now a man who would soon be a man at arms! I was lucky to have such men but this day would be the severest of tests.
“Here the ground rises and whilst not a hill will be hard for the French to ascend. We have behind us, a wood. That is the same as Crécy. This battlefield does not suit the French.”
“But Captain, they have large horses and wear good plate.” Siôn tapped his mail hauberk. “I confess that when I first wore this hauberk, I thought that I was invincible, but I have seen others, like Michael and Roger with plate and know how good that is at protecting a man.”
Robin laughed, “Then when this battle is over, and we have won!” He paused to let his words sink in, “Then you shall take good plate and weapons from the French that you will kill.” He nodded to the archers, not only our archers but the ones from Cheshire who were listening. “And you archers, keep your swords, axes and knives ready for a knight who is afoot is easier to slay and we are unencumbered by metal.” He took out his dagger and as he said the action he mimed it on his own body, “Under their armpits, their eyes, their jewels! They are soft targets and when they have bled to death you take their iron!”
I saw that Siôn was not convinced but some of the others were smiling.
I pointed to the woods, “Don’t forget to water and feed your horses. They are in the woods now, but we need to let them graze if we can.”
Dai came over to me, “I have watered and fed Roman and Mary already, Captain.”
“Good, and are you worried about this battle?”
He smiled, “I get to fetch arrows and tend the wounded. I doubt that I will have to fight.”
I shook my head, “There are no such bystanders in a battle, Dai. Robin is right we should win but if we do not then know that your youth will not spare you. Wear your mail hauberk and do not put down your weapons for an instant. Keep your wits about you and if you have to fight then make each blow you strike one which will kill the enemy! This will not be like using a bow. Here you will be close to your enemy who will be trying to kill you. We have trained you well, but no man knows what he can do until he faces another man in battle and it is kill or be killed! As well as arrows keep pole weapons to bring to the men at arms should ours be damaged.”
The Cardinal’s visit allied to the councils of war mean that time passed. As the afternoon wore on it became clear that there would be no battle that day. Neither leader relished the prospect of a battle fought at twilight when chance would play a great part. There was little food to be had and so we improvised. We still had the bone from the ham we had taken. We put it on to boil and found some greens. Robin and my archers went into the woods to hunt some birds. The few they killed padded out the thin soup. We had barely finished it when the Earl returned.
He waved for his centenars and leading knights to come close to him. His face was grim. “We are to change positions with the rearward. The baggage will return across the river.”
One of the other centenars, Richard, shook his head, “My lord, surely we do not retreat before these poxy Frenchmen?”
The Earl gave us a strange smile, “Captain Richard, do not presume to tell the Prince of Wales what he must and must not do. Obey your orders!” The archer, chastened, nodded.
We took our horses and marched south. The Earl of Salisbury and his men passed on the other side of the Prince’s battle as they took up our previous position to the north. I confess that I did not mind either way. The only problem with our new camp was that it was muddier having been trampled over by our whole army. We stood to and faced the French. This was a formality, of course, we all knew that we would not be fighting that evening. I wondered if the move had been made in the dusk to confuse the French. I learned a lesson that evening; do not make judgements unless you know all the facts.
It was pitch black when we were woken. The Earl of Salisbury and some of his men had been forced to skirmish all night but we had managed to get some sleep. Sir Walter came to fetch me not long after I had made water and dressed for battle. “Prince Edward wishes to see you, John.” Like the Earl the previous evening the knight had a whimsical look upon his face. It was as if those around the Prince were involved in some huge joke; they were in the know and we were not. I saw there were bishops as well as our leaders with the mainward and they were holding a Mass. Religion was always important both before and during a battle. The skirmishing had ceased, and the French were also holding a Mass. It did not do to die without confession! I wondered at the invitation for me to join them. The service was longer than I had expected, and dawn broke just as it was finishing.
I was about to head back to my men when the Prince’s herald read out a list of names. There were eight of them and one was mine. When he had finished the list, he ordered us all to come to the Prince and to kneel. I did not recognise any of the others although from their garb they were gentlemen. The Prince had his sword in his hand. “All of the men before me have shown to me that they are not only loyal and brave but also worthy of knighthood. Today the Prince of Wales will dub these soon to be heroes. This day we fight the French. These men have the opportunity for glory.”
He came along the line and lightly touched our shoulders with the sword. I heard no other names all I heard were the words he said to me, “Rise, Sir John Hawkwood!”
I desperately wanted to shout and cheer. I wanted Robin and my men around me so that they could share in this glory, but I was before the great and the good, the bishops and the lords, the Prince’s family and so I stood.
A wagon was fetched, and the Prince stood upon it. “Today when we fight, we fight to win. We take no prisoners until this field is ours. All my lords know my mind and my plans. Every man will follow those orders and if they do as they are commanded then we shall win. God is on our side for what we do is right! We are here to return the land that was stolen from us in times past. I do not doubt that each and every man here today shall do his duty!”
Sir Walter and Jean de Grailly were both on hand to congratulate me as was the Earl of Warwick, Sir John Chandos and Sir James Audley. I was now a member of the elite and who knew what my future held? I had achieved all that I had set out to do and now I was a knight. All that I had to do was to survive this day! I made my way back to my men who had breakfasted on the meagre rations left from the night before and confessed to the priest who was with our battle. They were now in position, viewing the French. The French, for their part, were forming up in their battles. They had three enormous battles one behind the other as well as two forces of mounted knights on their flanks. The knights who were our scouts and would give advanced warning of an attack were trotting towards the ground which separated us. I noticed that they had lances. The Earl of Warwick was still in conference with the Prince. I realised as I neared my men that the land had hidden the fact that I had been knighted from my men. The Prince had performed the ceremony in a slight dip. Some of his speech might have been heard but they would not know of my knighthood. Sir James walked back with me for he and Sir John Chandos would fight in our battle, the vanward.
Michael greeted me with a beaker of the last jug of wine we had taken, “Well Captain, do we fight this day?”
I took the wine and smiled, “I fear you are wrong in the title you afford me.”
Robin growled, “They have not demoted you, have they?”
Shaking my head, I said, “No, for I am now Sir John Hawkwood!”
The cheer was so loud that not only did the rest of the battle stare at us but also the knights who were scouts. Robin grinned, “So, the Prince kept his word! Then there is hope for us all, eh, Sir John?”
I nodded. I confess that I had been promised a reward for so long that I thought it had been an empty promise. I was not a fool and I knew that there had been a method behind the Prince’s actions. I did not doubt that the ones who had been knighted were chosen from as wide a range of lances as possible. All who heard of the reward would fight even harder in the hope that at the end of the day there might be similar rewards. Knights would die and it was in the Prince’s power to replace them!
The Earl of Warwick returned and gave us a command we were not expecting. It took all the joy from the knighthood from us and made us wonder at the Prince’s state of mind.
“Fetch your horses for we are the advance guard, and we cross the Gue de l’Homme ford.”
There were grumblings and mumblings but not, I am pleased to say, from my men.
“Do as you are ordered and trust to your future king!”
Dai said, “I will fetch Roman, Sir John!” He grinned as he said it and seemed to enjoy the words in his mouth. I looked towards the French and saw that they were forming up for battle. There was a large body of horsemen at their fore although the rest of the knights and the men at arms appeared to have dismounted. Already our battle was heading towards the marshy ground which surrounded the ford. Already churned up, by the time the Earl of Salisbury’s rearguard crossed it then it would be a truly muddy morass.
As I mounted Robin said, “This was a good position! Why does the Prince abandon it so readily?”
I shook my head, “I know not but let us not judge hastily.”
Behind us, I heard French horns, as we moved off towards the ford. The French had seen our movement. The rest of our army was still in position and facing the French. It was as I looked back that I saw two knights, one English, Sir Eustace d’Aubrecicourt, with whom I had scouted, and a French knight, lower their lances and charge each other across the open ground between the two armies. It was at that point that one of the Earl of Warwick’s subordinates, the Earl of Oxford, shouted, “Horses to the woods. Archers nock arrows and face the enemy.”
Was this part of some plan the Prince had concocted or was it a disaster waiting to happen? I dismounted and handed Roman to Dai, “Fetch me one of the pikes we took from the pirates. I think it will be of more use against these horsemen.” As I dismounted, I saw the two knights collide and so violent was the collision that horses and riders fell to the ground. Only Sir Eustace stood but some of the Frenchman’s companions rode up and took him prisoner.
That was the point when Marshal Audrehem led his mounted knights to charge us. We must have looked a ripe target and the hundreds of horsemen who charged towards us must have thought that the battle would be won in the first encounter.
“Hawkwood’s Men, form up behind me!” I slithered across some muddy ground to a slightly firmer piece. The rest of the archers followed me, and their captains deferred to me for I was now a knight. As Dai handed me the pike, I saw that the Earl of Salisbury was also being attacked. He was in a better position than us for he had not been on the march and his archers were in the woods. The earls of Warwick and Oxford had their men at arms before their archers. My men at arms were the only ones protecting the archers on the extreme left of our line, but we were at an oblique angle. The muddy ground would channel the French across our front.
I heard the Earl of Oxford give his order to loose. It was too soon and so I shouted, “Hold and await my command! Have bodkins ready!”
The archers who heard me obeyed. If we lost because the archers under my command had not released when ordered, then I could be in trouble. There was vindication for me, however, for the arrows, sent at extreme range did no harm to plated knights and men at arms not to mention horses whose heads and chests wore mail. As I had anticipated the horsemen avoided the muddy ground and, turning slightly, headed towards the Earl of Warwick and the centre of our battle.
As soon as I saw the horses were almost side on to us, I shouted, “Archers of England, release! Pour death into them!”
This time the arrows were effective and horses which were struck first stumbled and then, as more arrows hit them fell, throwing their riders to the ground. My handful of men at arms were all that stood between our archers and the French on this flank, but the Earl of Warwick had a solid line of men before the bulk of the archers. I saw the French Marshal fall from his stricken mount and, as he rose, he was taken by Sir James Audley. The attack had failed but now the French men at arms chose an honourable end to their doomed attack. They turned their horses and rode at their attackers, us. Once more the arrows failed to be as effective when sent directly at the front of horses and mailed men. My men at arms would have to face and fight the enemy.
The first knight who rode at me had a horse whose caparison was covered in arrows, but they had not penetrated. His shield also was pricked by arrows. I swung my boarding pike, not at the mailed head, but the unprotected legs of his mount and the sharp head sliced through one leg and bit into the other. I stepped aside as the horse’s head crashed to the ground and the rider flew over its dying head. My archers would finish him off. I presented the spike to the next horse and the knight, seeing the fate of the first rider, veered to his left to avoid the same fate. He tried to pull his lance around to spear me, but I lunged with the pike’s head and the spike found a gap between his plates for I came from underneath them. I hurt him and he wheeled his horse around. An arrow from Martin the Fletcher slammed into his back where the plates were thinner. He rode off but he was out of the battle. Michael and the rest of my men at arms were also using pole weapons. Michael was now the equal of any knight I had ever seen. He had a large frame, and he knew how to handle his weapon. With him on one side of me and Roger of Norham on the other, I felt as safe as any man on the battlefield. Roger’s spear rammed into the leg of a man at arms who turned to flee. That was the last of their attack and arrows thudded into his back and the others as they struggled across the muddy ground. The man at arms I had speared fell from his horse thirty paces closer to his own army. The first attack was defeated but now I saw that their other battles, dismounted, were advancing.
Poitiers: the Dauphin’s attack and the second position
The Earl of Warwick shouted, “The vanward will march north and rejoin Prince Edward’s battle.”
This made perfect sense for if there was a gap then the French could exploit it. It was at this point that I saw we had lost men. Ben, Edward and Siôn lay dead. French men at arms lay dead close by the three of them but I now had three men fewer. They would have to stay where they lay. We had the battle to fight and they would understand. We hurried back up the muddy trail to where we had begun the day.
The hedge which protected our front was still in place, but it was damaged for horses had charged through it. The hedge had slowed their attack and, until it was totally destroyed, would continue to do so. Our archers stood behind the men at arms taking advantage of the slightly higher ground while I joined the other men at arms as a screen through which the French would have to fight to get at our archers. My shield hung from my arm as did those of my remaining men at arms. Other knights and men at arms flanked my diminished company and, through the broken hedgerow, I saw the advancing French battle. It was led by the Dauphin of France, Charles. To the left of the advancing three battles, I viewed the crossbowmen as they formed up to protect the flank of the French and their German allies.
