London May 1068
Alan had arranged for his seneschal Robert to come to London from Herefordshire to report progress at Staunton and Alan’s other manors on the Welsh border. They met at the house at Holebourn Bridge, where Robert would be staying together with the four men who had ridden with him. He arrived in the late evening two days after the coronation, tired and dirty from the road.
After bathing and changing his clothes Robert met Alan and Anne in the Hall. The day was warm and the central fire wasn’t lit. Light streamed in through the rare and expensive glass windows. Sitting at the table Robert drained a quart of ale to settle the dust in his throat before switching to wine, a red of reasonable quality from the Loire. Alan had arranged for food to be placed on the table and Robert helped himself to first an apple and then fresh bread, butter and aged cheese. The evening meal would not be for another hour or so, but Robert was fatigued and hungry after his travel from Oxford that day, a distance of 60 miles, and the previous day of travel from Staunton to Oxford.
“So, how progress matters?” asked Alan.
“Reasonably well,” replied Robert. “The winter hasn’t been too severe on the border, not like I hear you had in Essex. That was fortunate, given the there was hardly any food and most of the houses were damaged. We’ve got the new Hall and stables completed. The men are sleeping in the Hall until the barracks is built. The trench for the fortifications has been started. Obviously the villagers have had to spend most of the last month ploughing and sowing.
“Because of the food situation Father Siward gave a dispensation from Lenten eating restrictions. People needed every morsel of food they could get from anywhere to avoid starving. The people have been taking fish from the river, as you allowed, and also the garrison has been hunting wild cattle, boar and deer in the forests for their own use and to provide to the villagers- so they didn’t have to poach. It’s no use forbidding what is going to happen anyway, as a man will do anything rather than see his family go hungry, but if we kill the game at least the villagers don’t get into the habit. That and the wagons of grain and flour that you provided from Gloucester kept the wolf of starvation from the door. The Welsh have been behaving themselves, at least in our area. I understand they’re still active up in the north. That’s given us the respite to survive and rebuild.”
“The bad news, I’m afraid,” announced Alan, “is that William fitzOsbern advised me that we’re required to do our knight’s service at Chester and support his expedition against the North Welsh in Rhufoniog and Rhos, in Gwynedd. I tried to get him to agree that our raid into Brycheiniog counted as our military service this year, but he wouldn’t have it. We’re required in Chester on 1st June.”
“That’s not fair!” exclaimed Anne.
Robert chuckled. “Nobody’s every accused fitzOsbern of being fair! He’s a mean and arrogant son-of-a-bitch, although extremely capable.” He then looked at Alan and asked, “Are you taking everybody? And what is the objective?”
“Objective? Who knows? Certainly not Earl William, I think! Just march around and make a nuisance of ourselves as repayment to Bleddyn for the invasion last year, I expect. The idea this year seems to be to stay on the flat lands near to the north coast and steer clear of the mountains- fitzOsbern has at least learned that lesson. I’m required to provide six men. I’ll take ten, but send some of the remainder at Staunton where they’ll be close by if I decide I want them and where they can be some use if Bleddyn decides to take the opportunity to try to attack fitzOsbern’s southern flank while the earl is busy in the north. If the earl did have a specific objective in mind I’d probably take more men. Make sure you get that defensive ditch, rampart and palisade up in the next few weeks. The local geburs there should be able to get that done quickly now they have ploughed and sown the fields.”
“I’m really not happy about you going off on campaign. You must be careful,” said Anne with concern.
Alan gave her a kiss and quipped, “I’ll be careful. Hey, this is what I do and I’m good at it! ‘Yeah though I walk through the Welsh Valleys I shall fear no Evil, for I am the meanest and most suspicious bastard in the Valley’. Jesus, Mary and Joseph will protect me, I’m sure.
“Robert, you’ve still got those Welsh mountain ponies? Good! Make sure they’re shod and ready to move if we need them. The men from Essex will be at Staunton in about ten days. I’ll go direct to Chester after I pick up my men at Thorrington. You’ll need to increase the number of supply wagons from Gloucester to feed the extra men. There’s still no food in western Herefordshire,” he added.
* ***
Alan decided to take the opportunity of a quiet day to take the family to the races. Each Saturday on Smithfield, less than a quarter of a mile from the house at Holebourn, was held the horse fair where horses were offered for sale. Large draught animals, chargers, rounceys, hackamores, palfreys and ponies were standing tethered or being led by grooms. Unbroken horses shied skittishly, pulling at the reins which held them and rolling their eyes. The horses were periodically being led to display their gait and moved with shining coat, rippling muscles and quivering ears.
Every half-hour or so an impromptu race was put on by the owners and handlers of the higher-quality horses for sale. These were led to the line with smaller grooms mounted on their backs, and they would race several times around a clearly-defined circuit, each seeking to prove to the buyers that they had the fleetest horse. This was what most of the people had come to see, as they had neither the need nor wherewithal to buy a horse, and bets were exchanged on the outcomes- with the horses being encouraged with shouts and oaths by those onlookers with financial interests. The jockeys encouraged their horses to greater efforts with spurs, switch and voice. The horses clearly enjoyed the proceedings, stretching out to attempt to beat their rivals.
Alan was accompanied by Anne and Leof, with two discretely armed huscarles as a precaution against anything untoward occurring, as any crowd in the city was likely to contain cut-purses and other rogues. They wandered about looking at the animals and the antics of the crowd, enjoying the occasion.
The same area was used on other days of the week as the livestock market, being close to Newgate and providing easy access to the slaughter-yards at the Shambles. Despite farmers regularly bringing wagons to clear the manure from the ground for them to use as fertiliser, the party had worn stout shoes which were soon mired.
Alan saw a large bay charger that he liked the look of and watched its race. It proved not to be the swiftest of the animals, but had a smooth action and ample stamina. After its race it recovered its breath quickly and fidgeted only moderately as it received its post-race rub-down from its groom. Alan had the saddle replaced, adjusted the stirrup straps and inserted the bit before taking the horse through its paces. Its smooth action made the ride pleasant and on dismounting Alan struck a deal with the owner. He handed over his earnest-money deposit, arranging to have the animal delivered to his stable on Monday when the balance of the money would be paid.
The next morning Robert rode for the Welsh border. Several days later Alan and Anne, with their escort and the newly acquired horse, traveled through the Great Forest to overnight at Norton near Chelmsford after a journey of 42 miles, and then the further 36 miles to Thorrington the following day.