he had collected, a quarter-pound of aconite powder. The apothecary asked no question as to why his customer wanted enough poison to kill everybody in the castle.
Back next morning at Walsgrave, still in the rain, Alan cut the deer into fist-sized pieces, cutting pockets in each into which, while wearing old leather gloves, he carefully poured the powder. The baits were scattered near the suspected location of the lair. He then burned the gloves.
Returning the following day they found one dead badger, three foxes and nine adult wolves. An investigation of the lair found five cubs, which were quickly dispatched by the hunter. During the celebratory mid-day meal Alan asked, as they would be moving on the next day, that the wolves be skinned and, with fur intact, tanned and sent to him at Colchester by way of payment.
FitzOsberns’s travelling troupe moved on from place to place, impressing the locals and taking submissions on behalf of the king. Alan and his men spend most of Easter Day shivering in the rain as they rode their prescribed beat, fortunate to find a village where Easter Mass was being said and where, despite their soaked appearance, armour and weapons, they were made welcome. Alan was glad that Taillebois had said that their service would be shortened to twenty days as, despite his youth, he doubted his stamina to ride hard all day and all night, despite his recent experience with Edyth. And despite the best care he could give it, his armour was becoming rusty in the constant rain.
On the evening of the 20th April at Leicester fitzOsbern’s clerk signed their release and they began the two day ride home to Thorrington, while the rest of fitzOsbern’s men turned west to act as the basis for the army for the spring campaign against the Welsh.
Arriving back at Colchester Alan found the tanned wolf-skins waiting and after collecting them, and after a courtesy visit to see Lady Anne at Wivenhoe as they passed, which included an invitation for the mid-day meal, they arrived back at Thorrington.
The ploughing of the demesne and the planting of Alan’s crops of wheat, barley, oats and rye and the ploughing and sowing of the fallow demesne land with beans, peas and alfalfa had been completed the week before as the traditional time for sowing seed had arrived. The village fields had been ploughed the previous month and despite the day being Sunday the villagers were out in the fields scattering seeds and harrowing.
Baldwin reported little activity for the last three weeks other than ongoing training with the troops, both full- time and fyrd, at Thorrington, Ramsey and Great Oakley. Another ten additional mounted men-at-arms, mainly the sons of local cheorls, had joined the program full-time. Also eight sons of thegns had joined, all bringing their own horses and most their own armour and weapons. Those who did not have their own armour had been issued with byrnies- a sleeveless coat of mail which, compared to a hauberk, provided less protection by being shorter and leaving the arms and neck exposed. These, together with helmets and swords, had been procured by Alan at Hastings. Other helmets and swords had been issued to the more steady and promising fyrd members, ten each at Thorrington and Ramsay, these being the men who would soon by the sergeants of the force.
Not all the cavalry recruits were from Alan’s manors. It was of interest that Edward and Edwold of Alresford, Godwin of Weeley and Leofstan of Great Holland and Little Holland had sent their sons, along with Alan’s laenmen Toli and Swein. All of these were training with Hugh at Ramsey.
Also of interest was Kendrick’s reaction to Alan’s unexpectedly early return. Kendrick was out in the field tending to the sowing of his own strips of land. He came hurrying back, wiping the dirt from his hands and stamping the mud from his boots, didn’t seem to know what to do after he had greeted his master and stood around seemingly aimlessly, but watching closely, until Alan sent him back to the fields.
“What was that all about?” asked Alan.
“I would guess that he thought he had another two weeks to finish hiding the evidence of his theft,” replied Osmund dryly in Latin. “I’ve finished doing my figures for the last Quarter Day, Lady Day. He seems to have stolen two wagon loads of un-milled grain; ground flour- wheat and rye; four barrels of salt; firewood from the estovers- not a few sticks but whole wagonloads; about a dozen swine from the pannage; a dozen bales of wool and the list goes on and on. I estimate about 120 shillings.
“He cheated me as well, as he only paid me 23 shillings for my bribe, not the promised one third. Most of the goods have already been sent to Colchester and sold, but I think that the herd of swine are being hidden in a forest near Elmstead. I’ve confirmed the quantities of items delivered with the freemen concerned, and the quantities delivered into your store. I had your housekeeper Lynne count them with me as they were delivered. A good, honest woman that one, and very kindly with the youngsters. I’d suggest this evening would be a good time to visit Kendrick and search his house. I’ll arrange for Toland and his assistant Erian to be there, as well as Lynne and Baldwin.”
They met at the Hall kitchen at six in the evening, an hour or so before sunset and while most of the villagers were still busy in the fields. Erian had escorted Kendrick from the fields and together the seven proceeded to Kendrick’s cottage in the village. Barging in through the door the crowd they overwhelmed the small place, and Alan apologised to Kendrick’s woman Sunniva for disturbing her and the two children. She had been giving suck to a baby and it wailed in protest as she covered herself. Lynne suggested that Sunniva and the children might like to wait outside.
The cottage was small, just two rooms, and it took only minutes to find the hiding-place under the floorboards in the bedchamber. Sunniva was recalled before the cache was opened and denied all knowledge of it.
When the cut section of the floorboards was lifted a large hole was revealed, which contained several canvas bags. On being emptied out and counted on the kitchen table there was 137 shillings and ten pence. Another smaller bag contained items of gold jewellery. Alan believed Sunniva, who looked at the fortune in money stacked on the table in disbelief. From her own slatternly appearance and the clothing she had in a small chest in the cottage, clearly Kendrick had never spent any of his ill-gotten gains on her. She sat at a chair, leaned forward onto the table, knocking over a small pile of coins as she did so, and sobbed pathetically.
Kendrick looked more ferret-like than usual, his eyes darting around. “Judas!” he hissed at Osmund. “Do you know that this man has been receiving money from me?” he demanded of Alan. Alan and the others let him carry on his tirade until Kendrick finally realised that all he was doing was providing further evidence of his own guilt.
“Today is Sunday 22nd April. It’s fortunate for you that the Hundred court is due to sit tomorrow, St George’s Day, as I’d just as soon take you out and hang you now,” said Alan coldly. “You’ll be chained up in the tithe-barn overnight and tried tomorrow.”
Leofstan, the thegn of Great Holland and Little Holland presided over the Hundred court the next day, being the next largest landholder after Alan. This had previously been arranged as Alan was not due back from military service for two weeks and Leofstan was surprised to see him there, and even more surprised to hear the change to the court-list. “I never did like that slimy snake!” commented Leofstan in a true display of judicial impartiality.
Osmund quickly outlined the case against Kendrick and what the witness testimony would be as to goods delivered compared to those put in store. Osmund stressed that the current charge related only to the last Quarter Day, but that the mill and other records indicated that the defalcation had been occurring for years. The finding of the 137 shillings and gold in Kendrick’s cottage was in itself sufficient proof, as no honest servant could ever accumulate such wealth.
At that point Kendrick himself put an end to proceedings. “I claim amercement,” he said in his thin voice. “My wergild is 200 shillings, and if I pay that I am free to go from any charge that may be brought against me. You have received from me 137 shillings, and that leaves 63 shillings still payable.”
“No,” said Leofstan. “The money and gold found in your cottage I deem to be the property of Alan, either from this Quarter Day or previous amounts you misappropriated from him or his predecessor. You can’t pay wergild using your victim’s money. You may pay wergild, but it must be full amount and from your own money.” Again, all present knew that an honest cheorl would not have 200 shillings and that even his frithbogh, the tithing of ten men to their mutual pledge to obey the law to which he belonged, would find it difficult to produce that amount.
“The money will be here in the next week,” said Kendrick with a scowl.
“Very well, in that case if the wergild is paid to Alan before the next Hundred Court Day you’ll be free to go, but must leave the Hundred and never return. If it’s not paid by the next Hundred court date of… 21st May, your case will be called back on and I expect you’ll be swinging in the wind by mid-day. Your woman and children may go or stay as they choose. Next case!”
