Those who were ill and unable to attend Church were urged to contact him to arrange confessions and Mass in their own homes. He also advised that he had some medical skills that, such as they were, he was prepared to make available to all. With the exception of the final Blessing, the whole service, taking nearly an hour, was conducted in English and in the rain. The congregation dispersed and headed in their various directions.
Alan asked Osmund to slip into the village tavern for an hour or so to listen to the local judgment on the new priest, although he was certain that after today’s performance and the cleric’s obvious devotion and love of his calling that the conclusion would be favourable.
After towelling themselves dry and changing their clothes Anne and Alan proceeded to the Hall where ample but simple viands washed down with ale were available, as after all the kitchen staff had also needed to attend Mass.
After the mid-day meal Alan began to interview the huscarles, with Hugh and (at Alan’s request) Anne sitting in on the first interview. This was of a man called Brand, a massive man who towered well over Alan’s six foot height, about thirty-five years of age with long blond hair tied back in a ponytail, a flowing moustache and clean- shaved chin. He was clearly an intelligent man and had a self-confident, almost arrogant, manner. Hugh had described him to Alan as a potential leader of the huscarles. The interviews were being conducted at the high table in the Hall, with the other huscarles awaiting their turn sitting at tables at the far end of the Hall, a few sipping from pint pitchers of ale.
“So, Brand, where are you from?” began Alan.
“Tollesbury in Thurstable Hundred, held by Guthmund, an average sized holding of nearly five hides, pasture and a salthouse. Guthmund had in service myself and Ranulf,’’ here Brand nodded his head towards a table of waiting men. “The holding is assessed at thirty shillings.” Here Alan inclined his head in acknowledgement of Brand’s point. Ten shillings was the normal geld for the average village of five or so hides. “He’s just had to pay?5 to Bishop William of London for his Heriot and next week has to pay his Quarter Day taxes, so he told us that he could no longer afford to retain us, what with the re-introduction of the geld. I’d been there ten years. Before then I was a cheorl at Goldhanger, which was nearby, but I decided the rustic life didn’t suit me.”
“What experience do you have in battle?” asked Alan.
“A number of small skirmishes with neighbours or footpads over the years. Siward used us mainly as his personal guards when he was travelling. Then at Hastings, that was my first real battle.”
“It was for most of us,” replied Alan. “When did you arrive?”
“The night before. I was on the right flank. Not in the first rank, the shield-wall, of course. The Royal Huscarles occupied that position. I was in the second rank. The unarmoured fyrdmen with their swords and pitchforks were behind us, eight deep. Where were you?”
“In the centre, with Geoffrey de Mandeville’s cavalry,” replied Alan. “It was us who broke up the counter- attack when the Bretons broke. Tell me, why did the English right flank attack at such at early time, surely you could see that you were flanked?” asked Alan.
Brand shrugged. “We’d been standing receiving a hail of arrows and crossbow bolts for nearly an hour and then battling the Breton infantry. They were good fighters who knew their trade well. Those behind the front rank were impatient to get at them and when the Bretons broke and disorganized their cavalry behind them, Earl Leofwine ordered a general attack on that flank to try to route them completely. Unfortunately, it appears that King Harold disagreed and provided no support with an attack on the centre. Your cavalry smashed us from our left flank. Ranulf and I were amongst the survivors who got back to the shield-wall. As you know, many didn’t.”
“When did you leave the battlefield?” asked Hugh.
“It was after dark. King Harold had fallen. The shield-wall had shrunk, reducing its length. The Royal Huscarles still insisted on forming the front rank and wouldn’t allow the thegns or other huscarles to maintain the line or to relieve them. They seemed to think they were invincible and wanted to do it all.” He paused for a moment and then continued, “Your archers were more effective later in the day, but mainly in shooting down the unarmoured fyrdmen in the rear ranks. When your cavalry managed to take part of the ridge on our extreme right and began to roll up the shield-wall Ranulf and I decided that it was time to leave. Harold, Leofwine and Gyrth were all dead by then and nobody was in charge. The Normans had about reached the middle of the ridge when we called it a day and ran like hares. King Harold had kept no men as reinforcements and had put everybody in the line.”
“Neither did King William,” commented Alan. “Apart from the Royal Huscarles in the front rank, how was the army organised?”
“Poorly. Men arrived the night before and chose their own position on the line, the men from different Hundreds and Shires were all mixed together. There was little effective control during the battle, but I suppose if you have 7,000 men all jammed together and all on foot, with the men all mixed together and not knowing each other, it would have been nearly impossible other than to say ‘Stand’, ‘Attack’ or ‘Retreat’.”
“What did you learn from the battle?” asked Alan.
Brand smiled wryly. “Firstly, never attack with enemy cavalry on an unsupported flank.” He paused in reflection for several minutes before continuing, “Proper organisation of your men. Keeping a reserve of men against the contingencies of battle. Don’t over-crowd the battlefield. The value of archers and cavalry, particularly when the horsemen have room to manoeuvre. The problems in using part-time and poorly trained and badly equipped infantry in a battle. What did you learn?”
“The value of discipline and training, and bowmen. The difficulty in breaking a shield-wall held by spearmen when you have no room for manoeuvre. The skill and bravery of English warriors. And to fear the man who uses the two-handed Danish battle-axe,” replied Alan.
“That’s my weapon,” said Brand proudly.
“You have your own armour and arms?” asked Hugh. Brand nodded.
Alan looked at first Hugh and then Anne. Both gave a nod, confirming Alan’s own opinion. But Alan was not yet finished.
“How do you feel entering the household of a Frenchman? You will know our custom. You swear fealty to me personally and you’re expected to carry out all orders I give. Can you do that for a Norman lord? Could you fight in a Norman army against an army of English or Danes?”
Brand paused to collect his thoughts into the correct words. “I’ve been asking myself that same question ever since I heard that a Norman man-at-arms was going through Lexden, Winstree and Thurstable Hundreds seeking men. I’ve not been impressed with most of the Frenchmen I’ve met who’ve come to Essex in the past few months. When I found that both he and his lord had taken the trouble to learn English, something few of the Frenchmen have bothered to do, I was interested. When I learned that the lord was the same man who used fyrdmen and farm-boys to destroy a small Danish army at Wivenhoe I became sufficiently interested to make the journey here. Any man who can do that must be very
“Well said!” replied Alan. “Sit with us here on this side of the table as we interview the others. My lady, you are most welcome to stay, but I know that you are busy managing two households and several manors with but a week to the Mid-Summer Quarter-Day. If you are satisfied, we three can handle the rest of the interviews this afternoon.” Recognising that she was indeed busy and needed to spend time with Faran, Wybert and the stewards of the other manors who had all been called to Thorrington, Anne left them to their work.
The interview of the remaining huscarles proceeded quickly. Brand knew many personally or by reputation. In the end nineteen were accepted and four rejected. Two because Alan simply felt them to be untrustworthy characters and two because Brand didn’t accept their stories of their involvement, or the lack of involvement for those who claimed not to have received the summons or arrived late, at Hastings.
It was nearly dark when they’d finished and the evening meal was served with Anne again joining them. Brand had been selected as leader of the band of huscarles and a man named Leofwin from Freshwell in Uttlesford Hundred as his lieutenant. Each would command ten men in battle.
“I want another seven men recruited,” said Alan. “Two groups of ten for battle, and six to act as bodyguards for Lady Anne. Your men are currently sleeping in the old Hall? Tomorrow the archers will be vacating their barracks as their training cycle is complete, and you can take over the upper floor of that building. The other floor holds my twenty trained horsemen and the further twenty I’ve just started training, some for the households of the local
