Games of Otterburn 1388 (6 page)

“Seven hundred men-at-arms for the tenth,” goaded Robert to a higher level and sat back on the bench behind the table as if to say that was his last pawn to sacrifice.

Douglas
knew if he wanted the Stewart’s blessings in the future he would have to give in… “I agree,” he snapped drawing his mouth to a scowl.

Robert Stewart, Earl of Fife, smiled. His counter offer and their mutual agreement set the stage for what was to come to pass.

August 9

The
Forest
of
Jedburgh
,

Scotland

The decision to split the army and move toward the East March of England simultaneously with the West March was made. It was also decided to leave as they had originally planned, at first light for fear of more spies in their midst who could get word to the English ahead of the Scot’s raid.

During the night the English spy’s throat was mysteriously sliced open by a very sharp blade. No one knew who did the deed and moreover no one cared. He remained tied to the tree where he had made his confession of being a spy for the Earl of Northumberland. That confession definitely caused the change in the course of the Scot’s already haphazard incursion.

It was before dawn when James Douglas mustered his two thousand five hundred men, lads and horses with an eye to a bright future. The number roughly amounted to about a fifth of the larger army.

Earl Robert had gotten an early start on his march west.
Douglas
, not wanting any lingering spies to tell his direction or composure organized his men as quickly as he could manage.

Douglas
split his number into three contingents and each had a definite purpose. His first contingent was mounted and designed to move fast on the ground and strike like lightning. He and the earls Moray and March were to lead that contingent of almost one hundred knights, one hundred and sixty five esquires, and five hundred men-at-arms, and nearly four hundred archers.

His second contingent was also mounted and had thirty-three knights with esquires, more than one hundred archers and three hundred and fifty spearmen led by Sir John Swinton. Also there were many young lads carried ‘double’ on the backs of the warrior’s horses.

The third contingent led by a
Midlothian
knight, Sir Alexander Ramsey of Dalhousie, was twenty knights, six hundred spearmen and archers who went on foot. With the few camp followers and other servants mixed in.

Generally Scottish soldiers were not nearly so well armed for battle as their English counterparts. About half of the men-at-arms had any chain mail at all but many had quilted jerkins with the interior stuffed with strips of linen cloth or tight twisted straw to abate sword blows. Their helms were usually of metal in a variety of designs. To identify themselves in the heat of battle they wore a rectangular patch of black or blue with two white strips of cloth stitched on indicating the Saint Andrew’s cross.

The knights usually had some variation of metal or hardened leather vambraces on their arms and chest armor covered by a surcoat. Others, particularly the higher nobles, had leg armor and gauntlets to cover their hands and fingers.

The three contingents knew their orders and set out from Southdean Kirk all at once moving south.

The Scot’s first contingent crossed the English border at the Redeswire well within the hour of their departure from the Kirk.

Douglas led his contingent south easterly over the Cheviot Hills through
Redesdale
passing Otterburn Village across the
Ottercops
Moss to
Rothley
Crags dropping down to
Greenleighton
and expecting to be in Durham in two hard days and meager nights of riding and without raiding a single farm, village or town along the way.

That was the plan of Sir James Douglas who had it in his mind far longer that the day it took to get the venture permitted by Earl Robert the Stewart and underway. He had finally found the right circumstances under which he could spring his well thought out strategy into a fully operational reality.

Conspicuously absent from any contingent or from either army was the Guardian of the Kingdom, Sir John the Stewart, who did for a fact return home to Carrick with forty of his household knights after feigning terrible trouble with his crippled leg. He also had no desire to stop by Dundonald to be additionally humiliated by his recluse father.

August 10 - Early Morning

Castle Warkworth,

Northumberland
England

Warkworth
Castle
sat high on the southern bank of an acute loop of the River Coquet less than a mile from the shore of the eastern sea. It had been in existence in one generational form or another since the old Anglo-Saxon days. It was Earl Henry de Percy, First Earl of Northumberland, who had added the characteristic and imposing keep that overlooked the vicinity. The village hard to the south was the castle’s first line of defense to the only gate entering the bailey and castle.

Despite the coolness in the air the bright sun breaking from across the sea cast a warm glow over the already yellow ochre stones of which the castle was built.

Henry leaned against a merlon watching the sunrise through the space of a crenellation at the battlements of the
Lion
Tower
. It was on that outer wall where his
arms, emblazoned in bas-relief, was
strongly displayed.

Henry was well satisfied with his building achievements that reflected masterfully in every part of his multifaceted life.

“Our spy’s not come,” said the earl’s twenty-four year old son known also as Henry but perhaps better known by his public persona as ‘Hotspur’ due much to his impetuous nature. His reputation as a warrior was famed far and wide.

“He was to tell us from which way the Scotch
were
a’comin
’.”

“Give it time, Henry,” advised the father of forty-six.

“Last spy said there were thousands gathered across the border,” argued Hotspur. “You know they’re
a’comin
’ to Northumberland or somewhere this way!”

Henry turned quickly to look his son in the eyes, “I know
nothin
’ of the sort!”

“They’re
comin
’ to
Durham
and work their way back to their border,” retorted Hotspur. “They always go directly to
Durham
to show that they can get that far into
England
! It’s what the Bruce did those many years ago.”

“
Durham
ain’t ours to defend,” came back Henry.

“After they raid
Durham
it’s but a matter of time ere they’ll be in
our
country
a’raidin
’,” says I.

“What will you have me do, Henry?”

“I figure our spy was caught,” opined Hotspur. “I figure he was caught and they know what we know.”

“So, you reckon they’ll be
a’comin
’ or… changed their mind about it?”

Hotspur twitched his thinly bearded mouth a bit to think. “They’ll be
a’comin
’
a’right
… just they’ll be tricky ‘bout it.”

“Tricky?” asked the earl.

“Unexpected… ‘
twil
be,” replied the son.

“And suppose they have their eye on
Carlisle
in the West March? That would be tricky, I reckon,” baited the earl as an alternative.

“Then my counter plan would be to invade southern
Scotland
,” said Hotspur, his one brow arched punctuating his clever statement. “They’d be
a’runnin
’ back from
Cumberland
fast to save their dearly got, high-
hangin
’, bacons.”

“Seems reasonable,” said the earl nodding. “And so how do we prepare for the unexpected?”

“You stay here in the castle,” started Hotspur, “I’ll take Ralph and a goodly part of the army to
Newcastle
where we’ll be closer to
Durham
and closer to
Carlisle
, too.”

Earl Henry looked at Hotspur for a long moment. He was proud of his oldest son who was young, brave and a national hero, who was already outsmarting an oncoming army of Scots.

“What do you think of that plan?” asked Hotspur anxiously awaiting approval.

“The Scotch
are
a wicked people, Henry,” said the earl turning to look seaward again. “Be very wary you don’t find yourself caught in your own web of trickery to their advantage.”

“
Meanin
’ what?” growled Hotspur.

“
Meanin
’ they could figure you would have an army in
Newcastle
and act on
knowin
’ that,” opined the earl. “With you and our army
runnin
’ hither and thither… south to north and south again it could easily happen.”