03 Guardian of the Realm by Richard Woodman

Author:Richard Woodman [Woodman, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN - SPRING 1217

Breaking up his winter quarters early, William marched south, making direct contact with Philip d’Aubigny only to learn that St Maur’s intelligence had been flawed. Louis had not left for France without first embarking on a blazing frenzy of activity. Cheated of catching William of Cassingham, the Dauphin had marched on Rye and Winchelsea, recapturing both places before taking ship for France on 27 February. William, still some miles away at Dorking, could only curse.

Meanwhile Guala di Bicchieri’s relentless preaching of a crusade deprived the English Barony of the pretension of the ‘Army of God’ and, according to the Papal Legate, it was the force under Philip d’Aubigny and of William of Cassingham, who were graced by a similar title. Wearing the cross upon their breasts, they mustered under the banner of the Army of Christ, a fact legitimised by the renewal of King John’s crusading oath by his son.

Disillusioned with the French, worried about the future of their persons, souls, lands and fortunes, many of the minor Barons began to regret the stubbornly maintained rebellion against the new King, bethinking the option of a young Angevin monarch a better one than a cynical Capetian who would milk England to France’s advantage. On his way south from Dorking, William was followed by news of a string of defections from these men, many not merely sending in messages – ‘hedging their bets,’ John D’Earley called them – but turning up in person, with their mesnies at their backs.

From these newcomers, eager to buy favour and ensure William kept the field against their erstwhile master, the Dauphin, William learned that Louis had promised De Quincy and FitzWalter that he would return by the end of April. Until then, William realised, the King’s forces must seize the initiative and strike boldly and fast.

Sending a courier north to Falkes de Bréauté to apprise him of the situation and order him to do what he could to reinforce Lincoln and keep the northern Barons from advancing south, he turned aside from Rye. Philip d’Aubigny had escaped the town and joined William as he prepared to move westwards, bringing with him Oliver d’Anjou, King John’s bastard. William also sent out several knights to demand money and victuals from the near-by towns, and to use the threat of burning if they did not comply.

‘Be not over-greedy in this matter,’ he shrewdly instructed them, ‘I would not wish to entirely lose their hearts. Demand what is fair and be content with what they render willingly. But where they show truculence or disobedience, brook no argument. Put them to the torch.’

On 3 March William despatched Edgar and a herald under a flag of truce to make contact with his son, who, William had learned, held the castle at Knepp, some miles to the south of Dorking and before marching west he continued south, arriving at Horsham on the 4th. Here he was rewarded by the young William’s response, brought by the faithful Edgar, whose intimacy with William Marshal the Younger had long been established in the days preceding Runnymead.

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