The Mystery of King John's Treasure by Shirley Charters

Author:Shirley Charters [Charters, Shirley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Sociology, General
ISBN: 9781526715517
Google: 1LPNDwAAQBAJ
Amazon: B07FYRJLBD
Barnesnoble: B07FYRJLBD
Goodreads: 43245226
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2018-06-30T00:00:00+00:00

His first move was to destroy the bridge over the estuary of the Medway; thereby he could hold back any rebel supporting troops that might arrive from London. It took two attempts to burn down the bridge lighting fires from boats below, his men all the while under the attack of FitzWalter’s crossbowmen from the castle. To his fury, he then discovered that just before the bridge finally fell, FitzWalter himself had secretly crossed it, going northwards to escape to London. Mortified that he was unable to confront his great enemy face to face, John turned to concentrate on venting his efforts upon the Sheriff of Kent, Reginald of Cornhill.

A strange man. Reginald had risen through the ranks as an agent within John’s royal administration. He owed his high position to John’s gratitude and yet in this crisis had shown himself to be no more than yet another turn-coat. One of so many. Earlier in the reign, he had featured frequently in John’s naval interests along the south coast, being responsible for the levy of dues on cargoes destined for France. In the royal household accounts, it shows that he had attended upon the queen, Isabella, arranging the supply of clothes for her chaplain and paying the wages of her greyhound keepers. Half an otter skin, hoods, a gilded saddle and bridle, fine linen, tablecloths and towels were items he had provided to her demands. And for John, it was wine, and books. On John’s orders, he had even been willing during a dispute, to expel the monks at Canterbury with drawn sword. And yet now, he was holding out against his benefactor under the orders of FitzWalter!

Attacking the great castle that loomed above the river was not easy. It was well manned, by ninety-five knights and their men-at-arms, who had been left under the command of William d’Albini, a seasoned campaigner and close ally of FitzWalter. However, they could do little other than hold out, for they were poorly provisioned and dependent upon the arrival of outside aid, either from the rebels of London, or rescuers from France. Neither arrived. The French were still gathering their forces across the Channel and the London contingent of rebel fighters made only a feeble effort to confront John. They did indeed march as far as Dartford, but then turned back to return to the comforts of the city. Perhaps they had become aware that the numbers of John’s loyal soldiers that were building up.

The Crowland chronicler wrote of the Rochester castle episode, ‘Living memory does not recall a siege so fiercely pressed or so staunchly resisted.’ John’s bombardment of the keep had failed, even though the ironsmiths of Canterbury laboured continually to mend and produce siege equipment, rock throwers and battering rams. Undermining the south-east towers was the option he took next, night and day driving tunnels beneath them. As his specialist mining engineers and sappers progressed, the tunnel roofing was shored up by strong Wealden oak soaked in the fat of prime bacon pigs and the spaces infilled with combustible material.

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