Stewart Binns - Conquest

‘So the city is ours, but nothing remains!’

‘I’m sorry, sir.’

‘And what of the Norman tower?’

‘Gone, sir. We burned that down.’

‘Where are Malet and Gilbert of Ghent?’

‘With the Danes – they have taken them to their ships on the Humber. They intend to ransom them.’

‘And Edgar and his forces?’

‘Outside York, waiting for a response from you.’

Hereward shook off his despondency and replaced it with a look of defiance.

‘Then let’s give them one. Martin, send a messenger to the Atheling. Tell him to wait outside York; we will arrive as quickly as we can. We will then go to the Danes to prepare for a major battle with William on ground of our choosing. Edwin, who is Bishop of Durham?’

‘Aethelwine, sir.’

‘Is he loyal?’

‘Yes, sir, he is now. Initially, after the coronation, he spoke for William, saying that he was the anointed King. However, he changed his view because of the behaviour of the Normans, especially when Robert de Commines threw him out of the Bishop’s Palace!’

‘Send word to him; he will anoint Edgar as King. If York Minster is in ashes, we can take Edgar to Durham. It is an important enough bishopric to persuade Rome that the hand of God is supporting Edgar’s crown.’

Hereward and his force hurried to meet the triumphant Prince Edgar at Selby on the Ouse, a few miles south of York. It was a joyous meeting and Hereward reserved a particularly warm welcome for Waltheof to acknowledge his heroic deeds at the Norman tower. Edgar declared that a great banquet should be held and hunters were sent out to provide the fare. It mattered little that their dining hall was a clearing beside the old road to York; a grand celebratory feast was enjoyed that very evening. Later that night, in the midst of the gorging, more news came to gladden their hearts.

Hereward stood to make the formal announcement. ‘Men of England, following your great victory at York, the heroics of the sons of King Harold in the South West and the courageous stand of Eadric the Wild and his Welsh allies in Mercia, Aethelwine, Bishop of Durham, has agreed to crown Prince Edgar in what remains of York as the rightful and proper King of England. He has already left Durham for the coronation and will be here in a couple of days.’

A cry of joy rose from everyone assembled.

‘Tomorrow, we will travel to meet Prince Osbjorn, commander of the Danish army, to plan our attack on the Normans.’

Another, even louder cry echoed around the clearing.

‘Eat and drink your fill. Enjoy your great and noble victory!’

At noon the next day, Hereward and a small group were ready to leave the camp to meet the Danes on the Humber.

Suddenly, the calm was disturbed by the noise of sentries announcing that a messenger approached. The herald, a boy of only nineteen who had the physique of a hunting dog, jumped from his horse gasping for air.

Sir…’ He could not speak.

‘Get him water. Take your time…’

Einar came to Hereward’s aid. ‘It’s Uhtred, sir.’

‘Uhtred, compose yourself. Your message can wait until you get your breath.’

After a few moments, the messenger was able to deliver his report. ‘Sir, it’s not good news. Duke William is at Tadcaster. Arkil the Fair has stayed behind to keep watch, but he told me to come here as quickly as possible.’

‘He is almost on top of us; how can this be? How can he have got here so quickly?’

‘His good fortune, and our bad luck, sir. He was hunting in the Forest of Dean on the Welsh border. His army was on a tour of Mercia in a show of strength to intimidate the locals. He summoned his army and was on the move as soon as he heard the Danes had entered the Humber.’

‘How does Arkil know this?’

‘Sir, it makes me sick to say this, but many Englishmen are cooperating with the Normans. It is easy to hear of the Normans’ plans, because so many Englishmen are part of them.’

‘It is hard to believe!’ Hereward kicked at the ground in frustration. ‘Please, carry on with your report.’

‘Yes, sir. The Normans have split their force at Tadcaster. The Duke has sent two of his most senior men to York. They are to re-garrison the city, help the locals rebuild their houses and businesses and erect a new Norman stronghold. William has gone east to the Humber to negotiate with the Danes.’ Uhtred had lowered his voice for the final sentence.

‘He’s done what? My God, he must have passed within a couple of miles of us.’

‘Sir, he moves so quickly, it is impossible to keep pace with him.’

Hereward turned away in fury. ‘Will he never give us breathing space? Will he never make a mistake? He outflanks us, out-thinks us, outpaces us. And now he’s ambushing us by going to parley with our own allies! Damn him! Damn him to Hell!’

He started to pace up and down silently, then barked at Uhtred. ‘How many men?’

‘Arkil thinks two thousand on their way to York and another two thousand with the Duke. All heavy cavalry, in full armour, with plenty of provisions. We counted at least a dozen lords with gonfalons and more than a hundred knights’ pennons.’

‘Thank you, Uhtred, for an excellent report – and well ridden. Go and get some rest.’

‘Thank you, sir. I’m sorry it’s not better news.’

Einar waited for a moment before addressing Hereward, who had his head thrown back in exasperation and was inhaling deeply.

‘There is still a chance to talk to the Danes; they have no love for the Normans.’

‘I know, but then we should take Prince Edgar with us. Osbjorn is brother to a king. If he’s going to ask his men to put their lives at risk on foreign soil, the covenant has to be between Edgar and Osbjorn.’

Prince Edgar spoke without hesitation. ‘Hereward, I am happy to go, whatever the risk.’

‘Thank you, my Lord Prince, but I must insist that you don’t. It’s not safe. William will have set a trap.’

Einar spoke much more forcefully than usual. ‘Then you and I will go, with Edwin. You are Regent in all but name; they will listen to you.’

‘No, we would go to our certain deaths. I don’t trust the Danes. It is obvious now why they returned to their ships and took William Malet and Gilbert of Ghent as hostages. They never had any intention of standing with us against William’s army.’

Einar waited patiently, giving his friend time to think.

Eventually, Hereward spoke. ‘We wait. We wait to hear the outcome of William’s parley with the Danes. Double the sentries and post men all the way to York. At the first hint of any Normans moving towards us, we must know immediately so that we can be ready to move before they snare us like Cospatrick’s men. Keep everyone busy and alert.’

Einar and the others then left Hereward alone to ponder their fate.

No matter how brilliant Hereward’s strategy, William responded in equal measure; no matter how carefully he prepared, misfortune seemed to dog every fleeting success.

Even more disheartening was the ever more evident reality that the great majority of the English simply lacked the will to resist the Norman occupation.

The news Hereward feared most arrived just three days after Uhtred’s report of William’s march north and his audacious plan to negotiate with Osbjorn of Denmark.

The young messenger spoke clearly and without emotion. ‘Duke William and the Danes have come to an agreement. A major part of the Danish army will spend the winter on the Humber, on the Isle of Axholme. They will be allowed to hunt and forage within a radius of fifty miles of their camp and the Normans will send them additional supplies from York and Lincoln if needed. William Malet and Gilbert of Ghent and their families have been released. In addition, a Danegeld has been paid and sent to Denmark on this morning’s tide. It is an amount so large that it took three hours to load the chests of silver and gold on to the Danish longships. But the treasure represents only half of the levy; an equal amount will be paid in the spring of next year, when the remaining Danes sail home.’