King Henry's Champion by Griff Hosker

for a warhorse. We would be outnumbered but so far I had seen little evidence of war horse amongst our enemies. We formed our lines and waited. The sun rose steadily into the sky. We were patient. The Scots and the rebels had to be less than five hundred paces from us but we could not see them just as they could not see us.  I could just see the top of the castle.  There was one tower on the keep in the inner bailey.  Sir Roger’s standard fluttered from its top. The defenders would know where we were.
    Dick came running up. He pointed behind him, “They are forming up and preparing to attack.” I waited for I knew he had more to tell me. “They have almost two hundred men on foot. They have ladders.  There are forty dismounted men at arms and they are leading the attack. The other fifty men at arms are with the twenty knights and their squires.  They are the rear ranks and they are mounted.”
    “Good.  You know what to do.”
    “Aye my lord.”
    He ran off to organise his men.  They would harass the flank once our charge began. The numbers were less than I had expected.  Perhaps there were others waiting in Berwick to reinforce them once they had taken Norham. This might be the vanguard who would take Norham allowing the rest to flood south into England. I took the lance which William held. I nodded to him and he rode to take his place in the third rank. I spurred Star and he set off eagerly. The woods still hid us from the enemy. 
    I raised my lance and the line of knights and men at arms followed me.  We kept straight lines and as close to each other as we could manage. When we cleared the woods I saw the rebels and Scots facing Norham.  Already the first of their attackers were trying to get across the ditch.  The newly planted stakes and steepened sides would come as a shock to them.  I had no doubt that they had been scouting the castle for some time.  The new work would be a surprise. A variety of missiles was raining down on them from the defenders on the curtain wall ramparts. With everyone’s attention on the castle I was able to swing Star around so that my line would attack the enemy square on.  They were two hundred paces from us.  We began to trot towards them. The sounds of the attack hid the noise of our advance.  Once we increased our speed they would hear us.
    At a hundred and fifty paces we began to canter.  The hooves of the horses began to thunder and it was then that they turned and saw us. They began to revolve their whole formation of horsemen. They had a very long line.  It was longer than ours and we would be overlapped but there was no depth to it. Once we had broken their first line then we would be amongst their men on foot. I saw confusion as some riders came towards us only to be shouted back.  I watched as men ran to give lances and spears to the mounted men and all the time we were closing. At one hundred paces we lowered our lances. I held mine slightly behind me ready to punch with it. The enemy line began to move but by then it was too late.  At fifty paces I spurred Star and he leapt forward.
    I saw a knight with a yellow shield crossed with three diagonal lines. He was coming for me.  My banner was right behind me carried by John. The yellow shield was my target.  I brought my own shield around so that it covered my left side and part of my chest.  Sir Edward was to my right and Sir Richard to my left. The last thirty paces of the charge went so quickly that I almost missed my strike.  I punched forward.  I aimed at the front cantle on his saddle.  I felt his lance clatter off my shield as mine entered his stomach. The enemy horses were not close together and his horse veered to my right. The knight’s falling body tore the lance from my hand and I drew my sword.
    A quick glance to left and right told me that Sir Edward and Sir Richard were still with me.  Edward had his lance unbroken. We had broken through the horsemen.  The men at arms behind would