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Updated: June 19, 2025
Quoth Beltane: "Go you then to Sir Benedict within Bourne and say to all men that Beltane the Duke hath this night burned down Black Ivo's shameful gibbet, for a sign that he is come at last and is at work, nor will he stay until he die, or Pentavalon be free!" "Since all men breathing 'neath the sky Good or evil, soon must die, Ho! bring me wine, and what care I For dying!"
Came the thudding crash of a powerful mangonel, whose mighty beam, swinging high, hurled aloft the bulging wine-skin, the which, bursting in mid-air, deluged with water all below prior and monk, acolyte and chorister; whereat from all Belsaye a shout went up, that swelled to peal on peal of mighty laughter, the while, in stumbling haste, the dripping Prior was borne by dripping monks back to Duke Ivo's mighty camp.
So now do I tell thee that Walkyn hath taken and burned Duke Ivo's great Castle of Brandonmere, that Winisfarne city hath risen 'gainst the Duke and all the border villages likewise aha! master, there be scythe-blades and good brown bills a-twinkle all along the marches eager to smite for freedom and Pentavalon when time is ripe!" "Forsooth, is this so? O Roger, is this so in very truth?"
Swift and sure the column wheeled and with lances couched thundered down upon Black Ivo's reeling flank. A crash, a sudden roaring clamour, and where had marched Black Ivo's reserve of archers and pikemen was nought but a scattered rout.
"Lord," said he, leaning him on his bow, "the attack doth languish, methinks, wherefore I do praise the good God, for had they won the town ah, when I do think on her she that is so pure and sweet and Ivo's base soldiery O sweet Jesu!" and Giles shivered. "Forsooth, thou didst see fair Belsaye sacked five years agone, Giles?" "Aye, God forgive me master, for I I O, God forgive me!"
Who touches pike or eel, swimming or wading fowl, within these meres of mine, without my leave, I will hang him as I hanged this man, as I hanged four brothers in a row on Wrokesham bridge but yesterday." "Go to Wrokesham bridge and see," shouted a shrill cracked voice from behind the crowd. All looked round; and more than one of Ivo's men set up a yell, the hangman loudest of all.
It was a bleak dawn, full of a thick, low-lying mist beyond the walls, but within this mist, to north and south and east and west, was a faint stir, while, ever and anon, rose the distant cry of some sentinel within Duke Ivo's sleeping camp, a mighty camp whose unseen powers held the fair city in deadly grip.
When Ivo's raw stone towers faded in the blue distance, the road led from shaggy uplands into a forested plain, with knolls at intervals which gave the traveller a prospect of sullen levels up to the fringe of the fens and the line of the sea.
Mary and all saints!" and she clung to Ivo's bridle. He struck her down, and rode on over her. A man cutting sedges in a punt in the lode alongside looked up at the girl's shrieks, and leapt on shore, scythe in hand. "Father! father!" cried she. "I'll rid thee, lass, or die for it," said he, as he sprang up the drove-dike and swept right and left at the horses' legs. The men recoiled.
Grimly silent they marched, and ever Beltane gazed where, near and ever more near, flashed and flickered Duke Ivo's hard-riding van-ward. And now from the forest-road Sir Pertolepe's company marched, and forming in the open, spurred down upon them. "Stand firm, pikes!" roared Cnut. "Aim low, archers!" squealed small Prat, and forthwith the battle joined.
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