Edgar decided it was best to choose the ships' captains, including Raynar to sit on his bench with him. He also chose the priest and Count Fulk. There were hundreds of cases to hear, so he expected this court to last for days. The priest, however, explained a faster way, which was welcomed by all.
Starting with the prisoners with whom there were likely to be few issues, the women, the court sat on a bench beside their pen and did what amounted to a sorting. The women were first asked to separate themselves by the villages they had lived in prior to being brought here. Then all those who wished to stay at Montreuil were asked to leave the village groups and form a new group.
There was a delay while the women, now surrounded by other women from their own village, discussed what to do. Eventually three-quarters of the women moved to the 'stay' group. Most of the rest were women from Flanders. Decisions on the wounded in the women’s pen were postponed. The seconds from the ships now moved amongst those that wished to be taken home and got the names of the villages so that all those that lived close to each other could travel in the same ship.
The pen next to the women held the non-combatant men. Most had been held as slaves by the pirates, either for their labour or for future trade. The same instructions were given. The result was very different. Three-quarters wanted to go home. Again the names of the villages were taken.
The next pen held those who had been forced to fight and row. They were first grouped by village and once that was sorted, they were asked to decide between three options. Go home; stay as part of the fortress garrison; or stay as part of a ship's crew. There was much confusion and conversation and calling back and forth, but eventually the groups settled with about a third in each. The garrison commanders and ships' seconds now entered the pen and gave instructions to those that were staying, while again taking the names of villages of those going home.
The priest and Raynar had a long discussion before they moved on to the next pen. This pen would take longer for these men had fought freely for the pirate captains. The men were lined up and were one by one paraded in front of the three pens already processed. If anyone had a claim against any of these men, they were to call out the nature of the claim. Those who passed the pens with no claims shouted against them were led to another pen and given two choices. Join the garrison or join a ship's crew.
Those left had claims spoken against them that needed to be heard and measured individually. The claims that had been shouted out were for murder, theft, abduction, injury, and rape. The members of the bench took a recess for ale and to settle amongst themselves what a fair coin price would be for each crime.
With the folk from the already-processed pens watching and listening, they had the first man brought forward and then asked those with claims against him to come to the edge of their pen.
A woman's voice shouted out, "I have a claim on that one! He killed my husband, he stole our metal, he burned our house, he abducted me and my two children. He forced me to live with him as his wife, he raped me, he raped my daughter though she had not yet blooded, he raped my son and then strangled him when he would not stop crying."
The women around her jeered and wanted blood. No one in the pens was willing to speak on this pirate's behalf.
The man was asked for his side of the complaint, and his words brought screeches of frustration from the women’s pen. "A woman cannot speak at court," he said. "A woman cannot make a claim on a man. Only her husband, brother, or son, or a male witness to the act can do so."
"My brother is at my village, I was abducted. He killed my husband, and my son. I have no man to speak for me, because of the very claim I make against him!" cried out the woman, and the women around her screamed their outrage at the unfairness of men's courts and rules
There were whispers along the bench. Raynar stood so that his voice would carry across the pens. "This man speaks true. It is the law. A woman has no say in court. Are there any male witnesses for this woman's claim?"
A man shouted from the group that was to join the garrison. "I will be heard." The men in his pen made way for him to gain the fence so he could be seen and heard.
Raynar waited until the man was in place. "You were witness to any of these claims?"
"I was not, but I wish to speak to the women." Edgar motioned for him to continue. "Woman, do you stay here at Montreuil?"
"I do," she said. "I have no choice. There is nothing left for me or my ruined daughter in my village."
"Woman," he said, "I too must stay in Montreuil and I join the garrison. Will you marry me?"
The entire fortress was abuzz with the words and with laughter, and Edgar banged his ceremonial axe against a metal plate to regain order.
"I will marry you," she said, once the crowd was quieter.
"Priest," said Raynar, "You have heard his offer and her answer in court and therefore under the rule of truth. Is that enough for them to be married here and now?"
"I am not certain," said the priest rising to his feet, "but before we go further I must call on anyone who knows reason why these two cannot marry to speak now." There was silence. The priest was praying to himself that the man on trial would not speak, for with his rape and his forcing her to act as his wife, he could stop this by speaking now. The man was silent. "Since no one has objected, then with the power vested in me by the church and by God, and in front of these witnesses, I declare you man and wife until death do you part. Let all be respectful of this union heretofore."
"Is that it?" said the new husband. "I am married?"
The priest said "Yes, very, all legal." and sat down. There were cheers from the crowd.
Edgar sighed to Fulk who was sitting beside him. "If we must do weddings as well, then this could take a fortnight."
Fulk laughed aloud, and then said "Quiet, Edgar, and listen closely to what is about to unfold. I think that your friend Raynar is a foxy son of a bitch, besides being an uppity peasant wolf with a big bow."
The new husband raised his voice to a full yell and the men standing beside him backed away in surprise. "As this woman's legal husband, I now speak for her in this court. All claims she tried to make, I now make. Let the bastard defend his actions."
There were cheers from the women, howls of laugher from the garrison, jeers from those who still had to stand before court, and general unruliness and dancing and beating of foreheads in every pen. Edgar, still in shock from what had just happened in his court, slammed his axe down on the plate over and over while staring daggers at Raynar.
Raynar came to him and stood bent over between Edgar and Fulk so that both could hear his words. "This is just the first, so we set a precedent for the others here. If this works, then we will have a strong and happy garrison. Moreover, Fulk here will have many men under bond at a cheap price to take to Maine, and the evil sods that would cause more trouble than they are worth will suffer the vengeance they deserve immediately, and not by our hand."
Edgar nodded, understanding, but Fulk queried how he would end up with men for Maine. Raynar spoke only so loud that they alone could hear. "The bondman claim prices will be far lower than it would cost you to buy mercenaries, plus I will cede to you any men that wish to return to villages in France, Anjou, Maine, or Bretagne, and so far my men have counted more than twenty such. All you must do is be first to offer to buy the bonds at the claim price."
Raynar rose to go back to his seat, but then bowed again. "Oh, another thing, Count. Do not offer coin for men who seem truly evil like this first one. They would cause you more trouble than they are worth, I promise you."
Finally the disorder abated, and Edgar continued. "How do you plead to the claims against you? The total of these counts would amount to fifty marks of silver."
"I don't have any silver," the prisoner answered, "I am a prisoner. I have nothing but what I wear."
"Then the price may be paid by a bond. It would mean ten years of service to whomever bought your bond. I remind you that the penalty for telling a lie in this court is death."
The man was silent. When he spoke his voice was shaking, but no one could tell whether it was from fear, or anger, or frustration. "It is as this woman has said. I did it all."
"Then you must pay this new husband fifty marks, or bond yourself to someone who will pay it for you. Is anyone willing to pay fifty marks for this man?" Edgar looked around. Fulk was signaling to some lords that seemed interested. Fifty marks was very cheap for a warrior’s oath for ten years, but no one spoke or offered.
"Since no one has provided your bond, you are now slave to this man and his wife."
The woman came through the gate of the pen, as did her new husband, and they walked together up to the murderer. "He is mine then?" she asked. When it was confirmed, she went up to the tied man and started hitting, and slapping and scratching and kicking the man. When he tried to defend himself, her new husband tripped him to the ground so she could kick him some more.
"Stop!" ordered Edgar, and the woman stopped and looked at him. "Is it your intention to beat this man to death?"
"Too right!" she said.
"I need a ruling of law for this situation," Edgar said.
"Under civil law, she has the right," said the priest, "but not under church law. Under church law only an official executioner can take a life and then only if the court sentences it."
"So she can beat him, but not kill him?" Edgar queried.
"Not quite. She can beat him until he is sure to die or commit suicide; or she can hand him to the court for execution," replied the priest.
"Choose," ordered Edgar of the woman.
"This bastard is mine," she said, and the prisoner whimpered and pleaded.
"Guards," ordered Edgar, "take these three into the fields and take a spade with you. The husband is to dig a grave, the wife is to beat this man until he is almost dead, and then they are to bury him. Then they are to consummate their marriage with you as a witness. All this is to be completed before tomorrow's sunset." He waved them away. "Next."
The trials continued for three days, with the leaders tried last. Forty men were executed by one form or another, but none suffered for more than a day. Twenty-four women were wed, and each was given a house in the harbour village as a wedding present from Edgar. The garrison gained seventy men, most of whom were French, and the ships ninety, most of whom were northerners. Fulk gained thirty-five warriors, but none of them knights.
The surprise at court was at the end, during the trial of the four Norman knights who had captained ships and commanded the pirates. In a bid for clemency they told the court that they were acting under orders from the castellan of the fortress and two of his knights. Edgar quickly spoke to the priest and to Fulk. The priest told him that it was legal to expand the trial beyond the prisoners. Fulk told him that Philippe had reports from his spies that claimed the castellan had taken William of Normandy's salt and had been expected to hand the fortress over to the Normans as early as next spring.
The knights' claims became a trial of the castellan and his fortress commanders, which concluded in the hanging of all three for treason. In their own defense they swore that their orders to the Norman knights had been for them to take everyone who surrendered as slaves for sale in Normandy. As for the Norman knights, other witnesses swore that they had killed or ordered the killing of unarmed men, which countered the castellan's orders, so they were found guilty of murder.
The claims against the four Norman knights were so widespread and horrendous, that Fulk restrained himself from posting their bonds despite the lure of profit from their ransom, and they were executed by stoning. Only women were allowed to throw stones, in recompense for them not being allowed to speak their own claims.
Once the court was closed, the other two harbours were once again attacked, but this time from both land and sea. Once again the prisoner sorting process was started up but lasted only two days, since most of the raider leaders did not survive the battles now that there were more wolfpacks with bows ranging on the land. The ranks of the garrison, the ships, and of Fulk escort swelled to the point where it was no longer necessary for any bowmen to be left with the Fortress, which eased the problem of manning so many prize ships for the passage back to Oudenburg.
All that remained was for Raynar to fulfill his promise and take any folk home who wished to return to their coastal villages. Captains were chosen for the captured ships. Crews were formed that were a mixture of bowmen and those who had been prisoners. Edgar chartered seven of the captured longships and their crews to be based at Montreuil and keep the coast and the other harbours secure. The rest of the ships spread out in twos to take their passengers home, and then continued back to Oudenburg.
By that time, Count Robert had left for Boulogne with his Corbie garrison. He was very pleased with the outcome of the battle for Montreuil. Unknown to even Raynar, Hereward had promised to become his man once he had returned from the wedding. This expedition had not just put a thorn in the Conqueror's side, but it had cleaned out a nest of pirates that had plagued this coast for years, and it had put ships from Flanders in charge of patrolling the coasts both north and south of Boulogne. This was all good for Count Robert, for Flanders, and for the trading houses of Brugge.
* * * * *
Fulk arrived back in Paris full of good news to tell to Philippe, but hardly saw him for two days, so busy was he with his new wife. "She has a hunger for sex like I have never experienced," Philippe told him and Fulk had to be careful not to laugh at his young king. At only twenty years, he was hardly experienced with women, although the court women did seem to throw themselves at him.
"Even if another woman offered herself, I could not," bragged Philippe. "She is sucking me dry. Literally. I am sure that Gesa, you remember Gesa, has been giving her lessons. I have suggested to Bertha that she bring Gesa to bed with us tonight to teach me how to better please a woman. She agreed. I can't believe that she agreed. By morning I won't be able to stand."
"Did you say that you want to learn how to pleasure a woman?" asked Fulk. "Does the church allow that?"
"I said it to get them both into my bed together, but now I am looking forward to learning what makes them lusty." whispered Philippe.
"Yes, yes, life has been wonderful for you, but meanwhile I have been knee deep in blood securing your kingdom," interrupted Fulk with just a small amount of exaggeration, as the only time he had bloodied his sword was to put a man out of his misery after his eyes had been scratched out by a vengeful woman.
"Of course," said Philippe calming himself. "We have heard the reports of your successes. Please continue."
Fulk spoke for over three hours with hardly an interruption and with Philippe leaning forward into his words and wanting more. "So Sire, the kernel of your kingdom has just tripled in size. Your treaty with Robert is secure, as the Montreuil’s garrison has expanded fourfold if you include the chartered ships. What is more, the garrison is now loyal to you, and only you, as all of the traitorous dogs have been killed."
"You did all this?" asked Philippe.
"With some help from Edgar and Raynar. I cannot imagine Edgar as a king. He is too easily led. Watch out for that Raynar, though. If he had noble blood I would tell you to make him a bishop, for he is as canny as one."
Philippe laughed at his friend. "The last time you spoke of him you would only call him 'that peasant'. Now he is Raynar?"
"He is welcome at my table any time, peasant or not. You ask him a straight question and he gives you a straight answer. And those bowmen of his, my God. I have commanded archers in the field and these men are not archers. They are hunters. In one battle, he led twenty men as skirmishers against two hundred, and within ten minutes they had killed every leader and the battle was won before any sword was blooded."
"Did you bring any of these wondrous bowmen back to Paris with you?"
"I brought sixty more men than I left with, but not of them bowmen," replied Fulk.
"That is a shame, for I am sending you to Le Mans immediately. There is trouble. Those freedom-loving communists have Hugh and Geoffrey under siege in the castle, and William of Normandy is said to be leading an army to crush both sides. "
"Goatfuckers!" shouted Fulk angrily. "They have done exactly what will make William's son the next count. They are fighting each other, instead of him."
"Ride tomorrow with your new men and convince the Manseaux to finish the siege and join with Hugh to stave off William. And if William does attack, then make sure that those merchant communists are in the front line."
"Tomorrow," sighed Fulk. "I have been in the saddle for over three weeks. I need a rest."
"Then go to bed, and don't take any women with you," Philippe ordered. "There is no time to delay. You were late returning from Montreuil."
"Can you do something that will delay William? Perhaps a raid south from Montreuil?"
"He would not hear of it in time to turn his army. My spies say he has come directly from England and he has brought English warriors with him. Pray that there are none of those bowmen with him, if they are as good as you say they are."
"The only bowman that William will attract is the one who will put an arrow through his eye," said Fulk. "I have drunk with them. This I know for sure."
* * * * *
* * * * *
The Hoodsman - Courtesans and Exiles by Skye Smith