Folly at Cravant Part 2

Here follows the direct continuation of the Folly at Cravant

“I had hoped things would be different,” said the captain. Benedict looked strangely at him. “No disrespect to our great King Henry V, God rest his soul, but with his absence, I, and many others wished for a time of peace. Should we not leave France and govern England and Ireland; keeping to ourselves?”

“Our Burgundian allies would surely find defeat without our aid,” replied Benedict firmly. “And we do still control territories in Gascony and Calais. If we abandon these places would not King Charles see this as weakness? He is a young monarch and he thirsts for power.”

“Is a thirst for power not what began this war with France?” the captain asked rhetorically.

“Some may say so,” answered Benedict. “But I would not. For do you not know that Henry V’s heritage gave him a rightful claim to the Frankish throne? And so, his son Henry VI also has this right. But now I see our grip on France weaken as a result of Henry V’s death. I do not know if we will reclaim what we once had.”

“Would that outcome be so terrible?” asked the captain. “We should mind our own business and see to England’s needs first.”

 “I would mostly agree,” said Benedict. “But our enemies will not care if we remain home. War will always be present, so long as sinful men are around to carry it out. And so, lawful men as us must answer their desire for violence before it is brought to our homes.”

Now Fècamp was not far away and the knights’ ship was the first to lay anchor at the docks. Horses, weapons, and armour were unloaded by the squires as the army slowly assembled on the road. Before the English army began marching south, a rider came to them. He wore the purple colors of the House of Burgundy.

“My lord Fastolf!” he called out. “Where is the lord Fastolf?”

“He is yet in England,” answered Sir Benedict. “There were important matters in court which needed his attention. But he will come before the battle.”

“Then what of Sir Thomas Montacute?” asked the rider. “And who are you, sir?”

“Our friends will join us, as I have said,” answered Benedict. “Do not fret over this.
For look; the army is here and I, Sir Benedict lead them in my master’s stead.”

“Your master?” asked the rider. “You have no king in England. Who is this master you speak of?”

“Nay, my master is Fastolf,” replied the proud knight, who was becoming agitated over this delay. “We are Knights of the Garter and Fastolf commands us. He has commanded Sir Walter and me to lead the army until his arrival. But what purpose do you have here?”

“I intended to relay a message from Philip of Burgundy to Sir Fastolf,” the rider said. “But your ears will suffice instead. My lord, Philip the Good, wishes to meet in Auxerre before we make for Cravant. Do not delay; for we know that King Charles’ army has already begun its siege of Cravant!”

“Tell Philip to meet us at the Yonne River instead of Auxerre,” commanded Benedict.

“Our road will take us dangerously close to Paris,” said Walter as the rider galloped away. “We will need to be cautious the further southeast we go.”

“We will give the French capital a wide birth,” said Benedict as the army still assembled. “Best we do not give our presence away until Cravant is near. As far as we know, the French do not suspect we have come.”

To be continued...

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