Archers of Ravenwood

I was born in October 1419 on my father's modest estates near the town of Cambridge. The lord of Ravenwood, my father, William, was a retired knight of noble blood, who had fought in the service of King Henry at Agincourt. After having lost his wife to illness, William found companionship in the arms of Katherine, his wife's personal servant. Thus I was born into a household of modest wealth and standing, a bastard, unable to claim any part of it. My half-brother, Charles, three years my senior and the heir to William's lands, never seemed to tire of reminding me of my station in life. My father, on the other hand, was always kind to me, even though we both knew that he could not bestow upon me any birthright.

Even so, William took it upon himself to have me instructed in the arts and sciences befitting a boy growing up in his house. Long hours were spent in study with the local friars, and longer still in martial practice with the manor's weapons master. On Sunday, as with all boys and men of the King's lands, I practiced at the butts with a longbow my father had purchased for me. An apt pupil, I quickly mastered the basics of the art. By the time I was 15, I was able to ply a bow with the strength, confidence and skill gleaned from years of constant practice. Little did I know how useful all these skills would become.

In the winter of 1435, my mother succumbed to illness at the age of 32. My father did not take the loss of a second love at all well, becoming more withdrawn and distant as the weeks wore on. Charles, who took over increasing responsibility and authority in household matters, took this opportunity to inform me that I had nothing left to hold me to the estate and I was free to go and find my own way in the world.

Thus at 16 I set out to make what name I could for myself. The only practical thing I could think of doing at the time was apply my longbow skills for King and Country. At this time, Richard, Duke of York, was assembling an army to go with him to France, as he assumed his new role of Lieutenant General of France. I had seen the Duke on one occasion, as my Father's lands were adjacent to York's Cambridge holdings. He possessed an air of confidence that greatly impressed me, so I decided to seek out his constables in order to enter into the service of his army. I arrived at Winchester on the 3rd of May 1436 for the muster.

The summer of 1436 saw me in Rouen, Normandy, attached to a unit of longbowmen in the service of Sir John Talbot. This battle-hardened veteran was one of York's finest commanders, and arguably the most feared man in all of France. He was a man of unwavering loyalty, fearless in battle, and ruthless to the enemy. The mood was grim, as Paris had just fallen to the French under General Richemont. My first taste of real action against the French was the retaking of the town of Gisor. I was both frightened and exhilarated as I loosed my shafts at the enemy and tried not to get killed in return. As had happened many times in the past, the French force of men-at-arms fell to the long-range tactics of the English archers. This action was to be followed by many others both large and small, as Talbot continued to defend the Normandy holdings against the French and Burgundians.

1437 was a year of turmoil for England’s occupying forces in France. Richard, Duke of York’s term of service as Lieutenant General of France had expired, and in November was finally replaced by Richard Beauchamp, the Earl of Warwick. During the long transition the French had retaken the important town of Montereau.

The death of Richard Beauchamp in the spring of 1439 once again brought about a changing of the guard in occupied France. John Beaufort, the Earl of Somerset is appointed as Governor. During this time, the Duke of York is once again being considered for the post.

In 1440, Talbot and his army managed to capture Harfleur. The siege and subsequent battle in the town was very costly, but necessary. Through a quirk of fate, and seasoned serjeants in short supply, I received the rank of Vintenar, and given command of a Twenty. I began to realize that using my head as well as my heart was starting to pay off in terms of recognition.

In September, a small advance force from the duke of York arrived in Rouen with word that the Duke himself and a larger contingent were soon to follow. Word quickly spread that Richard had returned to resume his role as Governor of occupied France. The troops looked on hopefully to see if this would be the change needed to once again push towards eventual victory.

1441 turned out to be a disastrous year for the English in France. The French army had begun taking back hard fought territory, using their ever more massive numbers and the new combined arms tactics they had been developing to counter the lightning raids that typified the English mounted tactics of the day. The Thousand I belonged to had been eroded not only by losses in battle, but also by the stress of constant action, hunger, disease, lack of sleep, and the demoralizing defeats of late.

The tide of war swung back and forth in the balance for the next three years, during which time I fought many more skirmishes, raids, and battles. During the spring of 1442, I received a commission from Talbot's officers to command my first Hundred. My new rank carried with it many new responsibilities. I learned what it was to truly command a meaningful role in the battles in which I fought. As I grew more experienced, the men came to respect me. The tasks were never easy and the outcome often unfruitful, but I carried out my duties as befitting an honor bound English Officer.

In 1444, a Lord by the name of William de La Pole, Earl of Suffolk, orchestrated the Truce of Toures between King Henry VI and the French King Charles VII. Suddenly, we found ourselves at peace with France. Nonetheless, the fighting did not altogether cease, as I soon discovered. It simply took on a more covert aspect, with much political sparring and a few choice skirmishes.

In late 1445, the English Parliament summoned York to return to England. During his extended time back in England, he managed a series of private matters involving his estates as well as matters of the Court. In due course it became obvious to all of us that Richard was not coming back.

In early 1447, the official word had finally come. King Henry’s cousin, Edmund Beaufort, the Earl of Dorset, had arrived to assume control of France. This new commander proved far less capable than his predecessor. During this time, after having been in service of the King's armies for eleven years, I decided not to re-enlist. The fortunes of life were soon to favor that decision.

Shortly afterward, I was informed of my father's will that I return to England to take council with him. This was the first interaction I would have with my family in almost a decade, and I had little idea what would await my arrival. As soon as I reached my father's estates, his seneschal informed me that Charles, my half-brother, had fallen in France. I was to speak with my father immediately. My father, now old and wracked with illness, told me that he would soon follow his eldest son. Charles, who for one reason or another had never married, left no heir. I was all that remained of the family honor, and I was to carry on with my father's best wishes. Thus it was that I became the lord of Ravenwood that day.

The truce created a large body of dispossessed military men, looking for work among the many Free Companies that began cropping up. I decided it was time to take command of my own destiny, and set out to create a Free Company of my own. Between the modest income from Ravenwood's lands and what meager wealth I managed to accumulate while serving in England's Armies, I had just enough to start such a venture.

In the spring of 1448, I created The Archers of Ravenwood and returned to France. Several comrades from past campaigns had thrown their lot in with me as I gathered men and materials for this fledgling free company. By summer, I had a small company on contract with Talbot, who was trying to hold together what was left of England's French holdings.

These uneasy times saw the free-company travel the length and breadth of the contested regions of France still left to the English. When work thinned for a time there, we found employ within the many squabbling city-states of Italy, the German Empire or Spanish Aragon and Castille.

In 1449, Somerset broke the Truce by launching a full campaign of attacks against the Breton fortress of Fougeres. I saw defeat looming on the horizon, as we engaged in one futile action after another under his command. King Charles threw the might of France's military into the invasion of Normandy. The fighting was desperate, as we attempted to stop the French advance.

Disaster struck in November. Somerset surrendered Rouen, and traded Talbot into French captivity for his freedom. For me this was the final blow. Ravenwood's contract was due to expire at year's end and with Talbot in captivity at the hand of his own commander, I felt it was time for Ravenwood to pull out. Many of the strong commanders of yore had been replaced by rising stars in English politics: wealthy and popular, but lacking the experience to win a war that may have already been lost.

There will be many causes to fight for in the future, as war has always been man's bedfellow. There is still much to do in France, if one can find an able commander in the English ranks. The Italian States are always bickering at one another: another possible choice for a new contract. England itself seems to have trouble brewing on the horizon, as politics are beginning to polarize the country into two factions vying for power. Contracts for an English Free Company will not be difficult to find in this time of strife. With luck, skill, honor and courage we might all live to retire and enjoy the fruits of our labors with friends and family.