Tag: army

A History of Lincoln Part 2

A History of Lincoln Part 2

The raising of the siege of The Castle of Mont Sorel and Lincoln Castle.
The army of Louis and the barons of England arrived at Dunstable, and there spent the night. In the morning it marched northward, hastening to the relief of the castle of Mont Sorel, Earl Ralph of Chester and the others who were with him besieging it, were informed of this by their scouts, and retreated to the castle of Nottingham, where they determined to watch the progress of their approaching enemies.
When the barons then arrived at the castle of Mont Sorel, after pillaging in their usual custom all the cemeteries and churches on their march, it was determined  to march to Lincoln, where Gilbert de Gant and other barons had carried on a long siege without success.
They marched through the valley of Belvoir, and there everything fell into the hands of these robbers, because the soldiers of the French kingdom were the refuse and scum of that country who left nothing untouched.  Their poverty and wretchedness was so great, that they had not enough clothing to cover their nakedness.  At length they arrived at Lincoln, and the barons then made fierce assaults on the castle, whilst the besieged returned fire with missiles and stones and deadly weapons.
The king of England assembled an army to raise the siege of the castle of Lincoln.
Whilst these events were passing here, William Marshall, the guardian of the king and kingdom, by the advice of Walo the legate, Peter bishop of Winchester, and others by whose counsels the business of the kingdom was arranged, persuaded the castellans belonging to the king.
He also persuaded the knights who were in charge of castles in different parts of the kingdom, ordering them, on the command of the king, to assemble at Newark on the second day in Whitsun week, to proceed together to raise the siege of Lincoln castle.
They had a desire to engage with the excommunicated French, and also to fight for their country. They arrived at the time and place pre-arranged, with the legate himself and many other prelates of the kingdom.  With horses and soldiers, to assail with prayers as well as arms, these enemies of their king, and rebels against their lord the pope, it appeared to them they had a just cause of war, especially as he was innocent, and a stranger to sin.
When they were all assembled together, there were four hundred knights, nearly two hundred and fifty crossbow men, and an innumerable host of followers and horsemen, who could on emergency fulfil the duties of soldiers.  The chiefs of this army were William Marshall, William his son, Peter Bishop of Winchester, a man well skilled in warfare, Ralph Earl of Chester, William Earl of Salisbury, E. William Earl of Ferrars and William Earl of Albemarle
There were also there the barons, William D’ Albiney, John Marshall, William de Cantelo, William his son, the renowned Falkes de Breaute, Thomas Basset, Robert de Viport, Brian de L’Isle, Geoffrey de Lucy, and Philip d’Albiney, with many castellans of experience in war.
They stayed three days at Newark, to refresh the horses and men, and in the meantime they went to confession asking for the Lord’s protection against the attacks of their enemies.  All of them were prepared for extremities, and were determined to conquer or die in the cause of right.

Backpacking Tips

Backpacking Tips

Backpacking and especially to difficult terrains is an intricate and a tough job although it would look like as if it’s all fun but it is not so. Many a trip has become disaster as the essential items you needed were not in the back pack. While backpacking you have to keep the basics in mind just having the right items is one thing, knowing how and when to use it is quite another. Know how and good judgment is must for any camping gear – If you have the best of tent but you don’t know how to put it, you are lost. On the other hand, it is generally inexperience and lack of good judgment that gets people into trouble. You should have nor just the proper equipment but also the proper training and knowledge of using them.

Stuff like maps and compass are things that a layman has difficulty handling, so prior to leaving for a backpacking trip try to get the basics of map and compass reading and similar things. Flashlight and headlamps are other indispensable items for your trip. A water resistant flashlight with more battery power is always advisable. It is also safer to keep extra battery in case the original one discharges. For headlamps halogens are better as tasks like path finding require a bright beam. Food should be packed keeping in mind emergency situation. Ready to eat snacks come in handy and you should pack them in zip lock bags so that they stay fresh.

At least one extra meal should be carried by you. If the trip is for two days, pack meals for two days but keep one meal extra for emergency. If you are taking raw food items then take extra fuel for cooking food. Drinking water is another item which is must for the trip. In addition to the basic layers you should normally take extra clothing, waterproof clothes like wind cheaters are good for facing any condition. Generally during camping one has to wear clothes for a long time. You can wash clothes during the night, provided there is stream or some other water supply nearby.

Not to forget is carrying first-aid supplies for minor injuries. In particular, carry plenty of adhesive band-aids and sterilized bandages. Antiseptic creams and mosquito and insect repellant are another must for your backpack. Learning first aid is a must before starting on the trip. The tool kit in the backpack should have Swiss Army Knife; slip-joint pliers/wire crimper/wire cutters; spring less self-sharpening scissors; wood saw; nail file/cleaner; corkscrew. You can add waterproof matches and fire starters to this list, there are many varieties available in the market. Planning minor details will go a long way in making your trip successful; remember you don’t have to an expert in wilderness survival to enjoy a safe hiking or backpacking trip.