Death and Taxes part 2

The Devil is Loose, King Richard (inexplicably Scottish in this movie) is on his way back to England.

Finding Brother Belcher: Race to find a monk who is the only one to know where the messenger of King Richard will land.  The Bishop of Cestria is somehow involved and Robin Hode of Lumley is apparently the only man to save the day.  The plot may make no sense but that has never stopped the Lumley boys before.

Sc 3. Finding Brother Belcher: Race to find a monk who is the only one to know where the messenger of King Richard will land.

Sc 4 - King Richard's Messenger: The monk awaits the messenger on the beach. But is he really a monk?  Meanwhile a pair of ships battle in the estuary.

Sc 5 - Fight or Die: A plot of nobles has been discovered by Prince John. He sends his the Bishop and his men towards a beach where a secret meeting is being held.

Sc 6 - The Rebellion.  Robin of The Hode escapes the Bishop's dungeon in Cestria and seeks the aid of Lords Lumley and  Lambtun.  Both declare support for King Richard, and a battle is fought on the Burnt Moor.

From the Chronicle of the Monk of Twizell

The Year of Our Saviour 1194.  Lord Richard of Lambtun dreamed of the Holy Rood, held aloft by a burning snake, with naked angels wearing black leather.  Drinks a little does Lord Richard.  He awoke and declared "the devil is loose."

Word has reached the Bishop of Cestria that a monk named "Belcher of Wigan" has been sent North to give word to the Barons that King Richard has been released by his Austrian captors and is returning.  The Bishop has been doing rather nicely with John as Regent.

Determined to capture this monk the Bishop leads his men into the Dene to raid the camp of Robert Hode of Lumley, noted poacher, Hoody Bob to his mates. 

The Dene, heavily wooded and defended by Outlaw peasant archers.

And the Lumley Men muster behind Hoody Bob.

The Bishop and his men at arms advance behind a screen of Footmen.

But clearly Bob has a mad moment and launches his fighting lads into the Footmen, driving them back.

Three are killed and Bob harries them backwards.

But the Bishop readies his horsemen for a charge.

A frenzied charge breaks the outlaws.  

And the Lumley lads are routed and massacred 

The Bishop meanwhile charges at the Bowmen hiding g in the woods.  The volley of arrows kills one man at arms.

But three archers perish.  

Only the Grizzled Veteran Long John of Lumley survives, having taken his group  into the rough ground of the nearby burn.  This is a wargames Atlantic Levy figure, and I'll be replacing my 13th century bowmen with these figures for the future.

No sign of Brother Belcher among the Merry Lumley Lads.  Robin Hode, now a prisoner reveals that the monk has gone to the sundered land a marshy area near Wearmouth to meet a ship.

Can the Bishop trust anything Hoody Bob says?

Next:
Sc 4 - King Richard's Messenger: The monk awaits the messenger on the beach as two ships fight it outbin the estuary. But is he really a monk?