MacDidz: The Scottish Blog

[Didz]

Winter 1106

News reaches London that an English fleet is lurking off the coast of Brittany and attempting to prey upon Scottish merchant fleets rounding Ushant. A fleet of cogs carrying the merchant Domongart Broune to Africa has already been forced to flee back up the channel to avoid interception. The Channel Fleet has put to sea to deal with the threat.

Edward also commissioned a line of beacons and watchtowers along the south coast from Kent to Penzance to watch the sea and report the movements of hostile shipping in the channel and around the Cornish Peninsula.

Angus Stewart reports from Paris that he has spoken with the French, but that they are reluctant to attack the English domains in Normandy at this present time. It appears that the war with Spain is not going well for the French. Bordeaux has recently fallen into Spanish hands and King Phillipe is unwilling to start another war under such circumstances.

Edward is unable to offer any assistance to his French allies at the moment as his treasury is already overstretched with preparations for the defence of the realm and the colonisation of Africa. Even work on the improved defences of Edinburgh has had to be delayed by a year due to shortage of cash.

Summer 1107

The English fleet commanded by Admiral Simon foolishly pursues the trade fleet carrying Domongart Broune up the channel and runs straight into the Dougall's Channel Fleet moving to intercept it. The English are complely overwhelmed and forced to flee westward enabling the Scottish trade fleet to round Ushant unopposed and continue on its journey to Morrocco.



Makmartane reaches Nottingham en-route to take up his new appointment at Caenarvon and stops off in the city to have the weapons of his bodyguard replaced by the swordsmith's guild.

A new fleet of trade ships is commissioned in Edinburgh and sails via the Shetlands for the Bristol Channel. The first of the old cogs are decommissioned to be replaced by these stronger and faster Holks.
Winter 1107

The newly built watch tower at Penzance immediately sights the remnants of Admiral Simon’s English Fleet off Lizard Point. Whilst, the one in Kent reports another small English fleet under Admiral Humphrey trying to slip down the Channel from the East. The Channel fleet pounces on Humphreys fleet and chases it down the Channel inflicting heavy losses.