British hegemon

Chapter 113 Shield Tax

Chapter 113 Shield Tax

The journey back north from Caissris was naturally not smooth sailing.

This time there were no attacks from pirates or English enemy ships. Although everyone had tasted the huge profits from doing "illegal work," shipping was still bleak in the south during this season, so there were naturally few ships coming and going in the north.

The harsh maritime environment was what made the return journey so arduous.

It was already late January, the coldest time of year in the North. Snowflakes were falling even over the sea, and the journey was inevitably filled with wind, snow, and waves. What was even more dangerous was that the coastline was covered in snow, making it difficult to accurately identify the sailing position and greatly increasing the risk of running aground when sailing close to the shore.

In addition, the weather was extremely cold, and it was impossible to light a fire on the ship to keep warm. The people could only huddle in the dark, damp, and cold cabins, huddled among piles of food to conserve their body heat.

The soldiers and sailors, who had only suffered minor injuries in the ambush of the Three Lions flag ships not long ago, were becoming increasingly weak under the combined effects of the low temperature, dampness, and raging waves.

Sergeant Donald, a tall man, was slashed by an enemy ship's guard during the battle. It was originally just a superficial wound, and the wound was treated afterward. However, on the way back north, he was exposed to the cold and probably caught a cold, which almost sent the tall man to heaven.

Fortunately, Roger knew some folk remedies. He took out some expensive ginger, lit a small stove under the ship, and boiled some ginger water for him, which helped him make it to the day they landed on Arran Island.

The goods sold in the south brought in eighty-four pounds, and Uncle Jeffrey readily invested one hundred pounds in Campbell's Saltworks; he also earned fifty-six pounds for doing "illegal work" for him, and received an additional thirty pounds as "compensation for the goods".

When the treasury chest of Milk House Manor was filled with gold and silver coins of various colors worth more than two hundred pounds, the heavy burden on Butler Bard's shoulders seemed to disappear.

In the office on one side of the hall on the first floor of the Milk House Manor, Roger and the old butler Bud sat facing each other across a table.

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"...I gave young Louis twenty pounds for his studies in France, and also left thirty pounds as payment for goods when I left Ireland. Master Geoffrey will immediately purchase 60,000 pounds of grain from Ireland and transport it to the Isle of Arran after the voyage begins. The remaining balance will be paid after the grain arrives."

Upon hearing Roger's words, the old butler, Bud, who was meticulously recording everything in the ledger with a quill pen, looked up and asked, "Sir, you brought back some grain this time, and the manor's granaries are enough to last until the winter wheat harvest. Besides, you have two ships of your own, so why did you need them to transport grain to Arun Island?"

The old butler, Bard, did a quick calculation and said, "We transport grain ourselves from Ireland. The staple grains such as barley and rye are only five or six shillings per quarter, the cheapest oats are only three and a half shillings, and the most expensive wheat is only eight shillings."

"But if we risk sending it over, the price will increase by at least half."

Roger wasn't unaware of this principle, but tragically, while he knew Scotland was about to experience a violent upheaval, he didn't know when or where this upheaval would begin.

With the situation still uncertain, Roger needs to be prepared to act at any time.

Roger's two ships needed to cope with the chaos that could arise at any time, so his plan to stockpile food during times of turmoil could only rely on Irish merchants.

"I have a premonition that Scotland is about to experience turmoil, at which point there will definitely be a food shortage. Gold and silver will only get moldy if stored in iron chests; it's better to exchange them for food sooner rather than later."

"Moreover, we can't rely entirely on ourselves to trade in the south. We also need to attract merchants from the south to trade in the north with high profits. If you make all the money, how will the others survive?"

The old butler, Bard, didn't understand, but could only nod and accept the instruction.

"Sir, what should we do with the goods you brought back from Ireland this time?"

Having experienced difficulties selling his goods in Glasgow last time, Roger knew that he could only rely on Baron John's connections to monetize those valuable southern goods.

He tapped the table with his head down, then looked up and said, "Keep all the grain and raw materials needed for the factories. Select some valuable items that are presentable to keep as gifts for bribing various parties in the future. Sell the rest at a discount to the Baron."

"By the way, that fat country gentleman in Mahri village—hmm—what's his name?"

"Sir, his name is Kader. He has come to the manor several times to inquire about your safety, saying that he is very worried about you."

Roger chuckled. "He's worried about his three-pound shipment, isn't he?"

Old butler Bud smiled too.

"Okay, have someone tell him to come and pick up the goods as soon as possible, and give him priority to sell any other items he likes."

"Also, send someone to deliver the payment and goods to Gary and those other families. Also, bring those bags of snake grass flowers to Gary so he can use them to improve his family's ale. Next time he goes south to trade, he should transport at least thirty barrels of ale."

The specifics would naturally be handled by the old butler Bud with the assistance of the young stable boy Igor; Roger only needed to determine the direction.

After discussing the handling of the goods, Roger also discussed the idea of ​​expanding the Milk House Estate. However, the old butler Bud still advised Roger not to expand too much and hoped that he would take it one step at a time, telling him that "Rome wasn't built in a day."

Roger had already planned for these matters, so he didn't pay much attention to the advice of his old butler, Bud.

"By the way, I've been gone for quite a while. Has anything major happened on the island?"

Old butler Bud gave Roger a brief account of the important news from Arlen Island recently.

The biggest thing was that Baron John was preparing to reform the military system.

Having learned from the disastrous defeat of the Arron Island army on the west coast of Galloway the previous year, Baron John felt that it would be difficult to win a war against the English army by relying on traditional combat methods and army composition. Therefore, Baron John decided to take the route of elite troops.

He wanted to change the custom of all citizens of Arun participating in the war, and instead of having every knight and his squire and soldiers participate in the war, he would change the military combat obligations of ordinary citizens to military taxes.

Military service for every adult male aged 15 and over was changed to a fee of three to ten shillings for "shields" based on the amount of real estate he owned.

These "shield money" will be used to supply Baron John to expand his "fearless and skilled warriors".

The shield tax originated from a military reform measure implemented by King Henry II of England to strengthen royal power, which allowed some knights to pay a fee in lieu of forty days of military service each year.

However, Baron John changed the "shield tax" from knights to ordinary commoners. After all, Scotland was in a state of chaos, with lords and dukes making all the decisions, big and small. Baron John had already informed the island's lords that a baronial court would be convened in mid-February to discuss and formulate a law governing the military service of their territories; Roger would also attend.

Roger sincerely praised this, saying, "The Baron is indeed a military genius. We had the same idea. I will attend this court hearing."

Secondly, after much effort and appeals, the Bishop of Glasgow, Robert Vishat, finally sent a young monk to the Isle of Arran to serve as an acolyte of Brodick Church, thus giving the Isle of Arran a reliable clergyman.

However, rumors began circulating on the island that the young clergyman was the illegitimate son of Baron John, who was being fostered at Glasgow Church, so the Baroness had been making a fuss all the time lately.

Roger was skeptical of this, thinking that Bishop Robert Visakhaper wouldn't really put Baron John in such a predicament, but who could say for sure about such a dramatic situation?

Then, Butler Bard reported to Roger on some of the day-to-day affairs of Milkhouse Manor, such as the distribution of supplies and wages to the saltworks and textile mills, the gathering of the Boone laborers to repair the manor house, the fact that the craftsmen, after building the soldiers' barracks, were also allowed to build themselves a few huts, and the several disputes over firewood and vegetables that occurred between the newcomers and the original inhabitants of the manor...

When Roger learned that someone had stolen from Campbell's textile factory and injured an employee while he was away from the island, he was furious.

Although Butler Bud explained that the troublemakers had been severely punished by the one-armed sheriff, Roger still led Bald Neil and the others to Brodick, filled with rage.

Given Roger's notoriety on Arran Island and his recent actions, ordinary thugs wouldn't dare cause trouble at the textile factory. Anyone with a brain could guess who would do such a dirty thing.

Roger didn't want a few bad apples to spoil his business...

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