Many lords got men to fight with them by livery and maintenance
employment agreements such as this one of 1374: "Bordeaux,
February 15. This indenture, made between our lord King John [of
Gaunt, of Castile, etc.] of the one part and Symkyn Molyneux,
esquire, of the other part, witnesses that the said Symkyn is
retained and will remain with our said lord for peace and for war
for the term of his life, as follows: that is to say, the said
Symkyn shall be bound to serve our said lord as well in time of
peace as of war in whatsoever parts it shall please our said lord,
well and fitly arrayed. And he shall be boarded as well in time of
peace as of war. And he shall take for his fees by the year, as
well in time of peace as of war, ten marks sterling [133s.] from
the issues of the Duchy of Lancaster by the hands of the receiver
there who now is or shall be in time to come, at the terms of
Easter and Michaelmas by even portions yearly for the whole of his
life. And, moreover, our lord has granted to him by the year in
time of war five marks sterling [67s.] by the hands of the
treasurer of war for the time being. And his year of war shall
begin the day when he shall move from his inn towards our said
lord by letters which shall be sent to him thereof, and
thenceforward he shall take wages coming and returning by
reasonable daily [payments] and he shall have fitting freightage
for him, his men, horses, and other harness within reason, and in
respect of his war horses taken and lost in the service of our
said lord, and also in respect to prisoners and other profits of
war taken or gained by him or any of his men, the said our lord
will do to him as to other squires of his rank.
Pages:
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448