loo Domesday and Feudal Statistics 



depriving the land of its natural leaders, and 

 tending to place the much decried (C. Oman, M.A., 

 Art of War, and Prize College Essay) abilities of 

 our mediaeval capitanei, more nearly on a level 

 with those of their modern critics. 



Now true it is that the wages* of a miles for 



* The siege of Kenilworth is said to have lasted from 



June 25 to Dec. 13, 1266 (Const. Hist., ii. 96), and the 



Abbot of Peterboro' (as other prelates), was summoned for 



his service (at this period the equivalent of 5 Knts.) ; the 



expedition seems to have cost him ^124-5 (Hist. Pet.), but 



Expenses no definite dates occur save 3 weeks after Aug. 24, and 15 



of military j^ a f ter N ov . I amongst the items are 17 horses depradati 



de pretio .40, and 10 loricce cum toto apparatu de pretio ^15. 



Later at Shrewsbury are entries of the expenses of brother 



Wm. Paris, cum toto servitio, for 6 weeks, 14 i8s. od., and 



in purchase and repairs of arms 6 143. od. ; in 4 Ed. II. 



the King wrote to the Abbot (vide Hist.) for his service for 



Scotland (suppose 5 milites) whereupon he sent him Wm. de 



la Zouche (miles), with horses and arms, at a cost exceeding 



60 marcs, but nibil placuit regi, so the Abbey fines for 5 fees 



in j2OO, etc. (see p. 85). The cost of a hired Knt. would 



to some extent be regulated by the fines to the Crown, to 



knowledge of which the contracting parties could be no 



strangers thus in 1284, the Abbot of St. Augustine's 



'(scutage service, 15) arranged with Wm. de Cobeham (miles'), 



Bargains to ^^ them of all military service due to the Crown 



with hired (sf. I Knt. /' exercitu, see Rot. Mar. 10 Ed. I., and Chron. 



Knights ; ^ Thorn], for /2O. As the fines for this army (Wales) 



actual case r / i j \---j 



in 1284, were 50 m. per fee (queen gold 5 m.), it is evident the 



between Abbey saved 16 133. 4d. by the above pact, but it should 

 tenant and ^ e notec j t h a t the liabilities (ransom, loss or injury to horses, 

 etc.) of the service would probably fall on Wm. de Cobe- 

 ham. The wages of a .miles at this period were 2s. a day, 

 and apparently rather a mere average equivalent for housing, 

 and provender, in time of war for himself, his vadlets, and 

 horses the King's household and hired Knts. being at the 



