ioo 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 



Expenses 

 of military 

 service. 



.Bargains 

 with hired 

 Knights ; 

 actual case 

 in 1284, 

 between 

 tenant and 

 miles. 



* 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 

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

 days after Nov. I amongst the items are 17 horses depradati 

 de pretio .40, and 10 loricce, cum toto apparatu de pretio ,!$. 

 Later at Shrewsbury are entries of the expenses of brother 

 Wm. Paris, cum toto servitio, for 6 weeks, 14 1 8s. od., and 

 in purchase and repairs of arms 6 145. 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 p/acuit regi, so the Abbey fines for 5 fees 

 in 200, 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), 

 to quit them of all military service due to the Crown 

 (sc. I Knt. in exercitu, see Rot. Mar. 10 Ed. I., and Chron. 

 W. Thorn), for 20. As the fines for this army (Wales) 

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

 Abbey saved 16 135. 4d. by the above pact, but it should 

 be noted that 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 t and 

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



