CHAP. VII.] 



DECLINE OF FEUDALISM. 



199 



very high, which leads to the inference that the private 

 lancers, and even the archers, must have been recruited 

 among the middle classes, the smaller gentry, or the rich 

 yeomanry of England.' 



The rate of pay in 1346 was — ^for an earl, 6s. 8d. a 

 day ; for barons and bannerets, 45. ; for knights, 2s. ; for 

 squires, Is. ; for archers and light cavalry, 6d. ; for foot 

 archers, Sd. ; for Welsh infantrymen, 2d. These sums 

 multiplied by about twenty-five will give an idea of the 

 relative amounts at the present value of money, and will 

 show how high the rate of pay was.^ 



This high pay procured good soldiers of the better 

 classes, and being national troops mainly, they were more 

 reliable than the foreign mercenaries which were used to 

 a great extent in Europe. At the battle of Crecy, Philip 

 of France had in his army 15,000 Genoese crossbowmen 

 who were mercenary troops. The remainder of hia 

 infantry were simply feudal militia of the most undis- 

 ciplined character. 



By this time it had become the common practice for 

 soldiers of fortune to enrol themselves under the orders 

 of favourite captains, and hire their services in organised 

 bodies to whoever were willing to pay for them. These 

 companies were much more employed by the free cities 

 and republics of Italy, and exercised a much greater in- 

 fluence on the history of that country than of any other, 

 although for a time they were very troublesome in France 

 and Germany. They were known by the titles of 

 Brabancons, Cotereaux, Routiers, and in Italy the chiefs 

 of the bands were called Condottieri, which name was 

 sometimes used to designate the companies as well. It 

 was an evil hour for both the people and the sovereigns 

 when the loyal feudal militia was replaced by these 

 gangs of mutinous hirelings, generally foreigners, whose 

 conduct in action, though often brave and soldierlike, 

 inadequately redeemed their misconduct in peace, and 

 their vexatious and violent rapacity. 



The great movement made by the provinces of France 

 after the battle of Poitiers to rescue the monarchy from 

 * Hallam, i. 265. ^ ii,i<j. note. 



