reimbursed the contractors
with the profits of war, such as the ransoms paid by the families
of rich prisoners. The fighting men supplemented their pay by
plunder. Featherbeds and blooded horses were favorite spoils of
war brought back to England from the continent. As new techniques
with footmen came into being, the footmen became the core of the
army and the knightly abilities of the feudal tenants-in-chief
became less valuable.

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."

Forecastles and stern castles on ships were lower and broader.
Underneath them were cabins. The English ship was still single
masted with a single square sail. A fleet was formed with over 200
ships selected by the English admirals acting for the king at the
ports. Men were seized and pressed into service and criminals wer