Sir Simon Felbrigg’s indenture

The indenture of Sir Simon Felbrigg, who contracted with the king to serve with 12 men-at-arms and 36 archers. Dated 29 April 1415.

Catalogue reference: E 101/45/3

Translation

 This indenture made between our sovereign lord the king, on the one hand, and my lord Simon Felbrigg, on the other, witnesses that the said Simon is to stay with our said lord the king in order to serve him for one whole year on the expedition which our same lord the king will make in his own person, if it pleases God, into his duchy of Guienne or into his kingdom of France, the said year commencing on the day of the muster to be made of the men of his retinue at the place which will be assigned to him on behalf of our said lord the king within the month of May next to come, if he shall then be ready to go there to make this muster. And the said Simon shall have with him on the said expedition for the whole of the said year twelve men-at-arms, counting him with the same, and thirty-six archers, taking for his wages two shillings a day. And in case that in the company of our said lord the king the said Simon shall travel towards the said duchy of Guienne, he shall take for the wages of each of the said men-at-arms forty marks, and twenty marks for the wages of each of the abovesaid archers for the whole of the year abovesaid. And if in the company of our lord the king the said Simon shall travel towards the abovesaid kingdom of France, he shall take twelve pence for the wages of each of the said men-at-arms, and sixpence a day for each of the abovesaid archers during the year abovesaid. And in the event of the said expedition to France, he shall take the accustomed reward for himself and for the said men-at-arms, which is to say at the rate of 100 marks for thirty men-at-arms per quarter, the half of the said first quarter of which wages for travelling towards the said parts of Guienne shall be paid to the said Simon at the compilation of this indenture, and the other moiety when he shall have made his said muster, being ready to travel towards the said parts of Guienne if our said lord the king shall travel there or send him there. And if it shall happen that after the said muster our said lord the king shall not travel into his duchy of Guienne but shall be transported into the said parts of France, then the said Simon shall be paid with what shall be in arrears to him for the said first quarter beyond the sum received by him as above for the wages and reward, as well for himself as for his said men-at-arms and archers travelling towards the said parts of France. And for the security of payment for the second quarter our said lord the king shall deliver to the said Simon as wages on the first day of June next to come those jewels which, with the agreement of the said Simon, shall be valued at the same sum as that of the said wages, or wages with reward, for this quarter shall extend, the which jewels the self same Simon shall be bound to restore to our said lord the king at the hour he shall wish to redeem them within one year and a half and one month next after the receipt of the same jewels, and otherwise it will be permissible for the said Simon and all others whatever to whom the said jewels shall have been delivered by him to dispose of the said jewels after the end of the said month at their pleasure, without prosecution from the king or his heirs, according to the content of the letters patent under the great seal of the king issued to the aforesaid Simon in this business. And for the third quarter the said Simon shall be paid for himself and his said men within six weeks from the beginning of the same third quarter according to the quantity of the wages, or wages with reward, for the land through which they shall pass or will be in during the said quarter. And touching the payment of the wages, or wages with regard, according to that which shall be required for the final quarter of the year abovesaid, if by half way through the aforesaid third quarter our said lord the king does not make security for payment to the said Simon, as he wishes it to be reasonably agreed, then, the third quarter having finished, the said Simon shall be quit and discharged towards our said lord the king for the covenants specified in this present indenture. And the said Simon shall be bound to be ready at the coast with his said men [well mounted, armed] and arrayed as pertains to their estate in order to make his muster there on the first day of July next to come and [later, after their arrival overseas] the said Simon shall be bound to make musters of the men of his said retinue before such a person or such persons as it shall please our [lord the king] to appoint and assign, at all times at which he shall have reasonable warning to do so. And the said Simon shall have for the costs [ms torn] of shipping for himself, his retinue, their horses, harness and victuals, and also reshipping as others of his estate shall have in passing into [ms torn] if it shall happen that the said Simon is recalled on behalf of our said lord the king before his passage over the sea [ms torn] he shall be bound to serve our same lord the king in such parts as it shall please him, with the abovesaid men-at-arms and archers [ms torn] for wages [accustomed in the] parts where they shall be assigned to go on behalf of our lord the king, excepting those who shall be dead if any shall die in the meantime. And if it happens that the king’s French adversary, or any of his sons, nephews, uncles or cousins, or any [king of any] kingdom, or [if it happens that any] of the lieutenants or other captains having the authority of the king’s said adversary, shall be captured on the said expedition by the abovesaid Simon or any of his said retinue, our lord the king shall have his said adversary or any other of any the abovesaid ranks, who shall be [captured] and shall make reasonable agreement with the said Simon or him who shall have captured them. And touching the other profits from the spoils of war, our said lord the king shall have a third of the spoils of the said Simon as well as the third part <of the third part> of the spoils of the men of his retinue gained on the abovesaid expedition, and the spoils in terms of prisoners, booty, money, all gold, silver and jewels exceeding the value of ten marks. In witness of which thing, our said lord the king has caused his privy seal to be put to the part of this indenture which is to remain with the said Simon. [Given at] Westminster on 29th April in the third year of the reign of our said lord the king.

 

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