Armed Retinues in Westminster, 1458

Early 1458 was a period of heightened tension. Disputes between magnates continued, and were at times violent. France was presenting a threat. The Council, Lords, and Commons all realised that the situation needed to be addressed. It resulted in March of 1458 in the Loveday Procession and accompanying ‘agreements’ designed to keep the peace. However, as the talks leading to Loveday took place, the level of mistrust amongs the senior magnates was evident. 

The following letter illustrates the way in which the most senior nobles of the day entered London for talks. Typically, they were accompanied by large, armed, retinues. A show of strength? Or a sign of fear and expectation of conflict? The retinues would be easily identifiable to onlookers through their carrying of banners and wearing of liveried apparel.

A letter written by William Botoner to Sir John Fastolfe.

The Paston Letters contain correspondence from several people linked to the family. This particular letter illustrates how the great magnates were operating in 1458. Armed retinues accompanying the Dukes and Earls shows how tense the situation was.

“The King came to Westminster last week; the Duke of York came to London with his own household, only to the number of 140 horse, as it is said: and the Earl of Salisbury with 400 horse in his company, four score knights and squires.

The Duke of Somerset came to London on the last day of January with 200 horse, and lodges outside the Temple Bar and the Duke of Exeter shall be here this week, with a great strong fellowship, as it was said.

The Earl of Warwick has not yet come, because the wind is not yet favourable for him: the Duke of Exeter is greatly displeased that my Lord of Warwick occupies his office, and takes upon him the keeping of the sea”.

1 February 1458. Paston Letters, Volume One [ed Gairdner].

Armed Factions

The letter shows how London was bursting to the seams with armed camps as tensions rose. The factionalism led to a spiralling effect of each side matching or beating, the other in terms of the size of the retinue that accompanied the Dukes and Earls. It was a powder keg.

Failure to Keep the Peace

The tension did not particularly ease at all in 1458. Loveday was followed by reprisals in the north, where some members of the Percy and Neville families simply ignored bonds of keeping the peace and their followers continued to present problems. Even within London matters were tense. In November of 1458 there was a possible attempt to assassinate the Earl of Warwick, who fled to Calais as a consequence.

Featured Image

Illustration depicting the banner of Richard 3rd Duke of York.