Department of Defense
14th Century Style

 

When Edward II called for a parliament, Robert de Boynton was chosen. He served as knight of the shire during the parliament of 1309. He even had his expenses covered.

1309. 27 April. Westminster -- in one month of Easter
Original Writ for this County extant.
Writ de Expensis for Galfridus de Hothum and Robertus de Boynton', for attendance at Parliament, together with their charges coming and returning.
Tested at Westminster, 13 May, 2 Ed. II. 1309. (Rot. Cl. 2 Ed. II. m. 4. d.) (Palgrave, p. cxlv)

It was Edward's second parliament.

He became king when his father died in 1307, but he got off to a rocky start with the barons. When he called his first parliament, in 1308, only lords participated, and all they wanted to do was: get rid of Gaveston and do a reprise of the Magna Carta -- telling him what he could not do as king. Edward shipped Gaveston off to Ireland, but he avoided the magna carta reprise. (Cobbett, 1806)

Edward was intent on taking Scotland. He would continue the warring of his father who had never quite been able to carry it off. Edward I defeated the Scots several times, but never quite conquered. Warring against the Scots was what the second parliament was supposed to be about. War took money, and taxes was what Edward wanted from the parliament. The parliament obliged.

When Robert returned from Westminster he found a commission waiting for him; it was another task for the king.

Aug. 26. 1309. Westminister. Membrane 37.
Appointment of ... together with a clerk to be chosen by them, to assess and levy the twenty-fifth upon all movable goods in the county of ... for the war in Scotland, and to pay the same into the Exchequer on the morrow of the feasts of St. Hilary and Holy Trinity. Any two of the commissioners with the clerk to form a quorum.
The like appointments of the undermentioned, viz:--
John de Haslarton, John de Creppinge, Alexander de Cave, Robert de Boynton, John de Hothum, Robert Uthred, co. York. (Calendar of Patent Rolls, pp. 183-184)

First, he passed the taxes in parliament. Then he was commissioned to collect them. These six men and a clerk were to collect the taxes for the county of Yorkshire. That was possible because only a few hundred families held land, and land holders were the only ones who paid taxes.

Money is not all you need for warring; you need an army. As soon as the money was collected, Robert found another commission on his door.

1309 Boynton, Bouynton', Robertus de . . . one of the Commissioners of array in the County of York. Commission tested at Stamford, 5 Aug. 3 Ed. II. [part I, p. 384, 387, nos. 7, 29] (Palgrave, p. 559)

He was to be a commissioner of array. The commission of array recruited the army. (Willard, pp. 355-364). It was their job to pick out the best men to serve.

And just to make sure the men chosen to fight stuck with it, Robert was also commissioned to take action if they did not.

Dec. 12. 1309. Westminster. Membrane 25.
Commission to John de Metham and Richard de Duffeld to arrest any of the footmen, levied in the county of York, for the war in Scotland, by John de Creppyngges, Geoffrey de Hothum and Robert de Boynton, who are malingerers or who after drawing their pay have deserted from the force which Gerard Salvayn led to the town of Berewick-upon-Tweed; also to arrest any bailiffs or other officers, who in consideration of bribes connive at the fraudulent evasions of service, and to certify the treasurer and barons of the Exchequer of their names, and also of the names of such lords who are unwilling to let their tenants go on the expedition; John de Creppynges, Geoffrey de Hothum, Robert de Boynton, and Gerard Salvayn are to deliver the men's names and render every assistance to the commissioners. By C. (Calendar of Patent Rolls, p. 203)

Then there was a pause. Edward brought Gaveston back from exile. The lords said, only over our dead bodies. The king called for assistance, but no one showed. [A Boynton Story: Caught in the Middle] The forces led by the Duke of Lancaster chased down the king and Gaveston. After a siege they captured and executed Gaveston. Then they turned on Edward. To save his neck he conceded and pardoned the opposition. [A Boynton Story: Forgiven]

Back to war with Scotland. Robert, notwithstanding his recent insurrection, was again appointed to the commission of array in 1314. The king began planning the attack, and Robert led his array into battle, which is what commissioners did. Unfortunately, Edward II was as ineffective a general as he was a defender of his friend Gaveston. The result was the battle of Bannockburn. It was the only clash in which an English king was defeated by the Scots. All that preparation, and only dead bodies to show for it.

In the twenty-first century we have what is called an all volunteer army. That is rather like calling IBM and all volunteer corporation. We have a professional army. The Department of Defense is millions strong with many more people working at bureaucratic tasks than people potentially fighting. The only not-professional in DOD is the Secretary of Defense, who is a professional politician rather than a professional soldier.

In the fourteenth century they did have an all volunteer department of defense. The king was commander and chief on the battlefield rather than from Westminster [Washington D.C.] or wherever he was holding court. The organizers and the leaders on the field were knights -- most of whom had a much better way to make a living than soldiering. The courts had declared that every man was responsible for the defense of the realm, which was the starting point of the work of the commission of array. Robert was commissioned, and he acted -- along with the thousands of others who followed the king to defeat.

....

Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward II, vol. I, 1307-1313, Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1894, p. 184.

Cobbett, William(1806) Cobbett's Parliamentary History of England. From the Norman Conquest, in 1066 to the Year, 1803, vol. I, London, pp. 56-60.

Palgrave, Francis (1830) The Parliamentary Writs and Writs of Military Summons, Together with the Records and Muniments Relating to The Suit and Service Due and Performed to the King's High Court of Parliament and the Councils of the Realm, vol. the second, p. cxlv

Willard, James F. and William A. Morris (1940) The English Government at Work, 1327-1336, Medieval Academy of America.