At the time of the Norman Conquest, the relationship of tenants to their lords was one of obligation, involving sworn loyalty and bearing arms. By the 14th century AD, this had become a financial relationship, expressed in a contract called an indenture. In return for a pension, a retainer promised to attend on his lord, bearing arms whenever required. The retainer would wear his lord’s livery – a badge or a uniform in the family colours. The richest nobles could afford to retain knights for life.

The practice of ‘livery and maintenance’ increased during the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453), as kings raised armies by contracts with lords to provide troops for France. It was in the monarch’s interest to allow what were in effect private armies. By the late 14th century the House of Commons was beginning to protest about the abuse of this custom. Some noble families, like the Nevilles and Percies in northern England, used their retainers to dominate their regions in times of weak government.

The first Parliament of Henry IV (reigned 1399-1413) in 1399 passed a statute forbidding the granting of any livery except the king’s (a collar of linked S’s). However, the practice continued and was only drastically reduced (but not abolished) by Henry VII (reigned 1485-1509).