ABSTRACT
Some of the Marshal's men had acquired lands, wives and responsibilities. John Marshal, William Waleran, Hugh of Sandford, Philip of Prendergast and Alan de St-Georges were some of the Marshal's knights who at a moment of crisis, or over several years, left him for the king's entourage. They became king's men first and the Marshal's men second. Even kinship could not prevent this, as John Marshal proved. The Marshal himself was perfectly aware of that fact; for that reason, he was willing to tolerate a certain amount of backsliding from his men. The Marshal himself was perfectly aware of that fact; for that reason, he was willing to tolerate a certain amount of backsliding from his men. However, there remained a core of faithful friends in the Marshal's household who acted up to the ideal of fidelity. On them, the Marshal had cast such a spell that they were willing to lose everything for him.
