For Sir Willy, the humiliation of his capture was far worse than the rout on the battlefield.
According to tradition, there was a set procedure for when a noble was taken prisoner.
First, they could not be treated like ordinary prisoners—tied to a single rope and herded along in a line.
They had to be given a horse. A noble's exalted status demanded that they maintain their dignity at all times. Even as a prisoner, a noble was expected to ride a horse and not be quartered with the common captives.
Their place of confinement had to be clean and comfortable. They were to have their own room, be provided with quality meals daily, and be free from any form of abuse. Furthermore, any reasonable requests they made were to be met.
Finally, they would simply wait for the terms to be negotiated, pay the ransom, and regain their freedom.
This was how it had always been for nobles in war. No matter how brutal the fighting, the mortality rate for nobility was typically not very high.
