I'm not sure I agree with Tom's implication that peasants of this time period could never have hired guards.
There were times and places in medieval europe, where simply
possession of certain items such as swords or metal armour, was a no-questions-asked death sentence for a peasant. The history buffs might want to weigh in on this, but I'm pretty sure the weaponized guy in the tavern waiting to be hired is the stuff of D&D.
