La Garde Ecossaise Historical Fiction and Early Modern Studies Newsletter

Welcome

A warm welcome to the La Garde Ecossaise Historical Fiction newsletter – this is your fortnightly update on the novel series and early modern studies.

New Releases from La Garde Ecossaise

Audio Guide Chapter 17 [8] Le Monde Parallèle

Audio Guide Chapter 18 [9] Swordsplay

Audio Guides can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Quote

‘For Hamilton, a swordfight was a Danse Macabre where the very mystery of being, life and the metaphysical universe were intertwined. It was complex and intricate. He insisted upon a respectful salute to opponents before combat. Hamilton had a certain Hispano-French style.’

La Garde Ecossaise Book 1 p.86

Early Modern Digest

Sixteenth-century tennis was a dangerous and fatal sport https://uk.news.yahoo.com/sixteenth-century-tennis-dangerous-sport-140355136.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAEcg4dW1sI9lweo8IzDuXdS5uhdHBDc7AInlna0XdGvlJrYKPo1uK2UBHOyYkkQwar0mBTpjFirk6iL5NbgzuH3Z8SwjZrV7UcO4WTPvS99X2aqlFnpz2V0f4ih1_2r5bLI6j0m5W9GbMZiRDfFs12KqFwx1HVOncTNMztFBAFNA

Recreating early modern prosthetic limbs using a 3D printer https://archaeologymag.com/2025/06/researchers-recreate-16th-century-prosthetic-hand/

Sixteenth-century shipwreck discovered in French waters https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-16th-century-shipwreck-discovered-at-record-depth-in-french-waters-180986826/

A rare glimpse inside a seventeenth-century house belonging to a major landed family during the plantation of Ulster https://armaghi.com/news/dungannon-news/in-pictures-breath-taking-17th-century-tyrone-landmark-enters-property-market/272947

English civil war coin hoard found by a man inspired by ‘The Detectorists’. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y5n7dd76zo

Did You Know?

During the early modern period Iran was a multicultural global trading centre ruled by the monarchical Safavid dynasty. Iran’s geographical position allowed it to take advantage of both European and Oriental trade routes. For more information see, Connor Hammel, ‘Safavid trade during the 17^th century: Iran’s Transit Economy’ https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/153202531.pdf

Feature Article: Sir William Hope and the Scottish Fencing-Master

In La Garde Ecossaise we are made aware that not only was Meldrum born and brought up in Leith, but from a very young age played cudgels with other boys in the street. A cudgel was a short and heavy stick and was often used for training young men in sword fighting. We also learn that Meldrum is an excellent pugilist or boxer and again this is reflective of his training in swordsmanship. Robert Meldrum comes from the Scottish School of Swordsmanship.[1] Often overlooked in favour of the Italian, French, Spanish, German and English schools of swordsmanship, it is nevertheless, a distinctive form of swordsmanship shaped by Scotland’s history, traditions and customs, whilst also drawing upon influences from various European schools of the art.[2] 

Indeed, my six times great-grandfather John Gordon of Lettoch was a qualified sword-master and had his own academy based in Edinburgh. John Gordon directly inspired the character, Robert Meldrum.  

Was there an early modern Scottish School of Swordsmanship?

Can we really talk about a Scottish school of swordsmanship during the early modern period? This is an important question to ask given the diversity of martial cultures within Scotland as well as the constant outside influences that shaped Scottish society’s attitudes towards the sword. 

Scotland’s early modern martial ethos was multifaceted due to the nature of its geography, terrain, internal cultural diversity and its military experiences in the past. You can broadly categorise it into three areas which relate to Scotland’s geography and terrain:

Border Reivers These were clans that straddled and occupied the lawless area on the Anglo-Scottish border. The area ran the length of the Anglo-Scottish border from Berwick to Carlisle on the English side and on the Scottish side from Roxburgh in the east, to Dumfries in the West. At the beginning of the sixteenth century, the Anglo-Scottish border was already a place of violence, with raids, exhortation and murder taking place between feuding rival clans. The violence and lawlessness were to increase throughout the sixteenth century until King James VI of Scotland sought to pacify the border region in an aim to unite his new British kingdom in 1603. He renamed the border region as the ‘Middle Shires’ signalling their new place in the British Isles.[3] 

In the context of the Border Reivers, a sword was a means of extraction used to threaten opponents as well as torture them. ‘Fyre and sword’ being a common threat in the area. It was not just a weapon to kill or disarm an opponent. Unsurprisingly, given that the area was steeped in violence that the use of swords evolved within the area and certain techniques were named after local areas. For example, the ‘Lockerbie lick’ was a back handed sword cut given by swordsman intent upon taking the head of his enemy who had dismounted from his horse.[4]

Highlanders The clans of the Scottish Highlands and their attitudes towards swordsmanship were shaped by Gaelic myth and legend as well as the need for survival in unforgiving terrain. Swords carried by the Highlanders had a ‘lobed pommel and depressed quillons.’ These swords were shaped by Norse tradition, as many of the Highland clans, most notably Clan Donald, were descended from Viking settlers. This design was adopted by the two-handed claymore. In addition to looking towards their Norse past, the Highland Clans, particularly on west coast of Scotland, leaned towards Ireland and in particular, Ulster, when it came to combat. Indeed, many Highlanders became known as ‘gallowglasses’ in Ireland, Scottish mercenaries who fought on behalf of the leading Irish clans. Indeed, the sword was the preferred weapon of the Highlander especially when cattle raiding or in battle.[5]

Scottish Lowland Nobility These men would be trained in the art of swordsmanship as part of their education. Indeed, despite there being multiple sword-fighting academies in Edinburgh and individual instructors who would be employed by the nobility, many young gentlemen went abroad for their training. Many Scottish noblemen chose to go to Paris to be trained in the art of fencing, but they could easily fall into bad company or get into debt.[6] Indeed, lessons in fencing were often paired with lessons in dancing. Sometimes fencing lessons were part of a European tour as was in the case of the Duke of Gordon who had fencing, riding and dancing lessons upon his return to London in 1738.[7] It is in this category that we should view Sir William Hope’s The Scots Fencing Master published in Edinburgh in 1687. Indeed, Sir William Hope was the son of Sir John Hope of Hopetoun. Sir William had been taught in the new style of French swordsmanship. Despite, his pro-Williamite stance, like many sons of the nobility in Scotland, Sir William Hope had been taught in the French school.[8]

A School in Crisis: the reasoning behind The Scots Fencing Master

In the letter at the beginning of The Scots Fencing Master entitled ‘To the Young Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdom of Scotland’ Hope makes it clear from the outset that he hopes that young Scottish gentlemen will follow the traditions of the Scottish school of swordsmanship by implementing the lessons in the book. In addition, he makes clear to any fencing masters within Scotland that in writing the book he is not trying to cause trouble, division or desertion of masters from pupils and states that he has consulted various sword masters before publication.[9]

In ‘To the Reader’ Hope shines a light on the reasons why he embarked upon writing the book in the first place but also gives us a valuable insight into the perilous conditions of Scottish traditions of swordsmanship by the end of the seventeenth century. The first and most obvious reason he gives is to assist people in learning the art of fencing to preserve their own lives. Indeed, he notes that some of his critics suggest that the art of swordsmanship, is just that, an art with no practical use. However, as Hope points out, many of the armies in Europe have become more professionalised and as such, training in swordsmanship is becoming ever more essential as standards are being raised. He states amid the reality of a swordfight, knowing the art of swordsmanship gives you confidence, the ability to spot opportunities and to make better decisions. All in all, it allows you to defend yourself better.[10]

However, he is also concerned about the falling standards of fencing within Scotland and complains that a man can spend a month to six weeks at a fencing school and call himself a Master. He states that becoming a true consummate swordsman and fencing master takes many years of dedication and practice. Furthermore, many pupils do not get educated in the full system of swordsmanship giving away to false confidence and recklessness. He confesses to seeing situations in which ‘passion unto a fury’ resulted in the ‘destruction’ of many a promising swordsman, stating clearly ‘being in passion he is not the master of himself’. Proper tuition in the art of swordsmanship leads to men being governed by reason rather than by passions.[11]

Another issue which is evident to Hope is the lack of standing and respect for fencing masters in Scottish society during the late seventeenth century. Indeed, he again emphasises his point that this book is not meant to supplant the fencing master in Scotland, but to assist their pupils by reinforcing lessons and offering guidance in practicing skills in-between lessons. In fact, he hopes that this book will encourage those with no previous experience or interest in fencing to obtain lessons from an established fencing-master.[12]

However, his main issue appears to be the dying art of Scottish swordsmanship, even though Scotland has many excellent fencing masters. He states that:

Indeed, he continues to make a comparison between the French and Scottish schools of swordsmanship:

The Scottish swordman was more violent than the French swordman – quelle surprise!

The Scots Fencing Master: A Brief Outline of its Contents

I am not a practicing member of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) and I have very little practical knowledge in the art of the sword in the early modern period, but I will do my best to give you a brief outline of the book and explain why I think it should be of interest to those who actively participate in HEMA. 

The whole book is written as a dialogue between Master and Scholar to give it added realism for the pupil. In addition, there are some interesting illustrative images which show some of the techniques in the book.[15]

The Art of Defence and Pursuit

Designed for beginners there is basic information about the use of a sword in combat such as the autonomy of a rapier, basic terminology, holding the sword and keeping a guard.[16]

There is also a chapter which gives general advice about keeping defence and some further terminology.[17]  

This is followed by a series of lessons:

Lesson 1 Of approaching or advancing.

Lesson 2 Of Retireing.  

Lesson 3 Of giving in a Thrust.

Lesson 4 Of caveating or disengaging.

Lesson 5 Of Feining and Falsfying.

Lesson 6 Of Double Feint.

Lesson 7 Single Feint at the Head.

Lesson 8 Of the Double Feint at the Head.

Lesson 9 Of the Feint at the Head upon the true parade.

Lesson 10 Of the Low Feint.

Lesson 11 Of Batery.

Lesson 12 Of Volt-coupe.

Lesson 13 Of Binding.

Lesson 14 Of Flanncanade.

Lesson 15 Of Under Counter.

Lesson 16 Of Beating.

Lesson 17 Of Passing.

Lesson 18 Of inclosing, or Commanding.

Lesson 19 Of Breaking of Measure.

Lesson 20 Of Redoubling of Thrusts.

Lesson 21 Of Rasing and Gathering up of the Sword.

Lesson 22 Of Quarting and Volting.[18]

Not in HEMA? Curious about what these terms mean? See the ‘Glossary of Fencing’ on Wikipedia at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_fencing or see the glossary within the first chapter of the book.

Chapter V focuses on how to keep guards and fighting on horseback with pistols.[19]

Chapter VI focuses on the rules of engagement between you and your opponent, essentially the rules of fencing, what is and what not is fair and permissible.[20] Given Scotland’s military cultures it would be interesting to make a compassion between these rules and those in other European schools of fencing. 

Why should you read this book? 

Although there is much Italian and French influence in this book, which is to be expected, as both schools dominated the evolution of swordsmanship in the early modern period, Dr Alexander Will states:

‘young William Hope – by now an experienced solider – already in his first book showed a desire to make smallsword fencing more practical and more effective, more fitting for the battlefield and self-defence, less ritualistic, less focused on duelling and less elegant – in short less French and less Italian’.[21]  

In truth, Hope was adapting Italian and French styles to suit Scottish martial culture. Bridging the gap between the European continent and Scotland. These are interesting adaptations of well-known techniques to suit the realities of conflict that young gentlemen found themselves in whilst living in Scotland at the end of the seventeenth century.  

Indeed, as Arthur Wise states Hope’s works are the last hurrah for the early modern swordsman:

‘In him, sword-play begins to be something more than preparation for combat; it becomes something that can be practised for its own sake. And he mentions a factor that was assuming increasing importance in combat, the use of the pistol…then the end of that art for combat purposes arose from the same cause. Hope heralds that end, although the actual discarding of the sword in serious combat was still many years off’.[22]

I hope you have enjoyed the latest edition of the newsletter. If you are reading this newsletter on the web and have any questions please leave a comment below or you can email me at [email protected]  

[1] Kirsteen M MacKenzie, La Garde Ecossaise : The Life of John Hamilton c.1620-1689 Part 1 (Aberdeen, 2022) 17, 21; Cambridge Dictionary, ‘Cudgels’ CUDGEL | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary accessed 01/07/2025.

[2] Arthur Wise, The History and Art of Personal Combat (New York, 1971). See Chapter 7  ‘The Perfection of Theory and Practice’.  It has the best introductory overview of the early modern Scottish school of swordsmanship.

[3] For a solid introduction to the Anglo-Scottish border in the early modern period see George Fraser MacDonald, Steel Bonnets: The Story of the Anglo-Scottish Border Reivers (London, 1989) 211-377.

[4] MacDonald, Steel Bonnets 181-182, 185, 196, 200-201.

[5] Derick S. Thompson ed., The Companion to Gaelic Scotland (Glasgow, 1994) 9-10; Michael Newton, Warriors of the Word (Edinburgh, 2009) 150.

[6] NAS GD248/47/2/2 Grant of Grant Correspondence 10 July 1726 Humphrey Grant, Paris to James Grant of Grant, his father; NAS GD44/51/544/6 Papers of the Gordon family, Vouchers of Cuttlebrae’s vouchers. June 1715; NAS GD472/12 Papers of the Jardine family of Applegirth, 24 December 1691 Contract between William Mackrae, fencing master in Edinburgh and Sir Alexander Jardine of Apelgirth.

[7]NAS GD122/3/17/61 Liberton Papers and Correspondence 7 May 1755; William Ross to Walter Little of Liberton; NAS GD44/51/395/3 Papers of the Gordon Family, Account of money disbursed by James Abercomby, governor to Cosmo George, duke of Gordon 1736-1738.

[8] Malcolm Fare,  ‘Hope, Sir William, first baronet (1664-1729)’ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography https://doi-org.nls.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/73807 accessed 2 July 2025.  

[9] W.H. Gent, The Scots Fencing Master or Compleat Small-Sword-Man (Edinburgh, 1687). ‘To the Young Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdom of Scotland’ Unpaginated.

[10] W.H., The Scots Fencing Master The Epistle to the Reader Unpaginated.

[11] W.H., The Scots Fencing Master The Epistle to the Reader Unpaginated.

[12] W.H., The Scots Fencing Master The Epistle to the Reader Unpaginated.

[13] W.H., The Scots Fencing Master The Epistle to the Reader Unpaginated

[14] W.H., The Scots Fencing Master The Epistle to the Reader Unpaginated

[15] W.H., The Scots Fencing Master 1-3.

[16] W.H., The Scots Fencing Master 1-20.

[17] W.H., The Scots Fencing Master 20-35.

[18] W.H., The Scots Fencing Master 35-104.

[19] W.H., The Scots Fencing Master 105-136.

[20] W.H., The Scots Fencing Master 136-163.

[21] Alexander Will, ‘The Hanging Guard: William Hope’s (1660-1724) Invention of Self-Defence and the Spirit of Enlightenment’, Acta Periodica Duellatorum Volume 8, Issue 1 (2020)109.

[22] Wise, The History and Art of Personal Combat [Kindle] Loc1554-1559.