Lessons of the Broadsword Masters

Angelo's version of the Highland Broadsword was the only art we taught in the Cateran Society for our first few years, and it is still the most popular art we teach. Several years ago we added Thomas Page to our curriculum, and now we're adding some of the other historical broadsword masters. We've arranged this material into sets of ten lessons so it will fit in with the rest of our curriculum. Because we haven't practiced these lessons for years as we have the lessons of Page and Angelo, the choreography is going to look a little more cautious and deliberate, but we think the variety of the different broadsword methods should be interesting. The members of our Apprenticeship Program will now have the option of studying any of these methods.

The Black Watch Broadsword
From the Lessons of the Highland Officer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3555_bWLVQ

The Highland Officer was a Captain Sinclair who served in the Black Watch some time in the second half of the 18th century. While his method is definitely part of the Regimental Style, it includes several rather conservative features that are more reminiscent of Thomas Page.

The Broadsword of Thomas Mathewson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG7WNal3JfA

Mathewson was an English instructor of the Highland Broadsword who studied under both Archibald MacGregor of Paisley (author of the Brief Lecture on the Art of Defence) and a Sergeant Grant of the Black Watch. Mathewson's method includes the "whirl," a technique mentioned in Gaelic lore but found in few of the broadsword manuals.

The Art of the Backsword
From the Lessons of Donald McBane and Andrew Lonnergan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxcdOe1KW7c

This method is closely related to that of Thomas Page, and represents the swordsmanship of the backsword players or stage gladiators of the earlier part of the 18th century. Although Lonnergan's manual actually dates to 1771, his backsword instructions are clearly within the same tradition as those of McBane, who published his manual in 1728. McBane's backsword instructions are short and fragmentary, but they can be combined with those of Lonnergan to form a complete system of backsword play. McBane was a Scottish Highlander and Lonnergan was probably Irish.

The Secrets of the Highland Broadsword

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4YKhRLtchk

This isn't a separate broadsword method, but a new look at one we've been doing for a long time. Henry Angelo's Ten Lessons are structured in such a way that neither swordsman is ever struck. This tends to obscure the actual combative techniques embedded in the lessons, which can be seen clearly only by varying the timing of the lessons themselves. These are the "secrets" or "hidden techniques" of Henry Angelo's Highland Broadsword.

I went out early this morning to do my Jim Coulter circuit.

I start each lap of the circuit at the throwing targets with five knife tosses. I then jog between each station.

Lap 1 .

Station 1 Do 5 12 angle cutting/thrusting drills with knife on pell

Station 2 10 Hindu Squats

Station 3 10 Bent over rows

Station 4 Ten coups de pied bas kicks with each leg

Station 5 Ten standing kick backs with each leg

Lap 2 As above but at pell did "cutting" angle drill with knife in reverse grip so did 5 8 angle drills with stabs Also, at Station 4 did ten rear chasse kicks with each foot.

Lap 3 Everything from Lap 1 but at station four did front chasse kicks

Lap 4 Reverse stabs at pell and back to coups de pied bas kicks at Station 4

Lap 5 Everything form Lap 1 but did rear chasse kicks at Station 4

I always finish by doing at least five knife tosses but I want to end with a stick in the target so this time I did six tosses to end with a stick.

Walk back to manor while doing cool down arm stretches.

Finish with cold water douse.