Hopefully many of you will have seen my recent posts promoting my new films on History Hit about duelling (Part 2 out soon). Hopefully many of you will have watched Part One? If not – do take a look (link in previous post). For me, one of the more interesting sequences in the first film was visiting The College of Arms in London. This is the home of the heralds and where grants of arms are made. Having a coat of arms was a defining element in identifying who was a gentleman. Today we may use the term 'gentleman' loosely to describe someone who behaves in a certain way but it was once a more precise term with legal status. Only a gentleman could challenge another gentleman to a duel.In the 17th century duelling was so prevalent in Britain that The Court of Chivalry was established at The College of Arms to rule on disputes that might otherwise lead to a duel. Striking a fellow gentleman or calling him a liar were definitely crossing the line. That is why in the British House of Commons it is against the rules for a Member of Parliament to accuse another of lying. It once guaranteed a duel.At the College of Arms there are still stacks of wonderful, dusty court records ruling on instances of ‘words provocative of a duel’. The remedy was for the Court to rule that the person saying such words should offer a public apology and so avoid the necessity of a duel. Professor Richard Cust has made a study of the records , which we look at in the film, quoting ‘words provocative of a duel’ such as an instance of someone calling another ‘The squirt of a kite and spawne of a crablowse’It can be fun to have a job where one can go to posh places and say rude things. Here are a few more that didn’t make it into the film but which are genuine quotes from the records of the Court of Chivalry – the type of insults that actually provoked duels.‘That I was a base fellow and a bastardly rogue, and a bastardly shitt, and begot by a cripple of some divell’. ‘You lie, kisse my arse thou art a baldpated knave and a cheating rogue’. ‘My father was no pisse pot maker’. ‘I will make a hole through the ceiling of your house and shite downe upon your heads’. ‘You lie in your throat, I care no more for you than a filthy thing. You forswear yourself as fast as a dogg will trott and that any man may hire ye to forsweare thyself for 2 pence’. ‘A sharke and a cheater and a bugbeare and had as little reason in me as a dogg and did cheat the towne and fedd my fatt guts with wine and tobacco’. ‘Fitter to be a dogg keeper than a minister’. ‘A durty slut, stinking drab and idle huswife, kisse my hoggs arse’. We worry, or at least I do, about the incivility and the inflammatory nature of our public discourse. However it would seem that, by 17th century standards, we are a relatively restrained (or at least unimaginative) society. ... See MoreSee Less
Here is the pre-title teaser to Part One (of 2) of my films about duelling, currently showing on the History Hit channel. See link below and note that they have a 14-day free trial. It is very easy to log in and view from anywhere in the world.Part One deals with duelling with swords and Part two with pistols. Part One has been very kindly received. Here are some of the comments people have left about the film:“Fantastic production - entertaining and educating in equal measure. No duel inducing insults required here!”“Fascinating and entertaining telling of a complex historic episode.As usual told with real first-hand knowledge.”“An incredible program. Love the presenting, the action and the authenticity. More of these, please. Epic history telling!”“ I love Mike Loades commentary”“Absolute gold!”I am so grateful to the people who take the time and trouble to leave a comment after watching the film. It is wonderful to hear from viewers and to get this feedback.Even if you think you know all about duelling culture, I think there may some things in this that surprise you. Give it a look and let us know.Oh - and by the way, the subtitles are auto-generated. I clearly need to work on my diction, since they have rendered duel as jewel! The word duel, also incidentally, does not necessarily imply dual. It derived from the Latin bellum (battle/war) and 'b' was often written in old script as 'du' , which gives us duellum, subsequently rendered in English as duel - it just means a combat.access.historyhit.com/videos/the-story-of-duelling-1-swords... See MoreSee Less