Fallen Rook Publishing

26/04/2026

It has been a busy weekend so far, hard at work doing the proofreading for the new sword and buckler book.

If only all workdays could be like this!

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Pre-order from Fallen Rook Publishing (UK):
https://www.fallenrookpublishing.co.uk/books/sword-and-buckler-fencing-in-the-style-of-i-33/

Pre-order from Purpleheart Armoury (USA):
https://www.woodenswords.com/product_p/book-fr.swo02.htm

Pre-order from Zwaard en Volk (NL):
https://woo.zwaardenvolk.nl/en/webshop/boeken-en-default-category-en-default-category-en/hema-en/sword-and-buckler-fencing-in-the-style-of-i-33-pre-order/

17/04/2026

The first proof copy of the new book has arrived! I think I know what I'll be reading and working on this weekend...

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Sword and Buckler Fencing in the Style of I.33
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As the oldest known fencing manuscript, I.33 stands as a critical text, celebrated for its imagery and text to communicate techniques with the sword and the buckler.

This book embarks on a comprehensive exploration of I.33, dissecting its intricate methods through a systematic lens to unveil the underlying principles and tactical nuances embedded within its pages. By analyzing the manuscript’s rich visual and textual content, explore the sophisticated interplay of technique, philosophy, and practical application that characterizes this historical work.

With a focus on the practicality of the techniques, this study aims not only to enhance our understanding of I.33’s martial artistry but also to offer a profound appreciation of its enduring influence on the evolution of combat discipline.

Through a rigorous and methodical approach, delve into the depths of this piece of history and rediscover its relevance in swordsmanship.

About the Author

Donald McKay is a historical fencing instructor at Vier Blössen Historical Fencing in Texas. For nearly a decade, Donald has researched and practiced the techniques found in I.33. His background in engineering gives him a unique methodology in decomposing the manuscript’s techniques and presenting them in a way for practical application. Through a combination of passion for history and the use of the sword paired with the buckler, Donald hopes his work will help the reader in their journey through the fantastic manuscript of I.33.

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Pre-order from Fallen Rook Publishing (UK):
https://www.fallenrookpublishing.co.uk/books/sword-and-buckler-fencing-in-the-style-of-i-33/

Pre-order from Purpleheart Armoury (USA):
https://www.woodenswords.com/product_p/book-fr.swo02.htm

Pre-order from Zwaard en Volk (NL):
https://woo.zwaardenvolk.nl/en/webshop/boeken-en-default-category-en-default-category-en/hema-en/sword-and-buckler-fencing-in-the-style-of-i-33-pre-order/

12/04/2026

We have been a bit quiet recently, but that is because we have some exciting news. One new book has already gone to the printers for proof copies, and another book is going through one of its final editing passes before it goes to the printers too!

What is the new book?

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Sword and Buckler Fencing in the Style of I.33
=============================

As the oldest known fencing manuscript, I.33 stands as a critical text, celebrated for its imagery and text to communicate techniques with the sword and the buckler.

This book embarks on a comprehensive exploration of I.33, dissecting its intricate methods through a systematic lens to unveil the underlying principles and tactical nuances embedded within its pages. By analyzing the manuscript’s rich visual and textual content, explore the sophisticated interplay of technique, philosophy, and practical application that characterizes this historical work.

With a focus on the practicality of the techniques, this study aims not only to enhance our understanding of I.33’s martial artistry but also to offer a profound appreciation of its enduring influence on the evolution of combat discipline.

Through a rigorous and methodical approach, delve into the depths of this piece of history and rediscover its relevance in swordsmanship.

About the Author

Donald McKay is a historical fencing instructor at Vier Blössen Historical Fencing in Texas. For nearly a decade, Donald has researched and practiced the techniques found in I.33. His background in engineering gives him a unique methodology in decomposing the manuscript’s techniques and presenting them in a way for practical application. Through a combination of passion for history and the use of the sword paired with the buckler, Donald hopes his work will help the reader in their journey through the fantastic manuscript of I.33.

(Pre-order link in the comments below.)

22/03/2026

The Dutch klewang is probably one of the most distinctive modern military swords. A short cutting weapon with a sharp, curved, single-edged blade and a clipped-point, the Dutch klewang is a cultural landmark, still used ceremonially today.

With this book, we want to introduce you to the basics of Dutch military fencing with the combined klewang and carbine, and with the bayonet, as taught in the KNIL, the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army.

For this we have transcribed and translated an original 1937 fencing manual, the Dutch Voorschrift voor de Opleiding in het Vechten met de Blanke Wapens (VOVBW), which in English could be called the Regulation for the Training in Fighting with Bladed Weapons (RTFBW).

The book you hold includes not only the text, but all the images of the original, as well as an introduction to the klewang, its historical context, and its application in modern HEMA training. This volume is suitable for martial artists, reenactors, and people with a more general interest in Dutch military history.

The Dutch klewang is probably one of the most distinctive modern military swords. A short cutting weapon with a sharp, curved, single-edged blade and a clipped-point, the Dutch klewang is a cultural landmark, still used ceremonially today.

19/03/2026

Dating to the early seventeenth century, the Livre Des Leçons (or Book of Lessons) is a compilation of fencing instructions, attributed to the soldier Pedro De Heredia, who served in the Spanish Netherlands.

This translation includes the complete lessons for single sword, sword and dagger, and sword and cape, along with 71 colour images from the manuscript held at the Swedish Royal Library.

This book is an invaluable addition to any collection or library. For the historian, martial artist, or fencer, it provides detailed lessons in historical swordplay through a large body of interlocking exercises, considering a range of situations and opponents. For re-enactors or those with a passion for period costume, the 71 hand drawn and coloured pictures exhibit a wealth and variety of fashion from the late Renaissance.

The Book of Lessons is a vibrant insight into the martial arts of the time and deserves a place on any bookshelf.

The Book of Lessons is a 17th century fencing treatise, attributed to Pedro De Heredia, and with an English translation by Rob Runacres.

16/03/2026

Bartolomeo Bertolini was a fascinating character.

He served as a soldier in Napoleon’s army in Egypt and then as part of the French garrison in Haiti, where he was sentenced to death for disobeying orders – he was reprieved, after which he saw hand-to-hand fighting in a naval battle against the British Royal Navy.

Once back in Europe, he fought in Italy, in Spain, and then served as an officer in the campaign in Russia, where he was captured (more than once) by Cossacks and had to escape. He rejoined Napoleon and was with the French cavalry at Waterloo.

With his army days behind him, he opened a fencing school, and started writing.

This book is a reproduction of Bertolini’s sabre treatise that was published in 1842. It is presented both in Italian and in English, and includes a biography of the Master.

This is a reproduction of the 1842 sabre treatise by Bartolomeo Bertolini. It is presented in both Italian and English, and includes a biography of the Master.

13/03/2026

“In measuring the values of the different styles and schools of wrestling, I unhesitatingly give preference to Collar and Elbow as the most scientific and beautiful of all.”

Collar and Elbow was once the national wrestling style of Ireland. Taking a firm grip on each other’s jackets, competitors would engage in intricate, lightning-fast battles of “footsparring” in which they would attempt to trip, throw, or otherwise send each other crashing to the ground.

At its height in the 19th century, Collar and Elbow was practised on three continents by some of the finest athletes of the age, from village wrestling circles in Ireland to sold-out arenas in the United States. Due to a combination of social and political factors, it declined rapidly in the early years of the 20th century, to the extent that it is now almost entirely extinct both in its homeland and abroad.

This book explores the history of Collar and Elbow, its staggering popularity, its strategies and techniques, how it fit into wider sporting and combative contexts, and examines the causes behind the style’s precipitous disappearance. Given the modern resurgence of interest in grappling sports such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, might it now be possible to spark a revival of the tradition that was once known worldwide as “the Irish method” of wrestling?

Collar and Elbow was once the national wrestling style of Ireland, with intricate, lightning-fast battles of “footsparring”.

10/03/2026

Serjeant Donald Macleod was quite the character, with great longevity, incredible fighting skills, and a knack for meeting important people and becoming friendly with them. He served in many regiments of the British Army, fighting in several theatres of war across Europe and North America, and engaging in many duels along the way. The Memoirs were published in his 103rd year, to raise income to help support him in his old age.

The Memoirs cover not only Macleod’s engagement in war, but his early life in Skye, his apprenticeship to stonemasons in Inverness, and his escape to Perth before he joined the army at the age of 12. The tales of his time in the army, and his several attempts at retirement, are entertaining while showing many of the important British and global issues of the 18th century.

This book contains a full transcription of the original Memoirs, and also a companion essay by Keith Farrell, examining the historical accuracy of the Memoirs, and debating the question of whether the Memoirs are a work of fiction or if they were indeed the memories of an old and well-accomplished Highland soldier.

Donald Macleod was quite a character, with great longevity and fighting skills. In the British Army, he fought across Europe and America, and in many duels.

07/03/2026

Salvator Fabris was arguably the most famous fencing master of the 17th century. After publishing his treatise Lo Schermo in Copenhagen in 1606, Fabris returned to his native Padua. However, his teachings stayed alive in Denmark and Germany, rapidly replacing the older, local styles of fencing.

Johann Georg Pascha was another German fencing master, who published numerous treatises on fencing and other arts young nobles should learn. In 1671, he signed the dedication on a book titled Proper Description of Thrust-Fencing with the Single Rapier, now known by its shelf number Mscr.Dresd.C.13.

Pascha writes that this book presents the fencing lessons of master Von und zum Velde, who learned them “in Italy from the famous Salvatore”, to which Pascha added his own lessons about “parrying, as well as holds, and other lessons and guards” to make “a complete fencing book”. Interestingly, British Library Ms 17533 contains the same text as the Dresden manuscript, minus Pascha’s additions, thus allowing for a direct comparison between the two versions of this text.

In this volume, the reader will find a complete translation of Ms.Dresd.C.13 and the illustrations from British Library MS 17533. Additionally, the translators provide a thorough comparison of these two original works, as well as a full discussion on their authorship.

To a modern student of fencing, this work presents a clear introduction to the German style of rapier fencing based on the teachings of Fabris, as well as many useful lessons on thrust-fencing and proceeding with resolution. Furthermore, this book offers an important insight into the early evolution of this lineage, and places many historical figures and publications in their proper context.

Johann Georg Pascha was a German fencing master who published a book called Proper Description of Thrust-Fencing with the Single Rapier in 1671.

04/03/2026

“Thanks be to GOD, my En’mies I don’t Fear;
Who was so oft embroil’d in Bloody Wars,
Indent as ’twere and Carry’d with Cuts and Scars;
Which Fortune seem’d to favour and o’er look,
That I might serve you with this Little Book.”

A story so incredible, it was believed to be historical fiction. Donald McBane is a figure from history much loved by those who have had the joy of studying his autobiography.

Growing up in Inverness and later joining the British regiments, McBane travelled across Europe pimping, duelling, blowing himself up, and performing other incredible feats of a not always admirable nature. The last we hear of him is when he comes out of his retirement in his fifties to fight one last bout in Edinburgh against an uppity Irish youngster, where he defeated his opponent and walked off with barely a scratch himself. Yet for all his heroic and sometimes crazy actions, he is remembered only for a single act of cowardice on maps marked as the “Soldier’s Leap”.

This is a highly accurate reproduction of McBane’s original work from 1728, created by the historian Ben Kerr. It features reproductions of all the original image plates as well as a full and accurate transcription of McBane’s original text including his teaching on self-defence, an account of his life and adventures and the art of gunnerie.

An autobiography of Donald McBane, who travelled across Europe pimping, duelling, blowing himself up, and performing other incredible feats.

01/03/2026

In medieval Germany, combat was a matter of life and death, and knowing the Art of Fencing was to have control over it: to have the power to save or take lives. Those who knew the Art of Fencing kept such knowledge as a closely guarded secret.

In 15th century Bavaria, a small and secretive fellowship of fencing masters encoded their knowledge into a cryptic and arcane verse. Their Art, the ‘one true art of the sword’, was reserved only for the initiated. At the head of this fellowship was a grand-master known as Johannes Liechtenauer.

Presented within this book is an investigation of the Company of Liechtenauer, tracing their connections and influences through archival records spanning more than a century. Scholarly Fencing is contrasted with what was referred to as ‘Common Fencing’.

Separating the ‘common’ from the ‘initiated’, this book demonstrates the Aristotelian and Scholastic approach that defined the secret Art of Liechtenauer, and describes the science of sword-fighting in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Presented within this book is an investigation of the Company of Liechtenauer, tracing their connections and influences through archival records spanning more than a century.

26/02/2026

In 1798, Charles Roworth published his first edition of The Art of Defence on Foot with the Broadsword and Sabre, uniting the Scotch and Austrian methods into one Regular System.

Although not a fencing master himself, Roworth’s book provides an easy-to-follow system for a student of the broadsword or sabre. His instructions are clear and presume no prior knowledge of the sword; the book works well for beginners, yet even experienced swordsmen will benefit from Roworth’s explanations of and rationales for techniques.

This facsimile has been recreated from the original treatise owned by the Academy of Historical Arts in Glasgow. Each page has been photographed carefully and edited to provide an exacting reproduction of the highest quality. Additionally, the work includes a biography of Charles Roworth by Keith Farrell, and a brief essay by Ben Kerr on the Long-S character found within the original printed text.

The Art of Defence on Foot by Charles Roworth is a simple system for the broadsword or sabre. His instructions are clear and the book is good for beginners.