Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Sunday 29 August 2021

Arms and armour videos VII: Pursuing the Knightly Arts


Another interesting and insightful series of online videos on arms and armour is Pursuing the Knightly Arts. These are the work of two US practionrrs of HEMA, Reece and Ben.

They look at fighting techniques and at matters such as the maintenance of armour. There is a delightful domesticity to these two long haired men, who are perhaps reminiscent of the ‘Hairy Bikers’ cookery programme, sitting down to a session of doing their chores, cleaning and polishing their armour. Their video ‘Covering our harnesd’ is full of useful insights, but all are interesting.


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