Some of Monica’s Favorite References:
General
- Alexander Nicolson, M.A., History of Skye, Maclean Press, 2001.
- I.F. Grant and Hugh Cheape, Periods in Highland History, Barnes and Noble Books, 1997.
- I.F. Grant, Highland Folk Ways, Birlinn Limited, 1997.
- John L. Roberts, Feuds, Forays and Rebellions, Edinburgh University Press, 1999.
- Julian Goodare, The Government of Scotland 1560-1625, Oxford University Press, 2004.
- Samuel Johnson and James Boswell, A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland and The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, Penguin Classics, 1984.
- Martin Martin, A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland,Birlinn Limited, 2002.
- Hamish Haswell-Smith, The Scottish Islands, Canongate Books, Ltd. 2004.
- Elizabeth Craik, Marriage and Property, Aberdeen University Press, 1984.
- Keith M. Brown, Noble Society in Scotland: Wealth, Family and Culture from Reformation to Revolution, Edinburgh University Press, 2000.
- Edward H. Peck, The Battle of Glenlivet, Kall Kwik Leatherhead, 1994.
- Elizabeth Ewen and Maureen M. Meikle, Women in Scotland c. 1100-c.1750, Tuckwell Press, 2002.
- Alexander Grant and Keith J. Stringer, Medieval Scotland: Crown, Lordship and Community, Edinburgh University Press, 1998.
- Evan MacLeod Barron, The Scottish War of Independence, Barnes and Noble, 1997.
- Ronald McNair Scott, Robert the Bruce: King of Scots, Barnes and Noble, 1993.
- G.W.S. Barrow, Robert Bruce, And the Community of the Realm of Scotland, Edinburgh University Press, 2005.
- E.J. Cowan and R. Andrew McDonald, Alba: Celtic Scotland in the Medieval Era, Tuckwell Press, 2000.
- R. Andrew McDonald, The Kingdom of the Isles: Scotland’s Western Seabord, c.1100-c.1336, Tuckwell Press, 2002.
- Donald Omand, The Argyll Book, Birlinn Limited, 2006.
- John Sadler, Scottish Battles From Mons Graupius to Culloden, Canongate Books, Ltd, 1998.
- Pete Armstrong, Bannockburn 1314: Robert Bruce’s Great Victory, Osprey Publishing, 2002.
- Michael Brown, Bannockburn: The Scottish War and the British Isles, 1307-1323, Edinburgh University Press, 2008.
- Michael Brown, The Wars of Scotland 1214-1371, Edinburgh University Press, 2004.
- Alan Young & Michael J. Stead, In the Footsteps of Robert Bruce in Scotland, Northern England and Ireland, The History press, 2010 (reprint)
- Sir Herbert Maxwell (translated), The Chronicle of Lanercost 1272-1346, The Grimsay Press, 2010 (reprint)
Clans
- I.F. Grant, The MacLeods, The History of a Clan, Faber and Faber Limited, 1959.
- Nicholas Maclean-Bristol, Murder Under Trust: The Crimes and Death of Sir Lachlan Mor Maclean of Duart 1558-1598, Tuckwell Press Ltd., 1999.
- Alastair Campbell, A History of Clan Campbell Volume 2, Edinburgh University Press, Ltd, 2002.
- Raymond Campbell Paterson, The Lords of the Isles, Birlinn Limited, 2001.
- Ronald Williams, The Heather and the Gale, House of Lochar, 1997.
- Oliver Thomson, The Great Feud, Sutton Publishing Limited, 2000.
- Ian Grimble, Clans and Chiefs, Birlinn Limited, 2000.
- Ronald Williams, Sons of the Wolf: Campbells and MacGregors and the Cleansing of the Inland Glens, House of Lochar, 1998.
- A.A.W. Ramsay, The Arrow of Glenlyon: The Life of Alasdair MacGregor of Glenstrae, a Highland Gentleman of the Sixteenth Century, John Murray, 1980.
Castles
- Ruairidh MacLeod, Building Dunvegan Castle, Halmac Publishing, 1993.
- Stuart Reid, Castle and Tower Houses of the Scottish Clans 1450-1650, Osprey Publishing, 2006.
- Martin Coventry, Castles of the Clans: The Strongholds and Seats of 750 Scottish Families and Clans, Goblinshead, 2008.
- Chris Tabraham, Scottish Castles and Fortifications, Historical Scotland, 2000.
- Keith Durham, Strongholds of the Border Reivers: Fortifications of the Anglo-Scottish Border 1296-1603, Osprey Publishing, 2008.
- Michael Brown, Scottish Baronial Castles 1250-1450, Osprey Publishing, 2009.
Clothing & Weaponry
- Herbert Norris, Tudor Costume and Fashion, Dover Publications, Inc., 1997.
- H.F. McClintock, Old Highland Dress and Tartans, Dundalgan Press, 1949.
- Matthew A.C. Newsome, Early Highland Dress, Scotpress, 2003.
- Tobias Capwell, The Real Fighting Stuff: Arms and Armour at Glasgow Museums, Glasgow City Council (Museums), 2007.
- James Drummond, Ancient Scottish Weapons and Highland Targe Shields, www.scotpress.com, electronic copyright 2004.
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Monica's Very Basic (Very Basic!) Glossary
Monica has had quite a few requests for a glossary to help with some of the
unfamiliar words that pop up occasionally in her books. Some are Gaelic and
others are just peculiar to the early 17th century. A note on spelling...
Spelling was not standardized and you might find some of the Gaelic words spelled
differently in other places.
arisaidh: women’s plaid wrap worn over gown
aumbry/ambry: closet; cabinet in the
wall
bairn: child
baldric: belt worn over shoulders to hold sword
banns: public announcement
of marriage—typically called for three consecutive
weeks
barmkin: courtyard; can also refuse to barmkin wall
bean sidh: fairies (banshees)
birlinn: type of boat/galley; resembles Viking longboat
bothan/bothy: small cottage or hut
Bratach shi: Fairy Flag
braw: big and strong
breacan feile: the belted plaid
calps: death duties paid to the chief
ceilidh: feast/celebration
claidheamhmór: type of sword
claret: red wine sometimes spiced
close: entry or passage
cotun: type of warcoat; could be leather or linen, stuffed with tubes of cotton, wool
or other material
cuirm: strong beer or ale made from barley
destrier: war horse
dirk: dagger
Erse: word for Gaelic by non-Gaelic speakers (now considered pejorative)
farthingale: hoop skirt
fèis: feast; party; celebration
gallowglass: Scottish mercenary
warriors
garderobe: bathroom
grassum: single payment of rent (usually in addition to
periodic payments)
grozet: type of ale
habergeon: coat of mail; sleeveless
hagbut: long barreled firearm
jerkin: sleeveless jacket, usually leather. Could
be worn over doublet.
knapscall: type of steel helmet; Highlanders sometimes
wore a bonnet (hat) over it
lein croich (also just “leine”): type of shirt/tunic worn
by Highlanders (and Irish) often dyed saffron
leman: mistress
luchd-taigh: guardsmen; household men: laird’s retinue
Maighdean na Tuinne: mermaids
merk: type of currency; Scottish silver
coin; gave way to “merkland” a
measure of land
mo gradh: my love
night raile: loose nightgown
patten: high wooden clog; often worn to protect slippers from mud
peascod: type of doublet
reive: raid; rob cattle
sark: shirt/chemise
sasine: (scots term for seisin) taking possession and title
of property
seannachie: loosely bard; genealogist of clan; high ranking member
of clan
solar: private room/chamber
sporran: pouch/purse worn by Highlander
stays: corset
stomacher: long triangular hard piece of fabric worn at front
of gown.
tacksman: lessee of piece of land from chief; usually a close relative
to chief; kind of middleman who would sublet to tenants
tanaiste: designated successor to chief
tocher: dowry
trews (triubhas): hose/leggings typically worn by Highlanders
uisge-beatha: whisky (note not “whiskey”); literally water
of life
wadset: kind of mortgage
wynd: alley