Lords and Men in Scotland

'This is a lucid book on a complex subject ... has value for all studies of post-feudal patterns.'
- British Book News

The relationship of lords and their men between the feudal era and modern times has perplexed many historians and persuaded some of the decadence of later medieval society: the Scottish nobility of the fifteenth and sixteenth century have long been renowned for their self-seeking lawlessness. This original and stimulating study presents for the first time a substantial and neglected body of evidence: the written contracts made between the Scottish lords and their followers under the Stewart monarchy. These documents ­ bonds and contracts of Manrent and Maintenance, of Friendship, and of Political and Religious commitment ­ are presented in extensive appendices, which make this book an invaluable reference tool for anyone interested in the history and society of late medieval Scotland.

Jenny Wormald’s highly original and stimulating analysis of this evidence offers new ways of thinking about the ’post feudal’ aristocracy, not only in Scotland but in other countries too.

One of the advantages of new technology is that it enables hard-to-find books to be made available again. We are pleased to present the first fruits of exploring John Donald’s classic backlist of academic titles. Not only do we hope to add more titles to the list but look forward to bringing in other titles suitable for this system as time goes on.