Military Origin of ‘True Scotsman’ Tradition

[neloon]

I think most people find accounts by English tourists like Burt to be very dubious attempts to confirm the savagery of the Highlands.

Bishop Leslie, a very reputable source writing in 1578, tells us that Highlanders wore "foemoralia simplicissima, pudori quam frigori aut pompae aptiora" = "very simple shorts, for decency rather than against the cold or for ostentation". At about the same time, Lucas de Heere painted what seems to be a very accurate picture of a "Savage Scotsman" - possibly a mercenary in one of the many European wars.
https://www.englandcast.com/wp-conte...sman.jpeg.jpeg
Shortly afterwards, the feileadh was removed from the shoulders and belted around the waist. There is no reason to suppose that the shorts/trews were abandoned.

Alan