Two Parliamentarian soldiers duke it out on the parade ground while their comrades look on - who knows what spark lit this particular fire? Gambling? An insult? A WOMAN??? . Duelling had become fashionable in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, but the notion of an honourable duel was for the upper classes - for common soldiers a brawl may erupt over any small matter, from drink to gambling, from the favours of a woman to a perceived sleight. . However, the punishment for such behaviour in the Parliamentarian army could be severe, as commanders tried to keep their volunteer and impressed men under control - a fight might lead to a spell on The Horse, a triangular wooden frame astride which an offender would be forced to sit with comrades pulling on their legs, or if a sword fight led to a fatality the offender would find themselves on the end of a rope. Military discipline was notoriously bad during the English Civil War, with civilian populations enduring looting, rape, and murder committed by both sides. The Royalist army, with its looser command structure and reliance on honour and cooperation, suffered particularly badly, but both sides were forced to issue Articles of War in an attempt to regulate soldiers' behaviour, with mixed success. . #fight #fighting #swordfight #swords #duel #brawl #soldiers #photoreenactment #reenactment #reenactors #reenacting #reenactorstyle #reenactorslife #reenactorsofinstagram #reenactmentphotography #livinghistory #history #photohistory #historicalreenactment #17thcentury #sealedknot #dailyphoto #photoaday #photooftheday #photoadaychallenge #englishcivilwar #instadaily https://www.instagram.com/p/B-b5TAAnw5G/?igshid=ojq0s5j70mx2