INQUIRIES RESPECTIN GE EARL SOMTH F YEO HISTORICAL WRITERS SCOTLANDF O . (1840-1847. DAVIY B ) D LAING, Esq., FOUEIGN SECRETARY, S.A. SCOT. In the List of Communications to the Society of Antiquaries con- tained in the " Archseologia Scotica," Vol. IV., Appendix p. 36-38, under the above title, are the following entries. This waa in the years 184 d 184 t thaGan a 7: t tim Proceedinge eth t beeno nd commencedha s , which have since proved the most effectual method of preserving short of occasional Communications, from yea yearo turninn t r O . g over some old papers I recentl, y foun e noteth d s connected witabove th h e Series, which had in a great measure escaped my recollection. The following are the titles of the earlier numbers of the Series :—

1846. FEBRUAR. Y23 No. 1. Friar ADAM ABEL, of Jedburgh, author of the " Eota Tcmporum." No . JOH2 . N LAW, Cano t AndrewsS e Abbreviator f th n o f o e e on ,th f so Scotichronicon. 1847. JANUAR. Y25 No. 3. Mr JOHN COLVILLE, the supposed author of the " Historie and Life of King Jame Sext,e th s " publishe Bannatyne th y db e Club 1825n ,i .

1847, FEBRUAR. 8 Y r JOHM . N3 COLVILLB. No , continued. No 4. Sir WILUAM BKUCI3 of Earlshall, in Fifo. On linding these papers, it occurred to nje that if these Inquiries were ON SOME OF THE EARLY HISTORICAL WRITERS OF . 73

resumed t mighi , t giv opportunitn ea f includinyo earliee gth r portionf so Seriee th thin si s year's proceedings. To the above I proposed at least to have added in continuation— . WILLIA5 . No M ELPHINSTON, Bisho f Aberdeenpo e supposeth , d Con- tinuato f Fordun'o r s Scotichronicon 1463n i , . Anonymoue Th . 6 . No s Chronicl Jamef eo s II., Kin f Scotsgo , preserved in Asloan's MS. in the Attchinleck Library. No. 7. The History of Scotland, 1436 to 1561. By JOHN LESLEY, of Eoss.

. 1 ADA . No M ABEL JEDBURGHF O , , AUTHOE TH F RO " ROTA TEMPORUM." (FBBKUABY 23, 1846.) There are some points connected with the early Historical Writers of Scotland o whict , I hpurpos e occasionally callin e attentioth ge th f o n Society. As the two writers named in the billet of the present meeting ma e calleh y d obscure o excusn , s i requiree r treatinfo d g them very briefly. The E.OTA TEMPORUM, or Wheel of Time, is a work which probably still exists, althoug inquiriey m l al h s have hitherto faile ascertaio t d n r EoberSi f o t e e volumeSibbald' on th e fat f n th . o volsI e f . MS o s. collection e Advocatesth n si ' Library, entitled " £>e Historicis Scotis,"e h simply mentions Abel's work as follows :— " Chronicon dicta Rota Temporum, the Eota or Wheel of Tyme, by one of the Brothers of the Minors Observants of Jedward, is keept in the Lord Tarbe Librarie.s hi t " In like manner Bishop Nicolson, in the " Scottish Historical Library,"1 publishe n 1702i d , says:— "The Rota Temporum Chronologicaa is l compendiu mScotcof h His- tory, writte Brothea Minoe y nth b f o r Observant t Jedhurgha s e th n i , year 1533.. The book is in my Lord Tarbet's library, and is quoted as a good authority by Camden."2 The only referenc e " Eotth o at e Temporum I " fin n Camden'i d s

1 Scottish Historical Library, Loud. 1702, 8vo . 110p , . 2 Britain, N.E., col. 921. 74 PKOCIKEDJNGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUAKY 8, 1877.

"Britannia, translates a " Dy db r Philemon Holland (Lond. 1610, folio, Scotland . 28)p , s founi , d under Scotland, Sheriffdo f Stirlingshiremo , in his account of the Eoman wall called Graham's Dyke, in the following paragraph :— " Kow this Wal commonls li y called Graham's Dyke ; eithe Grahamf ro a warlike Scot, whose valou s especiallwa r y seene whe e breacth ns hwa made through it, or else of the hill Grampie, at the foote whereof it stood. The author of Rota Temporum calleth it the wall of Aber-corneth, that is, of the mouth of the river Corneth : where, in Bede's time, there was a famous monasterie standing hate he h s a recorded, , upon English ground, t neerbu e unto that frit seae armr th ho , f whiceo thosn hi e dales severed the lauds of the English and the Piets." Camden' wordn ow s s are—" Vocatur auteni murus iste vulgo Grahams dyJce, vel a Grahamo Scoto bellicose cujus virtus in eo pemimpendo in- primis eminuit a Grampiu l ve , front d cujua s s radices visitur. Qui llotam Temporum scripsit, murum de Abercorneth appellat," Ostii Corneth i Bedsfluub . e seculo . (Londini&c , , 1607 . 700p , , folio.) It may, perhaps, be doubted whether it actually was Friar Abel's work whico t h Carnden refers. n Spottiswood'I s Accoun f Religiouo t s Houses: Franciscan Friars, second section, Observantines or Mendicant Friars, he says:— " JEDBURGH, the chief town in Teviotdale, upon the west side of the Jed, which rises from divers burns that meet below the kirk Sudan, and falleth a little below Jedburgh into the river Teviot. There the citizens founde Convenda thosr fo t e Friarsyeae th r n 1513i , . '•' ADAM ABEL, a famous writer, lived and died in this . Ho was firs a -Regulat f Inchaffrayo r d afterwardan , s becam Graya e - Friar in this convent. He wrote a History of our nation in , at the solicitatio f Georgno e Lord Seton,1 intitulated Rota Temporum, whics hwa afterwards printe t dRomea Johy b , n Lesley, Bisho Rossf po , with some small alterations and additions. Thereafter he made an abridgment of Englishn ii t originae th ; l whereo loss t Eoslin a tRevolutionwa e f th t a , , spoileb whemo Castlee de th e begacreatioe n th H worlth e .t th na f dno and ended in the year 15,'i5, in the octave of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. Afterwards he continued the work until the year 1536. On the 1 There \vcre four Lord George Setons in succession. ON SOME OF THE EARLY HISTORICAL WKITEKS OF SCOTLAND. 75

(irst loae begins—h f Blessee name th th f eo n " I d Trinity r LadyOu ,t S , Francis, and St Augustine." An imperfect copy of this book was in the librarr GeorgSi f yo e Mackenzi Rosehaugh.f eo " l Ho repore wth t originated "Rote th f ao , Temporum " having been printed at , I cannot imagine. It certainly forms no part of Bishop Lesley's own work " De Origine, Moribus, et Rebus Gestis Scotorum Libri Dueem. Roma;, 1578," 4to. Ther s alsi e o some confusion regarding Lord Tarbet's manuscript. Father Augustine Hay, in his Genealogy of Ihe Saint Claire f Eosslynso , dated 1700, states tha e monumentth t d san various portions of Rosslyn Chapel were either destroyed or a " little de- faced" by the rabble, the eleventh of December 1688, about 10 of the cloc t nightkat , afte Castle th beerd eha n spoiled; wher addse e(h I )los t several books of note, and amongst others, the original manuscript of Adam Abel, which I had of my Lord Tarbet, then Register." The notice quoted from Bishop JSTicolson, 1702, proves that Lord Tarbet's MS. was then in his possession. Sir George Mackenzie, Viscount Tarbet, was created Earl of Cromarty in January 1703 ; and died 17th August 1714, in the 84th year of his age. In the sale catalogue of what was called a "very valuable collection of books," containing the chief portion of Lord Gromarty's library, sold at in the year 1746, the title occurs of apparently the MS. in question. It niay also be noticed that in a letter of Thomas Hearue (the Oxford antiquary) addresse o t Jamed s West, Novembe , 173123 r , preserve Britise th n di h Museum saye h , s :— believee "H s Lord Pembroke hath also many excellent MSS., but of these I never had any account whatsoever, unless it be of one, which is the " Rota Temporum" being a piece of Scottish history, but I think there is nothing of note in it but what is in Fordun," &c.2 If this refers to a MS. of Friar Abel's work, probably ma t i y stil e preserveb l e splendith n i d d librarEare f th o lf yo Pembroke at Wilton House, Salisbury.

1 Appendi Hope'o xt s Minor Practices, edit. reprinte173d an 4; Keith'n di s Scot- tish . 2 Hearne's Letters, Lausdowne MSS., No. 778, f. 215. *76 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F SO , JANUAB , 1877Y8 .

]STo. II. DE CEONICIS SCOTOEUM BEEVIA. By JOHN LAW, CANON OF ST ANDREWS. 1521. (FEBBDABY 23, 1846.) This Breviate of the Scotichronicon forms the chief portion of a little manuscript volume preserve e Universitth n i d y Library, Edinburgh. Several years ago, when engage preparinn di e greagth t mas f bookso n si the Old College Library, before its removal to the new buildings, in the year 1827,—a very arduous task, which occupied me for many months,— I brought togethe e variouth r s Manuscript e Libraryth madn d i s an , ea scroll Catalogu f themo e . This neve s completedwa r , there beino n g prospect at the time of having it printed. I describe contente dth f thiso s littlfollows a , e 26 volume s. c :— . AC , firse 1Th t . articlvolume th printea n e i s ei d tract (wantin title)e gth , II e leaves--las th t t I has n pageo . , , this colophon—Explicit Catha- logus Summorum Pontificuru, Impressum Parish's pro Joanne Purvo, anno Dni. 1518 die 14 mensis Augusti." Under this is the name of the donor—" Magister Andreas Cranston, Theologias studiosus, Adolescens optimae spei, hunc Lib. Manuscriptum Bibluitheeas Ediuburgenaa, dono dedit, anno Domini 1680." firse th fooe tmanuscripe f th pago th t t f 2A eo . writtens i t , " Editum per Johannem Law, Canonicum Sancti Andree. t commenceI " s witn a h Obituary list—" Nomina Episcoporum Priorum Sancti Andree. Catho- logus Episcoporum Sancti Andree," &c., 10 leaves. Also 3. Episcopafrus Eegni Scotie—Abbate t Abbacise e Scotie—Monasteiia Scocie—Prioratus—Perfectura—Monasteria Monialum—3 leaves. 4. Supplementum Cronicarum, etc., 16 leaves. 5. Inicium Scoticronicon (ab Anno Mundi 1668). The running title of this abridgmen e Scoticroniconth f o t s "Di , e Cronicis Scotoruni Brevia." It is continued to the year 1521, on 98 leaves. At the foot of the last page is written, " Et tamen de Eegibus, ot Temporibus Eegni Scotorum, ad annum nostre Salutis, 1521." There are, at the end of the volume, sixteen additional leaves, contain- e King th g list f f in Englano o ss d othean d r matters, includina g "Continuatio Cronicarum,'' 1521 to 1536, apparently in Law's hand, along ON SOME OF THE EAELY HISTORICAL WRITERS OF SCOTLAND. 77

with some miscellaneous note extractsd san ; als ocopa well-knowa f yo n ballad on " The Nine Worthies," beginning " Hector of Troye," &c. The short Continuation of the Chroniele gives it the appearance of an original work, rather tha a mern e transcripte yeath r n I 1521. n i , noticing what Lindesa f Pitscottiyo e called " greaa t marvel then seen ni Scotland, of a child born with two bodies joined together, but Law cautions readee th addingy b r , "Me non vidimus, sed a videntil/us reracitur accep- timus." This Continuation, however, is much less copious than we could have desired ; for instance, how much more interesting it would have been had Law recorded any particulars respecting the martyrdom of Patrick Hamilto t AndrewS t na 1528n si , instea f simplo d y noticin e facf gth o t his condemnation for heresy 1 This manuscript , smala whic n i ls hi hand , filled with contractionss wa , found to contain some particulars relating to a conflict between the John- stones and the Douglasses in the year 1455 ; and the volume was to have been produce evidencn di Annandale th n ei e Peeragt e no Case d ha , e r Georgdeatth Si f ho e Frederick Johnsto Westerhallf no 1841y Ma ,n i , put a stop to all immediate proceedings in that claim. So particular f Law'so s history have been discovered. From Scott's Fasti Ecclesias Scoticanse . ,283 finp . vole . dw ,ii . MS tha donoe e th tth f o r was admitted Minister of Greenock in July 1681. He probably died early. Cranston's successor at least appears to have been appointed in 1683. No. III. ME JOHN COLVILLE. (1847.) My notes regarding Colville, read to the Society in 1847, have not been preserved. The cause of this was that they served for materials when preparing the Memoir prefixed to the volume entitled " Original- Letters of Mr JOHN COLVILLE, 1582-1603. To which is added, his Palinode, 1600." Edinburgh, 1858. 4to. This handsome volums ewa printe expense th t dd presentea ean Membere th e Bannatyn o dth t f o s e Club by the EABL OF SELKIRK in the year 1858. regarn anonymoue I th o dt s Histor Kinf yo g Jame Sixthe sth , preserved in various manuscripts, it was first published hi 1706 by David Crawfurd of Drumsoy, historiographe o Queet r n Anne e gavH t i thie. s title— " Memoir e Affairth f f Scotlando o s , containin a gFulImpartiad an l l 8 7 PROCEEDING THF SO E SOCIETY, JANUAR , Y18778 ' • .

Account of the Eevolution in that Kingdom, begun in 1567. Faithfully published fro n authentia m r cMajesty' MS.He y b , s Historiographer fo r the Kingdo f mScotland.o " , 1706 republishes , wa 8vo t I . d also, as an authentic history, by Walter Goodall. Edinburgh, 1753. 12mo. Some copie stitle-page w havne ea , callin thir e t g"i th d edition, 1767n "i . The work itself, being quoted as genuine by Hume and Eobertson, obtained a good deal of notoriety in the continuous discussions at a later period, on the alleged guilt or innocence of Mary Queen of Scots. r MalcolM m Laing historiane th , , having accused Crawguilts a d f yfo ur wan f fidelito t n publishinyi originagn a thi s a s l work, whic e saysh(h ) exhibited fictions invented by Crawfurd, and having traced the MS. which Craw professed fur havo dt e faithfully published n ordei , justifo t r y him- self, he published the genuine text with the title, " The Historie and Life of King Jame Sexe sth t (1566-1582). Written toward lattee sth r parf o t the Sixteenth Century." Edinburgh, 1804. 8vo. " The discovery of the manuscript, sayse "h , " afford a complets e detectio earliese t th no f no f i t the most impudent literary forgery ever practised in Scotland." He adds, " every circumstanc e manuscriptth n i e , unfavourabl eitheo t e r Marr yo to Bothwell, or favourable to their adversaries, is carefully suppressed." A later edition of the original work, printed for the Bannatyne Club, from a collation of other early MSS. with Continuations, was edited l>y Thomas Thomson, Esq., V.P. Ib has this title, " The Historie and Life of King James the Sext; being an account of the affairs of Scotland from e yeath r e yea156th ro t 6159 6 ; wit shorha t Continuatio e yeath ro nt 1617." Edinburgh, 1825. 4to. But in neither of these editions is there suggestioy an n made regardin anonymoue gth s Author. In the volume of Colville's Letters already mentioned, I suggested originae th s thawa l e authorh t mighs a , inferree b t d fro resemblance mth e of some quotation sr EoberSi give y b nt Gordo n 1630i n , whee h n refers as one of his authorities, under the year 1581, to " a manuscript wrytten by Mr John Colvin, touching the effairs of Scotland in his tyme." tracinn I t thigou s allusion, which seeme o establist d facte hth , when compared with the course of Colville's eventful life, I subjoined this note:—" It is but proper to add that my attention to this passage was directe e latr Donalth M e y b d d Gregory, Secretar e Societth f o yf y o Antiquaries of Scotland, whose accuracy and intelligence in investigating S SOMO TIIF EO K EARLY HISTORICAL WRITER SCOTLANDF SO 9 7 .

matters connected wite Highlandth h s were beyony l praiseal dma I . also take opportunitth e o statyt e that some portion e followinth f o s g e abovth memoi f o e prefacd an r e forme e subjeco communicath dtw f o t - tions read to the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in 1847." No further light has been discovered in regard to its Authorship. merel I w wil thad no l yad t Colville Eoberseconf e o th , n dso t Colville of Cleish, was born about the year 1542, and was educated for the Church at the University of St Andrews, where he took his A.M. degree in 1560 or 1561. He first appears as parish minister in the Eeformed Church, at Kilbryde 1567n i , e alsH o. became Precento f Glasgowo r , retainins ghi connexion with that Church until about 1580, whe resignee nh avoio dt d deposition for neglectin parochias ghi l duties selfiss Hi .h reason was, "e h woul t profesdno s poverty." After actin busa s ga y political - agenin r o t former, he retired to , and joined the Eoman Catholics. He died at , wher Englise eth h Ambassador correspondencs hi n i , e with Secretary Cecill, says: "Old John Colvill, that busy-brained Scot" die grean i d t want and misery, November 1605. No. IV. SIE WILLIAM BEUCE OF EAELSHALL. (FEBRUARY 1847.) In resuming these occasional notices of our early Historical writers, my chief object is either to ascertain the authorship of some well-known anonymous works, or to collect any scattered references to other works which are probably still preserved in private collections, although at present they remain undiscovered. e latteOth fChronicl a rs i class e r Diaron ,o e y written towarde th s middle of the sixteenth century, by Sir WILLIAM BHUCE of Earlshall. This appears froe Historth m r Chronicleyo f Scotlando s , "sought, gathered, written, and collected" by Eobert Lindesay of Pitscottie, in the year 1575. Among his authorities, he mentions " SIR WILLIAM BRUOB of Earlshall, Knight, who (he says) has written, very justly, all the deeds since Floudeun Field." Pitscottie, in his amusing but very inaccurate compilation, gives no special reference or quotations from his authorities that might have serve identifo dt y them. Another reference to Bruce occurs in a passage in Knox's History of the Eoformation, where, in March or April 1558, describing the double 80 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 8, 1877. dealing of the Queen Regent, by promising, on the one hand, her assis- e tancEeformeth o et d preachers, " untill some uniform order mighe b t establishe Parliament;a y b d " e otheandth n r,o hand "y b ,givin e gth (Popish) clergy to understand that, so soon as opportunity offered, she should remedy the present disorders; for which (it is added) some say the ya larg gav r ehe e purse, 40,000 lib., saye e CHRONICLth s E gathered by the LAIRD OF ERLISHALL" (Works, vol. i. p. 307). Several copies of Knox omit the words, " sayis the Chronicle," leaving the passage as if e Lairth f Earlshaldo d himselha l f gathere r collectedo f o d tham su t £40,000. In the series of Bannatyne Club Books, one edited by Thomas Thom- son, Esq., V.P., has the title, "A Diurnal of Remarkable Occurrents that have passed within the Country of Scotland since the Death of King Jame Fourthe sth , tilyeae lth r 1575. From Manuscripa Sixteente th f o t h Century e possessioth n i , f Sio nr John Maxwel f Pollocko l , Baronet." Edinburgh 1833. 4to. The existence of this MS. was first pointed out by Mr John Riddell, advocate, in the course of his researches, as a work of historical importance editoe Th . r says authoe th , f compile"r o O r e th f o r following 'Diurnal,' nothin s knowngi seemr o , s likele discovered.b o yt " The work itself consists evidently, as Mr Thomson has pointed out, of three distinct portions, yet I imagine they were not originally compiled by one and the same hand. The dates are— I. From September 1513 to 1553, pp. 1 to 51. II. From 1557 to June 1572, pp. 51 to 265. III. In two parts: (1) From 1554 to 1561; (2) from 1571 to 1575, whe volume nth e terminate s350o t abruptly 6 . 26 . pp , Of these we may at least conjecture that the first and part of the third portion, commencin disasted g sa wit e t Floddehra th Septemben i r 1513, were the work of Sir WILLIAM BBUOE. It is to be hoped, from the attentio directew e preservatioth no n o t d f Ancieno n t Unpublished Documents, illustratin r Nationagou l History, thawore th t k itsely ma f eventuall discovered.e yb 1 Among the MSS. in the library of John Duke of Lauderdale, sold by auction at 1 London 1692 describes ,wa No 1 2 . d: "Jo . Adamson's Brief Chronolog Aifaire th f yo s of Scotland, beginning 1513 and ending 1572" (upon paper), fol. (Bannatyne Mis- cellany, . 154.volp . .ii ) ON SOME OF THE EARLY lUSTOIUCAL WRITERS OF SCOTLAND. 81

At presentaky ema thiI t wordsw opportunitfe sa respectind ad o yt g Bruce himself. Accordin r RoberSi o gt t Douglas (Baronage . 510)p ,e th , famil f Brucyo f Airtheo Stirlingshiren i , f Earlshallo d an , Fifen i , , were lineally descended from Robert, first baro Clackmannaf no 1359)n n(i r Si . Alexander Brucchartea lande d th ef ha Byrghamf so ro Berwickshiren i , , 9th February 1485-6. He married Janet, daughter of Sir David Stewart of Rosythe, and had a charter to him and his spouse of the lands of Earlshall, &c., Fifeshire, 28th March 1497 d froan ,m this period Earlshall became the place of his rr sidence, and chief title of his family. He died before 13th November 1504. His son married Margaret, a daughter of Meldrum of Seggie, and got a charter under the, Great Seal to himself as Sir William Bruce and his spouse, dated 10th February 1539-1540. Anothe s datei r n 1572i d . Douglas doet mentiono s n whe e diedh n . He appears, however, from the following inscription, discovered in the churchyard of Leuchars, to have attained the patriarchal age of 98 at deats time hi th f 1584-n hei o 5 :—

H1C JACE PROBVE VI T C OMNA S I MEMORISE DIGNUS, D.N.S. GULIELMUS BRUCEUS BRLISHAE D , L MILES : QU I OBII 8 DIET2 S MENSIS JANUARII ANNO DOMINI 1584 : ANNOQUE SUJE jETATIS 98. The tombstone is 7 feet 2 inches in length, by 3 feet 10 inches in breadth. Underneath another inscription on the same stone reads—

HEIR LYIS OF AL PIETE ANE LANTERN BRYCHT SCHIH WILLIAM BRUCE OF ERLISHALL KNYCHT. mansioe Th n hous Earlshalf parise o th Leucharsf n i ho s i l Presd an , - bytery of St Andrews. In early times it had been the property of the Earl f Fifeo s , from who t mi derive s e buildintitlea it d Th f o . s i g castellated form, and belongs to a later period, and is situated about a mile and a half from the parish church. In vol. iii. of the " History of e Countth f Fife,yo y Johb " . Leighton nM d publishean , y Josepb d h Swan housd ,ol therEarl'f e o viea th s ei f ws o Hall, engrave Josepy db h Swan fro mdrawina Jamey b g s Stewart speciad an ; l notic s takeei f no the great Hall, which had been richly ornamented with heraldic arms, delineations, and inscriptions. I here exhibit drawings of portions to sho e style wth similaA . r styl f ornameno e d housol t e occureth n i s of Ciilross, called "The Palace.a communicatio e Se " r JervisM y b ne VOL. XII. PART I. F 82 • PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 8, 1877,,

in the " Proceedings," vol. ii. p. 339 ; and also,' voL iv. p. 387, the "Notice e Castl th d Painte f an o es d Boo r Halmo f Earlshallo l n i , Fifeshire, by A. Jervise." " The Hall itself" (says Mr Jervise), " with its painted ceiling, is the most interesting part of the building; and un- fortunately, from, the roof not being water-tight, it has suffered consider- ably from damp, some of the pannelling being broken, and many of the decorations effaced. The room is about 13 feet high, 50 feet long, and 18 feet wide. The ceiling, a sort of circular, is lined with wood ; it had originally been divided into upwards of three hundred compartments, in which were painted armorial bearings, and objects of natural history, either in animals or plants j also figures representing the Virtues of Faith, Hope, Charity, Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude, and Justice. Black and white are the only colours used, and the Virtues are represented with the usual accompaniments, having the, names painted below in Latin. actuae Th "lbuildine datth f eo recordes gi d along wit armse hth , carvechimney-piecee th n do r WilliaSi f o , m s wife Bruchi d , Margareean t Meldrum. JEDES HAS EXTRTJEBAT D. W.B. ANNO 1546: EXTRUXIT TANDBW W.B. EJUS PRONEPOS ANNO 1617——D.W.B., M.M.——CONTEMNO ET ORNO MENTE HAND. This clearly proves the house to have been founded in the year 1546 by Sir William Bruce, and completed by his great grandson Williamr Si ' Bruc 1617n ei . submio t g be t Nosw no . I V., Society.VI.e VIId th an , o .t -

No . WILLIAV . M ELPHINSTON, BISHO ABERDEENF O P . In continuing these Inquiries I piwposed that the next number should relat o Bishot e p Elphinstone reputeth f o de Continnatoron , s of Fordun's Scotiehronicon. Many years ago Album,e inth r Liso f o t books suggeste r publicatiodfo e Bannatynth y b n e Club I ,include d this chronicl fivn ei e booksoriginae th r o , l tex Fordunf o t selecd ,an t portions of the Oxford MS. For this purpose I had more than once examined the Fairfax MS., ascribed to Bishop Elphinston, preserved in the Bod- leian Library. The last, or Book XI. of this Chronicle had been printed e Maitlanfoth r d Clu n 1837bi voluma n i , e entitle dLife d "an eTh Death of King James the First of Scotland/* edited by the Eev. Joseph ON SOME OF THE KARLY HISTORICAL WRITERS OF SCOTLAND. 83

Stevenson. At the sale of George Chalmers's library, 1842, I had acquire earlien da otheo r N transcrip r copL X whaf yo d f Book o t an t . sX was called Elphinston's Chronicle was then known to exist. Among other MSS. of Fordun's Scotiehronicon, I obtained a loan of one preserved in the University Library, Glasgow, and was surprised to find that it was similar to the Oxford MS., but with the earlier date 1461. I afterwards obtained the use of another Scotiehronicon from the library of Sir Hugh Hume Campbell, Bart., of Marchmont House, hitherto unnoticed; and found that all the three copies might be said to be identi- cally the same. Mr Stevenson could not but admit that the Chronicle was erroneously ascribed to the Bishop of , as the writer tells us that he had accompanie Princese dth s Margaret from Scotlan occasioe r th he n d o f no unfortunate marriage with Louis XL, then known as Dauphin of France. This was in the year 1432 ; and he also states that he was present at the executio f Joano f Arn o n 1436i c . Now wels i t i ,l known that Bishop Elphinsto e yea bors th rn wa ni 1437, studie t Glasgowa d latterld an , y succeeded to the see of Aberdeen in 1484, where he died in October 1514. Having vainly endeavoure ascertaino dt conjectury b , r otherwiseo e e th , e probablnamth f eo e Author, this leav o t I ,imagine e e m hav y d le ema , unfinished the further prosecution of this series of Historical Inquiries. In commencing the proposed Series of the Early Historians of Scot- land, Mr Forbes Skene in 1872 happily became editor of the "Seoti- chronico originas it n y "b previousld l authorha e H .y mad systematiea c examination of the various known manuscripts of Fordun and his con- tinuators knoI . persoo w couln o ndwh hav emora donn i et ei satisfactor y manner, in his classification of the numerous MSS., to distinguish the original text from the several Continuations. This examination served o cleat somp u r e perplexities whic he enlarge b nee t no d d upon, being describe r SkenM y edb himsel s communicationhi n i f s to this Spciety.1 n e regarmanuscriptI th o t d s ascribe Elphinstono t d f othero d san , somn i personalls whicd e ha measur ha y I h sa o yt e examinedd ha I l al , been anticipated by Mr Skene.3 I hope before long the Chronicle

1 Respecting the history of this Princess, who died in 1445. see the Proceedings vol. iii. p. 90-92. 2 Proceeding Societye th f so , vol. viii . 239-25p . 6 . Vol24 .p ixo t . 3 a.1 84 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 8, 1877. erroneously attribute o Bishot d p Elphinsto f Aberdeeo n n will appear nexe th te n Historian i issuth f eo f Scotlandso r Sken M proveds . ha e , I think, beyon l doubtdal , thatrue th te autho MAURICs wa r E BUCHANAN, r MAURITIUo S DB BUCHANAN n Francei , wh s d witnessedowa an , e h s a , t Rouea c telld fatn f 1431Ar i nJoasa o es f e o nus; th , while h e hel e offic dth f Treasureo e e Princesth o t r s Margaret, from 1432 till r deathe n 1445compiled hi an , s Chroniclhi d e Priorth f n Plusyi eo - cardin 1461n ei . This fac I considet importann a s ra t discoveryn i d an , tracing the history of the author he has cleared up a point of some importanc e Literarth n i e y histor f Scotlando y d identifiean , e th d Chronicle wit "e Libehth r Pluscar densis."

No. VI. A SHORT CHRONICLE OF THE REIGN OF JAMES II., KING OF SCOTS. This short Chronicl n obscura f o e e perio f Scottiso d h histors wa y printed and edited by Thomas Thomson, Esq., advocate, about the year r 1811818o 7 r privatfo , e circulation. Vercopiesw fe y , however, were distributed by Mr Thomson, as he purposed to subjoin notes and illustra- tions, but this intention never was fulfilled. In the manuscript from e followinth s s takenwhicha wa g t t i ,i h titles:— Addicioune "An f o Scottis Cornikli Deidis,d san "d Hei"an r followi schore an s t Memoriale Scottie oth f s Cornikli addieioun.r sfo " printee th n I e dChronicl th tex f o t e this end pagn , o swhe e 28 th n Editor entitle aboves a t si Shor A " , t Chronicl Reige th f Jamef eno o e sth Second, Kin Scots,f go " and says :— historicae "Th l fragment which forms the first part of this collection has been given with a scrupulous adherence to the original manuscript, not only in the inartificial and apparently accidental arrangement of events, but also in the errors of fact and of date, as well as in those of transcription which it exhibits. In that which follows e samth , e materials, wit a hfe w unimportant omissions, have been disposed somewhat more exactly in the order of time; some of erroneoue th s date d accidentaan s l mistake f transcriptioo s n have been rectified," &c. From this arrangemen t appeari t s thaChronicle th t e extends froe mth year-143 1460-1o t 6s usualli t I .y calle e Anchinlecth d k Chronicle, ON SOM THlF EO i EARLY HISTORICAL WRITER SCOTLANDF SO 5 8 . from the circumstance that the MS. volume from which it was printed belonged to the Library at Auchinleck, Ayrshire. This manuscrip larga s i t e folio volume, writte papern no , consistinf go miscellaneous piece Prosn i sVerse d an e , collecte d transcribedan d from. MS. and printed copies towards the close of the reign of James the Fourth, or before the year 1514, by John Asloan, who appears to have beeu a Writer or Notary at Edinburgh. According to a " Table of Contentis Buke,e firse o th th fe volume t th n lea" o f o f , numbered from capo t . i . Ixxi., this Chronicle formed number collectione xviiith f o . . Most unfortu- natel volume yth e itsel s defectivi f leso n s f eo tha n thirty-four of these numbers, and these, for the most part, cannot be otherwise supplied. The eacf o transcriber hd articleen e th t ,a , beside authoname e sth th f eo r when known, usually adds this attestation ,. Asloan,"Jo Explici. M r "o r tpe " Scriptum per Manura Johannis Asloan." That he uses " M." not in its usual signification as Magister is certain, as in another place he gives the attestation in the vernacular words, thus—" Written be the hand (per manum Johf )o n Asloan." This, however mattea grea o s ,i n f tro moment. The early history of Asloan's manuscript is not known. On the fly- leaf is the autograph signature, "Alex. Boswell, 1730," indicating the time whe t camni e int possessions ohi doubo s vern it , yn i tmutilate d state, recollect no o d tI having seen Asloan's manuscrip originas it n i t l state, broughs wa t Edinburgo I t t he presen earlth n yi t centur r AlexSi y ryb ander Boswell, when the leaves were inlaid by a skilful person employed on such work e d Generabounth an , n i d l Register House under the superintendenc f Thomao e s Thomson, Esq., JDeputy Clerk Register, The manuscript, along with some others from the same library, remained r Thomson'M n i s hand r manfo s y years, until they were reclaimed ~by the late Mr James A. Maconochie, advocate, as. one of the trustees of r Alexander'Si s son lat e r Jameth ,eSi s Boswell, Bart. Alexander Boswell, Esq., of Auchinlfcck, was the representative of an ancient famil f thayo t nam passee h e: advocats da e Scottisth t ea h Bar, 29th December 1739 ; was raised to the Bench, and took his seat 15th February 1754 by the title of Lord Auchinlec.k, and died 25th August u James so e well-know 1782s th , Hi , age. 76 dn biographer D f o r Johnson, die 1795n di , leavin sonso gtw , bot f whoho m were eminent as literary characters. 6 8 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F SO , JANUAR , 1877Y8 .

The eldest son, Alexander, bor n 1775i n s createwa , a Baroned n i t 1820. and was killed in an unfortunate duel 25th March 1822. The second son, James Boswell, a barrister-at law in the Temple, is known as editor of Malone's important edition of the " Plays and Poems of Shakespeare, n 2i "1 advertisemene volsTh . s datei t d " Templey Ma , 1821." Mr Boswell died about eight months after. To retur Chroniclee th o nundoubtedls t wa t ,i unknowworn e a y th f ko n autho flourisheo reige wh r th f Kinnn o di g Jame Seconde sth . Froe mth title "for Addicione, mighe "w t infer tha originae th t beed lha n writte1 n01 the margins of some special Scotichronicon. Asloan, who transcribed it, could not have the slightest claim to be considered the author. It has, like Law's Manuscript, No. II., obtained some notoriety from its con- tainin ga passag e relatin e Johnstoneth o gt f Annandaleo ss wa d an , formerl n 1841(i y ) produce s evidenca d a Peerag n i et eye cast no e determined.

. VIIE HISTOENo TH . F SCOTLANDYO JOHy B N. LESLEY, BISHOP BossF O , 1570. Histore Th f Scotlandyo , from 143 1561o 6t Bisho. by , p Lesley, which was written and presented to Mary Queen of Scots in the year 1570, remained unpublishe scarceld dan y known till 1830 importance Th . e th f eo work, however, suggeste s publicatioit d r thfo ne BANNATYNE CLUB, by the Vice-President, Thomas Thomson, Esq., advocate, from a manuscript possessioe th Eare n i th Levef o lf nMelvilleo d nan t iI s .scarcel y neces- sar observo yt e that this wor entirels ki y different from Bishop Lesley's sub- sequent Latin history " De Origiue, Moribus, et Rebus gestis Scotorum, Lib. X.," also dedicate Royas Hi o dlt Mistress printed an , t Eome da th n ei year 1578, X4to. This volum s beeeha n reprinted t translatedno t bu , . Of the vernacular history there were three MSS. known, nearly of the same age. The Leven MS. being partially defective, I volun- teered, as Honorary Secretary of the Club, to go to Oxford, and to collat e volum th e tex th f e o t e whic hf Archbisho o form e on s p Laud's e BodleiaMSSth n e i . on n y Library sa s unnecessari o t t I e . m r fo y word as to the editing of the volume by a gentleman who so long hol e importanth d t offic f Deputo e y Clerk s Eegisterreckonewa d an d, ON SOME OF THE EAKLY HISTOKICAL WUITEKS OF SCOTLAND. 87

mose th t eminen judicioud r an tHistorica ou f o s l Antiquariess ha e H . fully explained the history and authenticity of the work itself, which, indeed neves ha , r been calle question n di preliminare th n I . y noticr eM Thomson refers to the third MS., when he merely says :—" In the library t Dupplina , ther work e copa th s ewhici f f yo o , h onl ytransiena t inspection has been permitted by the present owner. It appears to be nearly of the same age with that of Archbishop Laud in the Bodleian Library." To explain this allusion, I may add, it was most desirable, before completing the printed volume for the Club, to ascertain by comparison in how far the printed sheets corresponded with the MS. at Dupplin (the Earl of Kinnoull, although a member of the Club, having refused the application to have the MS. sent, even for a limited time, to Edinburgh). proceedeI d thither neighbourhooe th n ,i d of Perth mako ,t comparisone eth , an d I senThomsor resule M th t o t t n wit followine hth g note :— manuscripe "Th f Bishoo t p Lesley's Histor librare th t n Duppliyyi a n folia s oi volum f 14o e 4 leaves, numbered evidentld an , y written a y nb English scribe toward e sixteente closth sth f eo r earlho fole y th par- f o t lowing century t correspondI . mano s n yi s minute particulars wite hth MS. of the same work in the Bodleian Library that it is not improbable both may have been copied from the same original, although not that of the Author. The volume is partially mutilated, as in consequence of having stoo dama librard ol n di p e t Dupplinya placth p corner to n i e e f so th , several of the leaves have mouldered away, or been rendered almost illegible. Of the two transcripts the Dupplin MS. is the least accurate, not merely as to actual mistakes committed, but in the occasional omis- instanceo tw n entir r a o f e so e on paragraph.sio f wordsn o i n d n an O , the whole it is evident, that had the Earl of Kinnoull granted the use of this copy when the book was in the printer's hand, it would not have y materiaprovean f o d l advantage e deficiencieth , e Leve. th n MS i ns having previously been supplied from the Oxford manuscript. " The volume is bound in old calf, of the latter part of the seventeenth century s lettere bace i Manuscrip A th d ' kn an ,o d f Scotland.o t t A ' the end of the volume is a long Latin poem, written in a later hand, entitled ' Iter Borealo. t fillI s' twelve pages, beginnin ' Quidg mihi cum Musts ? quid cum Horealibus oris ?' " &c.