16th-century manuscript of the romance 'Clariodus', a translation of a French prose original into Older Scots verse.

Item

Identifier: Adv.MS.19.2.5

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Manuscript is imperfect; according to the old foliation, seven folios are missing at the beginning, and another one or more at the end. A passage of eight lines has been pasted in on folio 125 verso.

Written in one hand throughout, with large decorative initials at the beginning of each book. Watermark of pot with letters IB (cf. Briquet number 12804).

Dates

Creation: 16th century.

Extent

1 Volumes (iv + 154 folios. Folio.)

Language of Materials

Scots

Additional Description

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

19th-century binding of dark green morocco, gilt-tooled.

Custodial History

The signature ‘Jonet Cunninghame` appears on folio 79 in a 17th-century hand. The manuscript later belonged to David Dalrymple, Lord Hailes. It was acquired by the Advocates’ Library before 1813.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Presented, 1925, by the Faculty of Advocates to the nation on the foundation of the National Library of Scotland.

Existence and Location of Copies

Microfilms available:

Mf.Sec.MSS.455;

Mf.Sec.MSS.698 (manuscript may not have been filmed in full).

Bibliography

The manuscript was edited by Edward Piper for the Maitland Club (Edinburgh, 1830).

See also ‘French Background of Middle Scots Literature’ by Janet M Smith (Edinburgh, 1934), pages 23-25, and ‘Investigation of the Rimes and Phonology of the Middle-Scotch Romance Clariodus’ by Francis J Curtis (Halle, 1894).