The letters were bought by the National Library of Scotland with the aid of the Reid Fund.

This manuscript has been formed from several separate accessions:

folios 1-2, bought, 1952, Doig Wilson and Whealley, Edinburgh; folios 3-12, bought, Sotheby’s, 23 June 1952, lot 196; folios 13-14, bought, 1951, Ifan Fletcher, London; folios 15-16, 93-99, bought, Edmiston's, Glasgow, 17 June 1952, lots 194, 206; folios 17-89, bought, 1952, Joan Eyles, London; folios 90-92, bought, Sotheby’s, 13 February 1951, lot 309; folios 100-188, bought, Sotheby’s, 4 February 1952, lots 132-135; folios 189-192, bought, Sotheby’s, 26 June 1950, lot 224; folio 193, bought, Sotheby’s, 19 July 1949, lot 349; folios 194-196, bought, 1949, Gabriel Wells; folios 197-198, bought, Sotheby's, 25 June 1940, lot 503; folios 199-200, 212-288, 315-342, bought, 1952, Ifan Fletcher, London; folios 201-211, bought, 1950; folios 289-300, 303-307, 313-314, bought, 1952, Henry Sotheran, London; folios 301-302, presented, 1952, by Burndy Library, Connecticut, United States of America; folios 308-312, bought, Sotheby’s, 6 November 1951, lot 339; folios 343-348, bought, 1951, Myers and Company, London.