Early 16th-century manuscript of the accounts of the Bishopric of Dunkeld, covering the years 1506-1517.

Item

Identifier: Adv.MS.34.1.1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Manuscript written in Scotland containing the accounts of the Bishopric of Dunkeld for the years 1506-1517. The manuscript is the work of one hand and was probably written contemporaneously with the record.

The work is not complete and there are leaves wanting at the end of the volume, as well as in places throughout. Many of the folios are damaged with loss of text, particularly at the beginning and end of the volume, and these have been repaired and mounted on paper. The manuscript is not bound in the correct order and there are occasional pencil notes which refer to the correct order of the leaves.

The work is arranged chronologically with the following names appearing frequently: Gilbert Scharp, graniterius, Dounkeldensis; George Balbring, serjaindus, Dounkeldensis; John Lacok, graniterius; Alexander Myln, Canonicus Dounkeldensis, ac Decanus Christianitatis ejusdem in partibus Angusiarum; Thomas Brown, Senescallus; John Symsoune, senescallus; William Moncur, graniterius Laudonie; James Mure, arendarius; James Henrisoune, arendarius; Thomas Malcolmsoune, serjandus Dounkeldensis infra bondas de Lybirmoris; Thomas Greig, Canonicus Dounkeldensis et decanus in partibus Atholie; Patrick Oliphant, graniterius in Cluny; Alexander Wilson, canonicus Dounkeldensis et decanus in partibus de Fyff; Walter Mortymer, senescallus; William Erwyne, servitor et avendarius; David Forres, Burgess of Hathington; John Carmannoch, Capellanus; John Ewin, Canon et Custos Vasorum; Andrew Bunch, Burgess of Perth; Thomas Loweis, Ballerius Baronie Dounkeldensis; William Chaip, Mercator, Perth; John Brown of Colstrum, Ballerius; John Down, Pastor ominium; John Cokk, Pastor omnium.

There are scribal marginal notes which refer to the entries, but these have occasionally been lost due to trimming.

The accounts for the years 1513-1516 which give the expenses of building the bridge of Dunkeld have been printed as an appendix in the Bannatyne Club edition.

The manuscript is decorated with plain penwork ornamental capitals and enlarged titles.

There is a scribal foliation in Arabic numerals which is first fully visible on the modern folio 29 and ends on modern folio 151. It runs 26-157 with several jumps and omissions.

Quire signatures in the form of lower case letters and Arabic numerals are present on folios 195r and 196r.

Dates

Creation: Early 16th century.

Creator

Boog, Robert (Minister of Paisley Abbey) (Former owner, Person)

Language of Materials

Material predominantly in Latin with occasional entries in Scots.

Conditions Governing Access

Normal access conditions apply.

Conditions Governing Use

Normal reproduction conditions apply, subject to any copyright restrictions.

Extent

1 Volumes ; 37cm x 29cm x 5.4cm

Additional Description

Arrangement

i-iii + 220 + iv-vi folios, as well as a modern paper flyleaf to the front.

The foliation is inclusive of the missed foliation of a half-leaf between folios 69 and 70, since refoliated as folio 69a.

Custodial History

On folio 130v there are inscriptions, possibily 17th-century, for a 'Master Thomas ....' and a 'Christopher'.

According to records within the National Library of Scotland the manuscript was bought by the Library of the Faculty of Advocates in 1824 at the sale of the library of the Rev. Dr. Robert Boog, minister of Paisley Abbey Church. The manuscript does not appear to be listed in the sale catalogue.

The volume is listed in the 1828 catalogue of the Library of the Faculty of Advocates. There are ownership inscriptions for the Library on folios 2r and 218v. A bookplate for the Library is pasted down to the inner of the front board.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

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

Bibliography

Borland, C. R. ‘Catalogue of Mediaeval Manuscripts in the Library of the Faculty of Advocates at Edinburgh’, 4 Volumes. (Unpublished manuscript, Edinburgh, 1906-1908). Volume II, folios 500-504. NLS Reference: FR.198a/2.

Briquet, C. M. 'Les Filigranes. Dictionnaire historique des marques de papier des leur apparition vers 1282 jusqu'en 1600', 4 Volumes (Leipzig, 1923).

'Catalogue of the libraries of the late Professor Dalzel; Dr. Boog of Paisley; John Penny, late writer in Edinburgh; a gentleman of the law; and a clergyman ... to be sold by auction ... on ... 1st March, 1824, etc.'. (Edinburgh, 1824).

'Summary Catalogue of the Advocates' Manuscripts' (Edinburgh, 1971), page 96, number 1213.

'Folio Catalogue of Manuscripts: Chartularies' (Unpublished manuscript, Edinburgh [18??]), folio 30. NLS Reference: FR.189.

Innes, C. (ed.) 'Vitae Dunkeldensis Ecclesiae Episcoporum, a prima sedis fundatione, ad annum M.D.XV. Ab Alexandro Myln, eiusdem ecclesiae canonico, conscriptae; editio altera, cui accedit appendix cum nominum et locorum indice.', Bannatyne Club (Revised edition, Edinburgh, 1831), pages 77-141.

Scott, H. 'Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae: The Succession of Ministers in the Church of Scotland from the Reformation', Volume III: Synod of Glasgow and Ayr (Edinburgh, 1920), pages 166-167 for biographical information on Robert Boog.

Physical Description

Paper.

The binding is of early 19th-century brown leather with marbled endpapers. The front and back boards have gold-tooled borders with floral corner designs. The three edges of the boards and the turn-ins are tooled in gold. The volume was rebacked in October 1931. The new back has raised bands with gold tooling, as well as gold tooling for the library stamp, shelfmark, and title which reads: 'COMPOTA EPISCOPATUS DUNKELDENSIS 1506-1517'. The three edges of the leaves are gilt.

The flyleaves are watermarked with 'A COWAN AND SON 1822', and a design of a crown and fleur-de-lis with initials which possibly read 'C' and 'L'.

The paper of the manuscript itself is watermarked with a design of a cross atop a heart, similar to Briquet number 4235 (Metz, 1492). This is most visible on folio 40.