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Two manuscripts of Sir William Purves`s work on the revenue of the Crown in Scotland.

 Series
Identifier: Adv.MSS.31.2.14-31.2.14a

Scope and Contents

Purves does not seem to have altered the figures of the rental after compiling his work in 1667, but he did expand the section of the introduction on the Court of Exchequer. The final form which the work took in 1681 was published by D Murray Rose as ‘Revenue of the Scottish Crown, 1681’, from a manuscript in the British Museum (Addit. MS. 33,238).

The original work of 1667 (entitled ‘Ane Abbreviat of his Majesties proper and constant rent peyit be the severall ffewars for their respective Lands And be the severall Shirreffs for the blensch dueties, castellwards and others out of the respective Shyres As the same Compts by the present Rolls, With the deductiones and differences betwixt the same and former Rolls preceiding King James of blissed memorie his goeing To England In Anno 1603. Collected out of the Roll and Records of Exchequer, by Sir William Purves of Woodhouslee Knight and Baronet his Majesties Sollicitor In Anno 1667`) is represented by Adv.31.1.16, along with a copy of it, Adv.MS.6.2.2, folios 241-273, and a copy of that, Adv.MS.25.3.4, pages 203-333.

MS.201, along with a copy of it, Adv.MS.81.4.9, folio 1, have the same text (though a few of the figures differ), but the title is that of the 1681 recension (`Ane Accompt of His Majesties Proper Rent aryseing from the feu and Blensh Dueties of the severall Lands holden few and Blensh of His Majestie in his Kingdome of Scotland With The Deductions, alterations and Differences Bextwixt the Present Rentall, and the former preceeding King James of blessed memorie his goeing in to England in Anno 1603`).

Adv.MS.31.2.14a here (without title) apparently represents an intermediate stage, where the introductory section is expanded though not so much as in the 1681 recension; whether or not the fact that there are small alterations in other sections which do not appear in the 1681 recension indicates that someone other than Purves had revised this recension, is uncertain. This does seem to be the case in Adv.MS.31.2.14 (without title), in which the 1667 introduction appears, but the figures and their layout are much altered.

Dates

  • Creation: 1667-1681.

Extent

0.00 Linear metres (2 volumes. Folio.)

Language of Materials

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

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

Related Materials

British Museum, Addit. MS. 33,238.

Adv.MS.6.2.2, folios 241-273.

Adv.MS.25.3.4, pages 203-333.

MS.201.

Adv.MS.81.4.9, folio 1.

Adv.MS.31.2.14a.

Adv.MS.31.2.14.

Bibliography

‘Revenue of the Scottish Crown, 1681’ (Edinburgh, 1897).
Title
National Library of Scotland Catalogue of Manuscripts
Author
National Library of Scotland
Date
10 07 2015
Description rules
Finding Aid Prepared Using Local Descriptive Rules
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository

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