The exemplar for the manuscript was being compiled no later than 1444 under the direction of Bower himself. Richard Augustine Hay, writing in the early 18th century, at the beginning of the manuscript, states that it was written 1453-1454 by a canon of Inchcolm called Peter, and presented to Couper Abbey by William Earl of Orkney and Caithness in 1445 (probably a mistake for 1455), but he cites no evidence for this (see ‘Scotichronicon by Walter Bower in Latin and English’, ix, chapter 12, from which much of this description is adapted) – see also ‘Catalogue of the mediaeval Manuscripts in the Library of the Faculty of Advocates at Edinburgh’, volume ii, pages 393-395.

The abbreviated version was designed as a more compact version of Bower`s original work. Some chapters are omitted and some greatly shortened. Other material is re-arranged. The whole is divided into 40 books in place of the 16 books of the original. Some passages of the manuscript have been edited and printed in the notes to ‘Scotichronicon by Walter Bower in Latin and English’. The `Prologus` prefixed to the ‘Scotichronicon’ is omitted and another substituted for it which discusses John of Fordun. A table giving parallel passages between this version and the Corpus Christi manuscript (MS C) (Bower original working copy of the complete work) may also be found in ‘Scotichronicon by Walter Bower in Latin and English’, ix, chapter 12. On pages 433-449 is the ‘Liber Alius’ corresponding to MS C VI cc.24-57 with lacunae and also on page 450 a fragment of the ‘Liber Extravagans’ with a variant and abbreviated text of the `Prologus`, lines 1-13 and ‘Poema Scotica’, lines 1-108 (omitting lines 8, 9, 97, and with two extra lines after line 58). The leaves of the manuscript after page 450 have been lost. For a complete edition of the ‘Liber Extravagans’, see ‘Liber Extravagans’, edited by Dauvit Broun and A B Scott, in ‘Scotichronicon by Walter Bower in Latin and English’, ix, chapter 6a-f.

The manuscript is in double columns, written by more than one hand. The text begins with an elaborate initial `S`, blue with an intricate floral scroll. Its background consists of elaborate filigree work in blue and pink. Other initials are plain red, positioned at the beginning of books. According to Professor R J Lyall, it is datable on watermark evidence to circa 1450 x 1480.