The manuscripts were bought by the National Library of Scotland with the aid of the Reid Fund.
The volume, which was sold at the Keith sale in 1888 (see note on fly-leaf), is the manuscript of Dr Keith used by George Ritchie Kinloch in his Maitland Club edition of ‘Babell’, and it may have been used by James Maidment.
In 1692 it was owned by William Hempseed (see folios ix verso, x verso), who has entered a few notes on law.