17th-century manuscript, probably written in Scotland, containing a translation into Latin of the 'Οἰκουμένης περιήγησις' ['Description of the Known World'], by Dionysius Periegetes.
Scope and Contents
17th-century manuscript, probably written in Scotland, containing a translation into Latin of the 'Οἰκουμένης περιήγησις' of Dionysius Periegetes, also known as the Description of the Known World.
The translation is probably the work of Sir John Nisbet, Lord Dirleton, as suggested in a heading on page 1 in the hand of Sir Robert Sibbald, which reads: 'Dionisii Alexandrini Perihegesis Carmine Heroico Latino e Graeco reddita per Anonymum Scotum (ut creditur D. Jo. Nisbeti de Dirltoun Opus)'.
The manuscript is written in a clear hand and has scribal marginal annotations throughout referring to the text. There are frequent deletions, corrections, and additions, all of which are scribal.
Catchwords have been given by the scribe at the foot of each page. The scribe has also provided a pagination in the upper margin of each page.
A margin has been lined at the head and fore-edge of each page.
Dates
- Creation: 17th century.
Creator
- Nisbet, John, Sir, Lord Dirleton (Senator of the College of Justice) (Scribe, Person)
- Dionysius Periegetes (Greek Author) (Author, Person)
- Sibbald, Robert, Sir, Knight (physician and Geographer Royal) (Former owner, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Normal access conditions apply.
Conditions Governing Use
Normal reproduction conditions apply, subject to any copyright restrictions.
Extent
1 Volumes ; 23.5cm x 17.5cm x 1.3cm
Language of Materials
Latin
Arrangement
The volume is paginated rather than foliated.
34 pages, as well as 3 paper flyleaves to the front and 19 paper flyleaves to the rear.
Custodial History
The volume was probably written, for his own use, by Sir John Nisbet of Dirleton.
The manuscript was in the possession of Sir Robert Sibbald and was bought by the Library of the Faculty of Advocates at the sale of his books in April 1723. There is an ownership inscription for the Library on page 1.
The previous shelfmark assigned to the manuscript by the Library was 'W.5.9', although this is no longer present in the volume and has since been superseded.
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 III, folio 782. NLS Reference: FR.198a/1.
'Folio Catalogue of Manuscripts: Miscellaneous Manuscripts' (Unpublished manuscript, Edinburgh [after 1837]), folio 88. NLS Reference: FR.195.
Kristeller, P. O. 'Iter Italicum Accedunt Alia Itinera: A Finding List of Uncatalogued or Incompletely Catalogued Humanistic Manuscripts of the Renaissance in Italian and Other Libraries' (London, 1989), page 15.
'Summary Catalogue of the Advocates' Manuscripts' (Edinburgh, 1971), page 53, number 615.
Physical Description
Paper.
The binding is of smooth brown leather, 19th-century. The front and back boards have gold-tooled bar borders. The edges of the boards and the turn-ins also have bands of gold tooling. The spine has a remnant of a library sticker on the tail end, raised bands, gold tooling, and a partly-lost gold-tooled title which reads: '[DI]ONYSI[I] [P]ERIE-GESIS LATINE'. The endpapers are blue marbled. The three visbile edges of the leaves are gilt.
The paper flyleaves to the front and rear have watermarks of a crown, and a letter 'A' within a design, all of which are partly cropped by the binding.
Genre / Form
- Title
- National Library of Scotland Catalogue of Manuscripts
- Author
- National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division
- Description rules
- International Standard for Archival Description - General
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700
manuscripts@nls.uk