442, l. 13. _tuik_--think.
443, l. 9. (_Margin_,) Let this be noted for our times.--34.
_acknawlege_ and esteem the benefits received, _when_.
444, l. 9. (_Margin_,) Whether this hath come to passe or
not, let the world judge.
445, l. 8. (_Margin_,) Note this diligently.
447, l. 13. "_He be his owin commandment_," &c. _Between
these words and "sik as craif,"_ &c., 418, l. 13, _a whole
page is omitted_.--_Thus the passage in Buchanan's edition
is quite unintelligible_, viz., He by his own word confounds
all such as crave further approbation of God's will, &c.
449, l. 3. (_Margin_,) When the Prince does serve God
sincerely in private and publike, and hath a care that the
people do the same, then assuredly they are faithfull to
him: but if he faile in these, or in either of them, he
findes disobedience in his people, because he is not
carefull to obey God, and to see him obeyed. Deut. 13, 13. 2
Paral. 26.-24. (_Margin_,) Let this be applyed to the late
affairs of Scotland.
451, l. 15. _ye will_ not _say_.
452, l. 24. _deith_--punishment.--33.
_thairintill_--therefore.
453, l. 22. _either misknaw_--must either know.--29.
_tyrant_--misled King.
454, l. 1. _scripped_--stouped.
455, l. 10. _voit_--wrote. (_To each of the two names in the
margin of pages 455 and 456, is added_) his vote.
457, (_The Latin original of the_ Conclusio,
_omitted_.)--13. _deposed_--bridled.--_also_ 458, l. 12.
458, l. 23. (_Buchanan agrees with second foot-note._)--10.
(_Margin_,) Note diligently.--_also_ 459, l. 3.
460, l. 19. _be knawin_--he knew.
461, l. 17. (_In the second foot-note Buchanan agrees with
MS. L, 4. Marginal vote omitted._)
* * * * *
A few particulars respecting DAVID BUCHANAN, the Editor of Knox's
History, may be subjoined to the preceding collations. The author of
the Genealogical Account of the Buchanans, in 1723, states that he was
the second son of William [John] Buchanan of Arnpryor, an ancient
family in the parish of Kippen, Stirlingshire. John Buchanan, eldest
son of the late John Buchanan of Arnpryor, had a charter of the lands
of Arnpryor, 3d May 1598; and having sold the estate of Arnpryor to
Sir John Buchanan of Buchanan, he settled in Ireland. He was killed by
the Irish rebels in 1641. "There was a younger brother, Captain
William, a gentleman of very much courage, and of the greatest art and
dexterity in managing a sword of any of his time;" and two instances
of his prowess are related in that work, (p. 61.)
David Buchanan, whom the above author describes us "a gentleman of
great learning, who flourished in the latter part of the reign of
James the Sixth," was born towards the close of the sixteenth century,
probably about the year 1592. He appears to have prosecuted his
studies during part of the usual course in St. Leonard's College, St.
Andrews, where he matriculated or became an Intrant in the spring of
1610. It has not been ascertained at what University he took his
degree of Master of Arts; or, indeed, any particulars of his mode of
life for a period of upwards of twenty years. According to his own
words, he must have spent many years on the Continent, and is not
improbable he may have filled a Professor's chair in one of the
Protestant Colleges in France. In 1636, he published a learned work
under this title: "Historia Animæ Humanæ, Auctore Davide Buchanano,
Scoto. (No place of printing,) M.DC.XXXVI." Small 8vo. This was
followed by a similar treatise in French, entitled "Histoire de la
Conscience, M.DC.XXXVIII." 12mo.
From a passage in Milton already referred to, (vol. i. p. xlii,) it
would seem as if the publication of Buchanan's edition of Knox's
History of the Reformation had been delayed by the Censor of the Press
in 1644. The preceding collations, (for which, and also for those in
the next Article of this Appendix, I am indebted to the unwearied care
and accuracy of my venerable friend, MR. MEEK,) serve to show the
actual liberties Buchanan has taken with the text. Frequent instances
of palpable blunders will be observed, as if the Editor himself had
not corrected the proof-sheets. In the marginal notes he has added
various allusions to his own times; and the interpolations he has
introduced into the text are remarkable, chiefly on account of the
anachronisms; and as these have been laid hold of, in some measure, to
discredit the authenticity of the original work, it has thus been
rendered necessary to take so much pains in collating his editions
with the genuine text. In regard to passages omitted, or expressions
modified and softened, it is highly probable that this may have
proceeded from the Licenser of the Press in London, rather than
Buchanan himself; and whether similar or even greater liberties may
have been taken with Book Fifth, we have unfortunately no means of
ascertaining.
In the following year Buchanan published at London a little volume,
which, with another tract printed in 1646, involved him in some
trouble. Baillie, who was personally acquainted with him, in a letter
to Spang, who was then Minister of Campvere in Zealand, in June 1645,
speaks of "your cousigne, Mr. David Buchanan, as a most honest and
worthy man." In a subsequent letter, dated 24th April 1646, he says,
it was thought necessary that the Papers given into Parliament by the
Scottish Commissioners should be printed; and "among others, Mr. DAVID
BUCHANAN, _a most sincere and zealous gentleman, who has done both in
write and print, here_ (in London) _and over-sea, many singular
services to this Parliament, to his Nation, and to the whole Cause_;
... hazarded to print them with a Preface of his own, and an
introduction, both very harmless and consonant to the three following
papers which we had given in to both Houses." Baillie further adds,
that within two or three days, 3000 or 4000 copies were sold; and that
this having excited the indignation of "our small friends," both
Houses of Parliament agreed in ordering the books to be burnt by the
hands of the hangman, and in denouncing the publisher, Mr. Buchanan,
as an incendiary. (Baillie's Letters and Journals, vol. ii. p. 367.)
The two publications thus referred to were,--
"Truth its Manifest; or a short and true Relation of divers main
Passages of things, (in some whereof the _Scots_ are particularly
concerned,) from the very first beginning of these unhappy Troubles to
this day. Published by Authority. London, printed in the year 1645."
12mo, pp. xviii., 142.
"Some Papers of the Commissioners of Scotland, given in lately to the
Houses of Parliament, concerning the Propositions of Peace. London,
printed for Robert Bostock, &c., April 11, 1646." 4to, pp. 26.
The following extracts from the Journals of the House of Commons
confirm Baillie's statements:--
On the 10th April 1646, the House of Commons "Ordered, &c., That the
Report concerning a Book, entituled, 'Truth's Manifest,' be made on
Monday morning," &c. (Journals, vol. iv. p. 505.)
"Die Lunæ, 13^o Aprilis 1646. Mr. Lisle reports the state of the
business concerning the printed book, intituled, 'Truth's Manifest;'
read many passages out of it; and said, The Author of it was one Mr.
Buchanan; who delivered one of the said books to the Committee, and
did avow it to be his writing.
"Resolved, &c., That Mr. David Buchanan be forthwith sent for, as a
Delinquent, by the Serjeant at Arms attending on this House; and
brought to the Bar to-morrow morning.
"Resolved, &c., That the book intituled, 'Truth's Manifest,' does
contain in it many matters false and scandalous; and they do _Order_,
That the said book be forthwith burnt by the hands of the common
hangman." (ib. p. 507.)
On the same day, the House also declared, that the book entituled,
"Some Papers of the Commissioners of Scotland, given in lately to the
Houses of Parliament, concerning the Propositions of Pence, doth
contain in it matters scandalous and false," &c., and was Ordered to
be burnt, &c. (ib. p. 507.) But this declaration was so far modified
on the 20th April, in restricting the sentence simply to the Editor's
Epistle and Tract, "The State of the Question concerning the
Propositions of Peace," (which are prefixed by the Editor, on three
leaves, after the title page.) (ib. p. 517.)
During the latter period of his life, Buchanan was engaged with Gordon
of Straloch in illustrating the topography and antiquities of his
native country, in connexion with the great Atlas of Scotland, which
was published in Holland, by Bleau, in 1654. His papers afterwards
fell into the hands of Sir Robert Sibbald, by whom some of them were
printed. Two MS. works, "De Scriptoribus Scotis," the one dated 1627,
and attributed to Buchanan, were printed for the Members of the
Bannatyne Club, with a learned Preface by the Editor, Dr. Irving, in
1837.
From his Confirmed Testament, it appears that "Mr. David Buchanan,"
who died at Edinburgh before the end of August 1652, on the 19th of
that month, had nominated "his loving brother, Mr. William Buchanan,"
his only executor. Whether "Captain William," above mentioned as
David's brother, should be identified with this "Mr. William
Buchanan," may be left to conjecture.
No. II.