In 4to, pp. 452, not perfect. It is in the hand-writing of Charles
Lumisden, who succeeded his father as Minister of Duddingstone, and who,
during the reign of Charles the First, was much employed in
transcribing. It is unquestionably copied from Vautrollier's printed
edition, but many of the palpable mistakes have been corrected, and the
orthography improved. In general the marginal notes are retained, while
some others, apparently derived from David Buchanan's printed text, are
added in a different hand. Like Vautrollier's edition, at page 560, this
MS. breaks off with the first portion of the Book of Discipline, at the
end of Book Third of the History.
Such are the MANUSCRIPT copies of Knox's History which are known to be
preserved. There are however still existing detached portions of the
History, made with the view of completing the defective parts of
Vautrollier's edition; and these may also be briefly indicated.
XI. MS. C.--In the Library of the Church of Scotland. This MS., in
folio, was purchased by the General Assembly in 1737, from the executors
of the Rev. Matthew Crawfurd. The volume is in the old parchment cover,
and has the autograph of "Alex. Colvill" on the first page. But it
contains only the preliminary leaves of the text, and the concluding
portion of the First Book of Discipline, (the previous portion being
oddly copied at the end of it;) and Book Fourth of the History, all in
the hand of a Dutch amanuensis, about 1640, for the purpose of supplying
the imperfections of the suppressed edition.
XII. MS. M.--In a copy of Vautrollier's edition, which belonged to the
Rev. Dr. M'Crie, and is now in the possession of his son, the Rev.
Thomas M'Crie, the same portions are supplied in an early hand,
containing eight leaves at the beginning, and ninety-nine at the end,
along with a rude ornamented title, and a portrait of Knox, copied by
some unpractised hand from one of the old engravings. It contains the
concluding portion of the First Book of Discipline, but several of the
paragraphs in Book Fourth of the History are abridged or omitted.
XIII. MS. L. (3.)--A copy of the same volume, with these portions
similarly supplied, and including both the First and Second Books of
Discipline, appeared at the sale of George Paton's Library, in 1809. It
is now in the Editor's possession. A number of the errors in printing
have been carefully corrected on the margin, in an old hand; and the MS.
portions are written in the same hand with No. VI. MS. E. of the entire
work, which is literally transcribed from this identical copy.
XIV. and XV. MSS. L. (4 and 5.)--I have also a separate transcript of
Book Fourth, in folio, 44 leaves, written about the year 1640; and
another portion, in small 8vo, written in a still older hand, for the
purpose of being bound with the suppressed edition.