Government of Princes, which is a translation of Aristotle's Politics, and contains 40 Chapters, with a Prologue, shewing into how many languages it had been translated, and how it was first found in the Temple of the Sun, built by Esculapius. Then follows a translation of King Alexander the Great's letter to Aristotle, after his conquest of Persia, with Aristotle's answer, and two other letters of King Alexander's and Aristotle's."

The Manuscript, of which the preceding was an analysis, is not mentioned in any more recent work, and as it could not be traced in any public repository, it was considered to be irrecoverably lost. But in the "Catalogue of the Library at Abbotsford," printed in 1838, at page 232, there occurs the following title:—

"Here begynnys the buke call't the Buke of the Law of Armys, the quhilk was compilit be a notable man, Doctour in Decrees, callit Bennet, prioure of Sallan, &c. MS. fol."

This title attracted the notice of Mr Laing, Secretary of the Bannatyne Club, who conjectured it might prove to be a copy of the work described by Mackenzie. To ascertain this point, he made an application for the use of the volume, through Isaac Bayley, Esq.; which being courteously granted, it was no difficult matter to perceive that this was the identical Manuscript which Dr George Mackenzie had possessed. As the volume itself furnishes no indication on this head, we can only conjecture that it may have fallen into Sir Walter Scott's hands, either by purchase at a sale, or as a present from some of his friends. But we may conclude, that had Sir Walter been aware of the peculiar interest and curiosity of the volume, he would have pointed it out, and some use of it have been made during the latter period of his life.

The Manuscript in question is a large folio of 132 leaves,^[4] on lombard paper, written in a very distinct hand, about the end of the 15th century. It is in the original wooden boards, in perfect preservation, and contains, repeated in different parts of the volume, autograph signatures of "W. Sanclair of Roislin," "Oliver Sinclar of Rosling, knycht," and "W. Sanclair of Roislin, knecht."

It consists of three distinct works:—

To have published the entire volume was considered to be altogether inexpedient, on account of its great extent. Yet not wishing it to remain in comparative obscurity, I readily acceded to Mr Laing's suggestion, in selecting the second of these Works, which forms a distinct treatise by itself, as my contribution to the objects of the Abbotsford Club; at the same time subjoining in the Appendix such Specimens of the two other Works as should satisfy all reasonable curiosity. In this way, I hope that whatever is really valuable or interesting in the MS. has been put into an accessible shape, in order to exhibit and preserve from casual destruction ONE OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING SPECIMENS of Scotish prose composition.

A brief account of the Originals may here be given, before endeavouring to throw some light on the life and character of the Translator.

I. THE BUKE OF BATAILLES.

This well known and popular work forms the first and largest portion of the Abbotsford Manuscript. No English version of it is known. In the Appendix will be found the Prologue, the Table of the Chapters in the different Books, and some other Extracts, which may be compared with the corresponding passages, here copied from one of the later editions of the original Work, which bears the following title:—

"Larbre de Batailles.

"Sensuyt larbre des batailles qui traicte de plusieurs choses comme de leglise. Et aussi des faictz de la guerre. Et aussi comment on si doyt gouuerner. Imprime nouuellement a Lyon. (Design cut in wood.) ¶ On les vend a Lyon au pres de nostre dame de confort cheulz Oliuier Arnoullet." 4to. black letter, Sign. A. to M. six, in eights.

¶ CY COMMENCE LE PROLOGUE DU LIURE INTITULE LARBRE DES BATAILLES FAICT ET COMPOSE PAR VNG VENERABLE ET RELIGIEUSE PERSONNE MAISTRE HONNORE BONHOR, PRIEUR DE SALON, ET DOCTEUR EN DECRET.

A LA saincte couronne de France en laquelle auiourdhuy par lordonnance de Dieu regne Charles cinquesme de ce nom tres bien ayme et par tout le monde redoubte soit donne loz, gloire, et victoire sur toutes seigneuries terriennes. Tres hault Prince, ie suis nomme par mon droict nom Honnore Bonhor Prieur de Salon, indigne docteur en decret, souuenteffoys ay eu en voulente de faire et compiller, selon mon debile entendement, ce petit liure a lhonneur de Dieu premierement de sa benoiste Mere, et de vostre haulte seigneurie Sire. Et les raisons qui mont esmeu et incite a ce faire sont assez bonnes, selon mon aduis.

Premierement, lestat de Saincte Eglise est en telle tribulation et perplexite que si Dieu ny mect remede et vostre Seigneurie, laquelle est acoustumee de acheuer et mettre affin les chieres aduantures de la foy Crestienne, ie ny voy voye ne chemin comme y puisse estre mise bonne ne briefue accordance.

La Deuziesme raison si est, que voyez toute Chrestiente si greuee de guerres, haynes, larrecins et discentions, que a grant peine peut on nommer vng petit pays soit une conte ou duche qui bien soyt en paix.

La Tierce raison si est, que la terre de Prouuence dont ie suis ne et nourry est de present tellement atournee par le changement de noble seigneurie et pour les diversitez doppinions qui sont entre les nobles et le communes que a grant paine pourroit homme tant fust saige racompter les maulx que les gens du pays pour ce debat seuffrent.

La Quarte raison est, que ie considere plusieurs choses dictes de grans clerez modernees que bien pensent entendre les Prophecies anciennes parlans des maulx presens et dient que vng de la haulte lignee de France doit estre celluy par qui les remdes seront donnez au siecle trauailant, et mis en grande pestitance pour lesquelles raisons me suis efforce de faire aulcune chose nouuelle affin que vostre ieunesse soit informee de plusieurs entendemens de la saincte escripture et aussi affin que vostre personne soit plus adonnee de faire secours a la saincte foy de Iesu Crist et faire que les Prophecies qui sentendent de vostre digne personne et escriptures soyent verifiez par voz bonne œuures si vous supplie mon tres hault Seigneur que rien que ie die en ce liure ne vueillez mespriser car ce que iay mis en luy prent son fondement sus le droit canon et civil et sus naturelle philosophie, qui nest aultre chose que raison de nature et aura nom cestuy liure Larbre des Batailles pour fournir lequel liure me fault trouuer matiere condecente a ce faire, si mest venu en ymaginacion faire vng Arbre de Dueill, au dessus duquel pourrez veoir les regnes de Saincte Eglise en grandes et merueilleuses tribulations. Apres pourrez veoir la grande discention qui est auiourdhuy entre les Roys et Princes Crestiens. Pareillement pourrez veoir le grande discencion et murmure qui est entre les Nobles et les Communes. Et deuiseray mon Liure en quatre parties principalles ainsi comme a plain est cy apres declaire dont en la premiere partie sera faicte mention des tribulations de l'eglise jadis passees devant l'advenement de Jesu Christ nostre Sauveur. En la seconde partie sera traicte de la destruction des quatre grans royaulmes jadis. En la