Add MS 4734-4736

Materials for a History of the Church of Scotland from 1514 to 1586 by David Calderwood; circ. 1624. Autograph. Three volumes. A second series of three volumes, carrying the history down to 1625, had already disappeared by 1765. A note in 4734, f. 2, states that the work was collected out of Mr. [John] Knox his historie, . . . out of Mr. James Melvill his observations, Mr. John Davidson his diarie, the acts of the generall assemblies, and acts of parliament, and out of severall proclamations. . . . But is contracted and digested in better order in a worke of three volumes [Add. MSS. 4737-4739] ... out of which worke contracted is extracted another contracted in lesser bounds . . .' (published posthumously in 1678 as The True History of the Church of Scotland). For an account of other MSS. see the Wodrow Society's edition of Add. MSS. 4737-4739. In 4734 two leaves have been interpolated before f. 160; and two leaves appear to have been lost after both ff. 232 and 254. Paper; Folio. Circ. A.D. 1624. Belonged formerly to Sir William Calderwood, Lord Polton (d. 1733), by whose heir, Thomas Calderwood of Polton it was presented, 29 June 1765, at the request of Dr. Andrew Gifford.