Produced: Scotland, 1st half 16th century

Language: Middle Scots

Author: 
Illustrator: 
Scribe: John Scrymgeor

Binding: 17th century calf
Media: Paper
Script: Secretary

Folios: 98  Height: 26.1 cm   Width: 16.4 cm

Manuscript type: Miscellany

Location: National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Family: n/a

"The Deidis of Armorie is a late fifteenth-century heraldic manual and bestiary translated from French into Scots and copied around 1494 by Kintyre Pursuivant Adam Loutfut at the behest of Marchmont Herald Sir William Cumming of Inverallochy. ... The work derives its title from the explicit. In some 2555 lines it relates the history of the rise and art of heraldry and the colours, animals, and other terms used therein." -  Houwen, 1994, p. xiii

This copy of the Deidis of Armorie may be based indirectly (via an intermediate source) on Harley MS. 6149, and has many of the same texts. The heraldic bestiary is found at the end of section 8 (ff. 18v-51v). The text is written in a single "secretary" hand. There are no illustrations; decorations consist of rubrics and capitals in red, with some decorative penwork. The manuscript is entirely on paper, with three watermarks: two variations of a hand symbol, and a heart and fleur-de-lis symbol. The text was copied by John Scrymgeour of Myres, presumably for his own use; this John may have been appointed 'Master of the King's Works' in 1537. It entered the Advocates Library in 1698. (Description based on  Houwen, 1994.)

The Deidis of Armorie is also found in manuscripts British Library, Harley MS 6149; Oxford, Queen's College Library, MS. 161; National Library of Scotland, Adv.Libr.31.3.20.

This manuscript is designated 'S' in  Houwen's 1994 edition of the Deidis of Armorie (which is based on Harley MS. 6149).

Printed editions: Used as a secondary witness in  Houwen, 1994.