National Library of Scotland MS. 16500, Asloan Manuscript

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Manuscript
Reference Number Scots1
Location Edinburgh, National Library of Scotland
Siglum/Shelfmark Asloan Manuscript, MS 16500
Page/Folio range ff 167-210
Standardised title of narrative
Incipit or textual title
Version (siglum) A
Language Group within Version Older Scots Version A
Narrative/Scholarly Group within Version
Further scholarly subgroup (1)
Further scholarly subgroup (2)
Translated/adapted from (Version/Text) Old French Version A
Source for information on textual relationship to broader tradition NLS Catalogue website: https://manuscripts.nls.uk/repositories/2/resources/18684
Scribe John Asloan
Author
Place of Manuscript Production Scotland
Date of Manuscript Production 1513/1542
Source of date Manuscript Production NLS Catalogue website: https://manuscripts.nls.uk/repositories/2/resources/18684
Material Paper
Language of Manuscript Scots
Regional or specific Language of Manuscript Middle Scots
Source for regional or specific Language of Manuscript NLS Catalogue website: https://manuscripts.nls.uk/repositories/2/resources/18684
Prose or Verse Verse
Other texts in the Manuscript Over 100 Scottish texts dating from around 1400 to 1700; poetry, drama, and prose by major Scottish writers such as John Barbour, William Dunbar, Gavin Douglas, and George Buchanan.

Contents: Of penance and confession. The buke of the chess. The cart of the warld. The porteous of noblenes. The Scottis originale. Part of the Ynglis cronikle. Ane schort memoriale. The Scottis cronikle. The spectacle of luf. The sex weekdayis and agis. The buke of the sevyne sagis. The justis betuix the talzeour and the sowtar. Off the fenzeit fals frere of Tungland. The buke of the howlat. The talis of the fyve bestis. The tale of the twa mys. The maner of the crying of ane playe. The tale of Orpheus and Eurdices his quene. The buke of the thre prestis of Peblis. The contemplacioun of synnaris. The passioun of Jhesu. Ane ballat of Our Lady. The maying and disport of Chauceir. Divers ballatis of Our Ladye.

Script style/form
Total pages/folios in Manuscript
Height 406.5
Width 304.8
Illustrations No
Digitisation https://digital.nls.uk/235163104
Modern Editions
Catalogue
Modern Research Literature Cragie (1923)Van Buuren (1982)

Pattern of embedded stories in this manuscript

Short StorySequence NumberNarratorName Variations
Arbor1Empress
Canis2BancillasBantillas
Aper3Empress
Medicus4MaxenciusMaxillas, Ancillas, (Some confusion in the text)
Gaza5Empress
Puteus6Lentulus
Senescalcus7Empress
Tentamina8MalquidrasMaucundas
Virgilius9Empress
Avis10Cato
Sapientes11Empress
Inclusa14Cratone
Vaticinium15Prince








There is a lacuna between Sapientes (the 10th story) and Inclusa; according to Catherine van Buuren (1982), this likely included the sixth sage's tale, and the Empress's reponse to it.

Unlike the Middle English versions, the Older Scots text includes the gender-reveal at the end of the text.