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:-- I. THE BUKE OF BATAILLES. II. THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYGHTHEDE. III. THE BUKE OF THE GOVERNANCE OF PRINCES. 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.