rve to
account for the mistakes in the later transcripts.

But before explaining the manner in which this edition has been printed,
it may be proper to enumerate the other Manuscripts which are known to
be preserved; and I may take this opportunity of expressing to the
several Proprietors my grateful acknowledgments for the free use of the
copies specified.

II.--VAUTR. EDIT.--PRINTED AT LONDON IN 1586 OR 1587.

This edition, described at page xxxix, is here introduced as
representing an intermediate MS., from which some of the existing copies
were apparently derived. Thomas Vautrollier the printer, a native of
France, came to England in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign. He
retired to Scotland in the year 1584, and printed several works at
Edinburgh in that and the following year. In 1586, he returned to
London, carrying with him a manuscript copy of Knox's History, which he
put to press; but all the copies were seized before the work was
completed. The manuscript copy which he had obtained is not known to be
preserved; but there is no reason to doubt that it was taken directly
from the MS. of 1566. This appears from the marginal notes and a variety
of minute coincidences, perceptible on collating the printed portion. We
may likewise conclude, that from it several of the later transcripts
were taken of the introductory portion, and the Fourth Book, to complete
the text of the unfinished printed volume.

III. MS. G.--IN THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, GLASGOW.

In folio, containing 242 leaves, written before the end of the sixteenth
century. This MS. was long considered to be the earliest and most
authentic copy of the History, and consequently no small degree of
importance was attached to it.

Many years ago, (before I was aware of the existence of the MS. of
1566,) I obtained, through the Rev. Dr. M'Turk, late Professor of
Ecclesiastical History, the use of this Manuscript for the purpose of
collation; but I found that the text was so faithfully given in the
Edinburgh edition 1732, folio, with the single exception of omitting
such marginal notes as the MS. contains, that an entire collation of the
text might only have exhibited slight occasional changes in orthography.
At that time the MS. formed two volumes, in the old parchment covers,
with uncut leaves; it has since been half-bound in one volume, and the
edges unmercifully cropped.

At the beginning of the volume there is inserted a sepa