The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21).
Volume II. The End of the Middle Ages.
§ 18. Nisbet’s Version of Purvey
Early in the sixteenth century, Murdoch Nisbet wrote out his version of Purvery’s recension of Wyclif’s translation of the New Testament. It anticipates the Bassandyne Bible by half-a-century; but it does not appear to have been circulated. It remained in manuscript till 1901. Its mixture of northern and sourthern forms gives it considerable philological interest. After it, we may name Gau’s Richt Vay (a translation from christiern Pedersen), Bellenden’s Livy and Scottish History, the patchwork translation called The Complaynt of Scotlande, Winzet’s Tractates, bishop Leslie’s History of Scotland, Knox’s History and Buchanan’s Chamaeleon Lindesay of Pitscottie’s History, the controversial writings of Nicol Burne and otehr exiled Catholics and king James VI’s early effort on versification (Ane Schort Tratise); but the consideration of these belongs to a later chapter. The professional Rolment of Courtis, by Abacuck Bysset, though of the seventeenth century (1622), represents the aureate style of Middle Scots and is the last outpost of that affectation in northern prose.