Commonplace book

Comprises a collection of poems, vocabularies, biblical passages, plays, letters, sayings and observations, in English and Latin, composed or copied by John Bonar (b 1619) between 1649 and 1672. Includes lists of names, Scottish places, and a miscellany of material as well as some contemporary prints. Includes partial index composed by author.

The British editor and writer Mr Nicolas Barker has consulted this manuscript and notes that the basic purpose of the volume was as a schoolmaster's compendium of educational texts, but it seems to have become the vehicle for a lot of other miscellaneous texts. Quite a lot are probably copied from printed texts, but some are clearly original.

Mr Barker has compiled the following manuscript notes: Paginated 1-1665 on versos only. The main texts are listed after the page references, subsidiary texts written in margins or on blanks follow within square brackets. The classical and later Latin texts are written in a large italic hand, interlineated with English or Scots translation in secretary, the order of the words for translation indicated by numbers.

1-25 Horace de arte poetica [24-6 imperial writ Nurnberg, 3 Oct 1629 + Ane dreadful and astonishing account of the death of Thomas Weir of Kirktoun, Apr 3 1670].

27-42 Horace Odes 1 [42 Note of Mr Annands curat in Edinr + Some observations anent... Abps Burnet and Sharp].

43-96 Virgil Eclogues [in margins: 'De metallis, gemmis, succis, stellis, elementis, ventis' 43-84... 86-112 ' a compend of... the kings of Scotland from Fergus to Charles ii', latest date 'crownd at Scoone 1 Jan 1650'].

97-159 Virgil Georgics [at 98-9 printed table The race of the kings of Scotland, since malcolm the second inserted, 115-20 kings of England Egbert - Henry VIII, 121-46 Reynard the Fox in 25 chapters, 153-8 hereticks deluded by the devil].

160-415 Virgil Aeneid + App. Vergiliana [160 'Argumentum', dated 7 Apr 1652; 199-211 'Some notes anent destruction of Troy', 211-33 'A description... worlds seven wonders', 233-8 'Certain observations of diverse people', 254-63 astronomica, characters 277-84 'De gentibus... Romanorum', 287-93 'Pugna porcorum...' [Joannes Placentius] 'Polemo-Machia-Medinia...' [William Drummond] 294-7 'The pypers ... testament', 299 Catiline, 317 papal cases, 319-55 Spaniards cruelty to poore Indians, early Xtian persecutions].

418-25 'A Solemn League and Covenant'. 426-9 Iohannes Sulpitius Verulani', Latin verse. 430-40 Discourse of the Grammer. 441-53 Bellum rammaticale. 454-89 Carmen de lubrico temporis Simonis Nanquerii [first printed 1511] + Cato Disticha, ending '20 June 1652' [in margin Charles II in Scotland March 15 1672, on gravestone of Mr Alexander Henderson...]

490-509 'Old Scots Proverbs... summa 1575'. 510-27 Boethius De consolatione philosophiae. 528 distances. 529-610 Eclogae Mantuani [531-555 lives of popes to Innocent XI, 559-82 'De arte poetica' in prose, 584 carmina proverbialia, martyrs &c, inc 'Walter Mille scotsman'].

610 Song on the meditation of death. 612-23 missing. 624-55 Epigrams , 'ex Erasmo', 'de eximia civitate Glasgua', 'A table to read...', + calendar, figures of speech. 4 printed leaves 'Transformationum Ovidii' inserted, pp5-14 end of c1600 edition. 656-99 Ovid Epistolae. 700-19 Epigrams, 720-37 'Register of Names of schollers taught by Mr John Bonar scholemaster at Ayr'. 738-94 'Derivations of words'.

795 two sonnets. 796-9 calligraphy 'Mathesone Scholemaster in Ed'r 24 Feb 1610' 'Robert m'alexander in Edbr 1610', specimens of script cut out and pasted in. 800-927 Terence [large initials; rules of grammar, scansion &c -883, 'Sharp of St Andrews his letter to the B of Canterbury' 884, 'Academies ... of Europe' 886-7, 'Comoedi' 888-91]. 929-32 Gentes Romanorum. 933 Letters sent to bishops 1606-30. 934 list of signatories of warrant for King's execution, 'The kings deportment on the scaffold'.

935-1020 Catechesis Relligionis Christianae, followed by paraphrase of psalms in Latin verse with interlinear translation [963 diagram of trinity, 977 'Roberti Bodii A Trochoregia ad Christum Senatorem Hecatombe', 100 sapphic stanzas, 988 'De vanitate mundi', 991-3 praecepta, 993-1000 'Followes old Master Dods sayings', 1001 'David Paveus in Apoc, 'De luxuria..., 1013-15 'A recantation... be Mr Johne Menzies... 1670], 1020-4 'Oraio de laudibus grammaticae'.

1025 blank. 1026-1030 form letters. 1031-33 epitaph of mr James Bonar, sonnet on return of Charles II, 'Christs Kirk in the Green', 'The Blakbastel or lamentation...of the Kirk of Scotland...' [by James Melville]. 1034-40 Ecclesiastical forms, 'Edict of transportation' &c, order of provinces , names of ministers. 1041-1221 Buchanan Paraphrasis [1133 list of 198 fathers since Christes tyme]. 1222-31 epigrams in Latin and Scots.

1232-4 'The xii common tunes to which all psalmes... be sung', music on stave. 1235-43 meters &c. 1242- 54 ' to Scotland...' long poem in Scots, 1254-7 'Letre from Mr Johne Westle', 'View of the Worlds varieties, verse, 'Certain phisicall remedies', musical mnemonic diagrams, 'Ane inventorie of ane chamber of ane citizen of Perth', in verse. 1258-1337 Persius Satyrae.

1338-62 'Onomasticon Poeticum', in alphabetic order. 1362 'The ploughmans plain Scots..., verse. 1363 'Tries', moral diagrams, tables of chronology. 1366-7 'The speech of Margaret Mitchell', a Roundel for the year 1669, Latin and Scots verse. 1368-88 Interpretations of Hebrew words. 1390-1406 Laudes Heroum Scotiae, Ferchardus- James Lindsay, 93 in all. 1407-15 Kings of Scotland. 1406-54 Epitheta. 1455 'Tyme of my father's marriage..., details of Bonar family 1618-62.

1456-87 Letter from Paris June 5 1662... other pieces in rose and verse. 1487 'Death of Earl of Tweeddale' [1595/6-1653], other Scots verse. 1488-93 Coronation of Charles II King of Scotland, more verse to 'The prophane carriage of the toune of Lithgow 29 May 1662'. 1494-1501 Elegantia verborum.

Thrissels Banner inserted [Explication, of Thrissels-Banner. Containinge a Brief Interpretation and Declaration, of the Forme and Fashion thereof, as also of the Matter therein expressed. [By Thomas Cuningham.] 1640.

1502- bishops of Scotland, folding chart inserted. 1503-67 letters, petitions 1638-, Ralph Sheils, James Guthrie et al. 1568-93 Confession of faith of 3 kingdoms ... finis 3 mai 1667. 1595 Roll of the Ministers, testimonie of Johne Sheils 7 Dec 1666. 1599-1642 A short description of.. Mr Hugh McKail.. death 22 Dec 1666... General Dalzeal his usage of the West... 1643-65 'Examples both Christian and pagan...

Separate leaves to 1693 indexes & c.

Source of title - Supplied

Quantity: 1 volume(s).

Physical Description: Mss