The community of the realm in Scotland, 1249–1424
History, law and charters in a recreated kingdom

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The Dynamic Edition of the Declaration of Arbroath allows you to see the text as it was read in these contexts. It is presented as six versions.

The versions are:

Version 1 (V1): The manuscripts which treat it as a stand-alone document.

• The original file copy (called here 'O') which is preserved in The National Records of Scotland (SP13/7)
• Copied from an original document into James Haldenstone's letter book (Wolfenbüttel, Herzog August Bibliothek Codex Helmstedt 411, ff.6v-7v).

Version 2 (V2): The four manuscripts which contain the dossier of documents attached to John of Fordun's 'Chronicle of the Scottish People', itself completed between 1384 and 1387. These are:

• Dublin, Trinity College MS 498, pp.357–358
• London, British Library, MS Add. 37223, ff.125r–126r
• Wolfenbüttel, Herzog August Bibliothek, Codex Helmstedt 538, ff.140r–141r
• Cambridge, Trinity College MS O. 9. 9, second series of foliation ff.1r–2r

Version 3 (V3): The six surviving manuscripts containing Walter Bower's Scotichronicon, written in the 1440s. These are:

• Cambridge, Corpus Christi College MS 171B, ff.272r–273r
• London, British Library MS Royal 13 E X, ff.207v–208r
• Darnaway Castle, ‘Donibristle MS’.
• Edinburgh, NRS MS GD45/26/48
• London, British Library MS Harleian 712, ff.214v–215r
• Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Library MS 186, ff.246v–247v

Version 4 (V4): The four manuscripts containing or derived from Walter Bower's other history of the Scottish people, called here 'Bower in 40 books'. These are:

• Aberdeen, Aberdeen University Library SCA MS MM2/1
• Edinburgh, NLS MS Adv. 35.1.7, pp.345–346 (Book of Coupar Angus)
• Edinburgh, NLS MS Adv. 35.6.7, ff.232r–233v (Patrick Russell's history)
• London, British Library MS Harleian 4764, ff.166r-167v

Version 5 (V5): Its first appearance in the Book of Pluscarden (book VIII, c.54), which survives in five manuscripts. The Book of Pluscarden, an interesting history of the Scottish people, was completed in 1461. These five manuscripts are:

• Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale de Belgique MS 7396, ff.167v–169r
• Edinburgh, NLS MS Adv. 35.5.2, f.110r–v
• Glasgow, Mitchell Library MS 308876, ff.178v–180r
• Glasgow, University Library MS Gen. 333, ff.199v-202r
• Oxford, Bodleian MS Fairfax 8, ff.154v-155v

Version 6 (V6): Its second appearance in the Book of Pluscarden (book IX, s.a.1320), which survives in the same five manuscripts as V5.

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