Scottish Text Society publications > Third series > Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount, 1490-1555 > Volume 4, 1936

56
THE WORKS OF SIR DAVID LINDSAY
1580
The History of Squyer Meldrum, 1579-1580.
The will of Robert Gourlay (Gourlaw), bookbinder in Edin¬
burgh, who died of the plague on the 6th September 1585,
his will being dated the 31st August 1585, contains the follow¬
ing items :—
Item, Dauid Lyndesay, price iiij s. vj d.
Item, the Squyer of Meldrum, blak, sax, at xij d. the
peice,—summa vj s.
Item, Dauid Lyndesay, blak, vij at iiij s. vj d. the peice—
summa, xxxj s. vj d.
Bannatyne Miscellany, II. 213-4.
At the foot of the list of contents on the title-verso of
1582 is the entry—
The Historic of the Squyer William Meldrum of the
Benis [sic) neuer before Imprentit.
Tf The Testament of the said Squyer.
This is repeated in 1592 and [1597], No copy is known to
have contained the poem.
It is highly probable, from the above, that an edition of
this poem was printed by John Ross fof Henry Charteris
about the same time as the ? 1580 edition of the Works. The
1594 edition of The History of Squyer Meldrum was clearly
a reprint of this poem, and as the first edition was in quarto,
being intended for inclusion in a quarto edition of The Works,
the 1594 edition was probably a paginary reprint, with the
same title and collation.
The title of the 1580 Squyer Meldrum would therefore con¬
tain the following:—
[[Line of ornaments] / The Historic of ane nobil and wailzeand
Squyer, William Meldrum, vmquhyle Laird of Cleische and
Bynnis. Compylit be Sir Dauid Lyndesay of the Mont, alias,
Lyoun King of Armes. The Testament of the said Wilham
Meldrum Squyer. Compylit alswa be Sir Dauid Lyndesay,