I got very excited when this set arrived. James Balfour spent his life immersed in Scottish historical manuscripts, which he collected in an extensive personal library, eking out the interesting details he came across in order to compile them into a comprehensive broad spectrum history of our country. He was Lord Lyon to both Charles I. and, after the restoration, Charles II. It’s proved to be as interesting as it seemed from the outset. I’ve been surprised by the huge amount of information from Europe. Gives a fantastic background context to events described in Scotland as our country has always had close connections to Europe.
Dates can be out by a wee bit, the span of years attached to each king is not necessarily the full time they reigned, and people can be muddled within the Original text but I’ve done what I can to put as much additional info and clarification into the Companion copy. You haven’t lived until you’ve spent almost 3 hours clarifying one sentence.
Random Scottish History’s very own artist, Alex, who I don’t give nearly enough work to, has provided a few illustrations for the transcriptions of some of the Kings mentioned so far on the FB page. Having an illustrator on hand is useful when it’s a book like the ‘Life of Mary, Queen of Scots‘ which is solely text and therefore can be a bit of a slog for some folk to get through.
I figure if you’re searching for information then the Companion copy will be of use to you, as the spelling is updated. If you then want to quote sections, for whatever use, I’d suggest taking them from the Original copy.
‘Historical Works of Sir James Balfour’, James Haig (1824), Volumes 1-3, Spines.
‘Historical Works of Sir James Balfour’, James Haig (1824), Volumes 1-3, Covers.
‘Historical Works of Sir James Balfour’, James Haig (1824), Volumes 1-3, Marbled Page Edges.
‘Historical Works of Sir James Balfour’, James Haig (1824), Volumes 1-3, William Hugh Murray’s ‘Ex Libris’ Family Crest Sticker.
‘Historical Works of Sir James Balfour’, James Haig (1824), Volume 1, Frontispiece Portrait of Sir James Balfour.
‘Historical Works of Sir James Balfour’, James Haig (1824), Volume 1, Publisher’s Page.
‘Historical Works of Sir James Balfour’, James Haig (1824), Volume 2, Publisher’s Page.
‘Historical Works of Sir James Balfour’, James Haig (1824), Volume 3, Publisher’s Page.
‘Historical Works of Sir James Balfour’, James Haig (1824), Volume 1, Dedication.
