Dating: Scott reportedly began work on Waverley in 1805, but laid the manuscript aside. It is said that he took it back up in September, 1810, but that he again laid it aside until the autumn of 1813. He resumed work on the novel late in 1813 and, according to J. G. Lockhart, the manuscript was completed over the Christmas vacation of 1813-1814. Some scholars (including Claire Lamont (1981) and Jane Millgate (1984)) have suggested that Scott did not begin working on Waverley until 1810.
Docketed on the verso of p. 13 "A Portion of the original MS of Waverley presented to R. Cadell by Mr. John Ballantyne when he resided at [illeg.]."
Preceded by a note on Abbotsford stationery "Waverley (Fragments) The opening chapter written "about 1805" laid aside - Resumed 1810 - Published July 1814."
Watermarks: 1805 (p. 1 of the manuscript) and 1813 (p. 2, 4, 6, etc.).
When purchased by Pierpont Morgan, this manuscript was bound with the autograph manuscripts of Ivanhoe (MA 440) and The Bridal of Triermain (MA 451) in brown leather stamped in gilt with a coat of arms with a stag and the word "Vigilantia" (Cadell's crest). This volume was disbound in 1931; Ivanhoe was put into a green morocco gilt binding by Rivière; Waverley was bound in brown half leather over brown cloth covered boards; The Bridal of Triermain was returned to the original binding.