more recent scholarship on the bannatyne manuscript suggests an earlier date of 1565 for its composition. 9a. a. macdonald, 'the bannatyne manuscript: a marian anthology', "ir" xxxvii (1986), 36-47) demonstrate this and michael lynch points out that its compilation at this time was appropriate given that it contains a great deal of love poetry and was put together at the time of the royal marriage between mary i and lord darnley.lynch, m. a new history of scotland, pimlico, 1991, p213.