World’s earliest record of the F-word is discovered in manuscript written by bored Scottish student in 1568 locked away in the vault of the National Library of Scotland
- Earliest written use of the F-word dates back to a 500-year-old manuscript
- Uni student wrote the manuscript as plague locked down his Edinburgh home
- It was shown from the National Library of Scotland for a BBC documentary
By LUKE MAY
The world’s earliest recorded use of the F-word lies in a Scottish manuscript penned by a bored student who was in lockdown due to the plague.
A documentary airing on Tuesday will show off the Bannatyne Manuscript, which dates back to 1568 and is kept under lock and key in the National Library of Scotland.
Scotland – Contains Strong Language will see singer Cora Bissett take a tour of her country and find out more about Scotland’s relationship with swearing.