[1] Scott's main sources for The Fortunes of Nigel were Jacobean dramas and other imaginative literature of the period, but he was also well acquainted with other contemporaneous publications and more recent studies.

The richness of Scott's treatment of the age is also a result in part of another, more extensive editorial project, his collection known as Somers' Tracts, which had appeared in 13 volumes between 1809 and 1815.

There is no reason to think that Scott was involved with the novel again until the late summer of 1830, when he revised the text and provided new notes and an introduction for the 'Magnum' edition, in which it appeared as Volumes 26 and 27 in July and August 1831.

A young Scottish nobleman, Nigel Olifaunt, Lord Glenvarloch, travels to London in order to ask the King to repay his father's loan.

The two apprentices had run off to join in a street fray, and the goldsmith George Heriot was gossiping with Ramsay, when they brought in a fellow named Richie Moniplies with a broken head and very tattered garments.

His wound having been dressed, he explained that he had come to London with his master Nigel Olifaunt to obtain payment of a debt owing to him by the king, and had been set upon as a stranger.

Next morning Nigel received a visit, at his lodging with the chandler and his wife, from the goldsmith, who had known his father, and, having warned him that his estate was in danger, lent him money to appear in proper attire in Court.

Heriot proceeded to Whitehall, and, having presented the young lord's petition, King James authorised him to advance part of the sum due, and promised to interest himself in his affairs.

Dining with him the same day at the goldsmith's, in company with her father and Sir Mungo, Margaret lost her heart to Nigel, and employed Dame Ursula, the barber's wife, to ascertain all particulars respecting him.

On hearing of Nigel's trouble Margaret sought an interview with Lady Hermione, who occupied a suite of apartments in Heriot's mansion, and, having revealed her secret, was supplied with money to help him, being told at the same time by her confidant of the ill usage she had suffered from Lord Dalgarno.

Vincent, who was in love with his master's daughter, and had been encouraged by Dame Ursula in extravagant habits, was now engaged by her to act as his rival's guide in effecting his escape from London.

The same night old Trapbois was murdered by two ruffians who came to rob him; and, just as he had rescued the daughter, whom the bailiff Hildebrod had advised him to marry, Nigel was accosted by the apprentice, dressed as a waterman, from whom he learnt that a warrant had been issued for his apprehension, and that a boat was in readiness for him to give the king's officers the slip.

Having landed his companion at Paul's Wharf, where she was taken charge of by Moniplies, Nigel insisted on disembarking at Greenwich, instead of joining a Scotch vessel which was waiting for him at Gravesend; and having made his way to the park, he attended the king while he killed a deer, when he was recognised and consigned to the Tower.

Presently Margaret, dressed as a boy, was shown into the same room; then the chandler came to claim his wife, whom he accused Nigel of having carried off; and, after he had dined, his friend Heriot arrived to reproach him with the position in which he had placed himself.

One of her acts had been to present a petition to the king from Lady Hermione, on reading which he had commanded that Lord Dalgarno should instantly marry her; and another to offer such explanations respecting Nigel as induced his Majesty to pardon him.

The next day he was shot in Enfield Chase, where Captain Colepepper had planned to waylay him, as he was waiting, in company with Dame Nelly, and a page in charge of the treasure, to fight a duel with Nigel.

Vincent and Lowestoffe, however, arrived in time to put two of the robbers to flight, while Moniplies killed the captain, who was suspected of having murdered Trapbois, and Christie recovered his wife.

Nigel and Margaret were soon afterwards married; and as King James was honouring the feast with his presence, Richie presented Martha as his bride, who, at the same time, handed to the preserver of her life the deeds of the Glenvarloch estates, which she had freed from all liabilities, and the royal sign-manual which had been found among her father's papers.

Principal characters in bold Introductory Epistle: Captain Clutterbuck of Kennaquhair tells Dr Dryasdust of York of his conversation with the Author of Waverley, in which the novelist defended his manner of composition.

1: In the City of London the watchmaker David Ramsay's apprentices, Jenkin Vincent (Jin Vin) and Frank Tunstall, accost passers-by, including a down-at-heel Scot [Richie Moniplies].

Richie arrives and tells of his unsuccessful attempt to present Nigel's supplication to King James for the repayment of large sums advanced by his father to the monarch.

Heriot tells Nigel that his attempt to secure a financial settlement is powerfully opposed at Court; he promises to find an opportunity of presenting his supplication, and lends him gold.

6: At Heriot's dinner, where Nigel meets Sir Mungo Malagrowther, the salver is returned by orders of the Duke of Buckingham, with contempt.

7: A mysterious lady [Hermione] appears at Heriot's family prayers; Richie tells Nigel that she is popularly held to be a spirit.

10: Heriot and Huntinglen arrange for a scrivener [Andrew Skurliewhitter] to draw up legal documents to enable Nigel to obtain funds in London to redeem the mortgage on his estate pending the compliance with the King's sign manual, or warrant, by the Scottish Exchequer.

9 (20): Hermione, who is related to the Glenvarlochs on her mother's side, tells Margaret her story: the man who had subjected her to a false marriage in Spain had tried to pass her on to a friend.

3 (27): Nigel asks the waterman Jack in the Green [Jin Vin] to be put ashore at Greenwich, where Linklater, the royal cook and Richie's acquaintance, admits him to the park.

6 (30): After Heriot has left the Tower, Sir Mungo (who had alerted him to his daughter's adventure) talks Nigel through the punishment of amputation due for drawing his rapier in the royal precincts.

Although the novel's antiquarian basis was evident, and this was seen to result in a lack of warmth, the picture of the age was highly praised, Alsatia being found particularly striking.

Margaret and Martha struck several reviewers as being of unusual interest, but Hermione was generally judged a mistake and several critics were concerned at Nigel's moral weakness.