The chronology of events was finally transcribed at the end of the 15th century. The codex which was created, kept in the cantonal archives in the town of Sarnen, is bound in expensive white parchment, hence its name.

Compiled by the scriveners of the Obwalden chancellery, it is a collection of official documents, including treaties mentioning alliances between the cantons of the Old Confederation.

Many of the original documents they copied have been lost, making the book of great historical importance. Among the narrated events narrated are those relating to William Tell. Generations of historians and scholars have referred to this manuscript while trying to establish the origins of the Confederation.

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