The volume is entitled ‘Staite bussines for the yeir 1615. Reg. Ja. 6’, and is marked ‘A.2.43’ and ’40 Denmilme’.

Many of the letters are to John Murray. Subjects include foreign trade, the Isles, and Ireland.

The contents are as follows.

(i) Letter of Sir Rory McLeod of Harris to James VI, on the subject of the former’s claims to Sleat, North Uist and other lands disputed between him and Donald Gorme of Sleat. The signature is in the Gaelic character. Dated Edinburgh, 7 January 1615. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 245.

(ii) Memoranda, 24 January 1615, of Privy Council of Scotland proceedings concerning: the ‘Bushes fisheing’; and the difference between the Lord of Scone and Andro Henderson. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 254.

(iii) Letter of the Privy Council of Scotland to James VI objecting to a signature in favour of Sir John Lindsay of the Bath, Knight, of “the Keeping of the Moore of Moorerowmond and preserving of his Majesty’s game theirin” as being in an unusual form. Dated Edinburgh, 28 January 1615. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 196.

(iv) Letter of James VI to the Lord Chancellor of Scotland and the Senators of the College of Justice requiring a report from a Commission formerly appointed to survey the ‘Coilheuchs’ within the Kingdom of Scotland, with reference to the exportation of coals. Dated Newmercat, 3 December 1615. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 269.

(v) Holograph letter of the Earl of Tullibardine to John Murray of Lochmaben, concerning the Earl’s private affairs and his embarrassments. Dated Edinburgh, 29 January 1615.

(vi) Holograph letter of the Earl of Dunfermline to John Murray of Lochmaben. Dated Edinburgh 28 January 1615. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 256.

(vii) Holograph letter of Lord Crichton of Sanquhar to John Murray concerning the illegitimate son of the late Lord Sanquhar, and his own affairs. Dated Edinburgh, 10 January [1616]. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 283.

(viii) Holograph letter, 25 January [?1615], of Hugh Montgomery to John Murray, concerning the affairs of the former in connection with the Irish plantation. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 250.

(ix) Holograph letter of Lord Sanquhar to John Murray, concerning Sanquhar’s affairs. Dated Edinburgh, 1 February [?1615]. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 257.

(x) This number has not been used.

(xi) Holograph letter of William Murray to John Murray exculpating himself from a charge made against him to the King, of remissness in church discipline. Dated Edinburgh, 6 January 1615. Printed in ‘Original letters relating to the Ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland’ (Bannatyne Club, 1851), volume ii, page 405.

(xii) Holograph letter of the Earl of Dunfermline to John Murray of the King’s bedchamber; complimentary and quite general in nature. Dated Edinburgh, 13 January 1615.

(xiii) Holograph letter of Sir Andrew Murray of Balvaird to John Murray, concerning the Bishop of St. Andrews, who now employed the ‘good man of Menstrie’ to manage the correspondence of the Scottish bishops at Court, a duty formerly discharged by John Murray. Balvaird also presses Murray to take immediate steps for having the Palace of Falkland repaired. Dated Edinburgh, 31 January 1615. Printed in ‘Original letters relating to the Ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland’ (Bannatyne Club, 1851), volume ii, page 418; and in ‘Analecta Scotica’ edited by James Maidment (2nd series), page 64.

(xiv) Holograph letter of Sir John Cockburn, Lord Ormiston to James VI asking for the gift of the ward of his grandson, the eldest son of the late Lord Sinclair; also concerning the state as to property of the house of Lord Sinclair. Dated Edinburgh, 3 February 1615. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 260.

(xv) Holograph letter, [?1615], of Eleanor Hay to James VI, complaining of the rigorous proceedings of the Clergy, contrary to the act set down in the last assembly “holden at Holyroodhouse in your Majesty’s presence”. Printed in ‘Original letters relating to the Ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland’ (Bannatyne Club, 1851), volume ii, page 464.

(xvi) A French paper, being an act of the Court of Parliament at Rouen, in a suit at the instance of ‘Jehan Pul’ (i.e. Poole) ‘Marchand Escossoys’. The paper is marked on the back “Concerning traffiquing in stranger’s bottoms” [i.e. foreign vessels]. Dated Rouen, 27 June 1617.

(xvii) ‘Reasonis for the Borrowis of the Kingdome of Scotland Quhairfoir thair libertie aucht not to be restrayned in the frauchting of foraine schippis and Boddomis for transporting of thair guidis to and fra the said Kingdome’, [?1617]. The manuscript has some damage. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 243.

(xviii) Holograph letter, [1617], of ‘I. Turners’ to William Nisbet, Lord Provost of Edinburgh, advertising him, at the request of James Maill, merchant of Deippe, of the repealing of the act of the Court of Parliament (at Rouen?) against the exportation of French goods in foreign bottoms, in so far as concerns Scotland; provided that in three months a certificate from the Lord Provost of Edinburgh and the Admiralty of Scotland be produced to the Court of Parliament, that there is no restriction on foreign vessels trading in Scotland.

The proceedings detailed in (xvi)-(xviii) arose out of an English Act of Parliament against exporting in foreign bottoms which the French at first held as embracing Scotland.

(xix) Scroll proclamation, undated, against forestalling the corn and victual markets in Scotland.

(xx) Information, [?1618], by Lord Gordon and James Mowat to James VI concerning Sir Lachlan Macintosh’s opposition to Gordon in the matter of the teinds of Culloden. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 264.

(xxi) This number has not been used.

(xxii) Letter of Lord Binning and Sir Gideon Murray to James VI, concerning a transaction with ‘the Sherriff of the Forest’ as to the renunciation of his heritable office; also concerning a remission to Coll Makgillespick; and, Alex of Jura and Colansay. Dated Edinburgh, 18 March [?1615]. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 203.

(xxiii) Holograph letter of the Earl of Dunfermline to James VI exculpating himself from a charge of unworthy dealing with a certain George Graham, who had been employed by him to obtain the liberation of the hostages taken from the Bishop of the Isles by the rebels of Islay; also thanking the King for the favour shown to the Earl of Eglinton. Dated Edinburgh, 16 March 1615.

(xxiv) Holograph letter, [1615], of the Earl of Eglinton to James VI, concerning a dispute between the Earl and James Cunningham of Aikett as to the teinds of the Kirk of Dunlop. Printed in ‘Original letters relating to the Ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland’ (Bannatyne Club, 1851), volume ii, page 444.

(xxv) Holograph letter of Lord Binning to James VI, on the news of the Queen’s death; concerning supposed hostile intentions of the Spaniards; and, the Priory of Haddington. Dated Edinburgh, 8 March [1619]. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume ii, page 324.

(xxvi) Articles of agreement, [1620], set down by James VI and agreed to by James, Earl of Hume and the Countess of Hume, his mother, on the one part, and John Stewart son to Frances, Commendator of Coldingham and sometime Earl of Bothwell on the other part, concerning the Abbacy of Coldingham. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 324.

(xxvii) Holograph letter of Sir Thomas Hamilton to James VI, reporting the proceedings of the Privy Council of Scotland in various matters, including: the Laird of Kelwood and the Earl of Cassilis; ports for the passage between Scotland and Ireland; the appointment of Sheriffs; grants to Edinburgh and to Bernard Lindsay of an import on wine; Lords Torthoral and Ochiltree; and, the execution of Neill Macleod. Dated Edinburgh, 7 April [1613]. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 103.

(xxviii) Copy of (i), a letter of Sir Rory McLeod of Harris to James VI. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 245.

(xxix) Letter, [?1615], of the Earl of Crawford and Lord Spynie concerning the excommunication of the Laird of Edzell. Printed in ‘Original letters relating to the Ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland’ (Bannatyne Club, 1851), volume ii, page 465; and in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 276.

(xxx) Holograph letter of the Earl of Dunfermline to Lord Fenton, concerning a riot in Burntisland; also, the reports of Dunfermline’s dealings with George Graham – see (xxiii). Dated Edinburgh, 30 April 1615. Printed in ‘Original letters relating to the Ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland’ (Bannatyne Club, 1851), volume ii, page 433; and in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume ii, page 207.

(xxxi) Holograph letter of the Earl of Caithness to James VI, concerning the threatened excommunication of the Countess of Caithness for resetting Catholics. Dated Edinburgh, 27 April 1615. Printed in ‘Original letters relating to the Ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland’ (Bannatyne Club, 1851), volume i, page 432.

(xxxii) Letter of the Privy Council of Scotland to James VI concerning a lawsuit between Kennedy of Bargany and Stewart of Traquair. Dated Edinburgh, 3 April 1615. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 205.

(xxxiii) Proceedings, ?1608, in the Commissary Court in a declaration of marriage by Jeane Monypenny against Thomas Crichton.

(xxxiv) Holograph letter of Lord Spynie to James VI concerning a lawsuit between the former and Alexander, Bishop of Murray. Dated St. Andrews, 26 May 1615. Printed in ‘Original letters relating to the Ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland’ (Bannatyne Club, 1851), volume ii, page 439.

(xxxv) Letter, 7 May 1615, of ‘Jane Drummond’, Lady Roxburgh, to her husband, by desire of the Queen, in favour of Sir Robert Stewart of Traquair.

(xxxvi) Letter of the Earls of Morton and Kinghorne to James VI concerning the lawsuit between Lord Spynie and the Bishop of Murray. Dated Glamis, 28 May 1615. Printed in ‘Original letters relating to the Ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland’ (Bannatyne Club, 1851), volume ii, page 441.

(xxxvii) Memoranda of Privy Council of Scotland proceedings concerning: disputes between the Scottish and English fishermen in the River Tweed; a riot at Perth between the Lairds of Cuthmalundie and Monivaird, in which the latter was slain; the transport of commodities in ‘contrie’(?) bottoms; the plantation of churches; and a ridiculous alarm caused in Fife by the Dutch fishing fleet being mistaken for a Spanish expedition. Dated Edinburgh, 26 June [1618].

(xxxviii) Declaration of James Moffat, a Jesuit, on his examination by the Archbishop of Glasgow and some of the officers of state. Dated Edinburgh, 16 June 1615. Printed in ‘Original letters relating to the Ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland’ (Bannatyne Club, 1851), volume ii, page 446.

(xxxix) Letter of the Privy Council of Scotland to James VI concerning: the surprise of the Castle of Dunyvaig in Islay by Sir James Macdonald; and the necessary measures for suppressing the rebellion in the Isles. Dated Edinburgh, 30 June 1615. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 222.

(xl) Memoranda of Privy Council of Scotland proceedings concerning: a ship of Montrose then lying at Dunbar, having lately arrived from Norway with the plague on board; the permanent sittings of the Council to be at Holyrood; the controversy about ‘foreign bottoms’; and, some proceedings against Gordon of Gight and his son for violent and illegal conduct. Dated Edinburgh, 17 June [1618].

(xli) Memoranda of Privy Council of Scotland proceedings in various matters. Dated Edinburgh, 14 July [?1613].

(xlii) Holograph letter of Lord Binning to James VI as to the proceedings of the Privy Council of Scotland in various matters, particularly concerning: ‘one of the waughters’ which had anchored in the roads of Montrose; the plantation of churches; and, the Laird of Gight. Dated Edinburgh, 21 August [?1616]. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 256.

(xliii) Holograph letter of Lord Binning to his friend James Douglas at Court, concerning ‘a hand’ found in the byre of John Kennedy, notary in Galloway. Dated Edinburgh, 30 September [?1618]. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 317.

(xliv) Holograph letter of Sir Alexander Hay, Clerk Register, to James VI, on various matters of state, particularly a draught of a new confession of faith. Dated Edinburgh, 4 July [1612]. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 213; and in ‘Original letters relating to the Ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland’ (Bannatyne Club, 1851), volume i, page 293.

(xlv) Holograph letter of the Earl of Angus to James VI, concerning charges made against the Earl in matters of religion. Dated Douglas, 10 October 1615. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 266.

(xlvi) Letter of James VI to Lennox and the ‘Commissioners appointed for trial of the affairs concerning the Earl of Somerset’. Dated Newmarket, 14 December 1615.

(xlvii) Letter of William Cranstoun (of that ilk?) to John Murray of the King’s Bedchamber, on private affairs. Dated Cranstoun, 9 December 1615. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 270.

(xlviii) Holograph letter of Francis Stewart to John Murray of Lochmaben, on private affairs. Dated Seton, 1 December [?1615].

(xlix) Holograph letter of Sir Alexander Hay, Clerk Register, to John Murray of Lochmaben, concerning: the late rebellion in the Isles and the arrival of the Earl of Argyll in Edinburgh after the suppression of that rebellion; some disturbances in Caithness; the death of the Earl of Kinghorne; and, an economizing plan of the Exchequer. Dated Edinburgh, 21 December [1615]. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 273.

(l) Holograph letter of Sir Alexander Hay, Clerk Register, to John Murray of Lochmaben, originally enclosing the letter at (xlix). Dated Edinburgh, 21 December [1615]. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 275.

(li) Holograph letter of Sir Gideon Murray to John Murray of Lochmaben in favour of Sir Andrew Kerr. Dated Edinburgh, 4 December 1615.

(lii) Holograph letter of Sir Gideon Murray to John Murray of Lochmaben returning thanks to James VI for the gift of the composition for the ward and marriage of the Earl of Cassilis; and concerning: Archbishop Primrose; and Sir John Home of North Berwick and the Laird of Polwarth’s children. Dated Edinburgh, 15 December 1615.

(liii) Holograph letter, [?1615], of Hugh Montgomery to John Murray of Lochmaben on Irish affairs, particularly the progress of the ‘plantation’ of that country with ‘civill’ subjects.

(liv) Holograph letter, undated, of the Earl of Argyll to James VI concerning the King’s service in the Isles.

(lv) Holograph letter of Sir Gideon Murray to John Murray of Lochmaben concerning a dispute between the Duke of Buccleuch and Robin Elliot. Dated Edinburgh, 11 December 1615.

(lvi) Holograph letter of Sir Gideon Murray to John Murray of Lochmaben, on various matters and particularly concerning the ‘Ireische borrowes’. Dated Edinburgh, 30 December 1615.

(lvii) Holograph letter of Sir Gideon Murray to James VI, returning thanks for favours; and as to the payment of the King’s Scottish creditors. Dated Edinburgh, 15 December 1615.

(lviii) Holograph letter of the Duke of Buccleuch, chiefly concerning his dispute with Robin Elliot. Dated Edinburgh, 26 December 1615.

(lix) Holograph letter of the Duke of Buccleuch concerning his dispute with Robin Elliot. Dated Edinburgh, 9 December 1615. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 271.

(lx) Holograph letter, undated, of David Murray, Lord Scone to ‘my verray loving sone’ John Murray of Lochmaben.

(lxi) Holograph letter of John Hamilton, Keeper of Lincluden, to John Murray of Lochmaben, concerning the reset of Catholics by Hamilton in that house. Dated Dumfries, 10 December 1615.

(lxii) Holograph letter of Lord Binning to John Murray of Lochmaben chiefly on private matters. Dated Edinburgh, 29 January [1615]. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 198.

(lxiii) Holograph letter of Lord Binning to John Murray of Lochmaben on the latter’s private affairs. Dated Edinburgh, 31 December [?1615]. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 253.

(lxiv) This number has not been used.

(lxv) Holograph letter of the Earl of Dunfermline to John Murray of Lochmaben recommending to his notice a poor Englishman recently come from Ireland, who was making many complaints of abuses in that country. The last paragraph mentions the departure of the Earl of Argyll from Edinburgh to superintend the service in the Isles. Dated Dunfermline, 31 August 1615.

(lxvi) Holograph letter of the Earl of Dunfermline to John Murray, concerning the prisoners from Islay and a late discovery of ‘sum treacherie in mater of coine’. Dated Edinburgh, 24 February 1615. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 262.

(lxvii) Holograph letter of Lord Binning to John Murray on various matters, particularly the Earl of Tullibardine’s patent of precedence as Earl of Atholl. Dated Berwick, 9 January [?1616]. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 254.

(lxviii) Holograph memorandum, [?March 1615], marked on the back ‘private for yʳselff’, addressed by the Earl of Dunfermline to a friend at Court, probably John Murray, making interest for the Earl’s nephew. Evidently the memorandum refers to the Earldom of Eglinton. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 263.

(lxix) Holograph letter of Lord Binning to John Murray, concerning the private affairs of the latter. Dated Edinburgh, 17 December [?1614]. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 190.

(lxx) Holograph letter of the Earl of Dunfermline to John Murray concerning: the projected journey of the Earl to Court, delayed from various causes; the state of Scotland; and the health of Lady Eglinton. Dated Edinburgh, 24 November 1615. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 267.

(lxxi) Holograph letter of the Earl of Dunfermline to John Murray, mentioning the suppression of the rebellion in Islay. The letter also mentions the extraordinary stormy weather. Dated Edinburgh, 20 February 1615.

(lxxii) Holograph letter of Lord Binning to John Murray on the latter’s private affairs and, concerning a complaint intended to be made by Lady Broughton against the Laird of Lochinvar. Dated Edinburgh, 22 December [?1615]. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 250.

(lxxiii) Holograph letter of the Earl of Dunfermline to John Murray thanking him for his services in the Eglinton business and enclosing a letter to James VI exculpatory of the Earl in regard to the dealings of George Graham with the rebels of Islay. Dated Edinburgh, 16 March 1615. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 199.

(lxxiv) Holograph letter of Lord Binning to John Murray on the latter’s private affairs. Dated Edinburgh, 15 December [?1615]. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 249.

(lxxv) Holograph letter of the Earl of Dunfermline to John Murray concerning the business of George Graham and the riot at Burntisland. Dated Edinburgh, 30 April 1615.

(lxxvi) Holograph letter of the Earl of Melrose to John Murray, chiefly concerning the latter’s private affairs. Dated Edinburgh, 28 October [?1621]. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 432.