The contents are as follows.

(i) 'Memorial concerning who is the Chief of the Clan Macdonald', a copy (watermark 1813) of a memorial, circa 1670, maintaining the claim of Sir James Macdonald, 2nd Baronet of Sleat. (Folio 1.)

(ii) 'A Godly Dream, compyled by Elizabeth Melvill, Lady Culross, Younger [i.e., Elizabeth Colville, of Culross], at the request of a friend ... 1686', a copy probably made in the eighteenth century, with modernization of old Scots words. For a list of printed editions, see David Laing, ‘Early metrical tales’ (Edinburgh, 1826), pages xxxiv-xxxvi. ‘Archaeologia Scotia’, volume iii, appendix, page 36. (Folio 10.)

(iii) 'Banff-shire. Etymologies of names from the British and the Galic.' From the watermark (1798) and the names of parish ministers cited, it must have been written about 1798. (Folio 23.)

(iv) 'Dissertation on the cry of the Maskers at Christmas, or Yule. By John Callander Esq. of Craigforth', in the hand of Sir George Steuart Mackenzie, Baronet. Published in ‘Archaeologia Scotia’, volume ii, part 1. (Folio 73.)