The contents of the manuscript are as follows:

(i) Letters to Sir William Elphinstone, King`s Cupbearer, 1618-1619 (folio 1).

(ii) Letters to James Douglas of Cliftonhall on financial matters, 1653, 1662 (folio 5).

(iii) Letter to Sir John Chieslie, Commissioner of Scotland, from his nephew, 1674 (folio 9).

(iv) Letters to John Cunningham of Enterkin, Writer to the Signet, chiefly on legal matters concerning the different branches of the Cunningham family, 1673-1693, and undated. A letter of the Earl of Glencairn (folio 20) has been published by James Maidment in ‘Analecta Scotica’, 1st Series, page 342 (folio 10).

(v) Letters of the Earl of Kincardine to his son, Lord Charles Bruce, advising him on life at the French court, 1678-1679. See ‘The Spottiswoode Miscellany’, ii, pages 219-224, and ‘Analecta Scotica’, 2nd Series (1837), page 61 (folio 49).

(vi) Declaration concerning the health of Andrew Boswell of Balmuto, 1681 (folio 57).

(vii) Muster-roll of the Duke of Buccleuch`s Foot, 1673 (folio 59).

(viii) Orders for payment in favour of Robert Martin, Clerk to the Criminal Court, 1681 (folio 60).

(ix) Letters to members of the Oswald family of Fingaltoun, 1686-1725. Some are addressed to Sir James Oswald in his capacity of General Receiver of Supply and Excise. For a letter of Lord Beilhaven (folio 69), see ‘Analecta Scotica’, 1st Series, page 392. (folio 62).

(x) Letters to William and Patrick Craw of Haughhead, 1659-1696. The letters of Francis Craw, an apprentice in Danzig, are printed in ‘The Scots in Germany’, pages 250-255 (folio 114).

(xi) Letters to Johann Friedrich von Bassen, genealogist, 1683-1686 (folio 125).

(xii) Letters to various correspondents, 1685-1724, and undated. Most of these concern James Anderson, Writer to the Signet, the genealogist, and either are financial in nature, concerning his clients and others, or relate to his genealogical work. The petition of Captain John Slezer (folio 198) is printed in ‘The Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland’, ix, Appendix, page 99, and the list of Robert Ferguson`s works (folio 202) in ‘Analecta Scotica’, 1st Series, page 201 (folio 138).