The contents of the volume are as follows:

(i) Notes of decisions of the Court of Session, 1714-1721. (Folio 1.)

(ii) Copies, early 18th century, of letters of and to George Buchanan, 1573-1581, and undated, with notes on others of his letters, mostly in Thomas Ruddiman`s hand; these are Epistolae XXVII, XV, XII, XXXI, XXIV, XL, XXXVII in Ruddiman`s edition of Buchanan`s Works, and Ruddiman`s introductory notes to Epistolae XI, XVI, VIII, XII, XX, XXVIII, XXXI, XXXIV, XXIV. The originals of XXXVII and XL are at Adv.MS.15.1.6, folios 46, 51. (Folio 27.)

(iii) Note, 18th century, on the relationship between Ruddiman and Walter Goodall, Assistant Keeper of the Advocates` Library; see also Ch.A.129. (Folio 35.)

(iv) ‘List of books proposed to be bought for the Library of the Faculty of Advocates.` A printed list of books on English Law, the latest date of publication being 1756. (Folio 36.)

(v) `A List of the Valuea[ ].ts of the Shire of East Lothian from 100 £ Scots and upwards with a Calculation of 1¾ P.C. to raise a sum of 220 £ Ac[?] for the Building a New Prison House in Hadingtoun`, 17th century, pasted on to a larger sheet, on which are written the accounts of Haddington Church repairs, 1810-1811. (Folio 37.)

(vi) Letter, 1811, of Alexander Murray, Professor of Oriental Languages at Edinburgh, to Alexander Manners, the Edinburgh bookseller, enclosing a copy and translation of a letter of Walda Selasse, Ras of Tigre in Abyssinia, to George III. For another copy of the translation in Murray`s autograph see Adv.MS.5.1.16, and for a later copy in the hand of George Munro see MS.681, folio 350. (Folio 39.)

(vii) Five short poems in French (2 copies of one), in different hands, author unknown, 18th century. (Folio 42.)

(viii) An alphabetical list, ?early 17th century, of legal terms, perhaps an unfinished index to a book such as Balfour`s ‘Practicks’. (Folio 51.)

(ix) Genealogical notes and tables compiled by Robert Beatson, circa 1800. The families concerned are Douglas of Fechil; Erskine, Earls of Kellie; FitzGerald, Dukes of Leinster; Hamilton, Lords Belhaven; Keith, Viscount Keith; Kennedy, Earls of Cassilis; Turnour, Earls Winterton. Other collections by Beatson are Adv.MSS.33.5.9-33.5.10, 34.3.21. (Folio 57.)

(x) `Notes Shewing how the present Baronets of Pitsligo, and also, how Forbes of Boyndlie, are related to the Lord Pitsligo family`, “Notes regarding the Forbes`es of Ladyford”, and “Notes regarding the Forbes`es of Boyndlie”, the latter incomplete (2 copies, with slight variations), 19th century. (Folio 88.)

(xi) Note, 18th century, on the nature of mind, in Latin. (Folio 91.)

(xii) Copy of a letter, 1824, of James Taylor, the engineer, to Sir Henry Parnell, concerning steam-boats. The original is MS.350, folio 5. (Folio 92.)

(xiii) Letter, 1912, of the Reverend Robert G Rodger to James R N Macphail. (Folio 102.)