The volume is entitled ‘Staite Bussines for the yeir 1616. Reg. Jacobo 6’, and is marked ‘A.2.44’ and ’39 Denmilne’.

Many letters are to John Murray, and a number concern James Haig of Bemersyde`s indictment of his brother.

The contents are as follows.

(i) Letter of Oliphant to John Murray of Lochmaben on the private business of the former. Dated Edinburgh, 6 January 1616.

(ii) Holograph letter of Sir Gideon Murray to John Murray of Lochmaben requesting the latter to prevail with James VI to clear the former of having two years earlier prejudiced the King against the Earl of Dunfermline, Lord Chancellor of Scotland. Sir Gideon states that the real author of the reports against Dunfermline was ‘Archibald Campbell’. Dated Edinburgh, 5 January 1616.

(iii) Letter of Anna, Countess of Eglinton to her ‘very loving brother’, John Murray of Lochmaben, in favour of her ‘brother’. The Countess was a daughter of the Earl of Linlithgow, and her relationship to John Murray does not appear from the ‘Peerage of Scotland’. Dated Seton, January 1616.

(iv) Letter of Douglas of Drumlanrig to John Murray as to ‘that wild and barbarous villane’ committed in the slaying of some sheep belonging to Douglas. Douglas calls Murray ‘his loving brother’. Dated Edinburgh, 6 January 1616. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 278.

(v) Holograph letter of the Earl of Erroll to John Murray, thanking Murray for his services to his son. Dated Errol, 12 January 1616. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 286.

(vi) Holograph letter of Sir Gideon Murray to John Murray in favour of the Laird of Caddell (Campbell of Calder), then on his way to Court. Dated Edinburgh, 13 January 1616.

(vii) Holograph letter of Sir Gideon Murray to John Murray, in favour of the Earl of Argyll, then about to proceed to Court after suppressing the rebellion in the Isles; and, also in favour of Archibald Campbell and of Lord Ochiltree. Dated Edinburgh 6 January 1616.

(viii) Holograph letter of the Earl of Tullibardine to [John Murray], on the private affairs of the Earl. Dated Edinburgh, 6 January 1616. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 280.

(ix) Holograph letter of Sir Gideon Murray to John Murray, in favour of ‘our cusing’ the Master of Work. Dated Edinburgh, 4 January 1616.

(x) Letter of Francis Stewart to John Murray, soliciting his interest with James VI for a favourable answer to the ‘most equitable and humble petition’ of the writer, lately forwarded by the Privy Council of Scotland. Dated Seton, 8 January 1616. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 282.

(xi) Holograph letter of the Earl of Eglinton to his ‘loving brother’ John Murray, concerning the Earl’s private affairs, and making interest for his “sister’s husband”. Dated Seton, 8 January 1616.

(xii) Holograph letter, [1622], of Viscount Stormont to the Viscount of Annand (formerly John Murray), congratulating the latter in his preferment. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 354.

(xiii) Letter of Lord Lothian to James VI, concerning certain proceedings between Lothian and ‘Johnstounburne’, connected with the forfeited lands of the latter. Dated Newbattle, 10 April 1616. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 291.

(xiv) Statement, [April 1616], signed ‘James Haig’ [of Bemersyde] to James VI, concerning an accusation made by Haig against his brother. Printed in ‘The Haigs of Bemersyde’ by John Russell (Edinburgh, 1881), page 137.

(xv) Latin epigram, [1616], (in four lines) sent by the Laid of Bemersyde to James VI. Printed in ‘The Haigs of Bemersyde’ by John Russell (Edinburgh, 1881), page 135.

(xvi) Holograph letter of James Haig of Bemersyde to James VI, written while in custody. (Dated London, 14 May [1616]. Printed in ‘The Haigs of Bemersyde’ by John Russell (Edinburgh, 1881), page 148.

(xvii) Letter of Francis Stewart to James VI, thanking him for favours conferred. Dated Seton, 26 May 1616. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 294.

(xviii) Holograph letter, [April 1616], of Lord Melville to James VI, returning thanks for being created a Baron. Printed in ‘Letters and state papers of James VI’ (Abbotsford Club, 1838), page 293.

(xix) Holograph letter of Sir George Hay to James VI concerning Thomas Ker. Dated London, 2 May 1616. Printed in ‘The Haigs of Bemersyde’ by John Russell (Edinburgh, 1881), page 146.

(xx) Supplementary deposition of Henrie Jaffraye, Frenchman, of James Haig of Bemersyde, and of William Haig, concerning an accusation made by James against his brother William. See also (xiv) and (xvi). Thomas Ker, mentioned in (xix), was a witness in this affair, which had reference to the death of Prince Henry. Dated Edinburgh, 19 June 1616. Printed in ‘The Haigs of Bemersyde’ by John Russell (Edinburgh, 1881), page 151.

(xxi) Holograph letter of Sir Gideon Murray to John Murray, concerning the matter between the Lord of Buccleuch and Robin Elliot. Dated Edinburgh, 2 June 1616.

(xxii) Holograph letter of the Earl of Erroll to James VI thanking him for what he had done in a feud between the Hays and the Gordons. Dated Logiealmond, 20 June 1616.

(xxiii) Holograph letter of Lord Berriedale to John Murray, concerning the burning of the barnyard of Sandside of which Berriedale was suspected to be cognizant. He had consequently been committed to prison by the Privy Council of Scotland. Dated Edinburgh, 2 August 1616.

(xxiv) Holograph letter of the Earl of Erroll to James VI, thanking him for his care in settling the feud between the Hays and the Gordons. Dated Erroll, 13 August 1616.

(xxv) Letter, 28 August 1616, of the Earl of Dunfermline, Lord Chancellor of Scotland and Lord Binning, President of the Court of Session, to James VI, concerning the affair of the Laid of Bemersyde and his brother. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 260; and in ‘The Haigs of Bemersyde’ by John Russell (Edinburgh, 1881), page 169.

(xxvi) Additional depositions of James Haig of Bemersyde, William Haig and others, taken before the Lord Chancellor of Scotland and the President of the Court of Session. Dated Edinburgh, 27 August 1616.

(xxvii) Letter of the Earl of Wigtown to James VI, desiring the nomination of his son to take his place as a Scottish Privy Councillor. Dated Cumbernauld, 29 August 1616.

(xxviii) Petition, [August 1616], of William, Lord Berriedale to James VI. See also (xxiii).

(xxix) Holograph letter of William Haig, brother of James Haig of Bemersyde, to the Earl of Dunfermline. Dated [Edinburgh] Tolbooth, 2 August 1616. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 255; and in ‘The Haigs of Bemersyde’ by John Russell (Edinburgh, 1881), page 155.

(xxx) Long exculpatory letter of William Haig to James VI. Dated [Edinburgh] Tolbooth, 5 August 1616. Printed in ‘The Haigs of Bemersyde’ by John Russell (Edinburgh, 1881), page 157.

(xxxi) Answers, [1615], of the western burghs by advice of the Lairds of Lundie and Caddell (Campbells), to a letter written to these burghs for their advice as to the suppression of the rebellion and piratical practices of Coill Mcillespie Mcdonald and his associates. For another copy see MS.Adv.33.1.1, volume 14, (lxiv).

(xxxiA) Advice, [1615], to the Privy Council of Scotland, on the suppression of the rebellion. For another copy see Adv.MS.33.1.1, volume 14, (lxiii).

(xxxii) Holograph letter of Sir Gideon Murray to his nephew Patrick Hamilton at Court, concerning an alleged claim against James VI by one James Gairdner for £1400 or £1500; and also concerning the office of Comptroller of the Ordinance in Scotland claimed by the Laird of Gairdner. Dated Kinnard, 22 August 1616. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 259.

(xxxiii) Letter of J Fleming, son of the Earl of Wigtown, to John Murray, thanking the latter for favours. See (xxvii). Dated Edinburgh, 29 August 1616.

(xxxiv) Memoranda, 28 August 1616, of Privy Council of Scotland proceedings in Scottish affairs, particularly concerning: the Laird of Gight and other Gordons charged with the slaughter of the late Francis Hay; the Earl of Caithness and his Lady, charged with resetting Catholics; the rouping of the wine customs and import; the Laird of Closeburn; the mending of the Highways and passages; the Romanies; Commissioners for trying the resetters of the rebellious islanders; and, 31 August 1616, the rouping of the customs, when an increase of twenty thousand pounds on this branch of the revenue was obtained.

(xxxv) Scroll of a Royal letter, [May 1615], to the Privy Council of Scotland authorising a monopoly of the ‘whale fishing on the coasts and isles of that our Kingdom’ to be granted to Sir George Hay and Thomas Murray who had at their own expense fitted out two ships in ‘November last’ and manned them with Biscayan fishermen. See also ‘Register of the Privy Council of Scotland’, volume x, page 330.

(xxxvi) Memoranda, 18 September 1616, of Privy Council of Scotland proceedings concerning: the dispute between Lord Sanquhar and William Crichton; a licence to the Islanders to use fire arms for their recreation within a mile of their own dwellings; a lease of the mines in Crawford Muir to Mr Acheson; a discussion as to a monopoly for making red herring; the creation of Lord Roxburgh to be an Earl; and, the Laird of Closeburn and his son.

(xxxvii) Holograph letter of John Wemyss to John Murray, begging the latter to get James VI to read the former’s ‘little treatise‘, and seeking promotion after ‘his disappoyntment’. Dated St. Andrews, 18 September 1616. Printed in ‘Original letters relating to the Ecclesiastical affairs of Scotland’ (Bannatyne Club, 1851), volume ii, page 494.

(xxxviii) This number has not been used.

(xxxix) Letter of the Privy Council of Scotland to James VI, against the patent sought by Robert Hay for making red herring. Dated Edinburgh, 9 October 1616. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 262.

(xl) Letter of the Privy Council of Scotland to James VI, concerning the dispute between Lord Sanquhar and William Crichton. Dated Edinburgh, 9 October 1616. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 264.

(xli) Memoranda, 9 October 1616, of Privy Council of Scotland proceedings, concerning: the Laird of Closeburn and his son; the Lindsays of Fairgirth and Auchenskeoch; a feud between the Scots of Boniton and Harden.

(xlii) Additional deposition of James Haig of Bemersyde in reference to the charge against his brother. Dated Edinburgh, 25 December 1616. See also ‘The Haigs of Bemersyde’ by John Russell (Edinburgh, 1881), page 170.

(xliii) Extract deposition of Alexander Cuik, Sherriff Clerk of Berwick, in reference to a charge of neglect of his duty as a notary, made against him. Dated Edinburgh, 20 December 1616.

(xliv) Letter of the Privy Council of Scotland to James VI, concerning the King’s intended visit to Scotland. Dated Edinburgh, 20 December 1616. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 265.

(xlv) Holograph letter of Lord Binning to James VI, concerning the King’s visit to Scotland and the Sherriffship of Berwickshire. Dated Edinburgh, 20 December 1616. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 267.

(xlvi) Letter of the Privy Council of Scotland to James VI concerning a question between the Archbishop of St. Andrews and the Earl of Mar, as Governor of Edinburgh Castle. Dated Edinburgh, 20 December 1616. Printed in ‘Melros papers’ (Abbotsford Club, 1837), volume i, page 269.