The papers, written in many different 18th-century hands, are very mixed and are quite brief. The largest groups are:

(i) part (pages 17-32) of a collection of transcripts, in the hand of one of Walter Macfarlane`s assistants, of documents relating to members of the family of Stirling of Keir (folios 23-30);

(ii) part of a collection of transcripts, in the hand of another of Macfarlane`s assistants, of royal and other letters to members of the family of Mure of Rowallan (folios 47-60). These are numbered from 1 to 47, the text breaking off partway through number 47: for the originals of many of these, and of a few others not amongst these transcripts, see Adv.MS.54.1.7. Two of these (number 39 at folio 58 verso and number 41 at folio 59 verso) are printed in ‘The historie and descent of the house of Rowallane’, pages 132-133, from copies in the possession of Thomas Thomson, advocate.

(iii) Blazons of arms of the ancient Scottish nobility drawn by Sir James Balfour of Denmilne, Lord Lyon King of Arms (folios 77-94).