‘Conference about the next succession to the crowne of Ingland’ was published in 1594 under the pseudonym R Doleman by a number of authors including chiefly Sir Francis Englefield and Cardinal William Allen: Robert Parsons, Society of Jesus, to whom the work has often been ascribed, was a minor contributor (see ‘Recusant History’, volume 4, page 126). Dickson, who had been a supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots, appears to have become a servant of James VI shortly before he began this reply, which was written during 1598 (see `Alexander Dickson and S.T.C. 6823`, 183-190).

Doleman`s` work elicited several replies: this, which appears to be unpublished, was originally written, or at least intended, in three books to be entitled `of the present estate of the Realm and the right of the crown after hir M(ajesty)`: the present copy consists of a single book and is entitled `[of the] Right of the crown after hir M(ajesty)`. A strip of paper is pasted over the original title on folio 1, inscribed with the shorter title in a contemporary hand; to this is added `By - Dickson` in an early 18th-century hand. This may have been the author`s copy: it contains several further corrections to the text, and various marginal summaries and notes throughout. Leaves are torn out after folios ii and viii and the lower half of folio v is torn off.