17th-century manuscript written and compiled by Sir James Balfour containing the following works:

1. Copy by Sir James Balfour of George Marjorybanks, 'Annals of Scotland, 1514-94'. Folios 6r-23r.

A history of Scotland in the form of annals written in Scots, originally written in the late 16th century by George Marjoribanks, burgess of Edinburgh. The location of the original manuscript from which Balfour made his copy is unknown.

The work is separated into sections by reign of monarchs, beginning with King James V. Dates relating to particular events are provided in the margins in Balfour’s hand.

There are infrequent scribal corrections throughout.

Folio 6 is a half leaf, the recto side of which has been inscribed by Balfour with the following title: 'George Marioreybankes Analls of Scotland from the ȝear 1514 to the ȝear 1591.'

2. Extracts from the chartulary of Coupar Angus. Folios 27r-38v.

The location of the manuscript from which Balfour's copy was made is unknown.

Coupar Angus was founded by 1164 as a Cistercian Abbey and was dissolved in 1606. The chartulary contains material covering the 12th and 13th centuries, with a 15th-century Papal Bull. Royal charters are grouped together at the beginning and arranged by reign, starting with King Malcolm's grant of the land of Coupar, though confirmations of lay grants are dispersed throughout. The royal charters are followed by the only papal bull included: that of 1464 whereby Abbot David and his successors were granted permission to wear the mitre and bless the church and cemeteries. The rest of the content is largely arranged geographically, rather than strictly by familial or tenurial groups.

The heading on folio 27r reads: 'Brevarium antiqui registri Monasterii de Cupro in Anegus'.

There is a scribal pagination in the upper corner which runs 1-24.

There are 19th century pencil annotations in the margin supplying names and dates.

3. Extracts from the chartulary of Arbroath. 40v-74r.

Extracts taken from the 'Registrum Vetus', which was in Balfour's possession (Adv.MS.34.4.2).

There is a scribal pagination in the upper corner which runs 1-63.

4. Extracts from the chartulary of Dryburgh. 75r-85v.

The extracts were taken from a 15th century chartulary of Dryburgh which was in Balfour’s possession (Adv.MS.34.4.7).

The heading on folio 75r reads: 'Brevarium antiqui registri de Dryburgh'. 'Pasley' was originally written, but has been scored through and replaced with 'Dryburgh'.

There is a scribal foliation in the upper corner which runs 2-11, the '1' having been cropped.

Throughout the entire manuscript Balfour has supplied catchwords at the bottom of each leaf, however, these are occasionally lost due to cropping.