The volume consists principally of copies of instructions issued to persons undertaking diplomatic missions; the name of the compiler does not appear. Contains: (1) ‘A memorial of the matters to be intreated at the colloquie to be holden at Burges, betwixt the commissioners of her majestye, that is, the viscount Montague, Mr Doctor Wotten, one of her ma’t’s privye counsell, and Mr Haddon, master of requests, of the one part, and the commissioners of the kinge of Spayne on the other, made at Westminster the xi of March, 1564, in the seaventh yeere of her ma’t’s raigne’, referring to the complaints of the Dutch; begins ‘First the commissioners for her majestie ...’; (2) ‘Instructions given the VIII of June, 1575, to Daniel Rogers, being then dispatched into Holland to the prince of Aurange, by her ma’t’s order’, complaining of the restrictions on trade, and expostulating concerning his design of alliance with the French king; begins ‘First you shall declare unto him ...’; (3) ‘A letter from the lordes and others of the counsell, with a memoriall of instructions sent to Sir Humfrey Gilbert and the English in the Lowe Countreys by — Pyckman, one of her ma’t’s ordinarye captaynes at Barwicke’, recommending Gilbert to maintain strict discipline; begins ‘After our harty commendations ...’; (4) ‘A memoriall for Pickman, one of her ma’t’s ordinarie captaines at Barwick’; begins ‘You shall with all speed ...’; these instructions seem to have been occasioned by the English reverses; (5) ‘Instructions given by her ma’tie the — of May, 1575, to Daniell Sylvester, beinge then sent to the emperour of Russia’, explaining certain misunderstandings; begins ‘After the deliverie of our letters you shall ...’; (6) ‘Instructions given to Sir Henry Cobham, knight, the — of July, 1575, beinge then sent from her majestie to the king of Spayne’; begins ‘You shall at your first accesse unto the kinge ...’; (7) ‘Instructions given the 29th of October, 1575, unto Robert Corbett, esq., beinge then sent from her majestie to the governor of the king of Spaine, in the Lowe Countreys [Requesens]’; begins ‘First you shall declare unto him before your departure ...’; (8) ‘Instructions for John Hastings, sent into Holland to the prince of Aurange, the 29 of October, 1575’; begins ‘After that you shalbe well informed ...’; (9) ‘Instructions for William Davison, sent into the Lowe Countreys the xxixth of March, 1576, given by her majestie’; begins ‘After the deliverie of our letters to whome you shall finde ...’; (10) ‘Instructions given by the queenes majestie to her trusty and welbeloved servant, Thomas Randolphe, Esq., sent in speciall ambassage to the Frenche king, the second of Aprell, 1576; begins ‘After conference had ...’; (11) ‘Instructions given by the lords of her majestie’s privye counsell to Mr Robert Beale (clerk of the council), dispatched to the prince of Aurange the xi of Aprell, 1576; begins ‘You shall immediatelye upon your arrivall at Flushinge ...’; (12) ‘Instructions for our trustye and welbeloved Sir Amyas Poulet, knight, appointed to be our ambassador resident with our good brother the French kinge’, relating to trade and the protection of the Huguenots; begins ‘Forasmuch as wee have alreadye determined ...’; (13) ‘Instructions given to Mr Dr Willson, sent into the lowe Countreys to the States there, the xxiid of October, 1576’; begins ‘Forasmuch as wee fynde yt very necessarye in the present troublesome and broken state of the lowe Countreyes ...’; (14) ‘Instructions given to Sr John Smyth, knight, beinge sent from us to our good brother the kinge of Spayne, for our affaires, the xxviiith of November, 1576’, relating to the wars in the Low Countries, and requiring him, failing other means, to use intimidation; begins ‘You shall at your first accesse unto the kinge ...’; ‘(15) ‘Instructions given by her majestie to Edward Horsey, esquire, the xiiiith of December, being sent to Don John, d. Austria’, demanding redress, as well as offering assistance against the French; begins ‘After the deliverie of our letters of credytt ...’; (16) ‘Instructions given to Philip Sydney, esquier, beinge sent to the emperour the viith of Februarye, 1576’, on the death of Maximilian; begins ‘Wee thinke yt very convenient in your way ...’; (17) ‘Instructions given by her majestie to Edmund Huggins, sent to the kinge of Maruccos and Fesse, the — of Aprell, 1577’, concerning trade, and exportation of artillery and ammunition; begins ‘After the deliverie of our letters to the kinge ...’; (18) ‘Instructions given to Mr William Davison, esquier, beinge sent to reside as her majesties agent in the lowe Countreyes, the second of August, 1577’, to counteract Don John of Austria; begins ‘Being given to understand that the troubles ...’; (19) ‘Instructions given to Mr Dr Rogers and Mr Jenkinson, beinge sent to Embden to treate with the kinge of Denmarks commissioners’, complaining of restrictions on trade; begins ‘Whereas upon the traffique of our merchants into Russia ...’; (20) ‘Instructions given by the queenes majestie unto her right trustye and right welbeloved cosin and counsellor, the earle of Bedford, keeper of her privy seale, and her right trustye and welbeloved the Lord Fitzwaters, being presentlye sente as her honourable ambassadors to the prince of Spaine, for the purpose ensueinge, the xiith of March, 1553’, relating to the intended marriage of Philip and Mary; begins ‘Our sayd ambassadors after the deliverye of our letters ...’; (21) ‘Instructions for the same’ (this paper appears displaced; probably it should follow the next; it relates to Scottish affairs; begins ‘Whereas many informations ...’; (22) ‘Instructions for Sir Thomas Challenor, sente to the dowager of Scotlande, in February, 1555’; begins ‘The said Sir Thomas takeinge with him ...’; (23) ‘Instructions given to our trustye and welbeloved servant, — Shelley, sent to our good brother, the king of Romans, for the purpose ensueinge, delivered at Westr the xith daye of December, 1557 [sic], concerning the queen’s intended marriage with Philip; begins ‘First our sayd servant shall passe to such place ...’; (24) ‘Instructions given by the queen’s majestie to her trustye servant Henry Kelligree, beinge sent into Almaine to Fredericke the count Palatine, for these things ensueinge at Hampton Courte, the 26 of Januarye, 1568’, concerning the protection of protestants; begins ‘Whereas the said countr Palatine sente unto us ...’; (25) ‘Instructions for Henrie Kelligree, esq., beinge sent into France to supplie the place of Francis Walsingham, esq., her majesties ambassador with the French kinge duringe the time that the sayd Walsingham shalbe absent from the courte of France to recover his health from such infirmities as presentlie he is troubled withall, the — anno 1571’, concerning the queen of Scots’ disturbances, and Elizabeth’s treaty of marriage with the duke of Anjou; begins ‘You shall repaire to our ambassador, Francis Walsingham ...’; (26) ‘A short discourse, wherein is sett downe the very trueth of the kinge of Spaine his designe against this whole isle, by the master of Gray, 1589’, the object of the discourse being to warn the Scottish against the practices and intrigues of the king of Spain; in the peroration the matter is arranged under 14 heads; begins ‘The wiser sorte and men best broken in affayres of all ages ...’.