Cotton MS Vespasian C XVI

Records and papers (originals and transcripts) concerning England and Scotland, 1296–1584. The will of Mary, Queen of Scots, has been bound separately as Cotton MS Vespasian C XVI/1.

ff. 1r–8r: A muster roll on parchment and in Latin of military tenants at Berwick, specifying the times of their services and the wages to be paid them, from the reign of Edward I.

ff. 9r–13r: A muster roll on parchment and in Latin for the towns of Roxburgh, Edinburgh, and Linlithgow, from the reign of Edward I [1277?]

ff. 13v–19v: A muster roll on parchment and in Latin of the horses belonging to the military tenants mentioned in the two preceding rolls and at Perth and Dundee, specifying their prices [1277?].

ff. 20r–v: A rent roll on parchment and in Latin of various royal farms and duties, etc. at Berwick and in Scotland [1277?]

ff. 21r–v: Copy of an instrument in Latin, in which Charlemagne recommends the restoration of several Scottish monasteries in Germany (c. 800–814).

ff. 22r–26v: A list of the nobility and gentry of Scotland who paid homage to Edward I [1296].

ff. 27r–33v: An indenture in French on parchment of the treaty between the commissioners of Edward III and Robert the steward, and the nobility of Scotland, for the release of King David II, with a list of the hostages, 3 October 1357, Berwick.

ff. 34r–40v: An account in Latin of King David II and his captivity in England.

ff. 41r–65v: A rough draft in French of part of the history of Scotland, beginning with Robert II (1371–1390) and down to about 1454, in Secretary Naue's hand? (imperfect).

ff. 66r–v: Edward IV's inspeximus of the truce concluded with Scotland at Newcastle, 12 December 1465 (see Rymer XI 557 and 558); in Latin. 1 June 1466, Westminster.

ff. 67r–68v: A contract for a marriage between James eldest son of James III of Scotland and Cecile, at that time Edward IV's youngest daughter (see Rymer XI 325), 26 October 1474, Edinburgh.

ff. 69r–70r: Another copy of the previous item.

ff. 71r–74v: De guerrarum abstinentiis inter regem Angliae et regem Scotorum (see Rymer XII 285 and an inspeximus of 24 October, p. 316) 26 July 1486, Westminster.

ff. 75r–79v: Archibald Whitelaw, Oratio Scotorum ad regem Ricardum III pro pace firmanda inter Anglos et Scotos, September 1484 (imperfect).

f. 79*r: Note explaining that this document is continued in Cotton MS Caligula B V ff. 151r–152v.

ff. 80r–89v: Notes gathered out of the King's records, for the justification of his highness's property of, and superiority over the realm of Scotland [undated; 1542?]

ff. 90r–92v: A diary of Edward I's movements in Scotland, during the reign of John Balliol, King of Scots, 1296.

ff. 93v–94r: A mandate in Latin from the Archbishop of York (John de Halton) to the Bishop of Carlisle, for anticipating the payment of tithes to the King, 15 November 1310, Scrobie.

ff. 95r–115r: Abstracts of various instruments taken from the registers of York, proving the King of England's prerogative over Scotland, and the Archbishop of York's jurisdiction over the bishopric of Whithorn etc. in Scoltand, and various procurations etc. of the court of Rome.

ff. 117r–v: Letter in French from the Earl of Northumberland, Constable of England, to the King's Council about affairs of the borders, 13 June 1402, Alnwick.

ff. 118r–119v: Henry VII's original instructions to Norroy, sent to the King of Scots about the confirmation of a treaty, signed with his monogram.

ff. 121v–126r: Redresses and Reparacons of Attemptates. King Edward IV's original instructions for Alexander Legh, his chaplain and almoner, sent to the the King of Scots to treat about a peace, 1475.

ff. 127r–v: Original instructions from Edward IV to Mr Legh, about marriages between the Duke of Clarence and a sister of the King of Scots, and between the Duchess of Burgundy and the Duke of Albany. Signed with a monogram [1475?]

f. 128r: Edward III's release of all homage from the King of Scots, in Latin, 1 March 1328, York (see Rymer IV 337).

f. 129r: Edward III's release of all claim or action against the King of Scots in a cause between the Pope and the said king (in Latin).

ff. 130r–133r: Edward .... a renunciation of all supremacy over Scotland, 1328 (in Latin).

ff. 133v–134r: A paper in Latin entitled 'Cavendum est diligenter de subscriptis in tractatu pacis habito vel habendo inter Angliae et Scotiae regna', to which are added, notes out of several chronicles concerning England's supremacy over Scotland.

ff. 135r–139v: A paper in Latin concerning England's supremacy over Scotland.

ff. 140r–146r: Edward I to Pope Boniface VIII, an historical account in Latin of England's title to the supremacy over Scotland, 7 May 1303, Kemeseye (Printed in Rymer's Foedera, ed. Hague, I, pt. iv. p. 9].

ff. 147r–150v: Henry VII's instructions to the Bishop of Durham, for appeasing all questions and debates between him and the King of Scots, 5 July 1496, Sheen.

ff. 151r–v: The marriage contract between James IV, King of Scots, and Princess Margaret, Henry VII's eldest daughter, 1503.

f. 153r: Note from 1851 explaining that Mary Queen of Scots's will has been removed and inlaid in another volume. This is now Cotton MS Vespasian C XVI/1 (Art. 31 is written on the spine.)

ff. 154r–155v: Original letter from John Lord Bothwell to Henry VII, with intelligence about Perkin Warbeck, etc. Conquersalt from France endeavours to obtain possession of Perkin, 8 September 1496, Berwick (Printed in I Ellis, i. 2).

f. 156r: Original letter from John Lord Bothwell to Henry VII concerning Perkin [1496?] (Pr. I Ellis i. 22).

f. 155r: Heads and subdivisions of various matters, in Cecil's hand.

ff. 158r–159v: Letter from Sir Francis Walsingham to Lord Hunsdon, about the Scottish lords repairing to Holy Island, 7 November 1584, London; f. 159v: has a note in Cecil's hand saying it is a copy.