Notes and extracts, [c. 1565]-1574, from manuscripts and archives, by several hands, the main one being that of Thomas Talbot, the antiquary, clerk of the records in the Tower, who according to personal memoranda on f. 75 was deprived of his living in April 1560 and apparently lived near Clitheroe, Lancashire, in 1563. The notes were compiled on loose bifolia which were later gathered haphazardly into four large quires stitched into two bifolia of a 14th century noted missal (ff. 1-2, 140-1); this arrangement results in wide separation of related matter on the two leaves of some bifolia.
The matter mostly relates to early English history: pedigrees of Anglo-Saxon, Norman and Angevin royal and noble lines, extracts from records in the Tower (e.g. patent rolls, ff. 26-8 verso), chronicles (e.g. Geoffrey Baker, f. 31 verso, Nicholas Trivet, f. 78 verso, Walter Hemingford, f. 109, William of Jumieges, f. 114, John Pyke, f. 118). Other items include a working list of records in the Tower in 1572 [William Bowyer was then Keeper] which gives the numbers of rolls or bundles in each class for each reign from John to Edward IV (ff. 101-2 and 139): a list of forty-nine evidently manuscript books and fragments, mostly connected with English history and by Northern writers, at least one in Anglo-Saxon (ff. 24, 29 verso) [cf. Talbot's list of MSS printed by A.G. Watson, The manuscripts of Henry Savile of Banke (London, 1969), pp. 78-81]; arms blazoned and in trick, including blazon of arms in 'Mr. Boldes Hall' in Salisbury (f. 6); part of a martyrology for England and Wales (f. 51 recto-verso); pedigree of Sir Ralph Eure compiled by Thomas Pickeringe, precentor of Whitby Abbey in 1458 (ff. 86-7), and, among contemporaries, of Elys ap Howell ap Day ap Ithel [of Tegeingl, co. Flint], in Welsh (f. 110 recto-verso), the Hagerth family, 1571 (ff. 120 verso-121) and the Doyley family (f. 132); an inquisition from Lancashire Quarter Sessions, 1568 (f. 3 recto-verso); poetry in English, apparently original and autograph (ff. 15, 23, 75, 119, 124 verso, 133) and in Latin (f. 111, Walther 3934); the order of burial of Sir Thomas Chaloner, 1565, with a list of personal expenses in London at that time (f. 52 recto-verso); f. 112 was first used to begin a draft deed to which Thomas Heneage, esq., was party, 1574 [Sir Thomas Heneage succeeded Bowyer as Keeper of the Queen's Records in the Tower].

Miscellaneous papers, [c. 1804]-1918, including holograph poetry in Welsh by Robert Davies (Bardd Nantglyn), Griffith Edwards (Gutyn Padarn) and Thomas Edwards (Twm o'r Nant) (ff. 1-4); a short autobiographical account, 1837, and verse in Latin, Greek, Hebrew and English in the hand of Richard Robert Jones (Dic Aberdaron), including an Hebrew translation by him of a poem by Edward Roberts (Iorwerth Glan Aled) (ff. 6-8); autographs of Thomas Charles, Bala, and Thomas Edwards (Twm o'r Nant), 1804, and William Owen-Pughe (f. 14); and a musical Christmas greeting, 1918, to Philip Thomas from Daniel Protheroe, Chicago (f. 15).

A composite volume in the hand of the Rev. Evan Evans (Ieuan Fardd) containing Welsh and English poetry (pp. 1-102, 127-207, 215-393, 497-507, 549-664), by Ieuan Fardd himself, Edward Richard, Tudur Aled and Edmwnd Prys and others, as well as extracts from Pope's Messiah (including a Welsh translation) (pp. 33, 47) and a translation from the work of Milton (pp. 215-242). One poem (pp. 153-173) is dedicated to Sir Watkin Williams Wynn. There are also extracts from Virgil's Fourth Eclogue, with Beattie's translation into English (pp. 13-28), from Dryden's translation of Virgil (109: The Song of Simeon) (pp. 103-114), from Lord Lyttelton's history of Henry II (1767) (pp. 115-125), and from 'Llyfr Plas y Ward' ('Ystori Gr: ap Cynan') (pp. 397-428); copies of letters from Dr Tancred Robinson to Robert Davies, Llannerch, and between Robert Davies and William Lloyd, bishop of St Asaph (pp. 429-451); 'A letter on British History' relating to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Humphrey Llwyd and others (pp. 461-492); a copy of a translation, 1629, by the Rev. Richard Lloyd of a work by Arthur Dent (second edition (1683), edited by Charles Edwards, with a copy of Charles Edwards's preface) (pp. 493-496); a copy of the title, dedication, etc. of James Howell's Lexicon Tetraglotton (London, 1660) (pp. 513-548); etc.

Transcripts by F. W. Bourdillon, Worcester College, Oxford, of Latin verse, with [printed] English translations.