The contents are as follows:

(i) The 'Epistulae quindecim', of which the beginning of the first is missing and numbers 6 and 7 are placed after number 9. ‘Epistulae’ pages 11-74. There are frequent corrections, most of which are incorporated in the printed text. The date of completion, 14 Cal. January 1588, is given at the end. (Folio 1.)

(ii) 'Philandri tiaufragium. Epistola'. (Folio 31.)

(iii) 'Libellus de moribus ad Hermum fratrem'. (Folio 45.)

(iv) 'Elegiarum liber i.' Of the eight poems in this book only the first, 'Votum Calliopae', is in Epistulae, pages 84-85. (Folio 51.)

(v) 'Epigrammatum liber i.' Of the 82 poems in this book only 15 are in ‘Epistulae’, pages 112-116. (Folio 63.)

(vi) 'Variorum epigrammatum et elegiarum libellus'. (Folio 75.)

(vii) 'Illustrium ex Plutarcho vitae singulis in sextasticon contractis'. (Folio 86.)

(viii) 'Vitae illustrium mulierum singulis in distichum contractis.' Of the 101 couplets 54 are in ‘Epistulae’, pages 116-121. There are some corrections as in (i). (Folio 94.)

(ix) 'Heroidum liber.' Two dates, Cal. February 1585 and 3 February 1588, appear at the end. (Folio 102.)

(x) 'Heroidum liber alius.' The end is missing. (Folio 115.)

The later poems consist of: Alexander Downie, 'In defunctae matris tumulum lacryme' (folio 29); 'Solacismus naturae' (folio 30); William Boyd, two poems addressed to his brother Adam and to Patrick Sharp, principal of Glasgow University, the latter dated 22 January 1611 (folios 44, 44 verso); epitaphs of William Boyd, one dated Cal. February 1612 (folios 99 verso-100 verso), of Mark Alexander Boyd (folio 101), of Matthew Reid, minister of Kirkinner (died 1610) (folio 101 verso), and of Alexander Boyd of Penkill (folio 101 verso); and a poem addressed to Jacobus Briscom, dated 14 February 1617 (folio 101.)

On folio 44 verso are given the dates of birth of the children of William Boyd. On folio 50 is a note of the birth and baptism of Adam Boyd in 1617. On folio 73 are listed the deaths of various Boyds from 'Old Adam' in 1570 to William in 1618.

Subsequent owners of the volume were George Coming, 1695 (folios 74 verso, 109 verso; his signature also on folio 45, and dated 1694 on folios 92 verso, 93) and William Longmuir, ? 17th century (folio 87). Signatures and names among pen-trials, all apparently 17th century, are Robert Calder and Hugh Chalmer (folio 29 verso), Alexander Duncan (folio 42 verso), William Gordon (folios 50, 50 verso), and the Lord of Duffus (folio 111 verso). On folio 85 verso is written 'memento mori' with drawings of symbols of death, ?early 18th century.

Part of a vellum document, 16th century, is bound in at the end.