Catalogue description Secretaries of State: State Papers Scotland Series I, Elizabeth I

Letters between the Queens of England (Elizabeth I) and Scotland (Mary), or the regents of Scotland; the treaties which were made between them; letters between their Secretaries of State; and letters sent to the secretaries in London by ambassadors, special commissioners, leaders of armies, spies, and other agents. The series includes an entry book, transcripts of 14th century royal charters and papal bulls illustrating Anglo-Scots relations, law treatise and some papers relating to the English/Scottish border (originally in SP 59)

Of the English agents in Scotland the ambassadors Randolphe, Killigrew and the two Bowes, and the secretarial assistant Nicolson stand out.

The records for the reign are large in number owing mainly to the problems of Mary, Queen of Scots, and her son James VI, the heir to Elizabeth's throne.

This series was briefly calendared in the Calendar of State Papers relating to Scotland preserved in H.M. Public Record Office ed M J Thorpe 2 vols (Edinburgh 1858). It was more fully calendared in the Calendar of State Papers relating to Scotland and Mary Queen of Scots 1547-1603 ed J Bain W K Boyd H W Meikle A I Cameron M S Guiseppi and J D Mackie 13 vols (Edinburgh 1898-1969). The series down to the year 1577 was calendared in Volumes 3 to 11 of the Calendar of State Papers Foreign Series eds Rev J Stevenson and A J Crosby (London 1863-1880). Please speak to staff at the Map and Large Document Room enquiry desk for the precise location.