Catalogue description State Papers Foreign

Correspondence of the secretaries of state with, and relating to, foreign countries and their representatives.

The general series of state papers, foreign from 1547 to 1577 are as follows:

• Edward VI: SP 68
• Mary: SP 69
• Elizabeth I: SP 70

Later papers are arranged under countries as follows:

• Barbary States: SP 71
• Calais: SP 68
• Denmark: SP 75
• Dunkirk: SP 76
• Flanders: SP 77 and SP 83
• France: SP 78
• Genoa: SP 79
• Holy Roman Empire: SP 80
• German States: SP 81
• Hamburg and Hanse Towns SP 82
• Holland: SP 83 and SP 84
• Italian States and Rome: SP 85
• Malta: SP 86
• Poland and Saxony: SP 88
• Portugal: SP 89
• Prussia: SP 90
• Russia: SP 91
• Savoy and Sardinia: SP 92
• Sicily and Naples: SP 93
• Spain: SP 94
• Sweden: SP 95
• Switzerland: SP 96
• Turkey: SP 97
• Tuscany: SP 98
• Venice: SP 99

Papers of foreign ministers in England are in SP 100, and of British legations abroad in SP 105. There are miscellaneous series of state papers, foreign in SP 109 and SP 110

Finally there are a number of series organised by record type as follows:

• Ciphers: SP 106
• Confidential: SP 107
• Entry books: SP 104
• Newsletters: SP 101
• Royal letters: SP 102
• Treaties and treaty papers: SP 103 and SP 108

Some foreign correspondence prior to 1782 will also be found in:

FO 83

FO 95

State Papers, Foreign, to 1589 are described in theCalendar of State Papers Foreign 1547 to 1589, 28 vols (1861 to 1950) . For subsequent papers see (the yet incomplete)List and Analysis of State Papers Foreign Elizabeth I, 2 vols, 1964-1969