This volume concerns the earliest surviving records of the Quarter Sessions for the county. As explained in detail by the Introduction, their development extended during previous centuries beforehand and by the time in question included quite a range of responsibilities.
The Editor's Note explains the principles adopted when converting the original records for the press. Almost all relevant documents created in the years covered are transcribed in full but those written in Latin are not translated.
The subjects covered include law-breaking, ale-houses, highways and bridges, vagrancy, settlement, cottage building, unlawful games and archery practice.
Among the seven appendices included are lists of officials and Justices of the Peace, some with biographical notes.
There are separate indexes of persons (about 3,800 unique individuals), places and subjects.