The original purpose of this volume was to make available some of the documents relating to recusancy or recusants, other than those adequately dealt with in the Calendars of the Historical Manuscripts Commission or elsewhere, from the private collection (known as the Cecil Papers) belonging to the Marquess of Salisbury and preserved at Hatfield House. Owing to the vast amount of unpublished material on this subject in this and other collections, it was decided to extend the range of
this volume, calling it a MISCELLANEA, thereby providing material on recusant history during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James 1.
