A Letter book and Form book of William Swann, LL.B., Canon of Chichester, Sedis Apostolicae secretarius, a resident at the Papal Court. He appears to have been there in some sense as the representative of English interests. The years covered by this volume are chiefly 1406-13. Swan copied out the documents which passed through his hands (sometimes procuring scribes to do so), but many of the letters are to him personally, bespeaking his goodwill. Some are from him and corrected in his hand (e.g. fol. 43v), some are forms only (e.g. fols. 70-5).

All kinds of legal matters, disputes, appeals, and the like are here represented, with a large number of letters. Perhaps London and Chichester are more mentioned than other places, but the contents cannot be summarily treated. The only Oxford document I have noticed is at fol. 58v, an appeal to the University on behalf of pope Gregory xii from. card. Johannes Dominici, archbp. of Ragusa, Sept. 15, 1409.

A leaf or leaves are wanting at the beginning. On fol. 153v is the autograph 'Magister Willelmus Swan Anglicus Roffensis dioceseos clericus est huius libri dominus verus ac patronus'.