A fair copy recipe collection belonging to the Blackett family of Matfen Hall, Northumberland. The bulk of the contents consist of numbered recipes in a single later 17th century hand (ff.11-63v.) Entries are made in apparently random sequence but there are lists of contents at the front of the volume, arranged by category: 'cookery' (f.2), 'sweetmeats, syrrups, jellys, conserves, preserves, candys, creams, distilled and other waters, pickles, made wines, and other liquors' (ff.3-4v.), and 'physick and surgery' (ff.7-8).
Later entries have been added from f. 63 in a variety of late 17th and/or early 18th century hands.
There are relatively few authorities identified for the recipes, although later entries (f.65r. and v.) are ascribed to Sir Thomas Millington [1628-1704], and to 'Dr Witham' [presumably John Witham (fl.1755-1785) MD, of Durham].
At f.68 there is a recipe for a balsam pasted in, 'given me by Mr Pimodan, the King's Lieutenant of Toul, in Lorrain'.