Precedent book containing administrative records (warrants, contracts, orders, patents and instructions) transcribed by a Navy Board clerk in the late 1690s; thought to have belonged to the Earl of Granard (1685-1765).

Bookplate reads 'Fax Mentis Incendium Gloriae.' This is the Earl of Grenard's bookplate motto. A contents list is available with the item. Includes and begins with the following:
31 October 1677 – The contract for Victualling the Royal Navy (pp3–27) signed Piggott.
31 December 1674 – Contract between the King and Thomas Clutterbuck for victualling HIs Majesties ships in the Mediterranean (pp27R- 38R).
19 February 1676 – A supplemental contract between King and Thomas Clutterbuck, re: victualling for the Mediterranean (pp39V–40V) signed Tho: Clutterbuck.
Table showing what his Majesties Navy pays the Victuallers for each piece of sea provisions (pp40R).
1689 – Some Observations concerning the past and present of victualling the Navy (pp41V).
10 September 1689 – Patent for constituting Sir Richard Haddock, Anthony Stuart, John Parsons and Nicholas Fenn commissioners for Victualling with instructions for the well management thereof. Signed Barker (pp47V–50V).

Administrative / biographical background
The volume contains important documents concerning the administration of the Navy such as warrants and instructions signed by Samuel Pepys. Also includes orders establishing rewards to officers who have received wounds at sea, equal to the loss of eye or limb (signed Robert Southwell, 6 February 1673/4); instructions for te commissioners to their deputys for the taking care of died or wounded seamen (signed Bullen Reymes, 23 March 1671/2).