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The Prerogative Court was the focal point for probate for colonial Maryland. A judge and various clerks staffed the court. All matters of probate went directly to the Prerogative Court, which was located in the colonial capital. Eventually administration of probate was delegated to the several county courts; however, many documents related to probate continued to be filed at the Prerogative Court and not in the corresponding county.

The work at hand consists of abstracts of Prerogative Court of Maryland records for the period 1658 to 1674. Mr. Skinner has combed through administration bond, will, inventory, administration account, and final balance entries to produce this collection. The abstracts are arranged in chronological order by court session, and in every instance they give the names of the principals (testators, heirs, witnesses, administrators, and so forth). In many cases we also learn the details of bequests, names of slaves, appraisers, and more. In all, Mr. Skinner identifies some 6,000 17th-century Marylanders whose existence and activities would otherwise remain hidden in some rich but very obscure records.

See also the other volumes in this series:
Volume II: 1670-1674
Volume III: 1675-1677 and 1703-1704
Volume IV: 1677-1682 & 1702-1704
Volume V: 1682-1686
Volume VI: 1686-1689 and 1692-1693
Volume VII: 1693-1697
Volume VIII: 1697-1700
Volume IX: 1700-1703
Volume X: 1704¬1707
Volume XI: 1703-1704, 1708-1709
Volume XII: 1709-1712
Volume XIII: 1712-1716
Volume XIV 1716-1719
Volume XV: 1719-1721
Volume XVI: 1721-1724
Volume XVII: 1724-1727
Volume XVIII: 1727-1730
Volume XIX: 1730-1734
Volume XX: 1734-1736
Volume XXI: 1736-1739
Volume XXII: 1739-1741
Volume XXIII: 1741-1744
Volume XXIV: 1744-46