As is explained in the Introduction, this book is intended for a strictly practical purpose - that of supplying the Student with such facsimiles of English mediaeval documents as the improvement in photographic processes has of late rendered possible: its form is further conditioned by the great preponderance in this country of documents of purely administrative origin.

Preface, 1914.

The object of the editors of this collection is to put before the student a large, and on the whole a fairly representative, series of examples of the kind of writing usually to be found in English documents from the Conquest to A.D. 1500.

Introduction.

Before making a detailed examination of the forms of the letters, we may venture on a general sketch of the evolution of the Court hand, as illustrated by our specimens, and a few notes upon some other matters of importance to the beginner.

General sketch of the evolution of court hand.