This book has been written with two main purposes. In the first place, it is meant to be a complete guide to a particular set of manuscripts, those in the Fitzwilliam Museum: in the second place, it is meant to serve as a manual for those who wish to make a study of illuminated manuscripts in general. In order to help such students, I have added to this Preface a series of very elementary hints on the description and collation of manuscripts: and to these hints I venture to direct their attention. At present, I have to say something about the history of the Fitzwilliam collection, and the principle on which this Catalogue has been written.

In the year 1816 Richard Fitzwilliam, Viscount Fitzwilliam, bequeathed to the University the whole of his artistic collections and the sum of one hundred thousand pounds to be applied in housing, arranging, and adding to them. Of this gift, which rivals any ever bestowed upon either University, a number of illuminated manuscripts forms part; and it is one object of the present volume to furnish students with a full description of them, and of the additions which have been made to our Founder's original bequest in this department.