PREFACE

The use of original sources in the teaching of mediæval historyis still hampered by the scarcity of material adapted to the needsof the student. This situation is sufficient excuse for the publicationof a new book of translations of important mediæval documents,if such a book does more than reedit old material—if it presents,along with the usual and familiar sources, documents not elsewheretranslated or brings together documents not otherwise easily accessible.We believe the present work does that, and that it also makesthe use of this material more practicable by giving fuller notes andexplanations than has usually been attempted.

Our purpose in general has been to present material touching onlywhat may be called the most important matters (persons, events,movements, institutions, and conditions) of the whole mediæval period.We have not tried to make a complete source-book for theperiod, but only to offer in usable form illustrative material whichmay be of service to both teacher and student in general or informationcourses. Each document is meant to illustrate or illumine oneparticular thing. While it may throw light on many other things,the teacher should be warned not to attempt to deduce from these fewdocuments the whole history and life of the Middle Age.

We are fully aware that in the choice of documents we shall notplease all. Many of the documents here given are clearly essentialand must be found in such a book as we have tried to make. Concerningall such there can be no question. As to the others, thereare hundreds of documents which would serve our purpose quite aswell as those we have used, perhaps even better. In making ourselections we have been guided by a great variety of considerationswhich it would be useless to enumerate. While another would havemade a different selection, we believe that the documents which wepresent really illustrate the matter in question, and therefore willbe found satisfactory. With this we shall be quite content. Thenecessity of selection has also led us to omit the political history ofFrance and England. We felt that we could properly leave out Englishdocuments, because there are already several excellent collections of English sources, such as those of Lee, Colby, Adams, and Stephens,etc. In regard to France we were in doubt for some time, but thedesire to keep the size of the book within certain limits at lengthprevailed. We hope, however, to atone for this omission by publishingsoon a small collection of documents relating exclusively toFrance.

It will be observed that we have made use chiefly of documents,quoting from chronicles only when it seemed absolutely necessary.An exception to this general principle is found in section I, wherea larger use of chronicles was rendered necessary by the lack ofdocumentary sources for much of the period covered; but it is perhapsunnecessary to apologize for presenting selections from the importanthistories of Tacitus, Gregory, Einhard, and Widukind.

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