PREFACE.





 rT^HE introductory matter  which precedes the facsimile falls under  three

         heads:—

     (i) A brief historical sketch  of the development of the Sarum  Gradual

from the Gregorian Antiphonale Missarum;

     (2) A description  of the  MS.  reproduced and a  comparison of it with

some other Graduals;

     (3) A historical Index to the  contents of the Gradual in general.

     No one can be more  conscious  than  the Editor of the insufficiency of  the

materials on  which  the introductory matter  is based: few early texts of  the

Antiphonale  are accessible in print, while of those in MS. there is  not even a

list of  any  sort available.  It  is, perhaps, some consolation to reflect that even

had all the  existing MSS. been available  it  is probable (if one may  argue

from the  analogy of the Sacramentaries ) that  they would only have  given

a   disappointing mass of evidence of a  date far subsequent  to the original

compilation:  but be  that  as  it may, it must  be frankly acknowledged that in

the present state  of  knowledge all argument as  to the Antiphonale must be

tentative and the best reasoned conclusions merely provisional.

     It is only hoped that this Introduction  and  Index may  in  some way be a

step towards more  knowledge  on the subject of  the early  history and develop¬

ment of the  Latin  Mass.

     My  best  thanks are  due to the Rev.  G.  H.  Palmer,  who  has  really

worked as  a collaborator over a good part  of the ground,  and placed all his

rich stores  of knowledge  at my service, though his  modesty  will  not  allow

his name to  be in the place, where it ought to be, on the title-page and  before

mine;  to the Rev.  H.  G. Morse, for the generous loan of his vahiable  MS.;

to Mr. F. Jenkinson, for valuable help  with the proofs of the Index; and to

the Rev.   F.  E. Brightman, for  help  at  every stage  and  in  more ways

 than I can  recount.

                                                                W. H. F.

     Pusey  House, Oxford :  St. fames Day,   i8gj.