Diplomatics is the science of studying documents, especially medieval documents. "Diplomatics" has nothing to do with diplomacy: the word comes from "diploma", meaning a certified, juridical written text. The objects of study for the discipline are: public and private documents, their external and internal characteristics, language, chronology, production, transmission, registration, modern editions. This handbook fills a significant gap in Diplomatic studies because it finally provides the English-speaking public with an opportunity to learn about the fascinating world of medieval documentation.