The Registrum Antiquissimum is the earliest complete cartulary of Lincoln Cathedral. It was written mainly in the third decade of the thirteenth century, and prepared from the original texts, many of which have not survived. Its editor, Canon Foster, noted that its writer -copied with literal accuracy. As a consequence his texts may be relied upon-. The charters illustrate the history of an English secular cathedral church in respect of its organisation and personnel, its endowments and its franchises. The Introduction notes that the texts of 7,826 charters have survived of which 4,200 are...