Cambridge University Library houses a vast and internationally important collection of manuscripts, from early medieval illustrated bibles to personal papers and administrative records of the university. These volumes, first published between 1856 and 1867, contain the first published catalogue of the manuscripts held by the University Library. Edited by Henry Richards Luard (1825-91), Registrary of the University, these volumes provide detailed descriptions of the manuscript collection of the University Library as it was in the mid-nineteenth century. Information on the appearance, condition, age and provenance of the manuscripts is provided, together with accounts of their contents, to provide a practical and highly detailed guide to this fascinating collection.