iginal words; but still of use, as showing the growth
of formulas. The earliest original document is a fragment of a letter of
Adrian I., A.D. 788. From that date there is a series, but the documents
are rare to the beginning of the 11th century, all down to that period
being written on papyrus. The latest existing papyrus document in
France is one of Sergius IV., A.D. 1011; in Germany, one of Benedict
VIII., A.D. 1022. The earliest document on vellum is one of John XVIII.,
A.D. 1005. The nomenclature of papal documents even at an early period
is rather wide. In their earliest form they are Letters, called in the
documents themselves, _litterae_, _epistola_, _pagina_, _scriptum_,
sometimes _decretum_. A classification, generally accepted, divides them
into: 1. Letters or Epistles: the ordinary acts of correspondence with
persons of all ranks and orders; including constitutions (a later term)
or decisions in matters of faith and discipline, and encyclicals giving
directions to bishops of the whole church or of individual countries. 2.
Decrees, being letters promulgated by the popes of their own motion. 3.
Decretals, decisions on points of ecclesiastical administration or
discipline. 4. Rescripts (called in the originals _preceptum_,
_auctoritas_, _privilegium_), granting requests to petitioners. But
writers differ in their terms, and such subdivisions must be more or
less arbitrary. The comprehensive term "bull" (the name of the leaden
papal seal, _bulla_, being transferred to the document) did not come
into use until the 13th century.

Copies of papal deeds were collected into registers or _bullaria_. Lists
showing the chronological sequence of documents are catalogues of acts.
When into such lists indications from narrative sources are introduced
they become _regesta_ (_res gestae_): a term not to be confused with
"register."

Clearness and conciseness have been recognized as attributes of early
papal letters; but even in those of the 4th century certain rhythmical
periods have been detected in their composition which became more marked
under Leo the Great, A.D. 440-461, and which developed into the _cursus_
or prose rhythm of the pontifical chancery of the 11th and 12th
centuries.

In the most ancient deeds the pope styles himself _Episcopus_, sometimes
_Episcopus Catholicae Ecclesiae_, or _Episcopus Romanae Ecclesiae_,
rarely _Papa_. Gregory I, A.D. 590, was the first to adopt the form
_Episcopus, servus servorum