Diplomatics

The science of palæography—that is, deciphering old charters, diplomas, titles; investigating their authenticity and genuineness, and so on. Papebröch, the Bollandist, originated the study in 1675; but Mabillon, another Bollandist, reduced it to a science in his work entitled De re Diplomatĭca, 1681. Toustain and Tassin further developed it in their treatise entitled Nouveau Traité de Diplomatique, 1750–1760.