"restricted access"

Something about those two words immediately makes you want to go in, huh. At least it does to me. My mom's always called it "reverse psychology." (I just googled it--it's a legit term).  

Oh, I can't go in? Now, I've GOT to go in! 

It's like how every time I see a "Don't Walk on the Grass" sign on the Kings college grass, I instantly want to dance all over it.

And how I've been meaning to go to the Fitzwilliam Museum for the past four weeks, but never have, just because it's right across the street, always free, and open to everybody. If it was restricted access, I would have been there within the first week, probably.

Such is life, I guess. But I digress.

I got an email one day from PKP, informing us that there would be a sign-up for ten people to see manuscripts dating from the eighth century in the restricted access library of Corpus Cristi college. I ran to the office, and got there just as they were printing off the sign-up sheet. Bless you, I was going to see those manuscripts.

When Henry VIII formed the Church of England, all the monasteries were dissolved. The master of Corpus Cristi, Archbishop Matthew Parker (1504-1575), began diligently seeking and collecting as many valuable manuscripts from the monasteries as possible before they became lost in time. When he died, he bequeathed his entire collection to his college.

The Parker library has one of the largest collections of medieval and renaissance literature in the world!! There's a sixth century Gospel book from Canterbury, Romanesque Bibles, old English manuscripts...

And thanks to the PKP programme, I saw them all!

There's something about old books that just fascinates me. I love them. I love the worn bindings, the torn corners, the fading ink, the smell, the mystery, the everything. The books were beautiful. I don't think I've ever wished I could read Olde English quite so much as today.

Needless to say, it was one heck of an experience.