• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

Now goþ þis marchaunt faste and bysyly Til he cam in to Bruges meryly To Flaundres ward his prentys wel him gydeþ þe morne came and forþ þis marchaunt rydeþ Til þat daun Iohn rydeþ to his abbeye þey dranken

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

causeþ more dispence And compynable and reuerent was sche A wyf he hadde of excellent beaute That riche was for which men heelde him wys A Marchaunt whilom dwelled at Seint Denys Here bygynneþ þe schipmannes tale f . 204

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

A certeyn frankes and some wiþ him he ladde To borwe of certein frendes þat he hadde For which þis marchaunt is y wont to gon To paye xx þousand scheldes anon þat needes moste he make a Cheuesaunce For

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

shipmannes tale A Marchaunt whilom dwelt at seint denys That riche was for which men hild him wis A wyf he had of excellent beaute And compaynable and reuerent was she Which is a thing that causeth more dispence Than

• The Norman Blake Editions of The Canterbury Tales

And thus I lete hem ete and drynke and pleye This Marchaunt and this monk a day or tweye The thrid day this Marchaunt vp riseth And on his nedes sadly him auyseth And vp in to his countyng hous

• Detail of a decorated initial 'B'(eatus) at the beginning of Ecclesiasticus 14:22, in a 13th-century leaf., Leaf from a Missal(?) with part of the mass for one martyr

inscribed, 16th/17th century: 'Philemon Holland / John Barone(?), and 'RB'.f. 125: inscribed, 16th century: 'Thomas baulle'(?) and John Dean'.f. 137: inscribed, 16th century: 'James Collard'.f. 149: inscribed, 16th century: 'Statutes April 1581' and 'John Wallsall'.f. 175: inscribed, 17th century: 'Edmund(?)

• Decorated initials from a 13th-century leaf., Leaf from a Missal(?) with part of the mass for one martyr

inscribed, 16th/17th century: 'Philemon Holland / John Barone(?), and 'RB'.f. 125: inscribed, 16th century: 'Thomas baulle'(?) and John Dean'.f. 137: inscribed, 16th century: 'James Collard'.f. 149: inscribed, 16th century: 'Statutes April 1581' and 'John Wallsall'.f. 175: inscribed, 17th century: 'Edmund(?)

• Miniature of the Nativity of John the Baptist, with Zacharias., Lectionary, imperfect (the 'Lovell Lectionary')

Miniature of the Nativity of John the Baptist, with Zacharias. ff. 1-3 are paper leaves.The name John Siferwas occurs in the Sherborne Missal with 'Illuminator': see Scoft 1996 p. 62. Large miniature in colours of the patron, Lord Lovell (f.

• Miniature of John the Evangelist writing, with his symbol, the eagle, before him, with a full border including grotesques, two angels holding a shield with the arms of Holy Trinity Priory, Aldgate, London in the upper margin, and the arms of the Holand and Lovell families in the lower margin., Lectionary, imperfect (the 'Lovell Lectionary')

£10,000 (a fraction of their contemporary value) under the Act of Parliament that also established the British Museum; the Harley manuscripts form one of the foundation collections of the British Library. John the Evangelist John Siferwas England, S. (probably Glastonbury)

• Detail of a miniature of John the Evangelist writing, with his symbol, the eagle, before him., Lectionary, imperfect (the 'Lovell Lectionary')

Detail of a miniature of John the Evangelist writing, with his symbol, the eagle, before him. ff. 1-3 are paper leaves.The name John Siferwas occurs in the Sherborne Missal with 'Illuminator': see Scoft 1996 p. 62. Large miniature in colours