• Detail of a text page with the ownership inscription of the Cistercian abbey of St Mary, Margam, Glamorganshire, reading 'Liber monacho[rum] s[an]c[t]e / marie de margan.', Gesta regum Anglorum and Historia novella; Historia regum Britanniae

British, Norman, Saxon, and Welsh kings, with Edward IV mentioned as the last king, 15th century (ff. 1-3).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 983' (f. 4), acquired by the Upper Library at Westminster after

• Puzzle initial 'A' with decoration in the form of leaves., Historical and geographical works: Des Grantz Geanz (f.3); Mandeville's Travels (ff. 40-71v); Chronica maiora (index Historia Anglicana)(ff. 177-326v)

(c. 1360-c. 1425) is thought to have supervised the compilation of this manuscript. (see Clarke, 2004 p. 165).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): in the catalogue of 1666 (f. 11b) and in the 1698 catalogue of the library

• Decorated initial 'D'(ebitor) with foliate motifs and, in the lower margin, the ownership inscription of the cathedral priory of St. Andrew, Rochester., Various religious works, including Liber contra quinque hereses (ff. 2-15v), Sermon of Pseudo-Ambrose, De dignitate sacerdotali (ff. 16-21v), Didymus of Alexandria's De Spiritu Sancto (ff. 22-56), Augustine's De muliere forti (ff. 56v-67v), Mansuetus' Epistola ad Constantinum Imperatorem de Fide (ff. 67v-71v), works by Bede, including his Epistola ad Nothelmum (f. 73r-v), De triginta questionibus (ff. 73v-90v), De templo salomonis (ff. 91-155), and Expositio super Canticum Abacuc (ff. 155-166), imperfect at the end

library catalogues of 1122-1123, of the early 12th century (a fragmentary list), and of 1202 (see Sharpe 1996).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 62' (f. 1), included in the inventory of books in the

• Detail of a bas-de-page scene of a hair-covered Mary of Egypt feeding a lion, a bear and a stag., Decretals of Gregory IX with glossa ordinaria (the 'Smithfield Decretals')

priory of St Bartholomew's at Smithfield: inscribed, 'Liber domus sancti barthomomei in smyth fylde', 15th century (f. 1v).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Henrician title 'Decretales' and Westminster inventory number 'no. 1059' (f. 1), acquired by the Upper

• Detail of a bas-de-page scene of a blue-faced grotesque, hunched, with a man standing on his shoulders, from Book 1 of the Decretals., Decretals of Gregory IX with glossa ordinaria (the 'Smithfield Decretals')

priory of St Bartholomew's at Smithfield: inscribed, 'Liber domus sancti barthomomei in smyth fylde', 15th century (f. 1v).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Henrician title 'Decretales' and Westminster inventory number 'no. 1059' (f. 1), acquired by the Upper

• Historiated initial 'P'(raevaricatus est) of the Ascension of Elijah, at the beginning of 4 Kings., Bible (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and I-IV Kings) (The 'Rochester Bible')

p[er]missio[n]e divina Bangorens[is] eps et Milladensis' (f. 184v).Thomas a Woode: inscribed with his name, 16th century (f. 186v).The Old Royal Library (English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 507' (f. 1): included in the Inventory of the Upper Library at

• Zoomorphic initial 'G'(ualterus) in the form of a dragon, at the beginning of the preface, and a foliate initial 'S'(unt) at the beginning of the prologue, with an inscription stating that the book was given by Laurence, bishop of Rochester, to the cathedral priory of St. Andrew, Rochester, reading 'vii. Psalt[eri]um de claust[r]o Roff[ensi] per Laur[en]tium ep[iscopu]m.', Flores Psalterii

prior of the Rochester cell at Walton St. Felix, or Felixstowe ('Waletune') (Royal 5 B. XII, f. 3).The Old Royal Library (The English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 705' (f. 1), included in the inventory of books in the

• Ownership inscription of the Benedictine abbey of St Peter, Gloucester, reading 'Liber S[anc]ti petri de glocestria', with a note of contents, reading 'Enchiridion S[anc]ti Augustini. Et versus cuiusdam / milonis de sobrietate ad Karolum regem.', Enchiridion

q[u]ot s[e]c[u]la fenix/ Dilectus t[ib]i suvanninus per sec[u]la fidelis / Per caru[m] ... vale necne prohenne' (f. 47).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): red seal of a ship, 17th century (f. 2); included in the 1698 catalogue of

• Inhabited initial 'P'(ost), at the beginning of Judges., Bible (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and I-IV Kings) (The 'Rochester Bible')

p[er]missio[n]e divina Bangorens[is] eps et Milladensis' (f. 184v).Thomas a Woode: inscribed with his name, 16th century (f. 186v).The Old Royal Library (English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 507' (f. 1): included in the Inventory of the Upper Library at

• Inhabited initial 'E'(t rex), with animal heads, at the beginning of 3 Kings., Bible (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and I-IV Kings) (The 'Rochester Bible')

p[er]missio[n]e divina Bangorens[is] eps et Milladensis' (f. 184v).Thomas a Woode: inscribed with his name, 16th century (f. 186v).The Old Royal Library (English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 507' (f. 1): included in the Inventory of the Upper Library at

• Historiated initial 'P'(raevaricatus est) of the Ascension of Elijah, at the beginning of 4 Kings., Bible (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and I-IV Kings) (The 'Rochester Bible')

p[er]missio[n]e divina Bangorens[is] eps et Milladensis' (f. 184v).Thomas a Woode: inscribed with his name, 16th century (f. 186v).The Old Royal Library (English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 507' (f. 1): included in the Inventory of the Upper Library at

• Historiated initial 'F'(uit) of Elkanah and his two wives Hannah and Penninah with inscriptions over their heads: 'Anna', 'Helcana', and 'Fenenna', at the beginning of 1 Samuel (1 Kings)., Bible (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and I-IV Kings) (The 'Rochester Bible')

p[er]missio[n]e divina Bangorens[is] eps et Milladensis' (f. 184v).Thomas a Woode: inscribed with his name, 16th century (f. 186v).The Old Royal Library (English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 507' (f. 1): included in the Inventory of the Upper Library at

• Detail of a historiated initial 'F'(uit) of Elkanah and his two wives Hannah and Penninah with inscriptions over their heads: 'Anna', 'Helcana', and 'Fenenna', at the beginning of 1 Samuel (1 Kings)., Bible (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and I-IV Kings) (The 'Rochester Bible')

p[er]missio[n]e divina Bangorens[is] eps et Milladensis' (f. 184v).Thomas a Woode: inscribed with his name, 16th century (f. 186v).The Old Royal Library (English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 507' (f. 1): included in the Inventory of the Upper Library at

• Detail of a historiated initial 'P'(raevaricatus est) of the Ascension of Elijah, at the beginning of 4 Kings., Bible (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and I-IV Kings) (The 'Rochester Bible')

p[er]missio[n]e divina Bangorens[is] eps et Milladensis' (f. 184v).Thomas a Woode: inscribed with his name, 16th century (f. 186v).The Old Royal Library (English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 507' (f. 1): included in the Inventory of the Upper Library at

• Detail of an inhabited initial 'E'(t rex), with animal heads, at the beginning of 3 Kings., Bible (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and I-IV Kings) (The 'Rochester Bible')

p[er]missio[n]e divina Bangorens[is] eps et Milladensis' (f. 184v).Thomas a Woode: inscribed with his name, 16th century (f. 186v).The Old Royal Library (English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 507' (f. 1): included in the Inventory of the Upper Library at

• Detail of an inhabited initial 'P'(ost), at the beginning of Judges., Bible (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and I-IV Kings) (The 'Rochester Bible')

p[er]missio[n]e divina Bangorens[is] eps et Milladensis' (f. 184v).Thomas a Woode: inscribed with his name, 16th century (f. 186v).The Old Royal Library (English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 507' (f. 1): included in the Inventory of the Upper Library at

• Detail of a historiated initial 'F'(actum est) of David playing the harp with two musician on both sides, one playing the violin and another playing the horn, at the beginning of 2 Kings., Bible (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and I-IV Kings) (The 'Rochester Bible')

p[er]missio[n]e divina Bangorens[is] eps et Milladensis' (f. 184v).Thomas a Woode: inscribed with his name, 16th century (f. 186v).The Old Royal Library (English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 507' (f. 1): included in the Inventory of the Upper Library at

• Flyleaf with ownership inscription of the Augustinian monastery of Bristol and contents list., De vita contemplativa (f. 3); Sermones (f. 58); Tractatus de obedientia (f. 59); Sermones (f. 61); Homiliae (f. 66v); De tribus habitaculis animae (f. 81v); Anonymous commentary on the Psalms (f. 86v)

Wales (b. 1594, d. 1612), eldest child of James I: his collection became part of the Royal Library.The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): included in the catalogue of 1666, Royal Appendix 71 (f. 4) and in the 1698

• Text page with initial 'D'(iu) and rubric at the beginning of the prologue., De vita contemplativa (f. 3); Sermones (f. 58); Tractatus de obedientia (f. 59); Sermones (f. 61); Homiliae (f. 66v); De tribus habitaculis animae (f. 81v); Anonymous commentary on the Psalms (f. 86v)

Wales (b. 1594, d. 1612), eldest child of James I: his collection became part of the Royal Library.The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): included in the catalogue of 1666, Royal Appendix 71 (f. 4) and in the 1698

• Large zoomorphic initial 'V'(ir) with elongated dragon and foliate decoration at the beginning of the commentary on Genesis., Liber testimonium veteris testamenti (parts 1 and 3); Sermo (f. 117); In canticum canticorum (9 excerpts)(f. 117v)

noted by Casley (see David Casley, ~A Catalogue of the Manuscripts of the King’s Library~ (London, 1734)). The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): included in the catalogue of 1666, Royal Appendix 71 (f. 15v) and in the 1698