• Pen-flourished initials., Martyrologium romanum (begins imperfectly, ff. 2-86v), etc.

collector and patron of the arts, inscribed as usual by their librarian, Humfrey Wanley '20 die Februarij, A.D. 1724/5.' (f. 1). Edward Harley bequeathed the library to his widow, Henrietta, née Cavendish Holles (b. 1694, d. 1755) during her lifetime

• Puzzle initial 'N'(umquid) with pen-flourished decoration at the beginning of 'Ordinarium sive Alphabetum vitae religiosae'., Opera (index Works), imperfect at the end

Simonds d'Ewes (b.1602, d. 1650), 1st baronet, diarist, antiquary, and friend of Sir Robert Cotton: his MS. 45 (see f. 1); title and note in his hand (ff. 2*r-v'; see Watson 1966).Sir Simonds D’Ewes (d. 1722), 3rd baronet and grandson

• null, Legendae sanctorum

1 large puzzle initial in red and blue with pen-flourishing in red (f. 1). Small initials in blue with red foliate pen-flourishing. Small initials in plain red. Legendae sanctorum Inscription in English (f. 166v).Sir Hans Sloane (b. 1660, d. 1753),

• Illuminated initial 'C'(oment') at the beginning of the statutes of Edward III in the Nova Statuta., Nova Statuta (index Statutes of England, Statuta Angliae, Statute book), from 1 Edward III to 14 Henry VI, with a table of contents

are 3 unfoliated paper flyleaves after f. 3.Alphabetical quire signatures in the right-hand corners. 1 full border of flowers in colours and gold (f. 4). 1 large initial in colours and gold with foliate decoration (f. 4). Large initials in

• null, Nova Statuta (index Statutes of England, Statuta Angliae, Statute book), from 1 Edward III to 14 Henry VI, with a table of contents

are 3 unfoliated paper flyleaves after f. 3.Alphabetical quire signatures in the right-hand corners. 1 full border of flowers in colours and gold (f. 4). 1 large initial in colours and gold with foliate decoration (f. 4). Large initials in

• Puzzle initial 'E'(dwardus) at the beginning of a register of briefs., Registrum brevium, from the reign of Edward III to Henry V

Rust marks from two clasp-fittings visible (ff. [iii-iv]).Added index (ff. 1-8). 1 large puzzle initial in red and blue, with red penwork decoration and red, brown, and blue pen-flourishing extending into the margin as a partial border (f. 9). Paraphs

• Illuminated initial 'M' at the beginning of a chartulary for Higham Ferrers., Cartulary of the College of Sts Mary, Thomas the Martyr, and Edward the Confessor, at Higham Ferrers

the beginning of a chartulary for Higham Ferrers. 1 large initials in colours and gold with foliage decoration, damaged (f. 1).1 large initial in brown ink with foliate patterns (f. 1). Spaces left for other initials. Cartulary of the

• Decorated initial 'H'(ec) at the beginning of a chartulary for Higham Ferrers., Cartulary of the College of Sts Mary, Thomas the Martyr, and Edward the Confessor, at Higham Ferrers

the beginning of a chartulary for Higham Ferrers. 1 large initials in colours and gold with foliage decoration, damaged (f. 1).1 large initial in brown ink with foliate patterns (f. 1). Spaces left for other initials. Cartulary of the

• Illuminated and decorated initials 'M' and 'H' at the beginning of a chartulary for Higham Ferrers., Cartulary of the College of Sts Mary, Thomas the Martyr, and Edward the Confessor, at Higham Ferrers

the beginning of a chartulary for Higham Ferrers. 1 large initials in colours and gold with foliage decoration, damaged (f. 1).1 large initial in brown ink with foliate patterns (f. 1). Spaces left for other initials. Cartulary of the

• Large display script in alternating colours of red, green and blue on each line, with portions of penwork decoration in colours, and in the upper margin, the inscription 'Liber Guilielmi Tyllotson clerici Ao 1592'., De civitate Dei (index City of God), fragment

Large display script in alternating colours of red, green and blue on each line, with portions of penwork decoration in colours, and in the upper margin, the inscription 'Liber Guilielmi Tyllotson clerici Ao 1592'. Large display script in alternating

• Historiated initial 'R' with Richard II, combined with a full foliate bar border, at the beginning of his statutes., Nova Statuta (index Statuta Angliae, Statute book, Statutes of England), for the reign of Edward III (r. 1327-1377)(ff. 11-140v), Richard II (r. 1377-1399)(ff. 141-218), Henry IV (r. 1399-1413)(ff. 219-265v), Henry V (r. 1413-1422) (ff. 265v-289v), to 15 Henry VI (r. 1422-1461, 1470-1471)(ff. 289v-338v)

at the beginning of his statutes. ff. 1* and 340 are parchment former pastedowns.f. 1 is blank.Leaf signatures. Quire marks in Roman numerals (on the verso of the last leaf of the quire).All historiated initials were painted by the same

• Historiated initial 'H' with Henry IV, combined with a full foliate bar border, at the beginning of his statutes., Nova Statuta (index Statuta Angliae, Statute book, Statutes of England), for the reign of Edward III (r. 1327-1377)(ff. 11-140v), Richard II (r. 1377-1399)(ff. 141-218), Henry IV (r. 1399-1413)(ff. 219-265v), Henry V (r. 1413-1422) (ff. 265v-289v), to 15 Henry VI (r. 1422-1461, 1470-1471)(ff. 289v-338v)

at the beginning of his statutes. ff. 1* and 340 are parchment former pastedowns.f. 1 is blank.Leaf signatures. Quire marks in Roman numerals (on the verso of the last leaf of the quire).All historiated initials were painted by the same

• Text page., Nova Statuta (index Statuta Angliae, Statute book, Statutes of England), for the reign of Edward III (r. 1327-1377)(ff. 11-140v), Richard II (r. 1377-1399)(ff. 141-218), Henry IV (r. 1399-1413)(ff. 219-265v), Henry V (r. 1413-1422) (ff. 265v-289v), to 15 Henry VI (r. 1422-1461, 1470-1471)(ff. 289v-338v)

340 are parchment former pastedowns.f. 1 is blank.Leaf signatures. Quire marks in Roman numerals (on the verso of the last leaf of the quire).All historiated initials were painted by the same artist except that of Henry IV (f. 219). It

• Historiated initial 'A' with Henry VI, combined with a full foliate bar border, at the beginning of his statutes., Nova Statuta (index Statuta Angliae, Statute book, Statutes of England), for the reign of Edward III (r. 1327-1377)(ff. 11-140v), Richard II (r. 1377-1399)(ff. 141-218), Henry IV (r. 1399-1413)(ff. 219-265v), Henry V (r. 1413-1422) (ff. 265v-289v), to 15 Henry VI (r. 1422-1461, 1470-1471)(ff. 289v-338v)

at the beginning of his statutes. ff. 1* and 340 are parchment former pastedowns.f. 1 is blank.Leaf signatures. Quire marks in Roman numerals (on the verso of the last leaf of the quire).All historiated initials were painted by the same

• The upper pastedown, with a typical Bury press-mark, '.J. 7.' ('J' is for Jerome). To the right of this is an inscription headed 'A book of St. Edmund, in which are contained', followed by a note on the contents., Commentaries on Isaiah and Ezechiel

Boston 'Boston Buriensis', a monk of Bury St Edmunds (said to have fl. c. 1410) (ff. 1, 159); early 15th-century inscription 'Johannes Bury' (f. 1 and f. iii (the back cover)), . ? Sir Nicholas Bacon, the Lord Keeper: Redgrave

• Historiated initial with king Edward III (r. 1327-1377) combined with a full foliate bar border at the beginning of his statutes., Nova Statuta (index Statuta Angliae, Statute book, Statutes of England), for the reign of Edward III (r. 1327-1377)(ff. 11-140v), Richard II (r. 1377-1399)(ff. 141-218), Henry IV (r. 1399-1413)(ff. 219-265v), Henry V (r. 1413-1422) (ff. 265v-289v), to 15 Henry VI (r. 1422-1461, 1470-1471)(ff. 289v-338v)

border at the beginning of his statutes. ff. 1* and 340 are parchment former pastedowns.f. 1 is blank.Leaf signatures. Quire marks in Roman numerals (on the verso of the last leaf of the quire).All historiated initials were painted by the

• null, Nova Statuta (index Statutes of England, Statuta Angliae, Statute book), to 15 Henry VI (r. 1422–61; 1470–71), with tables of contents

tables of contents Various inscriptions, including 'Liber Stephani Clarke', 'Liber Thom [. . . ?] and the date 1576 (ff. 1, 2v).William Petty (~formerly~ Fitzmaurice) (b. 1737, d. 1805), 2nd earl of Shelburne and 1st marquess of Lansdowne, prime minister;

• Puzzle initial 'N' at the beginning of a chronicle., Chronicle from Noah to Henry IV, and a list of kings from William I to Henry VI (f. 71r-v)

the beginning of a chronicle. 1 large puzzle initial in red and blue with red penwork flourishing. Small initials in blue with red pen-flourishing. Small initials in blue or red, some with penwork decoration. Small paraphs in red or blue.

• Detail of miniature and illuminated initial., The Fall of Princes (index De casibus virorum et feminarum illustrium), fragment

3 3-sided foliate borders in gold and colours with large initials in colours on gold grounds (ff. 3, 6v, 7). 1 large initial in colours on gold grounds with gold sprays (f. 3v). 2 large initials in brown with penwork

• Detail of decorated and illuminated initials., The Fall of Princes (index De casibus virorum et feminarum illustrium), fragment

3 3-sided foliate borders in gold and colours with large initials in colours on gold grounds (ff. 3, 6v, 7). 1 large initial in colours on gold grounds with gold sprays (f. 3v). 2 large initials in brown with penwork