• Illuminated initial 'S'(eynt poul)., An exposition on the Apocalypse and two Lollard tracts on verses in the Gospel of Matthew

nation for £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. Illuminated initial John Wycliffe (attributed to) England

• Decorated initial 'F'(yve) at the beginning of the general prologue to the Old Testament., General prologue to the Old Testament

to the nation for £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. Decorated initial John Purvey England

• Decorated initial 'E'(xquirenti) with foliate extensions., De casibus virorum illustrium

Decorated initial 'E'(xquirenti) with foliate extensions. 11 large initials in red, pink, green, blue, and yellow, with foliate extensions (ff. 1, 1v, 17v, 32v, 48v, 65v, 80, 96, 109, 124v, 147v). Numerous intials in red with purple pen-flourishing or

• Decorated headpiece and initial., Basil's 'De legendis libris gentilium' (ff. 1-11v), Isocrates's 'Ad Nicoclem', 'Ad Demonicum' and 'Nicocles' (ff. 13-20, 21-28v, 29-37v), and Plutarch's 'De curiositate' and 'De adulatore et amico' (ff. 39-46, 46v-72v)

in Pistoia: inscribed by one notary: Franciscus Luce, 15th-century, 'Ego franciscus luce notarius opere subscripsi' (f. 72v; see Wright 1972).? John Gibson (fl. 1720-1726), dealer: possibly sold to Edward Harley on 23 June 1726 (see Wright 1976).The Harley Collection, formed

• Decorated headpiece and initial., Cyropaedia, with glosses

cancellarius Pistoriensis subscripsi' (f. 3) and Franciscus Luce, 15th-century, 'Ego franciscus luce notarius opere subscripsi' (f. 137v; see Wright 1972).? John Gibson (fl. 1720-1726), dealer: possibly sold to Edward Harley on 23 June 1726 (see Wright 1976).The Harley Collection, formed

• Magical table and symbols in the Magical Treatise of Solomon., Miscellany relating to divination and magic, including parts of two recensions of the Testament of Solomon (ff. 7-7v, 8-18, 39v-41) and a magical treatise attributed to him (ff. 18v-39v)

two recensions of the Testament of Solomon (ff. 7-7v, 8-18, 39v-41) and a magical treatise attributed to him (ff. 18v-39v) John Covel (b. 1638, d. 1722), chaplain of the Levant Company in Constantinople, 1670-1676, and later Master of Christ's College,

• Zoomorphic initial 'H'(esterno) [Hesternam] with interlace and a bird's head, at the beginning of Augustine's Tractatus 25 on the Gospel of John., Tractatus in Evangelium Ioannis, imperfect, lacking tracts 18 and 19 and substituting Sermo 125 (ff. 66-70)

at the beginning of Augustine's Tractatus 25 on the Gospel of John. ff. 258-259 are an index on Burney lined notepaper. Large decorated initials in brown ink, some with a yellow wash and/or with orange or reddish-brown, mainly of interlace

• Zoomorphic initial 'Q'(uales) with interlace and an animal's head, and a snake? forming the tail of the letter, at the beginning of Augustine's Tractatus 103 on the Gospel of John., Sermon 7 in natale sanctae Mariae, imperfect

tail of the letter, at the beginning of Augustine's Tractatus 103 on the Gospel of John. ff. 258-259 are an index on Burney lined notepaper. Large decorated initials in brown ink, some with a yellow wash and/or with orange or

• Puzzle initial 'P'(ost), and three-sided border, at the beginning of Ranulf Higden's Polychronicon; in the lower margin William Howard's owner-inscription, dated 1587, with his rampant lion in the margin on the right; in the lower margin also the ink-stamp of the Royal Society., Polychronicon

with three-sided borders (ff. 57, 72, 100v). Small initials and paraph marks in plain red or blue. Polychronicon Written by John Lutton, with his colophon; he also signed Cambridge St John's College, Ms. A.12 (another copy of the Polychronicon), and

• Decorated initials 'I'(n) and 'S'(ancte) at the beginning of th Chronicle of Andrew of Wyntoun., Chronicle of Andrew of Wyntoun

(f. [1a]); see also note by William Gutherie that it was owned by ' the Kors of Kirtony' (f. 2).? John Somers (b. 1651, d. 1716), Baron Somers, lawyer and politician: inscribed 'of Lord Somers' Collection Sum. E. Umfreville', dated

• Decorated initial 'D'(ixi) with pen-flourishing, incorporating a human head, in the Psalms., Psalms, with commentary ('Rolle of Hampole's Psalter') (ends imperfectly), preceded by a calendar (ff. 1v-7) and a homily on patience and humility (ff. 8-9)

century.Unidentified owner, 15th century: inscription (f. 232).Foliated in red pencil, in the manner of Matthew Parker (b. 1504, d. 1575), John Parker (b. 1548, d. 1619), and others; annotated in English and Latin (e.g. ff. 113v, 159), and Greek (f.

• Drawing of microcosmic man, bounded by the spheres of the four elements and the planets, taking the place of Earth in the centre., Astrological-medical miscellany, including a calendar of John Somer followed by tables of solar and lunar eclipses; the Secretum secretorum; a treatise by Rasis on complexions (f. 72v)

brown of urine glasses (ff. 21v-30; 47v-48). Drawings of eclipses (ff. 15v-16v). Guide letters. Astrological-medical miscellany, including a calendar of John Somer followed by tables of solar and lunar eclipses; the Secretum secretorum; a treatise by Rasis on complexions (f.

• Illuminated initial., Astrological-medical miscellany, including a calendar of John Somer followed by tables of solar and lunar eclipses; the Secretum secretorum; a treatise by Rasis on complexions (f. 72v)

brown of urine glasses (ff. 21v-30; 47v-48). Drawings of eclipses (ff. 15v-16v). Guide letters. Astrological-medical miscellany, including a calendar of John Somer followed by tables of solar and lunar eclipses; the Secretum secretorum; a treatise by Rasis on complexions (f.

• Detail of a miniature of the Royal arms of England, at the end of the dedicatory letter addressed to Henry VIII., Poem on Ursula and the eleven thousand virgins, dedicated to Henry VIII

Detail of a miniature of the Royal arms of England, at the end of the dedicatory letter addressed to Henry VIII. 1 full border including a miniature of Ursula and eleven thousand virgins, in colours and gold, at the

• Detail of a miniature in the lower panel of a border of Ursula and eleventh thousend virgins, at the beginning of book 1., Poem on Ursula and the eleven thousand virgins, dedicated to Henry VIII

Detail of a miniature in the lower panel of a border of Ursula and eleventh thousend virgins, at the beginning of book 1. 1 full border including a miniature of Ursula and eleven thousand virgins, in colours and gold,

• Two quatrilobed miniatures: Evangelist portrait of John, and his symbol, the eagle., Book of Hours, Use of Paris ('The Hours of René d'Anjou')

Evangelist portrait of John, and his symbol, the eagle. The suffrages are preceded by a rubric 'Cy apres sensuivent les memoires des sains et des saintes et de toutes les festes de l'an selonc lordenance du kallendier. Excepte que le

• Miniatures of Barnabas (left) and John the Baptist (right), with partial foliate borders carried by angels., Book of Hours, Use of Paris ('The Hours of René d'Anjou')

Barnabas (left) and John the Baptist (right), with partial foliate borders carried by angels. The suffrages are preceded by a rubric 'Cy apres sensuivent les memoires des sains et des saintes et de toutes les festes de l'an selonc lordenance

• Miniature of the Virgin and Child with John the Evangelist, with partial foliate border carried by an angel., Book of Hours, Use of Paris ('The Hours of René d'Anjou')

Virgin and Child with John the Evangelist, with partial foliate border carried by an angel. The suffrages are preceded by a rubric 'Cy apres sensuivent les memoires des sains et des saintes et de toutes les festes de l'an selonc

• Miniatures of the beheading of John the Baptist and of Fiacre, with partial foliate borders carried by angels., Book of Hours, Use of Paris ('The Hours of René d'Anjou')

the beheading of John the Baptist and of Fiacre, with partial foliate borders carried by angels. The suffrages are preceded by a rubric 'Cy apres sensuivent les memoires des sains et des saintes et de toutes les festes de l'an

• Miniatures of Stephen (left) and John the Evangelist (right), with partial foliate borders carried by angels., Book of Hours, Use of Paris ('The Hours of René d'Anjou')

Stephen (left) and John the Evangelist (right), with partial foliate borders carried by angels. The suffrages are preceded by a rubric 'Cy apres sensuivent les memoires des sains et des saintes et de toutes les festes de l'an selonc lordenance