• Zoomorphic initial 'U'(re) with 3 heads and interlaced bodies at the beginning of Book I, Chapter i., Historum adversum paganos (the 'Tollemache, Helmingham, or Lauderdale Orosius')

Dee (b. 1527, d. 1609), mathematician, astrologer, and antiquary: noted by Hickes in 1689.Inscribed 'Joan Davysun', 17th century (f. i). John Maitland, duke of Lauderdale (b. 1616–, d. 1682), politician, by 1676-78: noted by Hickes in 1689, as mansucript 167

• Text page with large initials; Latin and Anglo-Saxon script., Grammar

Text page with large initials; Latin and Anglo-Saxon script. Greek numerals and alphabets (ff. 2v-3)'Excerptiones de arte grammatica Anglice': the Latin Grammar, in Anglo-Saxon, of Ælfric, Abbot of Ensham based on Priscian's Excerptiones. Imperfect at the end, breaking off

• Zoomorphic initial 'S'(eptemtrionalis) of a dragon., Historia Langobardorum, in six books, each preceded by a table of contents, added hymn on the preservation of St. Bertin's abbey at St. Omer from destruction by fire (ff. 71v-72) (index Historia Longobardorum)

is said to have occurred in the time of abbot Odbert (1000-1012); see also the Chronicle of S. Bertin by John of Ypres, cap. 34 (Edmund Martène and Ursin Durand, ~Thesaurus novus anecdotorum~, 5 vols (Paris, 1717), III, p. 569).Incipit:

• Text page of the beginning of Gregory the Great' 'De cura pastoral'.i, De cura pastorali, Libellus de dignitate sacerdotali, De Helia et ieiunio and other texts

Text page of the beginning of Gregory the Great' 'De cura pastoral'.i The manuscript includes:Gregory the Great, De cura pastorali (ff. 1-97);Ambrose, Libellus de dignitate sacerdotali (ff. 97v-106);Ambrose, De Helia et ieiunio (ff. 106v-13);Augustine, 'Sermo ad episcopos' (ff. 132-134);The

• Designs for initials and borders, including a bird., Pattern, sketch, or model book

15th-century: 'Young' and monogram 'I H' with effaced text (f. 29v). Inscribed several names, 16th-century: 'William Brome' (f. 3), 'Johannes', 'John & framyng', 'Richarde' (f. 4), 'Richardus Bowle' (ff. 8, 26v, 29), 'Thomas / Henry / William / Johannes /

• Designs for initials and borders., Pattern, sketch, or model book

15th-century: 'Young' and monogram 'I H' with effaced text (f. 29v). Inscribed several names, 16th-century: 'William Brome' (f. 3), 'Johannes', 'John & framyng', 'Richarde' (f. 4), 'Richardus Bowle' (ff. 8, 26v, 29), 'Thomas / Henry / William / Johannes /

• Designs for initials (letters A-M)., Pattern, sketch, or model book

15th-century: 'Young' and monogram 'I H' with effaced text (f. 29v). Inscribed several names, 16th-century: 'William Brome' (f. 3), 'Johannes', 'John & framyng', 'Richarde' (f. 4), 'Richardus Bowle' (ff. 8, 26v, 29), 'Thomas / Henry / William / Johannes /

• Designs for letters of the alphabet (letters H-Y)., Pattern, sketch, or model book

15th-century: 'Young' and monogram 'I H' with effaced text (f. 29v). Inscribed several names, 16th-century: 'William Brome' (f. 3), 'Johannes', 'John & framyng', 'Richarde' (f. 4), 'Richardus Bowle' (ff. 8, 26v, 29), 'Thomas / Henry / William / Johannes /

• Coloured initials 'Q'(uanta) and I(ordmare), with geometric line-fillers in red., Vita S. Gregorii Papae; Versus S. Gregorii

(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. Coloured initials John the Deacon (index: Johannis Levitae, Hymonides) England

• Decorated initial 'M'(agnus) at the beginning of book 1 of Augustine's Confessiones., Confessiones (index Confessions)

Duodecimo Die Decembris Anno Jesu Christi 1687' (f. 1); his seal with the inscription 'Edw[ard] Chamberlayne 1688' ([f. iv verso]). John Chamberlayne (b. 1666, d. 1723), son of Edward Chamberlayne (b. 1616, d. 1703): his sale conducted by Daniel Browne,

• Display script with penwork decoration and reserved lines., Epistolae

Display script with penwork decoration and reserved lines. According to the incipit on f*v this is the 2nd part 'Incipit secunda pars epistolarum aurelii augustini yponiensis episcopi'. Quire marks. Catchwords (added by later medieval hand). Text block on ff.

• Dedtail of display script with penwork decoration and reserved lines., Epistolae

Dedtail of display script with penwork decoration and reserved lines. According to the incipit on f*v this is the 2nd part 'Incipit secunda pars epistolarum aurelii augustini yponiensis episcopi'. Quire marks. Catchwords (added by later medieval hand). Text block

• Detail of decorated initial 'H'(abens) with reserved lines, arabesque and foliate motifs., Epistolae

Detail of decorated initial 'H'(abens) with reserved lines, arabesque and foliate motifs. According to the incipit on f*v this is the 2nd part 'Incipit secunda pars epistolarum aurelii augustini yponiensis episcopi'. Quire marks. Catchwords (added by later medieval hand).

• Detail of decorated initial 'A'(ugustinus) with reserved lines, arabesque and foliate motifs., Epistolae

Detail of decorated initial 'A'(ugustinus) with reserved lines, arabesque and foliate motifs. According to the incipit on f*v this is the 2nd part 'Incipit secunda pars epistolarum aurelii augustini yponiensis episcopi'. Quire marks. Catchwords (added by later medieval hand).

• Detail of display script with reserved lines., Epistolae

Detail of display script with reserved lines. According to the incipit on f*v this is the 2nd part 'Incipit secunda pars epistolarum aurelii augustini yponiensis episcopi'. Quire marks. Catchwords (added by later medieval hand). Text block on ff. 64-79

• White vine initial 'N'(el) and full border at the beginning of the text., Trionfi (index Triumphs)

White vine initial 'N'(el) and full border at the beginning of the text. Catchwords.This manuscript was made in Florence or Rome c. 1440-c. 1450, according to unpublished notes of A. C. de la Mare at the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

• Coloured initial 'Q'(uib) with penwork decoration including a face., Vita S. Gregorii Papae; Versus S. Gregorii

(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. Coloured initial John the Deacon (index: Johannis Levitae, Hymonides) England

• Decorated initial at the beginning of the prayer against poison., Extracts from the Gospels and prayers ('The Book of Nunnaminster')

Decorated initial at the beginning of the prayer against poison. One of a group of Southumbrian prayerbooks of the "Tiberius" group, the others being Harley 7653, and Cambridge, Cambridge University Library, MS Ll.1.10 (Book of Cerne). All, except Cerne,

• Decorated initial at the beginning of the Lorica of Laidcenn., Extracts from the Gospels and prayers ('The Book of Nunnaminster')

Decorated initial at the beginning of the Lorica of Laidcenn. One of a group of Southumbrian prayerbooks of the "Tiberius" group, the others being Harley 7653, and Cambridge, Cambridge University Library, MS Ll.1.10 (Book of Cerne). All, except Cerne,

• Text pages with rubrics and initials with colour wash., Extracts from the Gospels and prayers ('The Book of Nunnaminster')

Text pages with rubrics and initials with colour wash. One of a group of Southumbrian prayerbooks of the "Tiberius" group, the others being Harley 7653, and Cambridge, Cambridge University Library, MS Ll.1.10 (Book of Cerne). All, except Cerne, exhibit