• Illluminated initials in the Friar's tale., The Canterbury Tales

Dorothie, née Leuenthorp: inscribed with their names (f. 286v; see Wright 1972).Other inscriptions include 'John Martant', 16th century (ff. 144, 180), and 'John Thomsyn' and 'John Thomsun Symond, late 16th-early 17th century (ff. 165v, 284v).John Somers, 1st baron Somers (b.

• Miniature in four segments: 1. Pierre Bersuire presenting the book to John II; 2. the wolf with Romulus and Remus; 3. John II enthroned; 4. Knights fighting, at the beginning of the prologue., Ab urbe condita (Les decades de Titus Livius)

Miniature in four segments: 1. Pierre Bersuire presenting the book to John II; 2. the wolf with Romulus and Remus; 3. John II enthroned; 4. Knights fighting, at the beginning of the prologue. Contains the 'Ab urbe condita' of Livy,

• Detail of a miniature of the capture of John de St John and others by the French., Chroniques de France ou de St Denis (from 1270 to1380)

Detail of a miniature of the capture of John de St John and others by the French. Includes the series of nine miniatures illustrating the visit of the Emperor Charles IV to the King of France, Charles V, which occur

• Text page from a Bible., fragments from the end of Joshua and the beginning of Judges; and the end of Judges to the beginning of Ruth

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(?)

• Text page from a Bible., fragments from the end of Joshua and the beginning of Judges; and the end of Judges to the beginning of Ruth

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(?)

• Flourished initial 'D', at the beginning of book 2 of the Law treatise called Britton., Law treatise called Britton (begins and ends imperfectly)

ends imperfectly) William Petty (~formerly~ Fitzmaurice) (b. 1737, d. 1805), 2nd earl of Shelburne and 1st marquess of Lansdowne, prime minister; purchased by the British Museum together with 1244 other Lansdowne manuscripts in 1807. Flourished initial John le Breton England

• Drawings of furnaces, stills, jars for drawing off liquid, and other apparatus used for the alchemical transmutation of metals and for preparing medicines., Medical miscellany, including Arderne's Liber medicinarum (ff. 26-99); list of herbs in Latin and English

herbs in Latin and English Sir Hans Sloane (b. 1660, d. 1753), baronet, physician and collector. Purchased as part of the Sloane collection from Sloane's executors and incorporated into the newly founded British Museum in 1753. Apparatus John Arderne England

• Detail of a miniature in four segments: 1. Pierre Bersuire presenting the book to John II; 2. the wolf with Romulus and Remus; 3. John II enthroned; 4. Knights fighting, at the beginning of the prologue., Ab urbe condita (Les decades de Titus Livius)

Detail of a miniature in four segments: 1. Pierre Bersuire presenting the book to John II; 2. the wolf with Romulus and Remus; 3. John II enthroned; 4. Knights fighting, at the beginning of the prologue. Contains the 'Ab urbe

• Diagrams of solar and lunar eclipses in a physician's folding almanac., Physician's folding almanac, including John Somer's 'Calendar' (ff. 3-6), eclipse canon (f. 7), diagrams of solar and lunar eclipses from 1431 to 1462 (ff. 8-10)

almanac. A portable physician's folding almanac based on the 'Kalendarium' of John Somer (d. in or after 1409), Franciscan friar at Bridgwater and astronomer.One of 29 English folding almanacs, of which 10 are in the British Library: see Carey 2003.

• Detail of diagrams of solar and lunar eclipses from 1431 to 1462., Physician's folding almanac, including John Somer's 'Calendar' (ff. 3-6), eclipse canon (f. 7), diagrams of solar and lunar eclipses from 1431 to 1462 (ff. 8-10)

1462. A portable physician's folding almanac based on the 'Kalendarium' of John Somer (d. in or after 1409), Franciscan friar at Bridgwater and astronomer.One of 29 English folding almanacs, of which 10 are in the British Library: see Carey 2003.

• Decorated initial 'I'(n ye) wit a full border, at the beginning of Genesis., Wycliffite Bible, in the later version

the prologue by John Purvey, imperfect; the text starts 'Five and twenti bookis', and ends 'descendant in infernum viventes'.Catchwords and bifolium signatures. Some pointing hands in the margins, sometimes with annotations (e.g., f. 265). 1 miniature of John writing his

• Detail of an pen-flourished initial 'I'(ou)., Wycliffite Bible, in the later version

the prologue by John Purvey, imperfect; the text starts 'Five and twenti bookis', and ends 'descendant in infernum viventes'.Catchwords and bifolium signatures. Some pointing hands in the margins, sometimes with annotations (e.g., f. 265). 1 miniature of John writing his

• Detail of the left-hand column of the folio with two pen-flourished initials., Wycliffite Bible, in the later version

the prologue by John Purvey, imperfect; the text starts 'Five and twenti bookis', and ends 'descendant in infernum viventes'.Catchwords and bifolium signatures. Some pointing hands in the margins, sometimes with annotations (e.g., f. 265). 1 miniature of John writing his

• Detail of a decorated initial 'I'(n) at the beginning of Esther., Wycliffite Bible, in the later version

the prologue by John Purvey, imperfect; the text starts 'Five and twenti bookis', and ends 'descendant in infernum viventes'.Catchwords and bifolium signatures. Some pointing hands in the margins, sometimes with annotations (e.g., f. 265). 1 miniature of John writing his

• Foliate Initial 'T'(he book) with a full border, at the beginning of Matthew., Wycliffite Bible, in the later version

the prologue by John Purvey, imperfect; the text starts 'Five and twenti bookis', and ends 'descendant in infernum viventes'.Catchwords and bifolium signatures. Some pointing hands in the margins, sometimes with annotations (e.g., f. 265). 1 miniature of John writing his

• Historiated initial 'P'(rimo) of the Nativity with a partial foliate border., Breviary, use of Sarum, imperfect

of saints, including David Chad, Winifred and John of Beverley 15th century (ff. 288-290), with an early 15th century initial pasted down (f. 290).Inscribed 'By me Cornishe Simpsone', 16th century (f. 291).? John Theyer (bap. 1598, d. 1673), antiquary: his

• Detail of an historiated initial 'D'(ominus) of the Virgin and Child, with the donor, Thomas Besforde, in a Benedictine habit with a scroll reading 'In te confidit a[n]i[m]a / mea', in the margin.', Commentary on Wisdom

manuscriptorum Angliae et Hiberniae~ (Oxford: Sheldonian, '1697', but 1698?), no. 7746).Presented to the British Museum by George II in 1757 as part of the Old Royal Library. Virgin and Thomas Besforde John Lutton John Lutton Reading England, S. E. (Reading?)

• Miniature of John the Baptist, with Agnus Dei., Added prayers to saints

of Anne of York.Part 2:Margaret Beauchamp (b. 1405/6, d. 1482), duchess of Somerset, daughter of John Beauchamp of Bletsoe, married to Sir Oliver St John,John Beaufort, and Lionel de Welles, 6th Baron Welles, probably made for her before 1443:

• Miniature of John of Bridlington., Added prayers to saints

of Anne of York.Part 2:Margaret Beauchamp (b. 1405/6, d. 1482), duchess of Somerset, daughter of John Beauchamp of Bletsoe, married to Sir Oliver St John,John Beaufort, and Lionel de Welles, 6th Baron Welles, probably made for her before 1443:

• Detail of a miniature of a spear shaft, and Mounts Olyumpus and Athos., Voyage d'outre mer in Middle English

of a vessel, 15th-16th century (ff. 14v, 17v).Inscribed names of some members of the Osborne family: Harry, William, Anthony, Raff, John, and Thomas, 16th century? (f. 2).Edward Banister, recusant and patron of the arts, inscribed with his name (f. 1).John