• Illuminated initial 'C'(um) with floral decoration in gold and colours at the beginning of the prologue, with foliate tendrils extending from the initial into the upper and left margin., Epitome historiarum Pompeii Trogi

or red ink. Epitome historiarum Pompeii Trogi Inscribed colophon: 'Explicit feliciter. Anno dominj m^o^cccc Lj die vij Septembris' (f. 84). John Gibson (fl. 1720-1726), dealer; sold on 17 June 1721 to Edward Harley (~Diary~ 1966).The Harley Collection, formed by Robert

• Detail of text at the beginning of Book XVI., Epitome historiarum Pompeii Trogi

or red ink. Epitome historiarum Pompeii Trogi Inscribed colophon: 'Explicit feliciter. Anno dominj m^o^cccc Lj die vij Septembris' (f. 84). John Gibson (fl. 1720-1726), dealer; sold on 17 June 1721 to Edward Harley (~Diary~ 1966).The Harley Collection, formed by Robert

• Circular diagram against lightning; below, a diagram connected with solar and lunar cycles., Medical recipes and charms

Circular diagram against lightning; below, a diagram connected with solar and lunar cycles. ff. 23-27 are paper leaves from another manuscript containing recipes in a cursive script. Bound with British Library, Royal 17 B XLIX and Royal 17 B

• White vine initial 'H'(erbarum) with a butterfly., De viribus herbarum

White vine initial 'H'(erbarum) with a butterfly. ff. 1 and 2 are parchment flyleaves.ff. 1 and [46] are former pastedowns.Marginal notes list ailments for which the various herbs are recommended. 1 large white vine initial in gold, purple, blue

• Decorated initial 'S'(icut) at the beginning of the first text, and birds, oak leaves, acorns and crowned knight in armour in the margins., Various religious and historical tracts (also known as 'Codex ruber' and 'Waltham Abbey Miscellany') including the 'Vita Haroldi' (ff. 1-24v); 'De inventione sancte crucis de Waltham' (also known as the 'Waltham Chronicle', ff. 43-62v), part 1; the Voyage of St Brendan (ff. 67-75v)

owned at least ff. 63-66 in 1565, inscribed 'Sn Guiliel Bowyer. 1565' (f. 63).Inscribed 'An Olde Calender belonginge to me John Prim[...?] ?servaunt to M. George h[...] chamberlaine of the cittie of London. 1568' (f. 128): owned probably only ff.

• Decorated initial 'D'(e) with pen-flourishing including an oak leaf, at the beginning of a list of the relics given to Waltham abbey by Harold and others., Various religious and historical tracts (also known as 'Codex ruber' and 'Waltham Abbey Miscellany') including the 'Vita Haroldi' (ff. 1-24v); 'De inventione sancte crucis de Waltham' (also known as the 'Waltham Chronicle', ff. 43-62v), part 1; the Voyage of St Brendan (ff. 67-75v)

owned at least ff. 63-66 in 1565, inscribed 'Sn Guiliel Bowyer. 1565' (f. 63).Inscribed 'An Olde Calender belonginge to me John Prim[...?] ?servaunt to M. George h[...] chamberlaine of the cittie of London. 1568' (f. 128): owned probably only ff.

• Decorated initials with pen-flourishing in the 'Waltham Chronicle'., Various religious and historical tracts (also known as 'Codex ruber' and 'Waltham Abbey Miscellany') including the 'Vita Haroldi' (ff. 1-24v); 'De inventione sancte crucis de Waltham' (also known as the 'Waltham Chronicle', ff. 43-62v), part 1; the Voyage of St Brendan (ff. 67-75v)

owned at least ff. 63-66 in 1565, inscribed 'Sn Guiliel Bowyer. 1565' (f. 63).Inscribed 'An Olde Calender belonginge to me John Prim[...?] ?servaunt to M. George h[...] chamberlaine of the cittie of London. 1568' (f. 128): owned probably only ff.

• Decorated initial 'C'(um) with pen-flourishing. Arches drawn in the margin, possibly by William Howard in the early 17th century., Various religious and historical tracts (also known as 'Codex ruber' and 'Waltham Abbey Miscellany') including the 'Vita Haroldi' (ff. 1-24v); 'De inventione sancte crucis de Waltham' (also known as the 'Waltham Chronicle', ff. 43-62v), part 1; the Voyage of St Brendan (ff. 67-75v)

owned at least ff. 63-66 in 1565, inscribed 'Sn Guiliel Bowyer. 1565' (f. 63).Inscribed 'An Olde Calender belonginge to me John Prim[...?] ?servaunt to M. George h[...] chamberlaine of the cittie of London. 1568' (f. 128): owned probably only ff.

• Text page with pen drawing of a surgical instrument., Medical miscellany, including Bradmore's 'Philomena' in Middle English translation (ff. 6-184v)

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. Drawing of surgical instrument John Bradmore England

• Detail of the drawing of a surgical instrument., Medical miscellany, including Bradmore's 'Philomena' in Middle English translation (ff. 6-184v)

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. Surgical instrument John Bradmore England

• Full-page miniature of Michael III of Wallachia on horseback. The text in the border reads: 'The figure is without soul, but it has the eyesight of a living person, and if anybody wants to know the effigy of this one, it is of the akoutsos (or famous) Master (Afthentis) Michalis of whom all Turks, both young and old, were scared'., Life of Michael III, Voivod of Wallachia (Mihai Viteazul)

Full-page miniature of Michael III of Wallachia on horseback. The text in the border reads: 'The figure is without soul, but it has the eyesight of a living person, and if anybody wants to know the effigy of this

• Headpiece and decorated initial., Life of Michael III, Voivod of Wallachia (Mihai Viteazul)

Headpiece and decorated initial. Spaces left for other miniatures.f. 1 is a paper fragment with notes by Covel pasted to f. [iiv] (see Wright 1972).For the text, see Emile Legrand, ~Bibliothèque grecque vulgaire~ (Paris: H. Welter, 1881), II, pp.

• Detail of the arms of Ludovicus Petronius, of Siena, in the lower border., Leonardo Bruni Aretino, De bello italico adversus Gotos (ff. 1-54); Elegies and funeral tributes to Leonardo Bruni by various authors (ff. 54v-74v)

Detail of the arms of Ludovicus Petronius, of Siena, in the lower border. Catchwords in the bottom left corner. Pricking holes.The same scribe wrote Harley 4883 in 1451-2. 2 large white vine initials in gold and colours, with the

• White vine initials 'R'(em) and 'L'(eonardus) at the beginning of the prefatory texts, with the arms of Ludovicus Petronius, of Siena, in the lower border., Leonardo Bruni Aretino, De bello italico adversus Gotos (ff. 1-54); Elegies and funeral tributes to Leonardo Bruni by various authors (ff. 54v-74v)

White vine initials 'R'(em) and 'L'(eonardus) at the beginning of the prefatory texts, with the arms of Ludovicus Petronius, of Siena, in the lower border. Catchwords in the bottom left corner. Pricking holes.The same scribe wrote Harley 4883 in

• Coloured initial and musical notations on 4-line staves., Life of Thomas Becket (index Vie de Thomas Becket), in Anglo-Norman verse, followed by an Anglo-Norman crusade noted song ‘S’onques nus hom pour dure’ (ff. 14-14v); Anglo-Norman romance Guy of Warwick (index Gui de Warewic) (ff. 15-26)

Coloured initial and musical notations on 4-line staves. The life of Thomas Becket in verse was composed c. 1184. It is based on one by Robert of Cricklade (d. c. 1174), prior of St. Frideswide's, Oxford, now lost. It

• Text page with added notes., Life of Thomas Becket (index Vie de Thomas Becket), in Anglo-Norman verse, followed by an Anglo-Norman crusade noted song ‘S’onques nus hom pour dure’ (ff. 14-14v); Anglo-Norman romance Guy of Warwick (index Gui de Warewic) (ff. 15-26)

Text page with added notes. The life of Thomas Becket in verse was composed c. 1184. It is based on one by Robert of Cricklade (d. c. 1174), prior of St. Frideswide's, Oxford, now lost. It can also be

• Detail of a text page of St Albans's Annals, datable to 1428-1431 (ff. 100-120)., Chronicle, AD 1-1135 (ff. 34-61), with additions up to 1266 (ff. 61v-73)

Detail of a text page of St Albans's Annals, datable to 1428-1431 (ff. 100-120). The life of Thomas Becket in verse was composed c. 1184. It is based on one by Robert of Cricklade (d. c. 1174), prior of

• Coloured drawing of an English king in armour and tabard (King John), presenting a plaque with verses. Unfinished., Anonymous verses on the kings of England, to Henry VI, unfinished (manuscript also known as Sir Thomas Holme's Book of Arms) (index Heraldry)

king in armour and tabard (King John), presenting a plaque with verses. Unfinished. This manuscript, together with two other manuscripts (London, British Library, Add. 45133 and London, Guildhall Library, Print Room (s.n.)) is known as 'Sir Thomas Holme's Book' because

• Illuminated initial 'P' and border., New Testament, in the later Wycliffe version (index Bible), with prologues, table of lessons, and a table of arguments of the various books

the various books John Harefinch, in 1708: inscriptions 'John Harefinch His Booke 1708', twice, and 'John Harefinch' (f. 274v); 'John Harefinch His Book' (ff. 19v, 20, 47); 'John Harefinch is owner of this book' (f. 74); John Harefinch is the

• Decorated initial 'I'(n) with foliate decoration including acanthus extending into the margins at the beginning of the text., The Prose Brut Chronicle of England (common version to 1430), including John Page's poem 'The Siege of Rouen' (imperfect)

to 1430), including John Page's poem 'The Siege of Rouen' (imperfect) John Awdeley: inscribed, 15th century, 'Jho John Awdeley squier' (f. 152). perhaps the younger brother of James Tuchet, 7th baron Audley (c. 1463- 1497); this John married an illegitemate