• 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

• Decorated initial 'E'(t)., The Historia Aseneth (ff. 53-64v) and Testamenta xii. Patriarcharum filiorum Jacob (ff. 65-96v)

'Chr' Towneley' ( f. 1). Richard Towneley, in 1702: his book-plate with the date (f. 2v); inscriptions 'T.283' (f. 3). John Hirst of Ladcastle, Dobcross, purchased at his sale at Sotheby's 14 December 1887 by the British Museum, using the

• Detail of text page, Aeneis (index Aeneid) , with a verse preface (ff. 1-201); Extract from Servius on Aeneis 6 (f. 202)

Detail of text page f. I is a paper flyleaf.Marginal commentary (ff. 87v to 97). 18 large initials in gold on red and blue grounds with red, blue, and brown penwork decoration (ff. 1, 1v, 2, 16, 16v, 32v,

• Pen-flourished initials, Meditations on the Life of Christ

Pen-flourished initials Vertical catchwords. Alternating initials in blue with red pen-flourishing or in red with violet pen-flourishing. Rubrics in red (now faded). Meditations on the Life of Christ Written in 1454 by Jacobus de Parma in Bologna for Frater

• Historiated initial 'Q'(ui) of the Resurrected Christ, with foliate extensions and gold besants., Various religious texts, including De imitatione Christi, capitula (ff. 1-4)

Historiated initial 'Q'(ui) of the Resurrected Christ, with foliate extensions and gold besants. Written by several scribes, one of whom wrote the lists of ~capitula~ (ff. 1-4) and the text on ff. 5-106v. Several others wrote ff. 107-199 (see

• 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

• Text pages with marginal commentary and illuminated initial 'S'(ic), at the beginning of Book VI: 'Sic factur lacrimans, classique immittit habenas'., Aeneis (index Aeneid) , with a verse preface (ff. 1-201); Extract from Servius on Aeneis 6 (f. 202)

Text pages with marginal commentary and illuminated initial 'S'(ic), at the beginning of Book VI: 'Sic factur lacrimans, classique immittit habenas'. f. I is a paper flyleaf.Marginal commentary (ff. 87v to 97). 18 large initials in gold on red

• 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.

• Historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with a portrait of Bartholomaeus de S. Concordio and an illuminated initial 'A'(bbas)., Summa Pisana with an index (ff. 222v-226v) (index Summa de casibus conscientiae, Summa Pisanella)

Benedicti papae xii. Atque scriptum et finitum anno dom. MCCCCLV . xx die mensis Decembris, in civitate Cortoniensi' (f. 226v). John Gibson (fl. 1720-1726), dealer; sold to Edward Harley on 28 August 1724 (see ~Diary~ 1966; Wright 1972).The monastery of

• 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