• Detail of the bottom border of the folio with a bas-de-page scene of a messenger delivering a letter to a man seated at a desk., Decretals of Gregory IX with glossa ordinaria (the 'Smithfield Decretals')

University of Paris (f. 4). John Batayle, a canon of St Bartholomew's at Smithfield, mentioned among other canons in a clerical subsidy roll of 1379 and named in a will of 1382, made by John Chyshull, another canon of St

• Historiated initial 'D'., Decretals of Gregory IX with glossa ordinaria (the 'Smithfield Decretals')

University of Paris (f. 4). John Batayle, a canon of St Bartholomew's at Smithfield, mentioned among other canons in a clerical subsidy roll of 1379 and named in a will of 1382, made by John Chyshull, another canon of St

• Detail of the left-hand border., Decretals of Gregory IX with glossa ordinaria (the 'Smithfield Decretals')

University of Paris (f. 4). John Batayle, a canon of St Bartholomew's at Smithfield, mentioned among other canons in a clerical subsidy roll of 1379 and named in a will of 1382, made by John Chyshull, another canon of St

• Miniature of a Zodiac man, with signs of the Zodiac signs marked on his body., Medical miscellany, including an astronomical calendar

this and the subsequent provenance suggests an origin in London.? John Smith, London, 16th century: a memorandum records that '… I, John Fysh(?), Dyer of London doythe owe unto John Smith of London cloth worker the some of 2s xd

• Volvelle with three moving parts representing the zodiac, the sun, and the moon, and showing their relative positions and the moon's phases, and astronomical diagram., Medical miscellany, including an astronomical calendar

this and the subsequent provenance suggests an origin in London.? John Smith, London, 16th century: a memorandum records that '… I, John Fysh(?), Dyer of London doythe owe unto John Smith of London cloth worker the some of 2s xd

• An engraved historiated full-page border of medallions containing the four Evangelists and scenes from the life of the Virgin and the life and Passion of Christ: (anti-clockwise from top left) of the Annunciation, Luke, the Nativity, the Flight into Egypt, Christ's Dispute with the Doctors, the Baptism of Christ, John, the Feeding of the Five Thousand, the Last Supper, Matthew, the Agony in the Garden, Christ before Caiaphas, Christ before Pontius Pilate, the Crucifixion, Mark, and the Resurrection., Cuttings from a printed Missal, containing text from the Masses for the feasts of Pentecost and Augustus

left) of the Annunciation, Luke, the Nativity, the Flight into Egypt, Christ's Dispute with the Doctors, the Baptism of Christ, John, the Feeding of the Five Thousand, the Last Supper, Matthew, the Agony in the Garden, Christ before Caiaphas, Christ

• An engraved historiated full-page border of medallions containing the four Evangelists and scenes from the life of the Virgin and the life and Passion of Christ: (anti-clockwise from top left) of the Annunciation, Luke, the Nativity, the Flight into Egypt, Christ's Dispute with the Doctors, the Baptism of Christ, Matthew, the Feeding of the Five Thousand, the Last Supper, John, the Agony in the Garden, Christ before Caiaphas, Christ before Pontius Pilate, the Crucifixion, Mark, and the Resurrection., Cuttings from a printed Missal, containing text from the Masses for the feasts of Pentecost and Augustus

Egypt, Christ's Dispute with the Doctors, the Baptism of Christ, Matthew, the Feeding of the Five Thousand, the Last Supper, John, the Agony in the Garden, Christ before Caiaphas, Christ before Pontius Pilate, the Crucifixion, Mark, and the Resurrection. Italian

• Miniature of the king of France being presented with the attributes of his function (the crown, the helm, the cloak, the sword, the fleur de lis, etc.) by bishops and dignitaries.

the French throne receiving his crown, robe, helm, sword and shield, with mounted knights in the lower border (f. 2). John Tyson, 15th century: inscribed with his name (f. 141).John Dee (b. 1527, d. 1609), mathematician, astrologer, and antiquary: a

• Detail of a miniature of the Crucifixion., Saint mistere de la glorieuse piteuse et angoisseuse passion de notre seigneur et saulveur Ihesucrist (Treatise on the Passion of Christ)

order of the Knights Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem: colophon, 'Ce liure est a frere Nicole de Montmirel, commandeur de sainct Mauluy' (f. 186); the arms of the order of Saint John of Jerusalem (gules, a cross argent), and

• Detail of a miniature of Christ before Pilate., Saint mistere de la glorieuse piteuse et angoisseuse passion de notre seigneur et saulveur Ihesucrist (Treatise on the Passion of Christ)

order of the Knights Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem: colophon, 'Ce liure est a frere Nicole de Montmirel, commandeur de sainct Mauluy' (f. 186); the arms of the order of Saint John of Jerusalem (gules, a cross argent), and

• Detail of a miniature of Christ's Entry into Jerusalem., Saint mistere de la glorieuse piteuse et angoisseuse passion de notre seigneur et saulveur Ihesucrist (Treatise on the Passion of Christ)

order of the Knights Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem: colophon, 'Ce liure est a frere Nicole de Montmirel, commandeur de sainct Mauluy' (f. 186); the arms of the order of Saint John of Jerusalem (gules, a cross argent), and

• Historiated initial 'R' of the Resurrection, the body of the letter composed of antique motifs, within a geometric frame with trompe l'oeil pearls. Beneath the miniature is a single line of text 'Resuresit C[h]r[istu]s De Sepulcro Aleluia Aleluia Aleluia'. On the reverse, three four-line red staves, musical notation and partial text '...ianum tuam alle / …mirabilis facta /…est scientia tua all'., Cuttings from a choir book of Alexander VI

were probably sold in his sales of 2 or 15 April 1889, though they are not identifiable in the catalogues. John Malcolm of Poltalloch (b. 1805, d. 1893), art collector and landowner: purchased from him by the Department of Prints

• Historiated initial 'C' of the Adoration of the Magi with an African king and attendant in the cavalcade, the body of the letter composed of musical instruments and trompe l'oeil gems. On the reverse, two four-line red staves, musical notation and partial text 'Deus in / …egida et iusti'., Cuttings from a choir book of Alexander VI

were probably sold in his sales of 2 or 15 April 1889, though they are not identifiable in the catalogues. John Malcolm of Poltalloch (b. 1805, d. 1893), art collector and landowner: purchased from him by the Department of Prints

• Historiated and foliate initial 'N' of the Last Supper within a frame of antique motifs. On the reverse, two four-line red staves, musical notation and partial text '…iquo est salus / …surrectio no'., Cuttings from a choir book of Alexander VI

were probably sold in his sales of 2 or 15 April 1889, though they are not identifiable in the catalogues. John Malcolm of Poltalloch (b. 1805, d. 1893), art collector and landowner: purchased from him by the Department of Prints

• Puzzle initial 'D'(eus)., Obituaries for priors and bishops of Durham with a calendar, prayers, Hours of the Virgin, and litany

Includes the obit of John Aukland, prior of Durham, who died in 1494 (f. 13v).For a full description of the contents, see the Harley Catalogue. Large puzzle initials in red and blue. Large initials in blue. Smaller initials in red

• Puzzle initial 'A'(bho[m]inacio) with pen-flourishing at the beginning of the list of contents., Homilies on Matthew (index In Matthaeum) (imperfect), with list of contents (ff. 145v-159v)

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. Puzzle initial John Chrysostom (index Johannes Chrysostomus) England

• Full-page border, from a detached leaf with the text removed, decorated with arabesques and seated figures of a pope, a cardinal, and two bishops, shrouded female figures, urns and floral motifs, framing miniatures of angels adoring the Host and the Last Supper., Cuttings from a Gospel Lectionary (index Evangelistary) of Gregory XIII

Full-page border, from a detached leaf with the text removed, decorated with arabesques and seated figures of a pope, a cardinal, and two bishops, shrouded female figures, urns and floral motifs, framing miniatures of angels adoring the Host and

• 5 border pieces decorated with flowers, birds and insects., Cuttings from a Gospel Lectionary (index Evangelistary) of Gregory XIII

5 border pieces decorated with flowers, birds and insects. Italian cuttings.The present cuttings are kept in two boxes with Add. 35254H-I, L, M and O (there is no. f. J) and Add. 35254Q-V. To see these cuttings in the

• Full-page border from a detached leaf with the text excised, decorated with four 'female' masks and figures of the four Evangelists in cartouches., Cuttings from a Gospel Lectionary (index Evangelistary) of Gregory XIII

Full-page border from a detached leaf with the text excised, decorated with four 'female' masks and figures of the four Evangelists in cartouches. Italian cuttings.The present cuttings are kept in two boxes with Add. 35254H-I, L, M and O

• Full-page border and section of border pasted at its centre in colours and gold with a bar of burnished gold decorated with leaves, floral forms, and bezants., Cuttings from a manuscript of Innocent VIII

Full-page border and section of border pasted at its centre in colours and gold with a bar of burnished gold decorated with leaves, floral forms, and bezants. Italian cutting.The present cutting is kept in a box with Add. 35254I-O.