• Detail of an inhabited initial 'P'(rimum) with human figures and animals, at the beginning of Book 1., De universo seu De rerum naturis

York, and cardinal: 'TC' monogram, perhaps for Thomas Cardinalis (see Carley 2000, p. xxxiii), 16th century (f. 1).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 1099' (f. I*), iacquired by the Upper Library at Westminster after

• Detail of an inhabited initial 'P'(rimum) with human figures and animals, at the beginning of Book 1., De universo seu De rerum naturis

York, and cardinal: 'TC' monogram, perhaps for Thomas Cardinalis (see Carley 2000, p. xxxiii), 16th century (f. 1).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 1099' (f. I*), iacquired by the Upper Library at Westminster after

• Text page with a drawing of a hand pointing to text from the margin., De universo seu De rerum naturis

York, and cardinal: 'TC' monogram, perhaps for Thomas Cardinalis (see Carley 2000, p. xxxiii), 16th century (f. 1).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 1099' (f. I*), iacquired by the Upper Library at Westminster after

• Decorated and coloured initials 'N'(atura) and 'H'(omo)., De universo seu De rerum naturis

York, and cardinal: 'TC' monogram, perhaps for Thomas Cardinalis (see Carley 2000, p. xxxiii), 16th century (f. 1).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 1099' (f. I*), iacquired by the Upper Library at Westminster after

• Text page in the table of contents., De universo seu De rerum naturis

York, and cardinal: 'TC' monogram, perhaps for Thomas Cardinalis (see Carley 2000, p. xxxiii), 16th century (f. 1).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 1099' (f. I*), iacquired by the Upper Library at Westminster after

• Diagram, with an almond shape central space, inside a rectangle with the names of the four Evangelists. On the outer border are the names of the apostles and Paul, whose names are written in circles, and names of Old Testament prophets, priests, and patriarchs between the circles. Around the outside of the diagram, are notes of the hours of the day and night and the names of directions (in Old English) and winds place the celestial scheme within the structure of the world or creation., Portion of the annals of Peterborough Abbey

circles, and names of Old Testament prophets, priests, and patriarchs between the circles. Around the outside of the diagram, are notes of the hours of the day and night and the names of directions (in OldEnglish) and winds place

• Following the numbered list of chapters (some of the numbers are visible through the parchment in the right-hand column), the start of the main text is introduced by a large red initial 'B' and opening words in capital letters (now darkened to a silvery black, due to oxidisation)., Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum, with preface and tables of chapters, imperfect at the end

abbey of St. Peter, Gloucester: inscribed in the 14th century: 'Liber monasterii S. Petri Glouc.' (f. 2). The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 965' (f. 2), acquired by the Upper Library at Westminster after

• Decorated initial 'I'(n illo tempore) with interlace and foliate motifs., Homiliary, temporal (from Septuagesima to Easter Eve) (index Homiliae). At the end are added in a 12th-century hand, two pieces in verse, 'De Corpore et Sanguine Domini', beginning, 'Mysterio magno legali vescimur agno' (f. 170v), and 'Crimina deploret sua sic peccator et oret', beginning, 'Quo pius et pietas Deus a te pulsus abibo' (f. 171).

in fraudem deleverit anathema sit. Amen' (f. 172, early 14th century); a similar inscription, 15th century (f. 5).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 383' (f. 5), included in the inventory of books in the

• Puzzle initial 'A' with decoration in the form of leaves., Historical and geographical works: Des Grantz Geanz (f.3); Mandeville's Travels (ff. 40-71v); Chronica maiora (index Historia Anglicana)(ff. 177-326v)

(c. 1360-c. 1425) is thought to have supervised the compilation of this manuscript. (see Clarke, 2004 p. 165).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): in the catalogue of 1666 (f. 11b) and in the 1698 catalogue of the library

• Decorated initial 'D'(ebitor) with foliate motifs and, in the lower margin, the ownership inscription of the cathedral priory of St. Andrew, Rochester., Various religious works, including Liber contra quinque hereses (ff. 2-15v), Sermon of Pseudo-Ambrose, De dignitate sacerdotali (ff. 16-21v), Didymus of Alexandria's De Spiritu Sancto (ff. 22-56), Augustine's De muliere forti (ff. 56v-67v), Mansuetus' Epistola ad Constantinum Imperatorem de Fide (ff. 67v-71v), works by Bede, including his Epistola ad Nothelmum (f. 73r-v), De triginta questionibus (ff. 73v-90v), De templo salomonis (ff. 91-155), and Expositio super Canticum Abacuc (ff. 155-166), imperfect at the end

library catalogues of 1122-1123, of the early 12th century (a fragmentary list), and of 1202 (see Sharpe 1996).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 62' (f. 1), included in the inventory of books in the

• Detail of a bas-de-page scene of a hair-covered Mary of Egypt feeding a lion, a bear and a stag., Decretals of Gregory IX with glossa ordinaria (the 'Smithfield Decretals')

priory of St Bartholomew's at Smithfield: inscribed, 'Liber domus sancti barthomomei in smyth fylde', 15th century (f. 1v).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Henrician title 'Decretales' and Westminster inventory number 'no. 1059' (f. 1), acquired by the Upper

• Detail of a bas-de-page scene of a blue-faced grotesque, hunched, with a man standing on his shoulders, from Book 1 of the Decretals., Decretals of Gregory IX with glossa ordinaria (the 'Smithfield Decretals')

priory of St Bartholomew's at Smithfield: inscribed, 'Liber domus sancti barthomomei in smyth fylde', 15th century (f. 1v).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Henrician title 'Decretales' and Westminster inventory number 'no. 1059' (f. 1), acquired by the Upper

• Added drawings of the symbols of the four Evangelists, leaf and scroll ornament, labelled 'vinea Domini', part of a Latin alphabet and runes., Historum adversum paganos (the 'Tollemache, Helmingham, or Lauderdale Orosius')

part of a Latin alphabet and runes. Composed by an anonymous West Saxon author between 870 and 930, the OldEnglish version of Orosius's history was adapted from the Latin text (possibly a glossed copy such as St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek,

• Text page at the beginning of the list of chapter headings., Historum adversum paganos (the 'Tollemache, Helmingham, or Lauderdale Orosius')

beginning of the list of chapter headings. Composed by an anonymous West Saxon author between 870 and 930, the OldEnglish version of Orosius's history was adapted from the Latin text (possibly a glossed copy such as St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek,

• Marginal drawing of pointed and circular shapes., Historum adversum paganos (the 'Tollemache, Helmingham, or Lauderdale Orosius')

Marginal drawing of pointed and circular shapes. Composed by an anonymous West Saxon author between 870 and 930, the OldEnglish version of Orosius's history was adapted from the Latin text (possibly a glossed copy such as St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek,

• Zoomorphic initial 'I'(C) at the beginning of Book V, Chapter i., Historum adversum paganos (the 'Tollemache, Helmingham, or Lauderdale Orosius')

the beginning of Book V, Chapter i. Composed by an anonymous West Saxon author between 870 and 930, the OldEnglish version of Orosius's history was adapted from the Latin text (possibly a glossed copy such as St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek,

• Text page with marginal geometric drawings., Historum adversum paganos (the 'Tollemache, Helmingham, or Lauderdale Orosius')

Text page with marginal geometric drawings. Composed by an anonymous West Saxon author between 870 and 930, the OldEnglish version of Orosius's history was adapted from the Latin text (possibly a glossed copy such as St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod.

• Text page with marginal geometric drawing., Historum adversum paganos (the 'Tollemache, Helmingham, or Lauderdale Orosius')

Text page with marginal geometric drawing. Composed by an anonymous West Saxon author between 870 and 930, the OldEnglish version of Orosius's history was adapted from the Latin text (possibly a glossed copy such as St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod.

• Zoomorphic initial 'A'(eft) with two creatures and vine interlace patterns at the beginning of Book IV, Chapter i., Historum adversum paganos (the 'Tollemache, Helmingham, or Lauderdale Orosius')

the beginning of Book IV, Chapter i. Composed by an anonymous West Saxon author between 870 and 930, the OldEnglish version of Orosius's history was adapted from the Latin text (possibly a glossed copy such as St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek,

• Zoomorphic initial (A)'E'(ft) with four heads and interlaced bodies at the beginning of Book III, Chapter i., Historum adversum paganos (the 'Tollemache, Helmingham, or Lauderdale Orosius')

the beginning of Book III, Chapter i. Composed by an anonymous West Saxon author between 870 and 930, the OldEnglish version of Orosius's history was adapted from the Latin text (possibly a glossed copy such as St. Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek,