• Detail of a historiated initial 'H'(ec) of Nicholas of Lyre in a Franciscan habit, sitting at a desk and presenting his book to a king and a queen, at the beginning of the prologue 1., Postilla litteralis in vetus et novum testamentum

chief argent, or party per fess argent and sable; and paly of four gules and or (f. 1).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Westminster inventory number 'no. 1197' (f. 1), acquired by the Upper Library at Westminster after

• Decorated initial 'V'(etus), at the beginning of book 4., 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 'S'(i) with two lions, at the beginning of the Policraticus., Policraticus, Metalogicon, and Entheticus de dogmate philosophorum

39 (see English Benedictine Libraries 1996).Thomas Wolsey (b. 1470/71, d. 1530), royal minister, archbishop of York, and cardinal: 'TC' monogram, perhaps for Thomas Cardinalis (see Carley 2000, p. xxxiii), 16th century (f. 2).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library):

• Illuminated initial 'I'(nter) at the beginning of book 1 of the Polycraticus., Policraticus, Metalogicon, and Entheticus de dogmate philosophorum

39 (see English Benedictine Libraries 1996).Thomas Wolsey (b. 1470/71, d. 1530), royal minister, archbishop of York, and cardinal: 'TC' monogram, perhaps for Thomas Cardinalis (see Carley 2000, p. xxxiii), 16th century (f. 2).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library):

• Decorated initial 'N'(on) at the beginning of book 5 of the Metalogicon., Policraticus, Metalogicon, and Entheticus de dogmate philosophorum

39 (see English Benedictine Libraries 1996).Thomas Wolsey (b. 1470/71, d. 1530), royal minister, archbishop of York, and cardinal: 'TC' monogram, perhaps for Thomas Cardinalis (see Carley 2000, p. xxxiii), 16th century (f. 2).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library):

• Decorated initial 'A'(dversus), at the beginning of book 1 of the Metalogicon., Policraticus, Metalogicon, and Entheticus de dogmate philosophorum

39 (see English Benedictine Libraries 1996).Thomas Wolsey (b. 1470/71, d. 1530), royal minister, archbishop of York, and cardinal: 'TC' monogram, perhaps for Thomas Cardinalis (see Carley 2000, p. xxxiii), 16th century (f. 2).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library):

• Illuminated initial 'D'(ogmate), at the beginning of the Entheticus de dogmate philosophorum., Policraticus, Metalogicon, and Entheticus de dogmate philosophorum

39 (see English Benedictine Libraries 1996).Thomas Wolsey (b. 1470/71, d. 1530), royal minister, archbishop of York, and cardinal: 'TC' monogram, perhaps for Thomas Cardinalis (see Carley 2000, p. xxxiii), 16th century (f. 2).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library):

• Decorated initial 'N'(otum) at the beginning of book 6 of the Metalogicon., Policraticus, Metalogicon, and Entheticus de dogmate philosophorum

39 (see English Benedictine Libraries 1996).Thomas Wolsey (b. 1470/71, d. 1530), royal minister, archbishop of York, and cardinal: 'TC' monogram, perhaps for Thomas Cardinalis (see Carley 2000, p. xxxiii), 16th century (f. 2).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library):

• Inhabited initial 'S'(i) with two lions, at the beginning of the Policraticus., Policraticus, Metalogicon, and Entheticus de dogmate philosophorum

39 (see English Benedictine Libraries 1996).Thomas Wolsey (b. 1470/71, d. 1530), royal minister, archbishop of York, and cardinal: 'TC' monogram, perhaps for Thomas Cardinalis (see Carley 2000, p. xxxiii), 16th century (f. 2).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library):

• Puzzle initial 'B'(eatissimi) with pen-flourishing and a partial border at the beginning of Book 2., Doctrinale fidei ecclesiae, Books 1 and 2

Wales (b. 1594, d. 1612), eldest child of James I: his collection became part of the Royal Library.The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): included in the catalogue of 1666, Royal Appendix 71 (f. 5v) and in the 1698

• Donor inscriptions and pressmark., Sermons (f. 2); Statutes of the Church of Hereford (f. 258v)

Wales (b. 1594, d. 1612), eldest child of James I: his collection became part of the Royal Library.The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): in the catalogue of 1666, Royal Appendix 71 (f. 6 ) and in the 1698

• Chronological tables., Chronica

hospital of St Thomas of Acon, Cheapside, London (see inscription above).Added list of contents, 16th century (f. 2v).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Henrician title 'Cronica ab Abraham usque ad annum domini 1168 Eusebii, Hieronimi, Prosperi, Sigisberti', and

• Decorated initials 'A'(b) and 'I'(gitur)., Chronica

hospital of St Thomas of Acon, Cheapside, London (see inscription above).Added list of contents, 16th century (f. 2v).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Henrician title 'Cronica ab Abraham usque ad annum domini 1168 Eusebii, Hieronimi, Prosperi, Sigisberti', and

• Decorated initial 'T'(heodosius)., Chronica

hospital of St Thomas of Acon, Cheapside, London (see inscription above).Added list of contents, 16th century (f. 2v).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Henrician title 'Cronica ab Abraham usque ad annum domini 1168 Eusebii, Hieronimi, Prosperi, Sigisberti', and

• Ownership inscription of John Pyk, schoolmaster of St Martin le Grand, London, reading 'Iste liber constat Iohanni Pyke magistro scolarum sancti Martini magni Londoniarum', with extracts of notabilia from Robert Torigni's chronicle., Chronica

hospital of St Thomas of Acon, Cheapside, London (see inscription above).Added list of contents, 16th century (f. 2v).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Henrician title 'Cronica ab Abraham usque ad annum domini 1168 Eusebii, Hieronimi, Prosperi, Sigisberti', and

• Decorated initial 'I'(eronimus) at the beginning of the prologue, with the Henrician title 'Cronica ab Abraham usque ad annum domini 1168 Eusebii, Hieronimi, Prosperi, Sigisberti', and the Westminster inventory number 'no. 1033' added in the upper margin., Chronica

hospital of St Thomas of Acon, Cheapside, London (see inscription above).Added list of contents, 16th century (f. 2v).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Henrician title 'Cronica ab Abraham usque ad annum domini 1168 Eusebii, Hieronimi, Prosperi, Sigisberti', and

• Decorated initial 'P'(rimus) with the chronological tables of the life of Abraham., Chronica

hospital of St Thomas of Acon, Cheapside, London (see inscription above).Added list of contents, 16th century (f. 2v).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Henrician title 'Cronica ab Abraham usque ad annum domini 1168 Eusebii, Hieronimi, Prosperi, Sigisberti', and

• Decorated initial 'M'(oysen) at the beginning of Eusebius's preface to his Chronici canones., Chronica

hospital of St Thomas of Acon, Cheapside, London (see inscription above).Added list of contents, 16th century (f. 2v).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library): Henrician title 'Cronica ab Abraham usque ad annum domini 1168 Eusebii, Hieronimi, Prosperi, Sigisberti', and

• The first inscription recording that the book was commissioned by Simon, abbot of St. Albans (1167-1183), 'Hunc librum fecit domnus Symon abbas s[an]c[t]o Albano, que[m] qui ei abstule/rit', aut frande[m] commiserit, aut titulu[m] deleverit vel corup[er]it; anathema sit'; with a list of contents reading 'Policraticon / Metalogicon / Enteticus Joh[ann]is Sarisbi[r]ens[is]', and second is note recording that in 1345 the manuscript was bought by Michael, abbot of St. Albans, from the executors of Richard de Bury, bishop of Durham, reading 'Hu[n]c libru[m] venditu[m] d[omi]no Ric[ard]o de Biry ep[iscop]o Dunelm[ensi] emit / Michael abbas s[anct]i Albani ab executorib[us] p[re]d[ic]ti ep[iscop]i anno / d[omi]ni Mlill[esim]o CCCmoXLVto circa purificat[i]o[n]em b[eat]e V[ir]ginis.', Policraticus, Metalogicon, and Entheticus de dogmate philosophorum

39 (see English Benedictine Libraries 1996).Thomas Wolsey (b. 1470/71, d. 1530), royal minister, archbishop of York, and cardinal: 'TC' monogram, perhaps for Thomas Cardinalis (see Carley 2000, p. xxxiii), 16th century (f. 2).The Old Royal Library (the English Royal Library):

• Miniature of the Presentation, with Moses and Malachi below holding scrolls., Psalter, fragment ('Psalter of Henry the Lion')

1st marquess of Lansdowne, prime minister: inscribed 'L[ord] L[an]sd [owne] No. 62' in an English hand (f. 10), with a note in the same hand in English (f. 1); purchased by the British Museum together with 1244 other Lansdowne manuscripts