Francis from BL YT 13, f. 181v - Public domain medieval manuscript

Bas-de-page scene of St Francis carrying a cross-topped staff, preaching to five birds in a tree, with a caption reading, ‘Cy preachea seint fraunceis el desert as oysillouns.’ Image taken from f. 181v of Book of Hours, Use of Sarum ('The Taymouth Hours'). Written in Latin and French.

Henry Yates Thompson (1838-1928) was a British collector and philanthropist who assembled this remarkable collection over his lifetime. The collection is now housed at the British Library in London.

Henry Yates Thompson was born into a wealthy family in 1838. Thompson began collecting manuscripts and other items in the 1870s. His collection quickly gained recognition for its exceptional quality and breadth. He had a keen eye for illuminated manuscripts, which are manuscripts decorated with intricate illustrations and calligraphy. The collection has a particular emphasis on medieval manuscripts.