Coloured initial from BL Royal 13 C V, f. 5v
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... More
Coloured initial from BL Arundel 155, f. 11
Coloured initial 'C', with a cross in the upper margin. Image taken from f. 11 of Psalter and prayers ('The Eadui Psalter', 'The Arundel Psalter'). Written in Latin. The Arundel Manuscript Collection was amass... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 5915, f. 17v
Coloured initial 'C'. Image taken from f. 17v of Leaf from a Commentary on Psalm 70. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts held in the British Library in L... More
Coloured initial from BL Royal 13 A XI, f. 44
Coloured initial 'O'(ctava) on a text page. Image taken from f. 44 of Miscellany works on Computus and astrology. Written in Latin. The BL Royal Manuscript Collection, also known as the Royal Collection, consi... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 2643, f. 1v
Coloured initial 'O'(mnis) at the beginning of the text. Image taken from f. 1v of 'De coniuratione Catilinae' (index Orationes in Catilinam) (ff. 1v-14); 'De bello Jugurthino' (index Jugurtha), imperfect at th... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 3713, f. 41
Coloured initial 'O'(peris huius). Image taken from f. 41 of Antapodosis (Liber regum et principium partis Europae), with a table of contents at the beginning of each book. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Man... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 3845, f. 121v
Coloured initial 'G'(reca) at the beginning of Atticus of Constantinople's Epistola formata. Image taken from f. 121v of De utilitate poenitentiae, Canonum constitutio, Epistola de privilegio Chorepiscoporum, i... More
Coloured drawings from BL Harley 3240, f. 28
Coloured drawings of the death of Codrus, king of Athens: disguised as a peasant, he seeks to be killed by enemy soldiers to save his city, because he had learned from the oracle that the side whose king fell w... More
Coloured initial from BL Arundel 292, f. 9v
Coloured initial. Image taken from f. 9v of Devotional miscellany, including the Creed in English, a bestiary, Apollonius of Tyre (ff. 41-61); Henry of Sawtrey's De purgatio Sancti Patricii (ff. 73-88). Written... More
Coloured initial from BL Burn 285, f. 1
Coloured initial. Image taken from f. 1 of Epistola de sacrificio azymi et fermentati, and misc. theological texts. Written in Latin.
Coloured initials from BL Harley 273, f. 11
Coloured initials. Image taken from f. 11 of Miscellany, including a calendar, Psalter with prayers and Hours of the Virgin, imperfect, Bestiaire d'amour; Rules, and the Chronicle of Turpin (see Notes). Writte... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 3048, f. 75
Coloured initial. Image taken from f. 75 of Homilies on the Evangelists, books 1 and 2. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts held in the British Library i... More
Coloured initial from BL Burn 258, f. 4
Coloured initial 'F'(raternas) at the beginning of book 1of Statius's Thebaid, now oxided, and smaller initial capitals highlighted in red. Image taken from f. 4 of Thebais (index Thebaid), with gloss, accessus... More
Coloured drawings from BL Harley 4402, f. 25
Detail of coloured drawings at the beginning of Le Temple de Boccace, with an angel addressing the author, Georges Chastellain (index George Chastelain), asleep on a bench, with a scroll inscribed 'lieve toy su... More
Coloured initial from BL Burn 168, f. 18v
Coloured initial 'D'(arius) in Quintus Curtius Rufus's Historia Alexandri Magni. Image taken from f. 18v of Historia Alexandri Magni. Written in Latin.
Coloured initial from BL Eg 1046, f. 31
Coloured initial and display script. Image taken from f. 31 of Part of the Old Testament, including part of Canticum canticorum. Written in Latin. The Egerton Manuscript Collection is named after its founder, ... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 2362, f. 1
Coloured initial 'E'(xi ab eo Sathana) at the beginning of the rite of baptism for male infants. Image taken from f. 1 of Order of baptism and rites for the sick. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" r... More
Coloured initial from BL Royal 13 A XI, f. 59v
Coloured initial 'D' on a text page, with a similar initial copied in the lower margin in plummet. Image taken from f. 59v of Miscellany works on Computus and astrology. Written in Latin. The BL Royal Manuscri... More
Coloured initial from BL Royal 1 C VII, f. 114v
Initial 'D'(ixit), at the beginning of 2 Kings, 20:4. Image taken from f. 114v of Bible (Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and I-IV Kings) (The 'Rochester Bible'). Written in Latin. The BL Royal Manuscript Collection, als... More
Coloured initial from BL Eg 831, f. 43v
Coloured initial. Image taken from f. 43v of Kalendaria (ff. 1-12v); Astronomical treatises. Written in Latin. The Egerton Manuscript Collection is named after its founder, Sir Thomas Egerton (1540-1617), 1st ... More
Coloured initial from BL Arundel 60, f. 47
Coloured initial 'M'. Image taken from f. 47 of Psalter with Old English gloss, the Psalms preceded by a calendar and compotus material (ff. 1-12), and followed by canticles and litany (ff. 119-132v), and praye... More
Coloured initial from BL Arundel 273, f. 18v
Coloured initial 'P'(ater). Image taken from f. 18v of De septem sacramentis; Expositio in orationem Dominicam; Synonyma, ends imperfect. Written in Latin. The Arundel Manuscript Collection was amassed by the ... More
Coloured initials from BL Harley 5786, f. 112
Coloured initial at the beginning of Psalm 87. Image taken from f. 112 of Trilingual Psalter. Written in Latin, Greek and Arabic. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts held ... More
Coloured initial from BL Royal 2 B V, f. 117
Coloured initial 'D'(omine), at the beginning of Psalm 101. Image taken from f. 117 of Psalter, in the Roman version, with Old English gloss, and 12 canticles. Written in Latin and English. The BL Royal Manusc... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 4091, f. 1v
Coloured initial. Image taken from f. 1v of Sermons. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts held in the British Library in London. The Harley Manuscripts ar... More
Coloured initials from BL Burn 42, f. 90v
Coloured initial 'P'(aulus) and other plain red and green initials. Image taken from f. 90v of Commentaria in Epistolas beati Pauli. Written in Latin.
Coloured initial from BL Harley 3271, f. 7
Coloured initials and display script. Image taken from f. 7 of Miscellany, including the 'Tribal Hidage', or assessment list, Aelfric's treatise on Latin grammar, compotus notes, glossary material, and De initi... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 5977, f. 138
Coloured initial 'I' with penwork decoration. Image taken from f. 138 of Fragment from a theological text (?), on parchment. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manu... More
Coloured initial from BL Stowe 944, ff. 30v-31
Coloured initial 'I' in the will of King Alfred the Great in Anglo-Saxon, which contains material relating to the foundations of Winchester, and is the earliest English royal will (See ~The Making of England~ 1... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 5977, f. 79
Coloured initials with penwork decoration and music staves. Image taken from f. 79 of Fragment from a Missal, with musical notation (Chants for the Masses of St Mary Magdalene and St Apollinaire), on parchment.... More
Coloured initial from BL Burn 295, f. 1v
Coloured initial 'L'. Image taken from f. 1v of Miscellaneous theological texts. Written in Latin.
Coloured initial from BL Harley 2804, f. 233v
Coloured initial. Image taken from f. 233v of Bible (the 'Worms Bible'), Psalms-Acts 16:17, imperfect. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts held in the Br... More
Coloured initial from BL YT 40, f. 10
Coloured initial 'Q'(uare), from Psalm 1. Image taken from f. 10 of Psalter ('The Camaldoli Psalter'), with partial gloss (index The Fontebuono Psalter). Written in Latin. Henry Yates Thompson (1838-1928) was ... More
Coloured initials from BL Arundel 60, f. 95
Coloured initials. Image taken from f. 95 of Psalter with Old English gloss, the Psalms preceded by a calendar and compotus material (ff. 1-12), and followed by canticles and litany (ff. 119-132v), and prayers ... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 6523, ff. 43v-44
Colour initial 'E'(admund). Image taken from ff. 43v-44 of Textus Roffensis (ff. 1-56) and Interrogationes Sigewoulfi Presbiteri (ff. 57-61) (modern facisimile). Written in English. The "BL Harley Manuscript" ... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 5327, f. 15v
Coloured initial 'S'(ancta). Image taken from f. 15v of Martyrdom of Margaret of Antioch (ff. 1-35) with prayers to various saints, including Oswald (ff. 35v-39v) (Passio S. Margaretae) (index Saint Margaret, S... More
Coloured letters from BL Eg 3721, f. 1v
Coloured letters. Image taken from f. 1v of De trinitate (excerpts) (ff. 9-85v); De doctrina christiana (excerpts) (f. 8r-v); De rerum naturis (ff. 9-35v); calendar (ff. 1v-7v). Written in Latin. The Egerton M... More
Coloured initial from BL Arundel 292, f. 5v
Coloured initial. Image taken from f. 5v of Devotional miscellany, including the Creed in English, a bestiary, Apollonius of Tyre (ff. 41-61); Henry of Sawtrey's De purgatio Sancti Patricii (ff. 73-88). Written... More
Coloured initial from BL Arundel 292, f. 10v
Coloured initial. Image taken from f. 10v of Devotional miscellany, including the Creed in English, a bestiary, Apollonius of Tyre (ff. 41-61); Henry of Sawtrey's De purgatio Sancti Patricii (ff. 73-88). Writte... More
Coloured initial, and catchword from BL Burn 30, f. 33v
Text page with initial 'A'(nd) and decorated catchword. Image taken from f. 33v of Gospel of John, in the later Wycliffite version. Written in English.
Coloured initial from BL Harley 3255, f. 106v
Coloured initial with penwork decoration extending into the margin. Image taken from f. 106v of Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (ff. 2-233v), preceded by a prologue (ff. 1r-v). Written in Latin. The "... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 2343, f. 26v
Coloured initial 'A'(nd). Image taken from f. 26v of Miscellany of religious texts, beginning with the Lord's Prayer, the Ave Maria, the Apostle's Creed, and the Ten Commandments (both of the latter with exposi... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 5915, f. 12
Coloured initial and rubric in display capitals. Image taken from f. 12 of End of 'Contra mendacium' followed by the beginning of 'De cura pro mortuis gerenda', cropped leaf. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley M... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 5915, f. 14
Coloured initial. Image taken from f. 14 of Leaf from an unidentified Biblical Chronicle (?). Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts held in the British Lib... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 3072, f. 1v
Coloured initial 'D'(ic). Image taken from f. 1v of Miscellany including excerpts from the Eclogues, Carmen paschale, Mirabilum divinorum, Paene alphabetico de Christo, letter to a Macedonian priest, De Actibu... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 1684, f. 105
Coloured initial 'H' and table of contents at the beginning of Lanfrancus de Mediolano, 'Chirurgia parva'. Image taken from f. 105 of Medical miscellany including surgical treatises by Thomas Scellinck of Thien... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 5977, f. 84
Coloured initial 'A'(mplius). Image taken from f. 84 of Fragment from an astronomical text (?), on parchment. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts held in... More
Coloured initial from BL Royal 1 A XIV, f. 3
Coloured initial 'H'(er ys godspelles) in green with penwork decoration in red, with ownership inscriptions of Thomas Cranmer (Thomas Cantuarien[sis]) and John Lumley. Image taken from f. 3 of West Saxon Gospel... More
Coloured drawings from BL Harley 4402, f. 25
Coloured drawings at the beginning of Le Temple de Boccace, with an angel addressing the author, Georges Chastellain (index George Chastelain), asleep on a bench, with a scroll inscribed 'lieve toy subz o Georg... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 2480, f. 32
Coloured initial 'S' in geometric design. Image taken from f. 32 of 'Panegyrici veteres', or a collection of classical eulogies mainly to Roman emperors, including panegyrics by Pliny to Trajan (ff. 1-31v), Lat... More
Coloured initial from BL Royal 7 C IV, f. 23v
Coloured initial 'D'(ominus), at the beginning of book 10 of the Liber scintillarum. Image taken from f. 23v of Liber scintillarum and other theological collections, with Old English glosses. Written in Latin, ... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 2788, f. 2
Coloured initial 'P' in the Prologue. Image taken from f. 2 of Four Gospels (the 'Golden Gospels', 'Harley Golden Gospels'; 'Codex Aureus'), with canon tables (ff. 6v-12), and capitulary (ff. 199-208v). Written... More
Coloured title and decorated initial from BL Harley 5672, f. 22v
Coloured title in display capitals, and decorated line and initial 'O'. Image taken from f. 22v of Iliad, highly imperfect. Written in Greek. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manus... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 5977, f. 110
Coloured initial with penwork decoration. Image taken from f. 110 of Fragment from Psalter on parchment. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts held in the ... More
Coloured initial from BL Royal 7 C IV, f. 19v
Coloured initial 'D'(ominus), at the beginning of book 9 of the Liber scintillarum. Image taken from f. 19v of Liber scintillarum and other theological collections, with Old English glosses. Written in Latin, E... More
Coloured initial from BL Royal 15 B XIX, f. 1
Coloured initial 'P'(aseha) in red with penwork decoration in red, black, and green, at the beginning of the text, with the Old Royal Library seal of a ship in the lower left corner. Image taken from f. 1 of Ca... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 3079, f. 5v
Coloured initial 'I'(n illo tempore). Image taken from f. 5v of Sermons, imperfect at the beginning and at the end (Homiliae in Evangelia dominicalia, De Sanctis). Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" ... More
Coloured initial from BL Royal 1 A XIV, f. 83
Coloured initial 'N'(u) in red with green penwork decoration. Image taken from f. 83 of West Saxon Gospels (the 'Wessex Gospels'). Written in English. The BL Royal Manuscript Collection, also known as the Roya... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 2724, f. 19
Coloured initial 'N'(ondu) and added drawing. Image taken from f. 19 of Carmina (index Odes) (incomplete), Epodae, Ars poetica, Carmen saeculares, Epistulae, Sermones (index Satires); extensive additions and gl... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 3926, f. 22
Coloured initial 'P(ueri novissima hora est). Image taken from f. 22 of Sermons on John, I, imperfect at the end. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts hel... More
Coloured initial from BL Royal 13 A XI, f. 47v
Coloured initial 'P'(riscis) on a text page. Image taken from f. 47v of Miscellany works on Computus and astrology. Written in Latin. The BL Royal Manuscript Collection, also known as the Royal Collection, con... More
Coloured initial from BL Arundel 292, f. 4v
Coloured initial. Image taken from f. 4v of Devotional miscellany, including the Creed in English, a bestiary, Apollonius of Tyre (ff. 41-61); Henry of Sawtrey's De purgatio Sancti Patricii (ff. 73-88). Written... More
Coloured initial from BL Sloane 3947, ff. 27v-28
Coloured initial. Image taken from ff. 27v-28 of Psalter. Written in Russian (Church Slavonic). Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753) was a physician and naturalist who played a crucial role in the development of Britis... More
Coloured initials from BL Lansdowne 383, f. 108v
Text page with coloured initials. Image taken from f. 108v of Psalter (the 'Shaftesbury Psalter') with calendar and prayers. Written in Latin.
Coloured initials from BL Harley 273, f. 12
Coloured initials. Image taken from f. 12 of Miscellany, including a calendar, Psalter with prayers and Hours of the Virgin, imperfect, Bestiaire d'amour; Rules, and the Chronicle of Turpin (see Notes). Writte... More
Coloured headpiece and initial from BL Harley 6322, f. 1
Coloured decorated headpiece, title in display capitals, and decorated initial 'A'. Image taken from f. 1 of Speeches, including 'Olynthiaca' 1-3 (ff. 1-15) and 'Philippica' 1, 2, 3-4 (ff. 15v-23, 27v-32v, 48v-... More
Coloured initial from BL YT 40, f. 10
Detail of a coloured initial 'Q'(uare), from Psalm 1. Image taken from f. 10 of Psalter ('The Camaldoli Psalter'), with partial gloss (index The Fontebuono Psalter). Written in Latin. Henry Yates Thompson (183... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 2668, f. 1
Plain red initial at the beginning of Virgil's Eclogues. Image taken from f. 1 of Bucolica(index Bucolics, Eclogues),Georgica (index Georgics),Aeneis (index Aeneid) (imperfect). Written in Latin, with some Germ... More
Coloured initial from BL Royal 15 C VII, f. 28v
Coloured initial. Image taken from f. 28v of Life and miracles of St Swithun. Written in Latin, with a few glosses in English. The BL Royal Manuscript Collection, also known as the Royal Collection, consists o... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 12, f. 31v
Coloured initial 'Q'(uib) with penwork decoration including a face. Image taken from f. 31v of Vita S. Gregorii Papae; Versus S. Gregorii. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of... More
Coloured initial from BL Royal 14 E III, f. 10v
Coloured initial on a text page. Image taken from f. 10v of Estoire del Saint Graal, La Queste del Saint Graal, Morte Artu. Written in French. The BL Royal Manuscript Collection, also known as the Royal Collec... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 5977, f. 102
Coloured initial 'E' with pen-flourished decoration. Image taken from f. 102 of Fragment from Rolle's 'Incendium amoris', Book 1, chapters 7-8, on parchment. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers... More
Coloured decoration and initial from BL Harley 5543, f. 1
Decorative geometric and foliate motifs in the upper border and decorated initial. Image taken from f. 1 of Aesopic fables in alphabetical order, preceded by a prose life of Aesop (index Aisopos). Written in Gr... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 2800, f. 150v
Detail of a coloured initial. Image taken from f. 150v of Arnstein Passional (the first of three volumes, with January-May). Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manu... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 5977, f. 37
Coloured initial 'U' with penwork decoration. Image taken from f. 37 of Fragment from and Canon law (?) text, on paper. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscrip... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 4011, f. 144
Coloured initial 'F'(or) at the beginning of Mappula Anglie. Line filler, table of contents, and incipits in red. Image taken from f. 144 of Various texts including Lydgate's Life of Our Lady, a calendar with ... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 3717, f. 4
Coloured initial 'P'(artes). Image taken from f. 4 of Liber de Natura Rerum. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts held in the British Library in London. T... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 5436, f. 30v
Coloured nitial 'S'(abbati) with a hybrid creature and a catchword 'precepto' with a decorated frame. Image taken from f. 30v of Theological tracts. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a col... More
Coloured initial and cadels from BL Arundel 92, f. 72v
Coloured initial 'I'(n) and decorated letters at the beginning of John. Image taken from f. 72v of Maccabees and the New Testament (ff. 1-157v); Historia scholastica. Written in Latin. The Arundel Manuscript C... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 1684, f. 42
Red initial 'H' with penwork decoration. Image taken from f. 42 of Medical miscellany including surgical treatises by Thomas Scellinck of Thienen (ff. 5-104), Lanfrancus de Mediolano (ff. 105-140), and Jan Yper... More
Coloured initial from BL Burn 29, f. 38v
Text page with small initial 'F'(actum) and decorative quire-number in a glossed Gospel of Luke. Image taken from f. 38v of Glossed Gospel of Luke, followed (f. 110r-v) by the prologue 'Plures fuisse …'. Writte... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 4980, f. 105v
Coloured initial 'D'(uas [enim] creaturas rationales condidit creator) at the prologue of the third book of Alcuin's De fide sanctae et individuae Trinitatis'. Image taken from f. 105v of Alcuin's De Trinitate ... More
Coloured initial 'U'(nde). from BL Harley 3217, f. 25v
Coloured initial 'U'(nde) at the beginning of the second chapter of Julian of Toledo's Prognosticon futuri saeculi. Image taken from f. 25v of Prognosticon futuri saeculi, in three books. Written in Latin. The... More
Coloured initial from BL Sloane 1086, f. 100v
Coloured initial. Image taken from f. 100v of Fragment from a Bible with the start of the Prologue to Joshua (recto) and the end of Deuteronomy 34:1-6 (verso); from the same Bible as Sloane 1044, ff. 76-77. Wri... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 2716, f. 1
Title in display capitals and coloured initial 'Q'. Image taken from f. 1 of Speeches, including 'Orationes in Catilinam' (ff. 1-24), 'Ciceronis in Sallustium et invicem Invectivae' (ff. 24-29), 'Pro Marcello' ... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 3034, f. 32
Coloured initial. Image taken from f. 32 of Isidore's 'Etymologies' (index Etymologiae, Origines), Book VIII, and 'De officiis', excerpts (ff. 1-10); Augustine's 'Enchiridion' (ff. 11v-58) preceded by a table o... More
Coloured initial words from BL IO IsI 3679, f. 107v
Text page with coloured initial words. Image taken from f. 107v of Guide of the Perplexed in Judeo-Arabic. Written in Judeo-Arabic.
Coloured initial from BL Burn 250, f. 94
Coloured initial 'E'(t) in Oedipus. Image taken from f. 94 of Tragoediae (index Tragedies): Hercules furens (ff. 5-29), Thyestes (ff. 29-50), Phoenissae (ff. 50v-62v), Phaedra (ff. 63-86), Oedipus (ff. 86v-106)... More
Coloured initial from BL Arundel 430, f. 51
Coloured initial. Image taken from f. 51 of Lectura super tertio libro Decretalium. Written in Latin. The Arundel Manuscript Collection was amassed by the Howard family, particularly Thomas Howard, the 2nd Ear... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 1775, f. 193
Coloured initial 'E'(t veniunt lericho) at the beginning of chapter 11 of Mark's Gospel. Image taken from f. 193 of Four Gospels (the 'Harley Gospels', or 'Codex Harleianus'). Written in Latin. The "BL Harley ... More
Coloured initial from BL Harley 3595, f. 1
Coloured initial 'I'(n dandis accipiendisq[ue] muneribus), and the name of the 17th-century owner, Erik Benzelius, inscribed at the bottom of the page. Image taken from f. 1 of De arithmetica (ff. 1-48v), Schol... More