Medieval Manuscripts

@BLMedieval

Tweeting about the British Library's marvellous medieval manuscripts

British Library, London blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanus… Joined January 2012

259 Following 112K Followers 23K Posts

Latest posts 5

Pinned post

Medieval Manuscripts @BLMedieval Jun 4, 2025

We're added five medieval manuscripts of outstanding national heritage significance to the national collection.

⭐️A trilingual Hebrew-Latin-French dictionary
⭐️The Red Book of Bath
⭐️Works of Richard Rolle
⭐️Middle English sermons
⭐️Arma Christi

blogs.bl.uk/digitisedmanus…

Medieval Manuscripts @BLMedieval Mar 23

The Yates Thompson Divine Comedy has been returned online. Commissioned by Alfonso V, King of Aragon, Naples and Sicily, this copy of Dante's work has illuminations on every single page (Yates Thompson MS 36)

Consult the whole manuscript online now:

searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-00…

A page from an illuminated manuscript of Dante's Divine Comedy showing a historiated initial 'N'(el) of Dante and Virgil in a dark wood, with four half-length figures representing Justice, Power, Peace and Temperance; (below) arms of Alphonso V, king of Aragon, Naples, and Sicily.

A page from an illuminated manuscript of Dante's Divine Comedy showing a historiated initial 'L'(a gloria) of Christ in a chariot with Evangelist symbols, and Adam and Eve; (below) miniature of Dante and Apollo before Parnassus.

A detail from an illuminated manuscript of Dante's Divine Comedy showing a historiated initial 'P'(Per) of Dante setting sail for Purgatory.

Medieval Manuscripts @BLMedieval Mar 17

The portrait of Pierre Sala opposite a French inscription in mirror writing, from a collection of love poems he wrote for his future wife Marguerite Bullioud in around the year 1500 (Stowe MS 955)

searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-00…

A French inscription in gold, written in mirror writing, which reads, 'Regardez en pyte/ votre loyal amy / qui na Jour ne demy / Bien pour votre amyte'

A portrait of Pierre Sala from his collection of love poems.

Medieval Manuscripts @BLMedieval Mar 16

The Guthlac Roll is back online!

A 13th-century parchment roll from Crowland Abbey telling the story of the life of St Guthlac in 18 drawings (Harley Roll Y 6)

You can consult the whole roll through the online catalogue record:

searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-00…

A roundel from the Guthlac Roll, showing demons emerging from the Mouth of Hell, and St Bartholomew giving a scourge to St Guthlac to drive them away.

Medieval Manuscripts @BLMedieval Mar 13

Now returned online: this tiny golden girdle book, made around 1540, containing an English verse translation of the Psalms and an added portrait of Henry VIII (Stowe MS 956).

searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-00…

A portrait of Henry VIII from a golden girdle book, containing a copy of the Psalms in English verse.

The front cover of a gold binding, with a loop at the top and a clasp on the right-hand side.