A single sheet document containing the text of a will in Old English.
'Wynflaed's Will', the earliest surviving woman's will in British history, made in the 940s. Its bequests include tapestries, jewelry, bedclothes and books for her daughter Æthelflæd.
Cotton Ch VIII 38
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
An opening from a medieval manuscript of Peraldus' Theological miscellany, showing illustrations of dragons and serpents.
How to Train Your Dragon 🐉🐉
Peraldus' Theological Miscellany, 1236-c.1250 (Harley MS 3244, f. 59r)
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
An opening from Leonardo da Vinci's Notebook, featuring mirror writing and different diagrams.
Newly restored online: Leonardo da Vinci's Notebook, also known as the Codex Arundel (Arundel MS 263), written in his characteristic mirror-writing with diagrams, drawings, brief texts, and personal notes.
You can consult the entire manuscript online now: searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
"To run through better waters the little ship of my wit now hoists its sails, leaving behind it a sea so cruel, and I will sing of that second realm..." Canto 1 Purgatorio
BL Yates Thompson MS 36; Dante Alighieri, Divina Commedia; 15th century; Italy, N; f.65r
@blmedieval.bsky.social
The opening of the Gospel of St Matthew from the Bodmin Gospels.
A decorated canon table from the Bodmin Gospels.
The opening of the Gospel of St Mark from the Bodmin Gospels.
A page from the Bodmin Gospels, showing a set of added manumissions, or documents concerning the release of slaves.
A few folios from the Bodmin Gospels (Add MS 9381), a 9th-century Breton Gospel-book that was brought to Bodmin in Cornwall by the end of the 10th century. It's notable for its added manumissions, documents recording the free of slaves.
@ccurran.bsky.social
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/032-...
We don't currently have a timeline on it being available again, but more digitised manuscripts are being restored later in the year and we will post with updates.
A marginal illustration from the Luttrell Psalter, showing meals being prepared and carried out by servants.
A marginal illustration from the Luttrell Psalter, showing a family sitting down for dinner at a long table, arrayed with dishes.
The Luttrell family sit down for dinner, from the Luttrell Psalter (Add MS 42130)
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/032-...
The Basilisk: don't look into its eyes! 🙈
BL Royal MS 12 C XIX; Bestiary; c 1200-c 1210 CE; England; f.63r
@blmedieval.bsky.social
An opening from a medieval manuscript, showing a map of Scotland, depicted with castles, rivers and other topographical features.
The earliest independent map of Scotland, from John Hardyng's Chronicle (Lansdowne MS 204)
You can consult the whole manuscript through the online catalogue:
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
Monday!
#medievalsky
@blmedieval.bsky.social @britishlibrary.bsky.social Stowe 17, f. 185r
Two rabbits capture a man from the margins of the Smithfield Decretals.
A rabbit decapitates a man with a sword.
A rabbit fires arrows at a hound with a longbow, from the margins of the Smithfield Decretals.
Murderous bunny rabbits from the margins of the Smithfield Decretals 🐇🐇🐇
c. 1300-1340, Royal MS 10 E IV
Christine de Pizan before Reason, Rectitude, and Justice; and Christine with Reason building the Cité des Dames
#InternationalWomensDay
BL Harley 4431, f. 290r
@blmedieval.bsky.social
The opening of Beowulf from the unique surviving manuscript of the Old English text, beginning with a large initial 'H'.
Hwaet! The Beowulf manuscript (Cotton MS Vitellius A XV) is now back online.
You can consult the entire manuscript through the online catalogue:
searcharchives.bl.uk/catalog/040-...
A miniature of the construction of the Tower of Babel, from Boccaccio's Des cas de nobles hommes et femmes (Add MS 35321).
The British Library’s Medieval MSS team now have a presence on Bluesky @blmedieval.bsky.social
Follow for updates as we restore more of our digitised content online!
An illustration from a 13th-century bestiary, showing a phoenix rising from the flames.
Hello, have you missed us? We’d love to hear from you.
Tell us your favourite British Library manuscript and we’ll post an image for you.
