Herod and knights from BL YT 13, f. 97v

Bas-de-page scene from the Massacre of the Innocents, of Herod commanding two knights, with a caption reading, 'Cy coma[n]de herodes ses gens doccire toutes les enfaunz'. Image taken from f. 97v 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.