Virgin Mary from BL YT 13, f. 166

Bas-de-page scene of a the husband holding up a cross, while two devils flee before his wife, with a caption reading, ‘Cy monster lo[m]me et sa fe[m]me la seinte croyz au deable cu[m] il les vient te[m]pt[er] et lenchacent.’ Image taken from f. 166 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.