Decorated initial from BL Royal 1 B VII, f. 84
Decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam), with a display script, at the beginning of Luke. Image taken from f. 84 of Gospel Book. Written in Latin. The BL Royal Manuscript Collection, also known as the Royal Collection, ... More
Decorated initial from BL Royal 1 B VII, f. 84
Detail of a decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam), with a display script, at the beginning of Luke. Image taken from f. 84 of Gospel Book. Written in Latin. The BL Royal Manuscript Collection, also known as the Royal ... More
Decorated initial from BL Royal 1 E VI, f. 43
Detail of an initial 'Q'(uoniam) from the incipit page, at the beginning of Luke. Image taken from f. 43 of Gospels, imperfect (the 'Royal Bible'). Written in Latin. The BL Royal Manuscript Collection, also kn... More
Luke from BL Royal 1 E VI, f. 43
Incipit page with a miniature of an ox, the symbol of Luke, with God the Father above, and an illuminated initial 'Q'(uoniam), at the beginning of Luke. Image taken from f. 43 of Gospels, imperfect (the 'Royal ... More
Luke from BL Harley 2799, f. 173v
Historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) at the beginning of Luke, with an Evangelist portrait. Image taken from f. 173v of Bible ('The Arnstein Bible') (Job to Revelation), including the Psalms in three versions in thr... More
Grammar from BL Burn 275, f. 94
Initial 'Q'(uoniam) with a woman holding a flowering branch displaying the parts of speech (perhaps the personification of Grammar) and a teacher disciplining scholars; another initial decorated with foliate fo... More
Christ blessing from BL Harley 3487, f. 191
Historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with a soul being raised by angels and Christ blessing above. Image taken from f. 191 of Libri Naturales, with extensive glosses. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" re... More
Puzzle initial from BL Sloane 342, f. 119v
Puzzle initial 'Q'(uoniam). Image taken from f. 119v of Medical miscellany. Written in Latin. Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753) was a physician and naturalist who played a crucial role in the development of British ... More
Illuminated initial from BL Harley 2826, f. 73
Illuminated initial 'Q'(uoniam) in gold and colours at the beginning of Luke. Image taken from f. 73 of Gospels, including canon tables (ff. 4-9v), with prologues and capitula. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley... More
Decorated initial from BL Burn 238, f. 3
Decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam) at the beginning of Master Guido's Gloss on Priscian, and in the right margin, a note of the contents of the text in the same eighteenth-century hand as that of the inscription De... More
Crowned woman from BL Harley 3487, f. 16v
Detail of historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with a crowned woman holding a flowering sceptre probably representing the concept of 'Nature', and in the margin, a naked boy playing a harp, at the beginning of the t... More
Decorated initial from BL Harley 13, f. 8v
Decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam). Image taken from f. 8v of Miscellaneous scientific treatises. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts held in the British Libr... More
Historiated initial from BL Harley 3487, f. 16v
Detail of an historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) of a crowned king carrying a sceptre, with a nude figure playing a harp in the lower section of the initial. Image taken from f. 16v of Libri Naturales, with extensi... More
Decorated initial from BL Burn 29, f. 1
Puzzle initial 'Q'(uoniam) at the beginning of Luke (often treated in manuscripts as a prologue rather than the start of the main text). Image taken from f. 1 of Glossed Gospel of Luke, followed (f. 110r-v) by ... More
Zacharias from BL Royal 1 D I, f. 455
Decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam) at the beginning of the prologue to Luke, and a historiated initial 'F'(uit) of the Annunciation to Zacharias, at the beginning of Luke. Image taken from f. 455 of Bible, with the ... More
Decorated initials from BL Harley 3823, f. 50
Puzzle initial 'Q'(uoniam ut ait sapiens) with a dragon motif and pen-flourished initial 'P'(rimo de superbia). Image taken from f. 50 of Various religious texts, including the Summa de vitiis. Written in Latin... More
Detail: Flourished initial from BL Arundel 126, f. 6
Initial 'Q'(uoniam) with pen-flourishing, at the beginning of Raymond de Peñafort's Summa de penitentia. Image taken from f. 6 of Summa de casibus poenitentiae. Written in Latin. The Arundel Manuscript Collect... More
Decorated initials from BL Arundel 349, f. 50v
Decorated initial 'M' and puzzle initial 'Q'(uoniam) in Constantinus Africanus's Viaticum ou De omnium morborum cognitione de Allopicia. Image taken from f. 50v of Viaticum; De elephantia aliisque morbis (ff. 9... More
Flourished initial from BL Burn 237, f. 3
Flourished initial 'Q'(uoniam) with partial border, at the beginning of book 17 of Priscian's Institutiones grammaticae. Image taken from f. 3 of Institutiones grammaticae, books 17 and 18 (the 'Priscianus mino... More
Initial with reserved designs from BL Arundel 117, f. 5
Initial 'Q'(uoniam) with reserved designs, at the beginning of Martinus Polonus's Chronica. Image taken from f. 5 of Chronica pontificum et imperatorum, and other prophetic texts, including Joachim of Flora's V... More
White vine initial from BL Harley 3270, f. 60v
White vine initial 'Q'(uoniam). Image taken from f. 60v of Ethica (index Ethics)(ff. 3-111); Aretinus' epistola ad hugonem medicum (possibly added; ff. 111-112v); Economica (index Economics)(ff. 113-132v). Writ... More
Decorated initial from BL Harley 2821, f. 102
Decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with foliate motifs. Image taken from f. 102 of Gospels, with canon tables, chapter lists, and lections. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of med... More
White vine initial from BL Harley 2629, f. 75v
White vine initial 'Q'(uoniam) at the beginning of book 4. Image taken from f. 75v of Rhetorica ad Herennium (index De ratione dicendi ad Herennium). Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a co... More
Puzzle initial from BL Sloane 274, ff. 2v-3
Puzzle initial 'Q'(uoniam), at the beginning of Ioannes Serapion's Liber aggregationum. Image taken from ff. 2v-3 of Medical treatises, including Ioannes Serapion's Liber aggregationum (ff. 1-79v). Written in L... More
Teacher with students from BL Royal 12 G V, f. 4
Historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) of a teacher with students, at the beginning of the Physica. Image taken from f. 4 of Physical treatises. Written in Latin. The BL Royal Manuscript Collection, also known as the... More
Illuminated initial from BL Harley 2797, f. 86
Illuminated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with interlace decoration, at the beginning of the Gospel of Luke. Image taken from f. 86 of Gospels, with capitula (ff. 163-175). Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" r... More
Detail: Arabesque initial from BL Arundel 94, f. 83v
Arabesque initial 'Q'(uoniam), at the beginning of the prologue of the De bello judaico, to the left is a faint colour-note 'V'. Image taken from f. 83v of Antiquitates judaicae, chapters 15-20 (ff. 1-83v); De ... More
Penwork initial from BL Arundel 189, f. 50
Initial 'Q'(uoniam) with penwork decoration. Image taken from f. 50 of Bible Summary in verse (ends incompletely). Written in Latin. The Arundel Manuscript Collection was amassed by the Howard family, particul... More
Historiated initial from BL Harley 6507, f. 1
Historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with a portrait of Priscian. Image taken from f. 1 of Institutiones grammaticae, Book 17 (the 'Priscianus minor'). Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a colle... More
Flourished initial from BL Arundel 126, f. 6
Initial 'Q'(uoniam) with pen-flourishing, at the beginning of Raymond de Peñafort's Summa de penitentia. Image taken from f. 6 of Summa de casibus poenitentiae. Written in Latin. The Arundel Manuscript Collect... More
Decorated initial from BL Harley 1685, f. 17
Decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with a winged dragon, foliate motifs and clasps, at the beginning of the second book of Gariopontus, Passionarius Galeni. Image taken from f. 17 of Passionarius Galeni. Written in ... More
Puzzle initial from BL Harley 281, f. 19
Puzzle initial 'Q'(uoniam) with pen-flourishing expanding into a 'J-border'. Image taken from f. 19 of Various musical treatises including Guido of Arezzo's 'Micrologus' and 'Trocaicus' (ff. 5-16v, 16v-24v), Jo... More
Decorated initials from BL Arundel 372, ff. 49v-50
Coloured initial 'T'(res) and puzzle initial 'Q'(uoniam) at the beginning of Anselm of Canterbury's De veritate. Image taken from ff. 49v-50 of Monologion, prayers, and other theological tracts. Written in Lati... More
Augustine, Urswick arms from BL Burn 290, f. 2
Historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with Augustine in a bishop's mitre holding a bishop's staff and a heart at the beginning of the Pseudo-Augustine Manuale, with the arms or the Urswick family and the motto 'Miser... More
Decorated initial from BL Harley 3901, f. 1
Decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with pen-flourishing at the beginning of the text. Image taken from f. 1 of Chronica pontificum et imperatorum, to 1245. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a c... More
Foliate initial with partial vine and floral border from BL Burn 313, ...
Foliate initial 'Q'(uoniam) decorated with leaves, and in the lower border a pattern of vine leaves with flowers at the beginning of Gaspar Bergamensis's liber de orthographia. Image taken from f. 2 of Liber de... More
Decorated Initial from BL Harley 5128, f. 1
Decorated Initial 'Q'(uoniam) and the ownership stamp of the monastery of Sancta Maria Annunciata Varisii. Image taken from f. 1 of Dictionary of Canon Law. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers ... More
Detail from BL Harley 3647, f. 215
Detail of an illuminated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with foliage and a hybrid creature, at the beginning of Petrus de S. Audomaro, Tractatus semissae. Image taken from f. 215 of Astronomical miscellany including Sacro... More
Pen-flourished initials from BL Harley 3701, f. 3
Pen-flourished initials 'Q'(uum)) and 'Q'(uoniam) with an unidentified heraldic device of a blue fleur-de-lis on a gold and blue medallion encircled by a green wreath. Image taken from f. 3 of Summa de casibus... More
Puzzle initial from BL Harley 2357, f. 3
Puzzle initial 'Q'(uoniam) with pen-flourishing at the beginning of the text. Image taken from f. 3 of De diversis materiis predicabilibus distinctis in septem partibus secundum septem dona Spiritus, imperfect.... More
Decorated initial from BL Harley 13, f. 8v
Detail of decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam). Image taken from f. 8v of Miscellaneous scientific treatises. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts held in the Br... More
Augustine from BL Burn 290, f. 2
Detail of a historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with Augustine in a bishop's mitre holding a bishop's staff and a heart Image taken from f. 2 of Manuale (ff. 2-46v), Retractiones (extract), De beata vita (ff. 47-86... More
Illuminated initial from BL Eg 608, f. 89
Illuminated initial 'Q'(uoniam) at the beginning of Luke, in a decorated frame. Image taken from f. 89 of Four Gospels, with list of lections (ff. 168v-177). Written in Latin. The Egerton Manuscript Collection... More
Historiated initial from BL Harley 2746, f. 1
Historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) of Priscian seated at a lecturn. Image taken from f. 1 of Institutiones grammaticae, abridged, Ars Maior, end of the second part. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" re... More
Unfinished initials from BL Stowe 3, ff. 111v-112
Unfinished initials 'Q'(uoniam) and 'F'(uit) sketched in pencil with foliate decoration and an animal's head, at the beginning of Luke. Image taken from ff. 111v-112 of The Four Gospels, preceded by a prologue ... More
Illuminated initial from BL Harley 3647, f. 215
Illuminated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with a bar-border sprouting with foliage, a hybrid creature and a bird, at the beginning of Petrus de S. Audomaro, Tractatus semissae. Image taken from f. 215 of Astronomical mis... More
Detail: Initial with reserved designs from BL Arundel 117, f. 5
Initial 'Q'(uoniam) with reserved designs, at the beginning of Martinus Polonus's Chronica. Image taken from f. 5 of Chronica pontificum et imperatorum, and other prophetic texts, including Joachim of Flora's V... More
Initial with a seated figure (Priscian?) from BL Burn 233, f. 4
Historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) depicting a seated figure, presumably intended to represent the author, Priscian, at the beginning of his De constructione. Image taken from f. 4 of De constructione (index Prisc... More
Decorated initial from BL Burn 325, f. 4
Decorated iInitial 'Q'(uoniam) with foliate decoration, at the beginning of the prologue to Josephus's De bello Judaico. Image taken from f. 4 of De bello Judaico. Written in Latin.
Decorated initials from BL Sloane 3096, f. 1
Decorated initials 'Q'(uoniam) and 'C'(apillus), at the beginning of Gerardus Cremonensis's Super viaticum. Image taken from f. 1 of Super viaticum. Written in Latin. Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753) was a physicia... More
John of Freiburg from BL Harley 3162, f. 1
Historiated initials 'N'(ota) of John of Freiburg, 'Q'(uoniam) with John addressing other friars, and 'S'(aluti) with John writing, combined with partial bar borders with foliate tendrils of ivy including a run... More
Decorated initial from BL Harley 2821, f. 102
Decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with foliate motifs. Image taken from f. 102 of Gospels, with canon tables, chapter lists, and lections. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of med... More
Incipit page of Luke's Gospel from BL Harley 2820, f. 121
Incipit page of Luke's Gospel with illuminated initial 'Q'(uoniam quidem), framed by an acanthus border with geometric motifs in four medallions. Image taken from f. 121 of Gospels (the 'Cologne Gospels') with... More
Decorated initial and border from BL Sloane 258, f. 7v
Decorated foliate initial 'Q'(uoniam) and three-sided foliate border, at the beginning of Petrus Crescentius Bononiensis's Epistola ad magistrum ordinis predicatorum. Image taken from f. 7v of Liber Ruralium Co... More
Arabesque initial from BL Arundel 94, f. 83v
Arabesque initial 'Q'(uoniam), at the beginning of the prologue of the De bello judaico, to the left is a faint colour-note 'V'. Image taken from f. 83v of Antiquitates judaicae, chapters 15-20 (ff. 1-83v); De ... More
Decorated initial from BL Lansdowne 338, f. 233v
Decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam) at the beginning of the prologue of Raymond of Penafort's Summa de matrimonio. Image taken from f. 233v of Summa de casibus poenitentiae et matrimonio, with index (ff. 271v-293v). ... More
Illuminated initial from BL Lansdowne 338, f. 2
Illuminated initial 'Q'(uoniam) at the beginning of the prologue to Raymond of Penafort's Summa de paenitentia. Image taken from f. 2 of Summa de casibus poenitentiae et matrimonio, with index (ff. 271v-293v). ... More
Decorated initials from BL Burn 360, f. 3
Puzzle initial 'Q'(uoniam) with foliate decoration and pen-flourished initial 'D'(e) at the beginning of John of Wales's Breviloquium de quatuor virtutibus antiquorum, and inscription 'In Richardum Pyttcu(m) Ba... More
Decorated initial from BL Arundel 164, f. 84
Decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with a human face, and coloured initial 'M'. Image taken from f. 84 of Miscellany, including Liber Hermetis de alchimia (ff. 155-157); Liber triginta verborum (ff. 164-166); De duo... More
Historiated initial from BL Arundel 121, f. 1
Historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with a monk teaching two other monks, at the beginning of Monaldus's Summa de jure canonico. Image taken from f. 1 of Summa de jure canonico. Written in Latin. The Arundel Manus... More
Detail from BL Arundel 349, f. 50v
Detail of puzzle initial 'Q'(uoniam) in Constantinus Africanus's Viaticum ou De omnium morborum cognitione de Allopicia. Image taken from f. 50v of Viaticum; De elephantia aliisque morbis (ff. 92v-94v). Written... More
Decorated initial from BL Royal 13 B VIII, f. 73v
Decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam) at the beginning of the Itinerarium Kambriae. Image taken from f. 73v of Topographia Hiberniae, Expugnatio Hibernica, Itinerarium Kambriae; De purgatorio sancti Patrici, Excerpts f... More
Decorated initial from BL Harley 1787, f. 1v
Decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam). Image taken from f. 1v of Summa de casibus poenitentiae, Tractatus de meditatione, Liber de virtute orationibus, Summa super titulis decretalium, and various other texts. Written ... More
Penwork initial from BL Arundel 189, f. 50
Detail of initial 'Q'(uoniam) with penwork decoration. Image taken from f. 50 of Bible Summary in verse (ends incompletely). Written in Latin. The Arundel Manuscript Collection was amassed by the Howard family... More
Royal arms of England from BL Royal 12 A XVI, f. 3
Illuminated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with the royal arms of England, with a partial border including Tudor roses, at the beginning of the text. Image taken from f. 3 of Tractatulus de regimine seu caritate principum... More
Pen-flourished initial from BL Royal 4 A VII, f. 1v
Pen-flourished initial 'Q'(uoniam quidem) at the beginning of Luke. Image taken from f. 1v of Luke with Glossa ordinaria and interlinear glosses, preceded by a prologue, beginning: 'Luchas Anthiocensis natione ... More
Illuminated initial from BL Eg 608, f. 89
Illuminated initial 'Q'(uoniam) at the beginning of Luke, in a decorated frame. Image taken from f. 89 of Four Gospels, with list of lections (ff. 168v-177). Written in Latin. The Egerton Manuscript Collection... More
Heraldry from BL Sloane 248, f. 3
Illuminated border and initial 'Q'(uoniam) with heraldic decoration. Image taken from f. 3 of Antidotarium. Written in Latin. Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753) was a physician and naturalist who played a crucial rol... More
Historiated initial from BL Harley 6324, f. 54v
Detail of a historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with a man wearing an ermine collar. Image taken from f. 54v of Commentary on Pseudo-Cicero's Rhetorica ad Herennium. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" re... More
Luke from BL Harley 2804, f. 199
Detail of historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with Luke writing in a book supported by a winged ox, at the beginning of Luke's Gospel. Image taken from f. 199 of Bible (the 'Worms Bible'), Psalms-Acts 16:17, imperf... More
Pen-flourished initial from BL Royal 5 A XII, f. 1
Pen-flourished initial 'Q'(uoniam) at the beginning of the Breviloquium de virtutibus antiquorum principum et philosophorum of John Waleys. Image taken from f. 1 of Theological treaties and sermons. Written in ... More
Royal arms of England from BL Royal 12 A XVI, f. 3
Detail of an illuminated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with the royal arms of England, at the beginning of the text. Image taken from f. 3 of Tractatulus de regimine seu caritate principum. Written in Latin. The BL Roya... More
Historiated initial from BL Harley 2513, f. 1
Historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with a teacher in a classroom at the beginning of the text. Image taken from f. 1 of Graecismus with marginal gloss, imperfect. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refe... More
Puzzle initial from BL Arundel 513, f. 1
Puzzle initial 'Q'(uoniam) at the beginning of Eberhard of Béthune's Graecismus. Image taken from f. 1 of Graecismus with gloss. Written in Latin. The Arundel Manuscript Collection was amassed by the Howard fa... More
Detail: Historiated initial from BL Arundel 121, f. 1
Historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with a monk teaching two other monks, at the beginning of Monaldus's Summa de jure canonico. Image taken from f. 1 of Summa de jure canonico. Written in Latin. The Arundel Manus... More
Decorated initial from BL Harley 2823, f. 71v
Decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with interlace patterns at the beginning of Luke. Image taken from f. 71v of Gospels (ff. 1-139) and capitulare evangeliorum (ff. 139v-150). Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manus... More
Illuminated initial from BL Harley 3482, f. 98
Illuminated initial 'Q'(uoniam) on a panel ornamented with white vine decoration, inhabited by putti, and a butterfly. Image taken from f. 98 of Opera. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a ... More
Illuminated initial from BL Harley 3689, f. 1
Illuminated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with a three-sided border with acanthus leaves, flowers and foliate feathering, at the beginning of the text. Image taken from f. 1 of Speculum historiale. Written in Latin. The... More
Puzzle initial from BL Arundel 224, f. 1v
Puzzle initial 'Q'(uoniam), at the beginning of Eberhardus Bethuniensis's Graecismus. Image taken from f. 1v of Glossed Graecismus. Written in Latin. The Arundel Manuscript Collection was amassed by the Howard... More
Detail: Puzzle initial from BL Arundel 224, f. 1v
Puzzle initial 'Q'(uoniam), at the beginning of Eberhardus Bethuniensis's Graecismus. Image taken from f. 1v of Glossed Graecismus. Written in Latin. The Arundel Manuscript Collection was amassed by the Howard... More
Bartholomew of Pisa from BL Harley 3738, f. 1
Historiated initial 'Q'(uoniam) with a portrait of Bartholomaeus de S. Concordio and an illuminated initial 'A'(bbas). Image taken from f. 1 of Summa Pisana with an index (ff. 222v-226v) (index Summa de casibus... More
Full border and decorated initial from BL Harley 4342, f. 1
Full floral border with a decorated initial 'Q'(uoniam), and an excised coat of arms in the lower margin. Image taken from f. 1 of Summa Pisana (index Summa de casibus conscientiae, Summa Pisanella). Written i... More
White vine initial from BL Harley 4995, f. 36v
White vine initial 'Q'(uoniam) at the beginning of book 3. Image taken from f. 36v of Institutiones, with marginal gloss (imperfect). Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medi... More
Pen-flourished initial from BL Harley 3825, f. 1
Pen-flourished initial 'Q'(uoniam ut ait Gregorius super Ezechielem). Image taken from f. 1 of Summa de casibus conscientiae. Written in Latin. The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval man... More