The medieval books I'm rummaging through in search of strange things.
These are some of the manuscripts I've been digging into while hunting for the strange, funny, violent and downright baffling things that appear in medieval books.
Some are prayer books. Some are legal texts, bestiaries, chronicles or medical books. I don't necessarily know everything about them — I'm interested in what happens when you start looking closely.
A richly illuminated Book of Hours — essentially a medieval personal prayer book — made for the Use of Sarum.
Made by: Unknown artists
Made for: Original owner uncertain
Contains: Prayers, psalms, offices and readings with extensive decoration.
Now: British Library
A French Book of Hours — a medieval personal prayer book — made for private devotion.
Made by: Unknown French/Flemish artists
Made for: Original owner uncertain
Contains: Prayers, psalms, offices and readings surrounded by lively marginal decoration.
Now: Walters Art Museum
A lavishly illuminated copy of a major medieval collection of canon law.
Made by: Unknown artists
Made for: Originally produced in France; later owned in England
Contains: Canon law, legal commentary and hundreds of lively narrative and marginal images.
Now: British Library
A monumental medieval chronicle recording events in England and across Europe.
Made by: Matthew Paris and his workshop
Made for: St Albans Abbey
Contains: Historical events, political affairs, maps, portraits and illustrations.
Now: British Library
A medieval Welsh manuscript preserving a collection of laws traditionally associated with Hywel Dda.
Made by: Unknown scribe
Made for: Unknown
Contains: Welsh laws covering subjects including property, marriage, crime and compensation.
Now: National Library of Wales
A richly illustrated medieval bestiary describing real, mythical and imagined animals and the meanings attached to them.
Made by: Unknown artists and scribes
Made for: Unknown
Contains: Descriptions and illustrations of animals, birds and other creatures, combining natural history with Christian symbolism.
Now: Private collection
An English illuminated bestiary based on the medieval tradition of describing animals alongside moral and religious meanings.
Made by: Unknown artists and scribes
Made for: Unknown
Contains: Animal descriptions, illustrations and Christian allegories.
Now: British Library
An English Psalter combining religious texts with a remarkable collection of animal imagery.
Made by: Unknown artists and scribes
Made for: Unknown
Contains: Psalms, prayers, calendar material and numerous animals and creatures.
Now: British Library
A medieval health handbook based on an Arabic work about maintaining health through diet, environment and everyday habits.
Made by: Various scribes and artists
Made for: Wealthy medieval readers
Contains: Advice on food, drink, exercise, sleep, bathing, emotions and other aspects of daily life.
Now: Several surviving copies are held in libraries and museums across Europe.
An enormous illustrated medieval encyclopedia covering almost everything from A to Z, including medicine, law, religion and everyday life.
Made by: James le Palmer and workshop artists
Made for: James le Palmer's own use
Contains: Encyclopedic entries on religion, history, law, medicine, animals, occupations and more, accompanied by hundreds of illustrations.
Now: British Library
A richly illuminated English Psalter containing religious texts alongside an extraordinary range of images.
Made by: Several unknown artists
Made for: Members of the De Lisle family
Contains: Psalms, prayers, calendar material, biblical scenes, animals, musicians and scenes of everyday life.
Now: British Library
An English Psalter famous for its lively marginal decoration and glimpses of medieval people, animals and everyday activities.
Made by: Several unknown artists and scribes
Made for: Original patron uncertain
Contains: Psalms, prayers, calendar material, decorated initials and an entertaining collection of marginal scenes and creatures.
Now: British Library
A lavishly illustrated English Psalter famous for its extraordinary combination of religious imagery, everyday life and bizarre marginal creatures.
Made by: Several unknown artists and scribes
Made for: Sir Geoffrey Luttrell
Contains: Psalms, prayers, scenes of medieval life, animals, monsters and fantastical marginal imagery.
Now: British Library
A richly decorated medieval Book of Hours containing prayers and devotional texts alongside an extraordinary range of imagery.
Made by: Unknown artists and scribes
Made for: Original patron uncertain
Contains: Prayers, devotional texts, miniatures and lively marginal decoration.
Now: MS 17
A lavishly illuminated French manuscript telling the legendary adventures of Alexander the Great.
Made by: Jehan de Grise and his workshop
Made for: Original patron uncertain
Contains: The Alexander romances, richly illustrated with narrative scenes, battles, people, animals and fantastical imagery.
Now: Bodleian Library, Oxford
A richly illuminated medieval breviary — a book containing the prayers and readings used throughout the Christian liturgical day.
Made by: Several artists and scribes
Made for: Renaud de Bar, Bishop of Metz
Contains: Liturgical prayers and readings, decorated initials, biblical scenes and lively marginal imagery.
Now: Bibliothèque d'étude et du patrimoine, Verdun
A richly illuminated French manuscript containing an entertaining mixture of religious imagery and scenes of medieval activity.
Made by: Unknown French artists
Made for: Original patron uncertain
Contains: Religious imagery alongside scenes of jousting, juggling and other lively activities.
Now: Walters Art Museum