ALT A page from an illuminated manuscript of Dante's Divine Comedy showing a historiated initial 'N'(el) of Dante and Virgil in a dark wood, with four half-length figures representing Justice, Power, Peace and Temperance; (below) arms of Alphonso V, king of Aragon, Naples, and Sicily.

ALT A page from an illuminated manuscript of Dante's Divine Comedy showing a historiated initial 'L'(a gloria) of Christ in a chariot with Evangelist symbols, and Adam and Eve; (below) miniature of Dante and Apollo before Parnassus.

ALT A detail from an illuminated manuscript of Dante's Divine Comedy showing a historiated initial 'P'(Per) of Dante setting sail for Purgatory.

ALT A French inscription in gold, written in mirror writing, which reads, 'Regardez en pyte/ votre loyal amy / qui na Jour ne demy / Bien pour votre amyte'

ALT A portrait of Pierre Sala from his collection of love poems.

ALT A roundel from the Guthlac Roll, showing demons emerging from the Mouth of Hell, and St Bartholomew giving a scourge to St Guthlac to drive them away.

ALT A portrait of Henry VIII from a golden girdle book, containing a copy of the Psalms in English verse.

ALT The front cover of a gold binding, with a loop at the top and a clasp on the right-hand side.

ALT A detail from the Chronicle of Battle Abbey, showing a historiated initial enclosing a portrait of William the Conqueror, sitting enthroned, wearing a crown and holding a sceptre, with a dog at his feet. The initial is formed from a winged creature.

ALT An opening from Leonarda da Vinci's Notebook, featuring mirror writing and diagrams.

ALT The opening of the Old English poem Beowulf from the unique surviving manuscript of the text.

ALT A woman with long brown hair pulls a red book from a bookshelf.