Pilgrim from BL Harley 4826, f. 1*

Detail of an inserted miniature of a kneeling pilgrim, accompanied by a monk, presenting a book to a standing knight in armour. A later inscription on the facing folio identifies the monk as John Lydgate, and the knight as the Earl of Salisbury, to whom Lydgate's 'The Pilgrimage of the Life of Man' was dedicated. The figure of the monk may represent either Lydgate (d. c. 1450), a Benedictine monk at the abbey of Bury St Edwards, Suffolk, or Deguileville (d. c. 1358), a Cistercian at the abbey of Chalis in Valois, and the earl of Salisbury, Thomas Montague (d. 1428) may be the figure in armour (see Scott 1996, p. 305). Image taken from f. 1* of Lives of St Edmund and St Fremund (ff. 4-46); Secrees of Old Philisoffres (ff. 52-81); Regiment of Princes (ff. 84-144v); imperfect. Written in English.

The "BL Harley Manuscript" refers to a collection of medieval manuscripts held in the British Library in London. The Harley Manuscripts are part of the larger collection known as the Harley Collection, which was assembled by Robert Harley (1661–1724) and his son Edward Harley (1689–1741). Robert Harley was a prominent English statesman and bibliophile, and he began amassing a vast collection of books and manuscripts in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

The Harley Manuscripts are known for their diversity and include a wide range of texts, including historical chronicles, illuminated manuscripts, legal documents, literary works, and scientific treatises. The collection contains over 7,000 manuscripts, and it is considered one of the most important manuscript collections in the British Library.

The Harley Manuscripts are numbered with the prefix "Harley," followed by a specific manuscript number. Each manuscript in the collection has its own unique content and history, and they cover a broad spectrum of topics and time periods. Some of the manuscripts in the collection are beautifully illuminated, with intricate illustrations and decorations.