Magnus, Compendium, 1478-80

The printer has left the two spaces in the text for an initial letter to be added later by hand. In this case of this alphabetical list, the letters would be “R” and “S”.

Mattioli, Herbarz, 1562 (fol. CXXXVIr)

A hand-colored illustration of a lettuce plant from a Czech translation of Mattioli's herbal.

Nider, Manuale Confessorum, 1474 ([1]1r)

The beginning of this manual for confessors is marked with an "incipit," a common Latin word used to indicate the beginning of a text.

Nider, Manuale confessorum, 1474 ([3]3r)

Although this book has clearly been read and annotated by a reader, its owner never had the initial letters or rubrication added. You can see on the left an empty square that would hold a hand-drawn initial letter as well as a smaller space further down on the right that would have been rubricated with a capitulum to indicate the start of a new chapter or section.

Nostradamus, An almanach, 1562 (fol. 1r)

This almanac gives evidence of two things we don't often get to see: it barely survived and it's covered with manuscript notes from other dates. Although it's hard to discern from just this one image, this is one side of a half of a sheet that was imposed as an octavo (the other images from this sheet can be seen here). The sheet itself was torn along what is here the left edge, probably after it was weakened by years of folding. But even then, the almanac is incomplete, ending in October since the second sheet is now missing.

Nostradamus, An almanach, 1562 (fol. 1v)

Although this almanac is for the year 1562, a user has added notes for a number of later years, including 1581 and 1589, as see here on the blank verso of the title page.

Nostradamus, An almanach, 1562 (fol. 2r)

Unlike later almanacs, this continues one month on after another, rather than giving each month its own page or opening. If you look at the top right page, you'll see the start of January, which continues onto the bottom right page.

Prouisiones cedulas, 1563 (a1r)

The title of this collection of Spanish colonial laws is surrounded by four separate woodcuts used as borders, as well as a cut of the Spanish coat of arms.

Prouisiones cedulas, 1563 (m2r)

Two different styles of the initial letter D can be seen here, the first quite plain and the second floriated.

Psalterium, 1499 (c1r)

The text of this Latin book of psalms is surrounded by German commentary, printed in a smaller type on the right column and wrapping under the main text at the bottom of the page. Although it's hard to see on this copy (which shows signs of wear and foxing, or discoloration), both categories of text have been carefully printed in red ink as well as black.