Bookplate of Philip Yorke, first Earl of Hardwicke, Lord Chancellor for nineteen years, from Francois Belleforest's L'histoire des neuf roys Charles de France (1568).

Given by Hugh Gatty.

Bookplate of John Somerset Pakington, Baron Hampton from Matthew Pilkington's The gentleman's and connoisseur's dictionary of painters (1770). As a politician Pakington was a conservative, but spent much of his time promoting radical educational reform. He was also appointed First Lord of the Admiralty on two occasions.

Bookplate in Greek of Frederick North, fifth Earl of Guildford from a 17th-century work on Swedish church history by Johannes Baazius. The Greek reads "O archon tes Ionikes Akademias Komes Guilford", referring to the Ionian Academy which he was instrumental in founding, owing to his lifelong philhellenism.

Bookplate of George Grenville, British Prime Minister 1763-1765, from Thomas Birch's Life of Henry Prince of Wales (1760).

Given by J.E.B. Mayor.

Gold-stamped arms of John Carteret, Earl Granville, from an edition of Euclid (1703). Carteret held the offices of both Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and Secretary of State for Ireland, and was a major force in eighteenth-century politics.

Three variants of the gold-stamped arms of George James Welbore Agar-Ellis, Baron Dover, politician and patron of the arts, and a key figure in the formation of the National Gallery. The first image is from the cover of William Stewart Rose's Apology addressed to the Traveller's club (1825).

Gold-stamped arms of Sir Edward Dering, from Theophylactus' commentary on St Paul's epistles (London, 1636). Dering began as an aspiring courtier to Charles I, with the Duke of Buckingham as his patron. In 1640 he was elected to the Long Parliament but his subsequent career veered erratically between Royalist and Parliamentarian positions.

The Great Bible, so called because of its size, was the first royally commissioned printed Bible in English. Many copies were produced, but this is one of only two known copies printed on parchment and beautifully illuminated.

Bookplate of Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, British statesman, diplomat, wit and letter-writer, from Lorenz Natter's A treatise on the ancient method of engraving on precious stones (1754).

Given by Francis Puryer White.

Bookplate of John Stuart, Earl of Bute, British Prime Minister 1762-1763, from an Elzevier pocket edition of Severus's Historia sacra (1635). After his short term in office he recommended George Grenville as his successor.