St Margaret, Queen of Scots (died 1093)
This beautiful manuscript belonged to Margaret, Queen of Scotland, who was renowned for her piety and was canonized in 1249–50. A compact selection of passages from the Gospels, this finely illustrated book was Margaret’s favourite, and one she read and studied closely, even when she travelled. A poem added at the front describes how this very book was dropped into a river but remained almost unharmed: this miracle contributed to her growing reputation for holiness.