zoomorphic initials were repainted in an Anglo-Saxon style. The placement of the initials is unusual because lines are rarely broken to start a new paragraph. The text usually continues and the initial is omitted from its proper place and is instead inserted into the margin. This system is used in some Greek manuscripts including the Codex Alexandrinus. There are gold crosses, which were probably also added in the 10th century, in the margins of John. The manuscript is thought to have belonged to King Athelstan, who may have ordered the 10th century "modernization". On folio 66 verso there is a partially erased 12th century inscription which reads "iste est liber sanct......" Also on folio 66v are two ownership inscriptions. One indicates that in 1538 the book was owned by William Newman. The other indicates that in 1662 it was owned by Robert Lancaster. The manuscript was purchased by the British Museum at Sotheby's in 1922. External links British Library catalogue entry British Library Digital Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts entry Further reading New Palaeographical Society, Series II, plates 140, 141. Henry, F. "An Irish Manuscript in the British Museum." Journal of The Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 87 (1957) pp. 147–166. Lowe, E.A. Codices latini antiquiores (Oxford, 1934–1971), vol. 2, no. 179. Alexander, J.J.G. Insular Manuscripts, 6th to the 9th century (Survey of Manuscripts Illuminated in the British Isles), (Harvey Miller: London, 1978), no.46. Temple, E. Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts 900-1066 (Survey of Manuscripts Illuminated in the British Isles), (Harvey Miller: London, 1976), no.15. Keynes, S. "King Athelstan's Books." Learning and Literature in Anglo-Saxon England, ed. M. Lapidge and H. Gneuss (Cambridge, 1985) pp. 143–201. McGurk, P. Gospel Books and Early Latin Manuscripts, Variorum Collected Studies (Aldershot, 1998) pp. I 250 and 261, II165-6 and 173–4, XII 14 and XIV 45. Gneuss, H. Handlist of Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts: A List of Manuscripts and Manuscript Fragments Written or Owned in England up to 1100 (Tempe, Arizona, 2001), no. 299. Brown, K.L. and R.J. Clark, ‘The Lindisfarne Gospels and two other 8th century Anglo-Saxon/Insular manuscripts: pigment identification by Raman microscopy.’ Journal of Raman Spectroscopy 35 (2004), pp.4-12. Gospel Books Hiberno-Saxon manuscripts Irish manuscripts 8th-century biblical manuscripts Add. 40618 Later Anglo-Saxon illuminated manuscripts