Digital access to Malay and Indonesian manuscripts



The collection of Malay manuscripts in the British Library consists of about 100 volumes and over 300 documents, uniting collections from the British Museum and the India Office Library, including the archives of the English East India Company. These manuscripts originate from all parts of maritime Southeast Asia, including present-day Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, and the southern regions of Thailand and the Philippines, and range in date from the 17th to the early 20th century. The strengths of the collection are in the fields of literature, history and law, and include some exceptionally significant items such as the oldest known copy of the earliest Malay history, Hikayat Raja Pasai (Or. 14350), and one of the finest illuminated Malay manuscripts, a copy of the Taj al-Salatin (Or. 13295).





Final pages of the Taj al-Salatin, copied in Penang and dated 4 Zulhijah 1239 (31 July 1824). British Library, Or.13295, ff.190v-191r.

Through the generous support of Singapore-based American philanthropists William and Judith Bollinger, the complete collection of Malay manuscript volumes in the British Library was digitised between 2013 and 2015, in collaboration with the National Library Board of Singapore. The manuscripts have been made available in their entirety on the British Library's Digitised Manuscripts site, and also on the National Library of Singapore's BookSG site. The Asian & African Studies Blog is also featuring regular stories about certain Malay manuscripts.



Most of the Malay manuscripts listed below are described in M.C. Ricklefs and P. Voorhoeve, Indonesian manuscripts in Great Britain (Oxford: Oxford University Press: 1977), an updated edition of which, to include recent acquisitions, has recently been published:

M.C.Ricklefs, P.Voorhoeve† and Annabel Teh Gallop. Indonesian manuscripts in Great Britain: a catalogue of manuscripts in Indonesian languages in British public collections. New Edition with Addenda et Corrigenda. Jakarta: Ecole française d’Extrême-Orient,Perpustakaan Nasional Republik Indonesia, Yayasan Pustaka Obor Indonesia, 2014.



If you would like to keep in touch with progress, subscribe to our blog and follow us on Twitter @BLAsia_Africa; or contact me by e-mail: annabel.gallop@bl.uk



List of digitised Malay manuscripts

Below we have listed the 126 digitised Malay manuscripts, including a few in Arabic from Southeast Asia. Click on the manuscript number to get to the catalogue description of each manuscript, and then click on the thumbnail image to get to the full digitised version of the manuscript, which will open in a new window (please note that all subsequent digitised manuscripts that you view will appear in this same window). Also included in the list below are links to blog posts and other related documents for each manuscript, where available.

IO Islamic 2906

Islamic catechism in Arabic by al-Samarqandi, with Malay translation, Batavia, early 19th c.

Blog post, 7 January 2015: From Samarkand to Batavia: a popular Islamic catechism in Malay

IO Islamic 3048

Qur’an, juz’ 23 & 24, from Java, 19th c.

Blog post, 28 April 2015: Qur'an manuscripts from Java



MSS Malay A.1

Hikayat Ular Nangkawang, early 19th c.

Blog post, 9 Jan 2017: Malay literary manuscripts in the John Leyden collection

MSS Malay A.2

Syair perahu, treebark MS, 18th c.

Blog post, 16 April 2015: Malay manuscripts from south Sumatra

MSS Malay A.3

Malay-Javanese-Madurese vocabulary, early 19th c.

Blog post, 3 April 2015: Early vocabularies of Malay

MSS Malay A.4

Surat pantun cara Lampung, 1812

Blog post, 16 April 2015: Malay manuscripts from south Sumatra



MSS Malay B.1

Hikayat Hang Tuah, final chapters, Penang, early 19th c.

Blog post, 20 January 2014: Ibrahim, portrait of a Malay scribe

MSS Malay B.2

Hikayat Pelanduk Jenaka, 1804

Blog post, 10 February 2015: The wily Malay mousedeer

MSS Malay B.3

Syair orang berbuat amal; Syair Silambari; Syair surat kirim kepada perempuan; Hikayat mi’raj Nabi Muhammad; Penang, 1806

Blog post, 20 January 2015: Ibrahim, portrait of a Malay scribe

MSS Malay B.4

Hikayat Pandawa Jaya, Kota Setar, Kedah, 1805

Blog post, 16 September 2015: The Mahabharata in Malay manuscripts

MSS Malay B.5

Hikayat Putera Jaya Pati, 1806

Blog post, 10 March 2015: Soother of sorrows or seducer of morals? The Malay Hikayat Inderaputera

MSS Malay B.6

Hikayat Muhammad Hanafiah, 1805

Blog post, 27 January 2015: A Malay spur to valour: the Hikayat Muhammad Hanafiah

MSS Malay B.7

Hikayat Bayan Budiman, 1808

Blog post, 3 March 2015: The Malay tale of the wise parrot

MSS Malay B.8

Hikayat Bayan Budiman, first 10 stories, 1808

Blog post, 3 March 2015: The Malay tale of the wise parrot

MSS Malay B.9

Syair Jaran Tamasa, 1804, copied by Ismail

Blog post, 9 November 2015: A Scottish poet's favourite Malay poem? Syair Jaran Tamasa

MSS Malay B.10

Hikayat Pelanduk Jinaka; Hikayat Lima Fasal, 1805

Blog post, 10 February 2015: The wily Malay mousedeer

MSS Malay B.11

Adat Aceh, early 19th c.

Blog post, 13 November 2017: Adat Aceh: royal Malay statecraft in the 17th century



MSS Malay B.12

Hikayat Perang Pandawa Jaya, 1804

Blog post, 16 September 2015: The Mahabharata in Malay manuscripts

MSS Malay B.13

Kitab pengajaran pada segala orang sekalian, [Batavia, early 19th c.]

Blog post, 19 May 2015: A Jawi sourcebook for the study of Malay palaeography and orthography

MSS Malay B.14

Hikayat Inderaputera, ca. 1821

Blog post, 10 March 2015: Soother of sorrows or seducer of morals? The Malay Hikayat Inderaputera

MSS Malay B.15

Kitab Obat-Obat dan Azimat, Pontianak, 1813

Blog post, 19 May 2015: A Jawi sourcebook for the study of Malay palaeography and orthography

MSS Malay C.1

Hikayat Cekel Waneng Pati, early 19th c.

Blog post, 29 June 2015: Panji stories in Malay

MSS Malay C.2

Hikayat Cekel Waneng Pati, 1787

Blog post, 29 June 2015: Panji stories in Malay

MSS Malay C.3

Hikayat Mesa Tandraman, Penang, 1806

Blog post, 29 June 2015: Panji stories in Malay

Blog post, 20 January 2015: Ibrahim, portrait of a Malay scribe

MSS Malay C.4

Hikayat Isma Yatim, early 19th c.

Blog post, 9 Jan 2017: Malay literary manuscripts in the John Leyden collection

MSS Malay C.5

Hikayat Isma Yatim, Penang, 1807

Blog post, 20 January 2015: Ibrahim, portrait of a Malay scribe

MSS Malay C.6

Hikayat Silindung Dalima, 1808

Blog post, 9 Jan 2017: Malay literary manuscripts in the John Leyden collection

MSS Malay C.7

Islamic catechism in Malay [on sembahyang, hukum nikah, etc.], Batavia, early 19th c.

Blog post, 7 January 2015: From Samarkand to Batavia: a popular Islamic catechism in Malay



MSS Malay C.8

Hikayat Maharaja Boma, 1805

Blog post, 16 September 2015: The Mahabharata in Malay manuscripts

MSS Malay D.1

Hikayat Dewa Mandu, 1808

Blog post, 9 Jan 2017: Malay literary manuscripts in the John Leyden collection

MSS Malay D.2

Hikayat Raja Dewa Maharupa, 1802

Blog post, 9 Jan 2017: Malay literary manuscripts in the John Leyden collection

MSS Malay D.3

Hikayat Parang Puting, copied by Ibrahim, Penang, 1806

Blog post, 20 January 2015: Ibrahim, portrait of a Malay scribe



MSS Malay D.4

Hikayat Nabi Yusuf, Perlis, 1802

Blog post, 21 December 2015: A Malay manuscript artist unveiled: Datuk Muda Muhammad of Perlis

MSS Malay D.5

Hikayat Muhammad Hanafiah, Hikayat Syahi Mardan, Hikayat Pelanduk Jenaka, Hikayat Nabi Muhammad ... berperang dengan Raja Khaibar, 1805

Blog post, 27 January 2015: A Malay spur to valour: the Hikayat Muhammad Hanafiah

Blog post, 10 February 2015: The wily Malay mousedeer

MSS Malay D.6

Syair Jaran Tamasa, copied by Muhammad Bakhar; Hikayat Budak Miskin, copied by Muhammad Kasim, Penang; 1806

Blog post, 9 November 2015: A Scottish poet's favourite Malay poem? Syair Jaran Tamasa

MSS Malay D.7

Caritra Rama (romanized), Surabaya, 1812

Blog post, 16 September 2015: The Mahabharata in Malay manuscripts

MSS Malay D.8

Hikayat Babad (romanized), written for Raffles, 1815

Blog post, 12 May 2015: Malay manuscripts on Javanese history

MSS Malay D.9

Hikayat Tanah Jawa

Blog post, 12 May 2015: Malay manuscripts on Javanese history

MSS Malay D.10

Undang-undang Melaka

Blog post, 20 Feb 2015: Malay legal texts

MSS Malay D.11

Tembai (on bamboo strips), south Sumatra

Blog post, 16 April 2015: Malay manuscripts from south Sumatra



MSS Malay D.12

Undang-undang Aceh, 1873

Blog post, 20 Feb 2015: Malay legal texts

MSS Malay D.13

Genealogy of Luwu

Blog post, 10 April 2015: Royal genealogies from Indonesia and the Malay world

MSS Malay F.1

Genealogy of Pajajaran, 19th c.

Blog post, 10 April 2015: Royal genealogies from Indonesia and the Malay world

MSS Malay F.2

Dutch-English-Malay vocabulary

Blog post, 3 April 2015: Early vocabularies of Malay

MSS Eur A 33

Malay-English vocabulary, 17th c. Bowrey collection

Blog post, 3 April 2015: Early vocabularies of Malay

MSS Eur B 37

English-Malay vocabulary, 19th c.

Blog post, 3 April 2015: Early vocabularies of Malay

MSS Eur D 742/1

Raffles Family Collection, Malay letters sent to Raffles in Melaka, 1811

Blog post, 23 November 2015: Royal Malay letters and seals from Pontianak

MSS Eur E 110

Malay-English vocabulary, 19th c. Raffles collection

Blog post, 3 April 2015: Early vocabularies of Malay

MSS Eur E 378

Letters in Malay and Javanese, Raffles collection, ca.1814

Blog post, 23 November 2015: Royal Malay letters and seals from Pontianak

MSS Eur Mackenzie Private 43

Babat Sekandar, Malay translation of Serat Sakondar, Surabaya, 1814

Blog post, 12 May 2015: Malay manuscripts on Javanese history

Sloane 2393

Undang-undang, 18th c.

Blog post, 4 Nov 2013: Malay manuscripts in the Sloane collection

Blog post, 20 Feb 2015: Malay legal texts

Sloane 3115

Christian hymns, psalms, etc., in romanised Malay, 17th c.

Blog post, 4 Nov 2013: Malay manuscripts in the Sloane collection

Blog post, 1 April 2018: Two Christian manuscripts in Malay

Harley Ch 43 A 6

Letter to the English captain at Jambi from Raja Bendahara of Brunei, 17th c.

Blog post, 14 Nov 2014: An early Malay letter from Brunei

Egerton 933

Malay-English vocabulary, 1731, & Malay journal and notes, 1815 .

Blog post, 17 Oct 2013: Early studies of the Malay language

Add. 4828*

Letter from Sultan Kecil to Gov. Farmer of Bengkulu, early 18th c.

Blog post, 23 July 2014: Malay letters from Bengkulu

Add. 4924

Map of Mindanao, 1775

Blog post, 12 June 2014: A rare map from Mindanao

Add. 7043

Malay grammar by W. Mainston, 1682, a copy by J.H. Hindley, early 19th c.

Blog post, 17 Oct 2013: Early studies of the Malay language

Add. 12312

Qur’an, from Java, Crawfurd collection, c.1800

Blog post, 28 April 2015: Qur'an manuscripts from Java



Add. 12343

Qur’an, from Java, Crawfurd collection, c.1800

Blog post, 28 April 2015: Qur'an manuscripts from Java

Add. 12376

Hikayat Dewa Mandu

Blog post, 11 Nov 2013: Semarang, Javanese city of Malay scribes

Add. 12377

Hikayat Muhammad Hanafiah

Blog post, 27 January 2015: A Malay spur to valour: the Hikayat Muhammad Hanafiah

Add. 12378

Taj al-Salatin (shortened version), early 19th c.

Blog post, 10 Oct 2013: Another Malay ‘Mirror for Princes’



Add. 12379

Hikayat Isma Yatim

Blog post, 10 Jan 2014: Malay 'eye candy': illuminated literary manuscripts

Add. 12380

Syair Mesa Gumitar

Blog post, 29 June 2015: Panji stories in Malay

Add. 12381

Syair Dang Sarat

Blog post, 22 Feb 2014: Malay manuscripts on Chinese paper

Add. 12382

Hikayat Ular Nangkawang

Blog post, 22 Feb 2014: Malay manuscripts on Chinese paper

Add. 12383

Hikayat Carang Kulina

Blog post, 27 May 2014: John Crawfurd and Malay studies

Blog post, 29 June 2015: Panji stories in Malay

Add. 12384

Hikayat Hang Tuah, early 19th c.

Blog post, 25 Sept 2013: Hang Tuah: the Malay Rollo or Rustam



Add. 12385

Hikayat Putera Gangga

Blog post, 12 Dec 2013: Reading Malay manuscripts with children

Add. 12385*

Hikayat (Dewa) Indera Layangan

Blog post, 11 Nov 2013: Semarang, Javanese city of Malay scribes

Add. 12386

Hikayat Perintah Negeri Benggala, early 19th c.

Blog post, 11 July 2014: A Malay account of Calcutta

Add. 12387

Hikayat Mesa Taman Sira Panji Jayeng Kusuma

Blog post, 18 July 2014: Malay manuscripts on Javanese paper

Blog post, 29 June 2015: Panji stories in Malay

Add. 12388

Hikayat Syahi Mardan

Blog post, 11 Nov 2013: Semarang, Javanese city of Malay scribes

Add. 12389

Malay translations from Bugis and Makassarese texts, early 19th c.

Blog post, 9 January 2015: Malay manuscripts on Bugis history

Add. 12390

Syair Makrifat

Blog post, 28 July 2014: Malay thoughts on the afterlife

Add. 12391

Hikayat Naya Kusuma

Blog post, 27 May 2014: John Crawfurd and Malay studies

Blog post, 29 June 2015: Panji stories in Malay

Add. 12392

Hikayat Raja Banjar dan Kotaringin, 1816

Blog post, 7 Dec 2013: Malay manuscripts from Borneo

Add. 12393

Hikayat Raja Babi

Blog post, 28 Nov 2013: The Malay story of the Pig King

Add 12394

Syair Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin, early 19th c.

Blog post, 19 Feb 2014: A Malay ballad from Kedah: the naval battle for Phuket

Add. 12395

Undang-undang Malaka

Blog post, 20 Feb 2015: Malay legal texts

Add. 12396

Malay translations from Bugis, 1814

Blog post, 9 January 2015: Malay manuscripts on Bugis history

Add. 12397

Risalat Hukum Kanun

Blog post, 20 Feb 2015: Malay legal texts

Add. 12398

Farquhar letterbook, early 19th c.



Add. 12399

Letters and fragments of hikayat, 1814

Blog post, 9 January 2015: Malay manuscripts on Bugis history

Add.18141

F.2r, Letter from Sultan Muhammad Yasin of Ternate to the Eng. Comm. in Ambon, 1802

Blog post, 18 Oct 2014: A royal Malay letter from Ternate

Add.45271

Letters from Sultan Abdullah of Kedah to Francis Light, Gov. of Penang, late 18th c.



Add.45273

44 farewell letters in Javanese and Malay to Raffles from dignitaries of Java, with Engl. translations, 1816

Or.4575

Malay-French vocabulary, early 19th c.

Blog post, 17 Oct 2013: Early studies of the Malay language

Or.4942, ff. 228-229

Account of a conversion to Christianity, 19th c.

Blog post, 1 April 2018: Two Christian manuscripts in Malay

Or. 6899

Syair Makrifat

Blog post, 28 July 2014: Malay thoughts on the afterlife

Or. 9484

Proclamation by T.S. Raffles after the conquest of Java, 1811

Blog post, 11 August 2014: The British capture of Java

Or. 11365

Panji story

Blog post, 18 July 2014: Malay manuscripts on Javanese paper

Blog post, 29 June 2015: Panji stories in Malay

Or. 12986

Seribu maksa, MS on bamboo, south Sumatra, 19th c.

Blog post, 16 April 2015: Malay manuscripts from south Sumatra

Or. 13295

Taj al-Salatin, Penang, 1824

Blog post, 6 Sept 2013: The Crown of Kings: a deluxe Malay manuscript from Penang



Or. 13716

Sifat dua puluh

Blog post, 3 December 2015: The Twenty Attributes of God in Malay: Sifat Dua Puluh



Or.14194

Prayerbook, from Aceh

Blog post, 3 December 2015: The Twenty Attributes of God in Malay: Sifat Dua Puluh



Or.14350

Hikayat Raja Handik & Hikayat Raja Pasai, Semarang, 1797

Blogpost, 24 Oct 2013: Hikayat Raja Pasai, the oldest Malay history

Blog post, 19 May 2015: A Jawi sourcebook for the study of Malay palaeography and orthography

Or.14537

Letter from Haji Abdul Rahman of Banjarmasin

Blog post, 7 Dec 2013: Malay manuscripts from Borneo

Or.14549

Syair Baginda, Brunei, late 19th c.

Blog post, 19 May 2015: A Jawi sourcebook for the study of Malay palaeography and orthography

Or.14734

Sejarah Melayu, Melaka, 1873

Blog post, 13 Sept 2013: Sejarah Melayu: a Malay masterpiece

Blog post, 10 April 2015: Royal genealogies from Indonesia and the Malay world

Or.14858

Letter from Pangeran of Sumenep to Captain James Clark, 1814

Blog post, 5 August 2014: A Malay letter from Madura

Or.15510 A & Or.15510 B

Two letters from Mindanao, 18th c.

Blog post, 26 June 2014: Two letters in Maguindanao

Or. 15227

Qur’an, from Patani or Kelantan

Blog post, 12 Mar 2013: An illuminated Malay Qur’an

Or. 15932

Papakem Pawukon, in Malay and Javanese, Bogor, 1814

Blog post, 10 April 2015: Royal genealogies from Indonesia and the Malay world

Or. 15646

Sayr al-salikin, Aceh, 19th c.

Blog post, 6 February 2017: Abdul Samad of Palembang, Malay guide to the writings of al-Ghazali

Or. 15936

Malay vocabularies. Leyden collection

Blog post, 17 Oct 2013: Early studies of the Malay language



Or. 15979

Sirat al-mustakim, Aceh

Blog post, 10 March 2015: Soother of sorrows or seducer of morals? The Malay Hikayat Inderaputera

Or. 16035

Mirat al-tullab, by Abdul Rauf of Singkel, 18th c.

Blog post, 5 December 2016: A Malay work on Islamic law from Aceh: Mirat al-tullab

Blog post, 19 May 2015: A Jawi sourcebook for the study of Malay palaeography and orthography

Or.16126

Letter from Temenggung of Johor to Napoleon III of France, 1857

Blog post, 22 Aug 2013: A 'Golden letter' in Malay to Napoleon III



Or.16128

Hikayat Raja Khandak dan Raja Badar

Blog post, 4 August 2017: Malay manuscripts from Patani



Or. 16129

Religious work

Blog post, 4 August 2017: Malay manuscripts from Patani



Or.16214

Sejarah Melayu, early 19th c.

Blog post, 25 Nov 2013: Two Malay manuscripts from Wales, Sejarah Melayu and Hikayat Hang Tuah

Blog post, 19 May 2015: A Jawi sourcebook for the study of Malay palaeography and orthography

Or.16215

Hikayat Hang Tuah, early 19th c.

Blog post, 25 Nov 2013: Two Malay manuscripts from Wales, Sejarah Melayu and Hikayat Hang Tuah

Or.16446

Panji story

Blog post, 18 July 2014: Malay manuscripts on Javanese paper

Blog post, 29 June 2015: Panji stories in Malay

Or. 16447

Hikayat Puteri Bakawali, Hikayat Galila Damina and a fragment of Syair Ken Tabuhan, Taiping, 1888

Blog post, 29 June 2015: Panji stories in Malay

Or. 16604

Hidayat al-salikin, Aceh, 1783

Blog post, 6 February 2017: Abdul Samad of Palembang, Malay guide to the writings of al-Ghazali

Or. 16762

Religious texts, from Aceh, 19th c.



Or. 16763

Religious texts, from Aceh, 19th c.



Or. 16764

Religious texts, from Aceh, 19th c.



Or. 16765

Religious texts, from Aceh, 19th c.



Or. 16766

Religious texts, from Aceh, 19th c.

Or. 16767

Islamic texts in Malay and Arabic, Aceh, 19th c.

Blog post, 3 December 2015: The Twenty Attributes of God in Malay: Sifat Dua Puluh



Or. 16768

Religious texts, from Aceh, 19th c.

Or.16769

Kitab Mawlid, in Arabic and Malay, from Aceh



Or. 16773

Religious texts, from Aceh, 19th c.



Or. 16875

Scroll with prayers and charms, 19th c.

Blog post, 23 Jan 2017: The Seal of Prophethood: Malay prayers for protection

Or. 16915

Qur’an, from Aceh

Blog post, 24 Mar 2014: An illuminated Qur’an manuscript from Aceh

Other digitised manuscripts from Indonesia and the Malay world

BALINESE



Egerton 765

Gold letter from the princes of Badung and Mengwi, 1768

Blog post, 14 April 2016: A gold letter from Bali

Or. 4942, f. 214

Balinese letter to Mads Johannsen Lange, ca. 1839

Or. 12579

Bagus Umbara, Singaraja, 1928

Or. 12971

Balinese letters from Mads Johannsen Lange, 1852

Or. 14022

Ramayana Kakawin, ca. 1975

BATAK

Add. 4726

Pustaha, on the lemon oracle, before 1764

Blog post, 28 Nov 2016: Batak manuscripts in the British Library

BUGIS and MAKASSAR



For a full list see the page for Digital access to Bugis and Makassar manuscripts

LAMPUNG

MSS Lampung 1

Literary text

JAVANESE

Sloane 1035

Record of a debt, on palm leaf

Blog post, 19 June 2018: Javanese manuscripts in the Sloane collection



Sloane 1403A

Record of a purchase, on palm leaf, ca.1715

Blog post, 19 June 2018: Javanese manuscripts in the Sloane collection



Sloane 1403E

Record of an account, on bamboo, in Javanese, Lampung and Chinese

Blog post, 19 June 2018: Javanese manuscripts in the Sloane collection

Sloane 2645

Masa'il al-ta'lim, in Arabic and Javanese, 1623

Blog post, 19 June 2018: Javanese manuscripts in the Sloane collection

MSS Jav 24

Serat Jayalengkara Wulang

Blog post, 18 August 2014: A Javanese manuscript artist at work

MSS Jav 28

Serat Selarasa

Blog post, 4 Mar 2013: Javanese art in the early 19th century: Serat Selarasa

Blog post, 1 Dec 2014: Javanese manuscript art: Serat Selarasa

MSS Jav 89

Serat Damar Wulan

Blog post, 21 Mar 2013: Everyday life in Java in the late 18th century: Serat Damar Wulan

Or 15294

Sermon, in Arabic with a few words in Javanese, from Lombok

Blog post, 14 April 2014: Sermons in the Malay world

Or 16873

Mawlid sharaf al-anām, in Arabic and Javanese, 1864

See Javanese manuscripts from Yogyakarta Digitisation Project

for a list of 75 digitised manuscripts from Yogyakarta

Blog post, 10 August 2016: The Archive of Yogyakarta digitised

OLD JAVANESE

Sloane 3480

Fragment of palm leaf

Blog post, 19 June 2018: Javanese manuscripts in the Sloane collection

Blog post, 20 June 2018: Sir Hans Sloane's Old Javanese manuscript

Ind. Ch. 57

Pabuharan inscription, and one other; ca. 9th c.

Blog post, 20 Dec 2016: Old Javanese copper charters in the British Library

MSS Jav 106

Sobhāmṛta inscription; charter of Pu Sindok, AD 939

Blog post, 20 Dec 2016: Old Javanese copper charters in the British Library

Annabel Teh Gallop, Lead Curator, Southeast Asian studies