The spider taxa included by James Barbut in his work ‘The genera insectorum of Linnæus exemplified in various specimens of English insects drawn from nature’ from 1781 are discussed alongside some other early works of spider literature. Barbut discusses and depicts three previously described species, Araneus diadematus Clerck, 1757, Tegenaria domestica (Clerck, 1757) and Xysticus cristatus (Clerck, 1757). Four taxa are newly described by Barbut () but are unavailable nomina per Article 11.4 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. The taxonomic acts of Bonnet, who failed to notice that Barbut's work was invalid for the purposes of zoological nomenclature, are discussed. Two nomina, Aranea subterranea Barbut in and Aranea hortensis Barbut in – both made available through the translation work by Meyer – are evaluated. Aranea subterranea Barbut in is proposed as a nomen dubium. Aranea hortensis Barbut in is proposed as a junior synonym of Araneus diadematus Clerck, 1757 syn. nov. and is thus an objective senior homonym of Araneus hortensis (). The replacement name Araneus blackwalli nom. nov. is proposed for the latter taxon. Additionally, Aranea livido-rufa Panzer, 1804 is removed from synonymy with Metellina segmentata (Clerck, 1757) and is declared a nomen dubium.