Hand: First Land Survey (156v), York Additional 1, fols. 10–161

Name

First Land Survey (156v)

Manuscript

York Additional 1, fols. 10–161

Script

English Vernacular minuscule

Scribe

DigiPal Scribe 15. Saec. xi1/4

Date

Saec. xi1/4

Place

York

Stokes, English Vernacular Script, ca 990–ca 1035, Vol. 2 (PhD Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2006)

This passage was written in an uneven hand with a medium-width pen and some shading. The first section of text was written in a heavier and more laterally compressed hand, and the second and third sections are slightly more rounded and with greater shading. The change is subtle, however, and it seems likely that all three were written by the same scribe at different times. Ascenders are often longer than minims and can be tapering, have prominent wedges, or be forked. Descenders can be quite short, particularly on r and þ, but can be longer, and are straight or tapering. Minims have approach-strokes and horizontal or slightly rising feet. A rounded but essentially teardrop-shaped a was used, sometimes semi-Caroline but normally with a pointed top. The a-component of æ is more rounded, and the hook is tall and bulging even when not in ligature; the lower curve of the e-component is long and often meets the tongue slightly past the hook. Round c was used. The back of d is straight and usually angled at about 70–80° in the first section but tends to be more rounded and less steeply angled thereafter; the tip usually has a diagonal finishing-stroke but can also be hooked down or without finial. Both horned and round e are found, both with vertical backs; the tongue is horizontal but somtimes vertical-tipped, and the top can be rounded or angular but is never tall. The tongue of f is long, tapering, and sometimes extends slightly left of the down-stroke; the hook branches from well below cue-height. The top of g is flat, the mid-section hangs from the left, bulges left slightly, turns almost horizontally and sometimes extends slightly below the following letter, and the loop is closed and either small and angular in the first section or larger and more rounded thereafter. The shoulders of h, m, n, and r can be somewhat angular but are more often rounded and the strokes bulging. Tall s was used without exception through the first section of text, and low s without exception in the following two sections. Tall s stands firmly on the base-line, usually has a small angled finishing-stroke at the foot, and has a hook at or slightly below ascender-height. Low s is very deeply split, the hook branching from the tip of the descender. The conventional distinction between þ and ð was followed, the latter structured exactly like d but with a longer back; the through-stroke is short and fairly flat in the first section, and steeper and with a prominent downward hook in the second and third. The branches of x all show hooks or serifs except the south-west branch which is very thin, extends well below the preceding letter, and is straight in the first section but curved up thereafter. Round dotted y was used throughout; the tail is longer and more rounded in the second section and is hooked up at the tip. The top of 7 is straight and angled up slightly in the first section, is slightly concave up in the second section, and is very thick, slightly tapering, and with a prominent upward hook in the third; the descender is vertical throughout but can have a prominent finishing-stroke in the third section.