Hand: Third Land Survey (157r11–29), York Additional 1, fols. 10–161

Name

Third Land Survey (157r11–29)

Manuscript

York Additional 1, fols. 10–161

Script

English Vernacular minuscule

Scribe

DigiPal Scribe 17. 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 script is slightly angular, slightly laterally compressed, and slightly backward-leaning, particularly in lines 11–19. Ascenders are tall, angled back to the left, and somewhat tapering. Descenders are straight and long, usually trailing off at the tip and angled slightly to the right. Minims tend to lean forward more, and have small wedges or approach-strokes and small feet. Single-compartment a was used throughout, the back of which can be close to vertical but can also be angled at about 60° and curving back up off the base-line; the top is straight and angled at about 40°, and the bottom curved. A similar construction was used for æ, the hook of which is tall and bulging and the tongue horizontal, even when not in ligature. Round c was used, but with an angular lower curve and relatively flat hook. The back of d varies a good deal in length, angle, and curvature, but is usually fairly short, more or less straight, and angled at about 30–40°. Round e was normally used, although the horned form can be found, and the back is quite vertical in both cases; the hook is always low, and the tongue long and vertical-tipped when final. The tongue of f can be very short or quite long, and is always tapered; the hook branches from close to the base-line. The top of g is horizontal, the mid-section hangs from well to the left, and the tail is closed in a fairly rotund loop. The shoulders of h, m, n, and r are generally quite rounded; h can branch from only just above the base-line, and r often turns slightly back in to the left. Only low s is found, the hook of which can be small and angular but is usually very deeply split, branching from close to the tip. The conventional distinction was followed between þ and ð, the back of the latter being very long, usually angled at about 40° but in one case almost vertical, usually slightly concave down but in some cases turing up slightly at the tip, and with a low, straight through-stroke hooked sharply down on the right. The south-west branch of x is long and curves up at the tip; the north-east branch is hooked down, and the left-right stroke is almost straight but has a small rising tick on the base-line. Straight-limbed and round y are found, both dotted; the former has very steep branches, and the latter does not descend far below the base-line. The top of 7 is relatively short and turns up very slightly at the tip; the down-stroke is fairly straight and fairly vertical.