Hand: 'Aldhelm' Poem (pp. 5–6), CCCC 326

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

The vernacular script looks square in aspect but is somewhat laterally compressed. Ascenders are longer than minims and taper. Descenders are also long, are gently curved, and also taper. Minims have short curved approach-strokes and have no or very small feet. The body of a can be quite rounded, or can have a flatter top formed by the same stroke as the back, or can be fully flat-topped. The body of æ can be flat-topped or rounded, the tongue is consistently horizontal, and the hook is angular and usually extends slightly above cue-height. One example of tall æ is found, the hook of which forms a narrow and slightly open loop in ligature with following s, but this may have been corrected from a (wæs, line 5 of the verses). Round c was used throughout. Round d is found, the back of which is fairly short and extends slightly above cue-height. Round e was used, the hook of which is quite angular and the tongue horizontal; tall-e ligatures are common before a minim, descender, or t, but also before a, c, o, or x. The tongue of f is concave-up and medium length. The top of g is short, often concave-up, and can be tapering, and the mid-section hangs from the left and is fairly vertical before turning down and left and then curving into a rounded and three-quarters closed loop. The shoulders of h, m, and n can be rounded or more angular. The shoulder of r is quite rounded, curves back in to the left, and has a long foot which is nearly horizontal but turns up at the tip. Long and low s are both found, long initially and before t, and low elsewhere. The conventional distinction between þ and ð was largely followed, although æðel and æþel are both found. The back of ð is slightly concave down and is angled at about 60°, and the through-stroke is hooked down. The south-west branch of x is long. Dotted and undotted forms of straight-limbed y were used. Latin script is Style-II Anglo-Caroline.