Hand: Hand 2 (fols. 97–100, 122–67v), BL Cotton Nero A.i, fols. 70–177

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

The first set of folios written by this scribe contain a mixture of Old English and Latin texts, and the second set contains only Latin. The script has a very messy aspect and is not at all upright as minims, ascenders, and descenders all vary in angle. The cue-height is a little more regular but is still not particularly even, and neither is the base-line. For the most part, the pen was thick and was held quite flat with a fair degree of shading. There is a slight change of aspect at 99v4, but as the letter-forms do not change it seems that this is due to a slight break between stints and probably a different or freshly cut pen. Ascenders vary in length but are approximately equal to minims; they are thick and have flat-topped wedges, both of which are natural results of the pen-angle. Descenders are also thick and straight, and have slightly bevelled tips. Minims have short, thin approach-strokes, and the slightest hint of horizontal feet. An approximately teardrop-shaped but slightly more rounded form of a was used, the top of which was formed from the same stroke as the back. The same structure was used for æ, although the body here is usually more rotund. The tongue of æ is straight, rising, and begins at mid-height, and the hook is round, forward-reaching, and rises slightly above cue-height. The tongue of æ is also normally conjoined with following d and forms low ligatures with gand t. The tops of both a and æ are often slightly open. The hook of c is very short, often little more than a dot, and is usually not joined to the lower stroke, and this stroke is nearly vertical before turning into the curve. The back of d is fairly short, usually slightly concave down, and usually angled at about 60° but can be closer to horizontal. The back of e is normally very rounded but can be more backward-leaning, and the hook and tongue are like those of æ. Horned e is found consistently after g, even though the scribe usually turned up the top of g in these cases and always avoided forming a true ligature. The tongue of f is long, thin, and curved up at the tip. The top of g is usually flat but can be concave up, and the mid-section hangs from the far left, is very small, and curving down and right at about 45° and then into a smooth, round, three-quarter-closed tail. The shoulders of h, m, n, and r are all fairly angular: they branch just below cue-height, have a fairly vertical down-stroke, and, in the case of r, turn up in a small hook. Caroline s was used throughout and descends slightly below the base-line and reaches up to ascender-height. Caroline s+t ligature is also found in a vernacular context. The conventional distinction was followed between ð and þ, and the former has a very long back which is angled at about 70–80° and usually vertical-tipped, and a through-stroke which is hooked down on the right. The south-west branch of x extends slightly below the base-line and is thin and tapering, and the north-east branch bulges at the tip. Straight-limbed dotted y was used throughout with a thick, steep left branch and a horizontal serif on the right. The top of 7 is flat, moderately long, and at cue-height, and the down-stroke is fairly straight. Latin script shows Insular a, Insular and Caroline g, and Caroline d, r, and s.