Hand: Hand 4 (fols. 109–20), BL Cotton Nero A.i, fols. 70–177

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

Somewhat spidery and disorderly in appearance, this hand is moderately heavy with some shading. Ascenders are long and show decoration which varyies from well-formed wedges to barbs or forks. Descenders are short and can be straight or turned left. Minims are short, straight, and slightly forward-leaning. Single-compartment a appears throughout; it is more or less teardrop-shaped, but tends to be laterally stretched; the top is formed by a short horizontal stroke, and the descender is normally vertical. The form of æ is slightly different: although the construction of the a-component is the same, it is often more laterally compressed, and the e-component was formed by a large bulbous loop and horizontal tongue. Round c was used throughout, the hook being shorter than the lower curve, and d has a short but straight back which is angled at about 30–45°. Round e is found throughout, although the south-west quadrant can be more angular; the tongue is relatively high and straight, extends beyond the round hook, and can turn up at the end. The tongue of f is short, can be slightly concave up, and extends to slightly left of the descender. The mid-section of g hangs from left of centre and bulges to the left of the top-stroke, the tail swings well to the right before closing off in a loop, and the top is relatively short. The shoulders of h, m, n, and r are often quite angular, particularly on h and r, and the foot of the latter is quite long. Long s was used throughout; it often barely descends below the base-line but can be longer, the hook can be small or quite large, and a prominent wedge is found at cue-height. The scribe largely followed the conventional distinction between þ and ð, although perhaps with a slight preference for þ (swyþe, naþes). The back of ð is typically very long, angled at about 45° and often vertical-tipped, and the cross-stroke is also long and hooked down at the right. Straight-limbed dotted y appears throughout, the left fork of which is thick, straight, and relatively shallow, and the longer second stroke is thin and has a pronounced leftward curve. The top of 7 is concave up, with an upward hook on the left and rising to the right, and the descender is close to vertical but turns slightly left at the tip. Latin is distinguished by script.