Hand: Older Hand 2 (191r13–26), BL Cotton Vitellius C.v

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

The letter-forms here are similar to those of G.403-1 but are more laterally compressed and were written with a thinner pen. Ascenders are about the length of minims and either have small wedges or are slightly split. Descenders are straight and can taper, and can also be longer than ascenders. Minims have small approach-strokes or slightly split wedges, and have small feet which are angled up. Flat-topped a is normal, although the south-west quadrant can be relatively straight; the Caroline form is also found infrequently. A similar form was used for æ, although the top tends to be a little flatter and more angular and is occasionally horned. Round c was used. The back of d is round and usually remains below cue-height but can rise slightly above it. Horned e was used, with a vertical back, a thin flattish tongue, and a thicker round hook; tall e can occasionally be found in ligature with a following minim or descender. The tongue of f is long, thin, and can be flat or slightly curved. The tail of g is round, closed, relatively wide, and can be slightly oblong; the mid-section is also quite round, and hangs from the centre of the top-stroke. The shoulders of h, m, n, and r can be quite angular with a straight down-stroke, or can be more rounded and the strokes somewhat swollen. Tall and low s are found most often, but round s also occurs; tall s sits on the base-line with a small foot and small hook, and appears most often before t or initially, but can also be final. The scribe used þ almost without exception; ð appears once in ðam (191r18) with a medium-length, relatively thick back angled at about 40°, and a thin through-stroke with a slight downward hook on the right. Straight-limbed y is found, both with and without a dot. The top of 7 is short and flat, and the descender is long and relatively straight.