Hand: Computistical notes (Ker article 11b–i: 91v30–92v13), BL Harley 3271

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

This hand shows even more lateral spacing and even smaller bodies of letters than G.435-7. A thinner pen was used but some shading was still achieved. Ascenders are long, can be quite thick, and are wedged. Descenders are much shorter, though sometimes longer than minims, and are straight. Minims have approach-strokes and feet, but the tops of f, r and s have wedges. Teardrop a was used, although the back is not at all vertical. The same form was used for æ, and an open bulging ligature is found like that of G.435-7. Round c was used. The back of d is fairly long and concave down; it is either bilinear or angled at about 15°. Horned e is found with a vertical back and an approximately horizontal tongue, and tall e was not used. The tongue of f can be straight and rising or concave up, and the hook branches from below cue-height. The top of g is flat, the mid-section forms a rounded zig-zag from the right, and the tail is somewhat rounded and three-quarters closed; the body as a whole is similar to in shape but longer than that of G.435-7. The down-stroke of k sits on the base-line, the lower branch curves up slightly at the base-line, and the upper branch is hooked left. The shoulders of h, m, n, and r are all a little rounded but the strokes are not swollen. Low s was used with an angular and deeply-split hook, and tall s is found usually before t or wynn but also sometimes finally (ðis, is), or elsewhere (sunnan, miltsa). The scribe preferred ð to þ. The back of ð is long and concave up, and the through-stroke is hooked down on the right. The lower left branch of x is long and curves up at the tip, the two upper branches curve out, and the lower right branch curves up on the base-line. Straight-limbed dotted y is found, the left branch of which curves left and the right branch is hooked left. The top of 7 is short and flat. Latin is distinguished by script.