Hand: Hand 2 (fols. 24–87, 160–201), CCCC 198

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

Somewhat irregular and heavy but with a good deal of shading, this hand is quite cramped vertically, the descenders from one line interfering with the ascenders in the next. Ascenders themselves are thick and straight but at a range of angles; wedges were crudely formed and often have straight, horizontal approach-strokes as well. Descenders are straight but taper off slightly to the left. Minims are thick and more or less vertical with heavy wedges and feet. Single-compartment approximately teardrop-shaped a was used throughout, although the back is often angled at about 80°. The a-component of æ is similarly formed but with a more vertical back. The hook of æ and e is thick, relatively horizontal, and low, remaining below cue-height, and the tongue is thick, horizontal, and also low; the hook curves back in slightly to meet the end of the tongue. Horned e was used throughout, as was round c, the hook of which is short. The back of d is short and close to horizontal, the letter being approximately bilinear. The tongue of f is short and straight. The loop of g is closed and round, and the body as a whole is normally well balanced and hangs from about the middle of the top-stroke. The shoulders of h, m, n, and r can be rounded or very angular. The upper arm of k is high and curves back to the left, and the lower branch does not quite reach the base-line. Only low s is found, the hook of which can be long and angular. The scribe strongly favoured ð over þ, the former having a very long, steep back which turns upwards at the tip and a high, straight cross-stroke hooked down at the right and either up or down at the left. The south-west branch of x is long and curved right at the tip; the two upper branches curve gently down, and the south-east branch curves up. Straight-limbed undotted y appears throughout, the longer stroke of which has ticks left at the top and right at the bottom. The top of 7 is concave up, with a prominent upward curve at the left, and the descender beginning slightly above cue-height on the right and often has an approach-stroke. Latin is not distinguished from Old English in script.