Hand: Record (p. 4), Lichfield 1

Name

Record (p. 4)

Manuscript

Lichfield 1

Script

Unspecified

Scribe

Unspecified

Date

1017×1027

Place

Lichfield

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

This short note was written with a thin pen but some shading. The script has a somewhat pointy and untidy appearance but a relatively clear cue-height. Ascenders vary in length, partly at least because of the heavy ruled frame of the main text, but are usually about as long as minims, are relatively straight, and have irregular wedges which can be heavy or small, can sit on the left or be horizontally symmetrical, and can be slightly split. Descenders are straight and tapering and can be quite long. Minims have small wedges and feet and are thin and fairly straight but vary in angle. The form of a varies from fairly round and single-compartment with a pointed top to more or less Caroline. A similar range is found in æ, and the lower curve of the e-component can reach below that of the a. The hook of æ is round and remains below cue-height, and the tongue is straight and horizontal finally or before g or t but otherwise rises. Round c and e are found, the latter squinting and, when final, with a long horizontal tongue hooked down at the tip. Tall e is not found. The back of d is relatively long, sometimes vertical-tipped, and usually angled at about 45° but is sometimes angled closer to 60° or more. The tongue of f is long, flat, and on the base-line. The top of g is usually slightly thicker at the left and tapers to the right, the mid-section is fairly open and can be relatively straight, and the tail is wide, open, and angled down slightly. One example each of Caroline and Insular h are found (hæfþ and tihte respectively); the other examples are no longer clear enough to distinguish. The shoulder of h is always quite rounded and branches below cue-height, but those of m, n, and r are much more angular, and the down-strokes are much straighter and sometimes turn quite markedly back to the left. Long and low s are both found, long initially and low finally; the former has a prominent and fairly horizontal head and a straight, tapering down-stroke, and the hook of the latter is angled up and then turns sharply down. Only three occurrences of þ are found, two initially and one finally (hæfþ); ð appears once (sutelað). The back of ð is relatively short, angled at about 60°, and looks very much like d but with a throughstroke which sits high on the back, barely passes through it, is straight and angled up at about 45°, and has a short, thick, straight hook angled down at about 45°. The only example of y is straight-limbed; no dot is visible, but some ink appears to have been lost where a dot might have been. The top of 7 is hooked up on the left, angled up, and sits at ascender-height, and the down-stroke is long, straight, vertical, tapering, and reaches down to the full descender-length.