Hand: Main Hand, BL Stowe Ch. 35

Name

Main Hand

Manuscript

BL Stowe Ch. 35

Script

Unspecified

Scribe

Bishop, Scribe xviii. saec. x/xi

Date

Saec. x/xi

Place

Central Production (?)

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

Although the ascenders and descenders are slightly longer in the boundary-clause, the script is not nearly as tall and narrow as is often the case in such passages, and indeed is squarer than G.52-1 which must be contemporary. Unlike S.898-1, however, S.905‑1 has small but consistent wedges, regular feet, and only one example of tall æ. Single-compartment a was used throughout, the top of which is slightly pointed, except for one example of flat-topped a which was formed by the extended tongue of the preceding e. The loop of the a-component in æ can sit slightly above the bottom of the e-component, or both parts of the letter can be very rounded. Only one example of tall æ is found (þæs, line 8), with a small loop sitting entirely above cue-height. The concave-down back ofd was used throughout with a thick and relatively long back and was normally conjoined with a preceding e. Both horned and round e are found, but the round form is more common. The hook on f is fairly prominent, and the tongue is relatively long. A very angular, open g is found, the mid-section of which is quite straight but angled at about 70° before turning sharply to the right and then curving around in a wide, open tail which is hooked up at the tip. The shoulders of h, m, n, and r all bulge somewhat, and r has a prominent foot. Low s was used throughout, except when initial or before t in which case the high form is more common, although the low form is also sometimes found; high s is distinguished from Caroline by being slightly taller and having a sharper hook. The structure of ð is like that of d but with a longer back, and the through-stroke is usually very short and has a downward tick. The conventional distinction between þ and ð was mostly followed, although the scribe wrote ðæs on several occasions. Round, dotted y was used throughout. Latin is distinguished by script.