Hand: Recipes (1r–3r), BL Harley 55, fols. 1–4

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

This heavy hand has large and fairly rotund bodies but is not especially regular. Ascenders are shorter than minims and have split tops which trail left. Descenders are even shorter, usually tapering, and turn left at the tips. Minims are thick, somewhat curved, and have thin rounded approach-strokes and very small feet. A rounded form of teardrop-shaped a was used, the top and back being formed with one stroke, but flat-topped horned a is found once (3r1, swa). The a-component of æ can also be teardrop-shaped or horned but can also be Caroline; the tongue is thin and high, and the hook is usually low but can be slightly above the cue-height and is tall and closed once in ligature with t (3r14, æt). Round c was used with a short hook, but horned c also appears twice (3r2, þicgame; 3r9, teacfulu). The back of d is short, straight, angled at or slightly less than 45°, and turned right at the tip. Horned e was used with a long tongue and long lower curve. The tongue of f is moderately long and rises slightly. The mid-section of g is round and hangs from the centre of the flat top-stroke before turning into a rounded closed tail. The shoulders of h, m, n, and r are all quite rounded and slightly swollen, and the down-strokes are somewhat curved. Tall s is found sitting firmly on the base-line before t and often also initially; round s is rare but can be found initially and in the word þis; elsewhere low s was used, the hook of which is quite flat. A small finishing-stroke was added to the lower curve of final t, creating the appearance of a turned-up toe. The conventional distinction was followed between þ and ð; the back of the latter is long, thick, and turned right at the top. The south-west branch of x descends below the base-line and is hooked right; the north-east branch is hooked left, and the first, left-right stroke is curved. Straight, dotted y was used throughout, the left branch of which is low and shallow, and the right branch steep, curved to the left, and hooked left at the top. The top of 7 is noticably concave up and tapering to the right; the descender wavers slightly and is angled to the left.