Hand: Hand 3 (fols. 191–93r), BL Harley 585

Name

Hand 3 (fols. 191–93r)

Manuscript

BL Harley 585

Script

Unspecified

Scribe

Unspecified

Date

Saec. xi1

Place

Unknown

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

Only two lines of Old English were written by this scribe (191v16–17). The hand is fairly regular and written with a fairly flat pen but in many ways is similar to G.421-2. Ascenders are relatively thick, are about as long as or shorter than minims, and are tapering. Descenders are long and pointed at the tips. Minims have very small approach-strokes and small feet. Teardrop-shaped a was used with an upright back. No æ is found. Round c was used, as was d with a relatively short back angled at about 45°. The back of e is vertical, the letter horned, the tongue horizontal and slightly below cue-height, and the hook rises slightly above cue-height. The hook of f branches from well below cue-height, and the tongue is concave up. The body of g is rather sinuous: the mid-section hangs from slightly to the right of centre and curves out to the left, then back to the right, and around in a wide open tail which is approximately horizontal at the tip. The shoulders of m and n are somewhat rounded, but the down-strokes are straight. No r is found, and only low s was used. The conventional distinction was generally followed between ð and þ (but note both þa and wið ða). The back of ð is like that of d but somewhat longer, and the through-stroke is hooked down on the right. Straight, dotted y was used, the right branch of which is hooked left, and the tail is tapering and fairly straight. The top of 7 is long and flat, and the descender approximately vertical. Latin is distinguished by script.