Hand: De Diebus Malis (Ker article 9: 91r5–24) less 91r5–7, BL Harley 3271

Name

De Diebus Malis (Ker article 9: 91r5–24) less 91r5–7

Manuscript

BL Harley 3271

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)

This hand is very similar to G.435-5 but has a slight forward lean, a more spidery appearance, and more tall letter-forms, particularly ð and tall æ. Ascenders vary in length but are as long as or longer than minims and have heavy wedges. Descenders are long and tapering. Minims have approach-strokes and horizontal feet. Essentially teardrop-shaped a was used, although the top can be fairly rounded. This same rounded form was used for æ, the hook and tongue of which can be exactly like those of G.435-5, but a tall bulging ligature is also found; this ligature is normally found before r and once before n but never before g or t. The back of d can be short and essentially bilinear but is usually longer, and is angled at about 45° and vertical-tipped. Horned e is found, the back of which is vertical, the tongue slightly rising, and the hook somewhat angular. The tongue of f is short and concave up. The top of g is flat, and the mid-section begins slightly right of centre and forms a fairly angular zig-zag before curving into a more rounded, fairly wide, and open tail. The shoulders of h, m, and n are all rounded and the strokes are bulging. Low s is normal but tall s is found twice before t; the hook of tall s is wide and the down-stroke stops at the base-line. The scribe preferred þ but ð is found, particularly in ðridda where it was used with only one exception. The back of ð is long, straight, and angled at about 60°, and the through-stroke is hooked down on the right. Straight-limbed dotted y was used, the left branch of which curves out to the left and the right branch is hooked left. The top of 7 is rising and is curled up on the left, and the down-stroke curves left.