Advanced Search   *   Manuscripts   *   Scribes   *   Authors   *   Letters
Home   *   About the Project   *   Bibliography
Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council
Find What? Search by
Scribal Profile
Unknown
 
Current Manuscript:Scotland, Glasgow, Glasgow University Library MS Hunter 239 (U.3.12)
Folios:1-102
Sampled Folios:7v, 10v, 79v, 81r, 82v, 83v
Example Page:Display a full page showing this scribe's hand
Image Rights:By permission of University of Glasgow Library, Special Collections. All images on this website are reproduced with permission of the Libraries, Archives, and Owners of the manuscripts. Manuscript images that appear on this website remain in the copyright of the libraries where the manuscripts are held. Use of these images for any purpose other than private study without written permission of those libraries is prohibited by law.
 
A
Usage: all
this scribe uses double compartment 'a' most of the time.
Usage: langour
single compartment 'a' is also in the scribe's repertoire and he varies the graphs randomly.
Usage: And
the scribe has a number of variant upper case 'A's which he favours in different parts of the manuscript.
Usage: Axeth
a distinctive form of 'A' which the scribe does not use very often.
 
D
Usage: debonaire
lower case looped 'd' is fairly uniform throughout.
Usage: hidous
at the beginning of the manuscript the lower stroke of the loop of many of the scribe's 'd's does not follow through to close the loop but turns to resolve on the angled stroke of the lower lobe leaving an open centre.
Usage: neede
here the lower stroke of the loop is oblique and strongly drawn.
Usage: and
where 'd' is on the top line of a folio the scribe sometimes adds decorative marks.
 
G
Usage: myghty
the scribe uses both double and single compartment 'g'. Double compartment 'g' is used more frequently.
Usage: grownde
single compartment 'g' often has a tail which extends horizontally beneath previous letters and ends in a counter-clockwise curl.
Usage: gabbe
sometimes the scribe applies the same counter-clockwise flick to his double compartment 'g'.
Usage: Glorious
upper case 'G' with angled hairline stroke to join upper and lower elements of the graph. There may be a single or double line bisecting the graph.
 
H
Usage: his
most of the scribe's 'h's have a short tapered stroke from the limb which tucks neatly beneath the letter and ends in line with the stem.
Usage: clepeth
on some folios the scribe flicks the end of the tail into reverse.
Usage: Haaue
the scribe uses a variety of graphs for almost every letter. There are several versions of upper case 'H', here with two lumps to the left of the stem.
Usage: Heelp
this upper case 'H' has double parallel lines joining stem to shoulder.
 
R
Usage: right
the scribe uses modern 'r' in all positions, including after 'o'. This graph is the most frequently used graph for 'r'.
Usage: errour
the scribe also has long 'r' in his repertoire and alternates to no distinctive pattern. Long 'r' is used in initial and medial positions.
Usage: soukour
final 'r' with flourish.
Usage: Releef
when 'r' is in initial position, the scribe sometimes uses the upper case version of the letter.
 
S
Usage: spoken
long 's' is used in initial and medial positions. The head is usually applied as a separate stroke at an angle.
Usage: oldes
kidney-shaped 's' is used in final position.
Usage: moyses sygh
at the beginning of the manuscript, sigma 's' is used in both initial and final position almost exclusively.
Usage: So
the scribe's upper case 'S' is distinctive.
 
W
Usage: wulltt
'w' is found in several different variations. Here the head-loops are closed.
Usage: worlde
approach stroke to left limb and head of the second limb turning to the right.
Usage: forthowghte
Usage: wiche
here the head of both left and middle arms bend to the left.
 
Y
Usage: myghty
(final 'y') the body of 'y' is consistently formed with the fork at or around the line. The angle and length of the tail stroke varies.
Usage: my
the tail-stroke is often merely a hairline.
Usage: y
Usage: Reseyued
 
Thorn and Yogh
Usage: wroþ
thorn is used in the prose part of this manuscript but there are few if any thorns in the verse portion of the ABC.
Usage: þat
the stem of thorn descends at a slight slant.
Usage: ȝee
yogh is used in both verse and prose. It is used as equivalent of 'y' at the beginning of words and also, as in version 4 for the plural 'z' sound.
Usage: penytentȝ
the tail of yogh tends to be turned to run horizontally beneath preceding graphs.
 
Upper Case Letters
Usage: ANd
the scribe uses a variety of different graphs for the same letter. Here is rounded upper case 'N' with dot decoration.
Usage: AmeN
an ancient form of upper case 'N' to finish the word 'AmeN'. Scribe D uses the same form for the same word so it may have had a particular significance.
Usage: Lady
upper case 'L' with angled approach stroke at the head mirroring the angled foot at the bottom of the stem. A single bulge to the left of the stem.
Usage: Iuell
'I' with wavy stroke at the head and double lumps on the stem.
 
More Upper Case Letters
Usage: Butt
an unusual shaped upper case 'B' with shadow line tracing the descent of the down-stroke.
Usage: The
the scribe has a number of different 'T' graphs. Here it is just possible to see the double parallel lines used as decoration. He also uses a serrated form of the curved body of the graph.
Usage: DOwte
a serrated 'O' with double parallel line decoration.
Usage: REdresse
'E' following the same pattern.
 
Serendipity
Usage: Pen-flourished letters for the Alphabet.
Usage:
Usage: Single word catchword with no decorative box, positioned a third of the way down the lower margin in line with the text-box.
Usage: In the first two quires of the 'Pelerinage' text, the scribe uses a variety of decorative features for letters on the top line. Here a face decorates the extended arms of 'w'.
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, King's Manor, York YO1 7EP