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Scribal Profile
Delta
Profiles for this Scribe:
6. USA, Princeton University Library, MS Garrett 151
 
Current Manuscript:USA, Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Library, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections MS Garrett 151
Folios:1-212
Sampled Folios:160r
Example Page:Display a full page showing this scribe's hand
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A
Usage: and
lower case double compartment 'a' of the Delta scribe . The upper lobe is usually, though not always, slightly bigger than the lower lobe.
Usage: and
flat-topped upper lobe. Again the upper compartment is slightly larger than the lower one. In the hand of Scribe D, which Doyle and Parkes see as very close to Delta, the upper compartment of 'a' is usually smaller than the lower one.
Usage: Aschedou(n)
Delta has several forms of upper case 'A'.
Usage: Anno
this form of 'A' is frequently used for glosses, here in red ink at the top of f161r.
 
D
Usage: dayes
Delta's 'd' graphs are neatly contained and uniformly executed The lower lobe may have a slight point at the left.
Usage: Northumberlond
a more oval shape to the lower lobe in this example.
Usage: goddes
Usage: Danes
Delta's upper case 'D's frequently have a dot in the centre.
 
G
Usage: glotenye
Delta's 'g' is another graph where a distinction may be seen between the Scribe D graph and that of Delta. As may be seen here, the 'g' gives the impression of tilting backwards with lower compartment in advance of the upper compartment.
Usage: þing
'g' almost always sits on the line or just above. In final position, 'g' often has an added tag which descends to below the line. The horizontal slash nearly always leaves the upper lobe at the top. In the hand of Scribe D, the slash leaves mid-way down the upper compartment.
Usage: kynges
the horizontal stroke which is attached to all 'g's leaves the top lobe almost at the top. The relationship of 'g' to the letters around may be seen here, with lower lobe of 'g' resting on the line and the top of the upper lobe at the level of other graphs.
Usage: Gregorie
upper case 'G' with horizontal head-stroke and vertical bisecting line.
 
H
Usage: herte
there is little variation in 'h' except for the length of limb and tail-stroke. Here it finishes well above the line, just below the bottom level of surrounding graphs.
Usage: hard
the tail is slightly longer in this example and sits on the line.
Usage: schulde
'h' in combination with 'c'. The top of 'c' and the top of the shoulder of 'h' are at the same level' However, 'h' appears to be set higher than 'c' because of the need to accommodate the tail of 'h' on the line.
Usage: noght
the 'ght' combination with 'g' slightly higher than 'h'.
 
R
Usage: rulede
the scribe uses modern 'r' in all positions except after 'o'.
Usage: worthi
'z'-shaped 'r' used only after 'o' on the single folio examined.
Usage: arrayed
Usage: liber
'r' in final position with small upturn at the lower end of the head-stroke.
 
S
Usage: secou(n)de
long 's' is used in initial and medial positions. Although sigma 's' is also used in initial positions, it is used infrequently.
Usage: sustenau(n)ce
sigma 's' in initial position.
Usage: lowys
on the single folio examined, 8-shaped 's' is always used in final position.
Usage: Synod
 
W
Usage: water
on the folio examined, the formation of 'w' does not change at all. The left limb almost always has a short approach stroke at the head and a straight limb, sometimes with the suggestion of a foot at line-level.
Usage: tweie
the example shown here demonstrates the size of the 'w' graph which does tend to be larger than surrounding graphs.
Usage: now
the formation of 'w' is one of the graphs which may distinguish the hand of Delta from that of Scribe D. Almost all Delta's 'w's have the heads of the two limbs inclining to the left. Scribe D usually curves the heads to the right.
Usage: will
 
Y
Usage: somtyme
on the folio examined, 'y' is consistently formed with short tail-stroke ending at or just below the line.
Usage: byleue
there may be a small reverse flick at the end of the tail.
Usage: many
the fork of 'y' occurs at or just below the lower level of surrounding graphs.
Usage: wynborn
'y' seen here in comparison with 'w'. Again, the fork of the graph is level with the lower part of the 'w' graph.
 
Thorn and Yogh
Usage: falleþ
thorn is used in all the usual places for pronouns, adjectives and as here, for the present tense third person singular endings of verbs.
Usage: þei
thorn has a short stem ending on the line with a lobe which is equal in size to the surrounding graphs.
Usage: ȝif
yogh is used as equivalent to both 'y' and 'gh'. It is a neatly contained graph with tail-stroke ending just below the level of the line, sometimes with a slight reverse flick.
Usage: slauȝter
no flick to the right in this example. Scribe D has exactly the same variants for yogh.
 
Upper Case Letters
Usage: Sextus
red ink incipit in the hand of the scribe. An elaborate form of 'S'.
Usage: I made
the head-stroke of 'I' is very similar to that of Scribe D. However, Delta often adds two dashes to the left of the stem whereas Scribe D usually only adds one.
Usage: Explicit
parallel vertical lines within an upper case graph is characteristic of Delta. However, Scribe D also uses this decorative feature.
Usage: Incipit
an upper case 'I' with closed loop for the head and a shadow line to the right of the stem. This is another characteristic feature of the Delta scribe.
 
Illumination
Usage: A boss at the top left corner of the border.
Usage: Part of the extended marginal spray tied in to both the border and the illuminated initial.
Usage: Filler bars to the right of Explicit and Incipit .
Usage: An illuminated letter 'A'.
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, King's Manor, York YO1 7EP