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:London, British Library MS Harley 5908
Folios:Singleton folio of Clerk's Tale
Sampled Folios:61r
Example Page:Display a full page showing this scribe's hand
Image Rights:Reproduced with permission of The British Library. 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: mastres
double compartment 'a' used throughout.
Usage: may
Usage: And
upper case 'A' at the beginning of a line.
Usage: And
an alternative upper case 'A'.
 
D
Usage: digne
unlooped 'd' is used most frequently and varies little.
Usage: lord
looped 'd' is also used occasionally.
Usage: fostered
occasionally it is possible to see a slight curve at the top of the stem of 'd'.
  
 
G
Usage: digne
tailed secretary 'g' with reverse flick on the descender.
Usage: glade
Usage: God
upper case 'G' decorated with a double parallel line.
  
 
H
Usage: house
the stem is fairly short with head-loop resting on the shoulder.
Usage: How
upper case 'H' at the beginning of a line with hooked extension out into the left margin.
Usage: chamberer
'ch' combination. The head-stroke is compressed.
  
 
R
Usage: maner
'z'-shaped 'r' used in every position the majority of the time.
Usage: fortune
modern 'r' with curved stem is used occasionally.
Usage: chamberer
the single use of long 'r' on this folio. Here it occurs at the end of the line below the 'r' in version 1 and it has a flourish.
Usage: Returneþ
upper case letter at the beginning of a line.
 
S
Usage: faderes
sigma 's' always used in final position. Occasionally used initially also.
Usage: soule
the shaft of long 's' does not usually taper off but ends abruptly.
Usage: sche
when used in initial position, this 's' usually stands above the following letters.
Usage: So
upper case 'S' at the beginning of a line.
 
W
Usage: wote
the scribe uses a variety of 'w's even on a single folio.
Usage: alwey
'w' with looped head and single lobe at the right.
Usage: Wiþ
upper case 'W' at the beginning of a line.
  
 
Y
Usage: my
'y' varies little.
Usage: maydynhede
Usage: wey
the scribe extends the tail of 'y' into the right margin.
  
 
Thorn and yogh
Usage: þat
the scribe uses thorn occasionally.
Usage: Þe
thorn used at the beginning of a line.
Usage: ȝoure
yogh is used throughout for the 'y' sound as in 'ȝew', 'ȝe', and the gutteral as in 'ȝaue'.
Usage: wiȝt
it is also used for the 'gh' sound.
 
I
Usage: I
although faint, it is worth including this upper case 'I'. The scribe uses several varieties of head-stroke. However, there are frequently two short slashes across the shaft of the letter.
Usage: I
Usage: I
'I' as the first letter of a line.
Usage: I
the exception that proves the rule, perhaps.
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, King's Manor, York YO1 7EP