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Scribal Profile
Thomas Hoccleve
Profiles for this Scribe:
6. USA, California, San Marino, Henry E. Huntington Library MS HM 744
 
Current Manuscript:USA, San Marino, CA, Henry E. Huntington Library MS HM 744
Folios:25-68v
Sampled Folios:36r
Example Page:Display a full page showing this scribe's hand
Image Rights:This item is reproduced by permission of The Huntington Library, San Marino, California. 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: Lady
square compartment 'a' with flattened head. The head stroke extends to a point at the top and there is a slight overhang at the lower end.
Usage: al
a slightly less angular version of 1.
Usage: As
one of Hoccleve's typical upper case 'A' s with angled foot to the right, and left extension which loops down in a figure 8 and returns close to the head of the graph.
Usage: And
 
D
Usage: Lady
looped 'd' with rounded lower lobe.
Usage: doun
'd' with angular lower lobe.
Usage: de
the square lobe of Hoccleve's display script used for headings within the text.
Usage: Deffende
upper case 'D' at the beginning of a line.
 
G
Usage: gete
tailed 'g' with flattened head and tail turning counter-clockwise.
Usage: good
Usage: virgi(n)e
'g' in Hoccleve's display style. The tail of 'g' does not turn back on itself but continues beneath the body of the graph, ending with slight downturn beneath the preceding letter.
Usage: Marleburgh
'gh' combination in the marginal note which informs us that Hoccleve copied this work at the instigation of Thomas Marleburgh, probably the stationer of that name.
 
H
Usage: the
image to show the relative position of 'h' in relation to surrounding graphs. The shoulder is frequently set slightly below the level of following letters. The top of the stem may often be seen as a point above the place where the head-stroke is added. The limb and tail are usually short and contained.
Usage: his
occasionally the tail-stroke flicks counter-clockwise at the last moment.
Usage: wrecches
the stem of 'h' is often set at a slight slant, visible in the aspect of the folio.
Usage: His
upper case 'H' at the beginning of a line.
 
R
Usage: verray
modern 'r' is used in initial and medial positions. The 'erra' graphs shown here give a sense of the movement of Hoccleve's script, each graph being connected to the next in a continuous thrust. The curving foot of the initial minim frequently 'closes' the square formed by the addition of the head stroke.
Usage: Redemptour
long 'r' is used in final positions on this folio. The fork is below the level of surrounding graphs.
Usage: for
'z'-shaped 'r' is ised after 'o'.
Usage: Remembre
upper case 'R' at the beginning of a line.
 
S
Usage: sone
long 's' is used in initial and medial positions. The stem of long 's' often appears as a double stem as the scribe retraces his steps before adding the head stroke.
Usage: feendes
final 's' is always this kidney shape in this manuscript. The head sometimes produces a horned effect and there is usually an upturned lip as the scribe applies the final stroke.
Usage: reste
with the combination 'st' the head stroke of 's' is frequently scooped and appears to be pushing the 't' into a slanting position. This affects the aspect just as the 'h' graph does.
Usage: Sook(es?)
upper case 'S' at the beginning of a line.
 
W
Usage: woost
this round 'w' is one of the most distinctive features of Hoccleve's hand. On p36, the folio examined, this is the only form of 'w' used although Hoccleve has other 'w' graphs.
Usage: thow
Usage: knowe
image to show the size of 'w' against other graphs. In a page of Hoccleve's script this 'w' is certainly distinctive.
Usage: whos
the height of 'w' is almost the same height as 'h' which in Hoccleve's script is a tall letter.
 
Y
Usage: lady
the 'y' graph is another distinctive Hoccleve feature. The tail of 'y' is often taken up above the body of the letter and may or may not end with a dot.
Usage: yle
here the tail rises through the fork of 'y' to end waving above the following 'l'.
Usage: thy
it is possible to see the faint line from what seems to be the end of the tail to the small dot to the right of the graph.
Usage: exylid
here the fork occurs high up the left limb. There is a hook above the graph.
 
Thorn
Usage: þt
thorn is used on this folio only for the abbreviation of 'that'. The approach stroke to the graph is usually hooked as in this example.
Usage: þt
sometimes the approach stroke is gently curved as here. The stem of thorn is long and tapering. The superscript letter is usually set just above the lobe or above and slightly to the right as in version 1.
    
 
Upper Case Letters
Usage: Vn to
this is also the shape of Hoccleve's lower case 'v'.
Usage: In
Hoccleve has a number of variations for 'I'.
Usage: The
Usage: For
the head of one 'f' is pointed, the other rounded.
 
More Upper Case Letters
Usage: Lady
the initial letter of the folio.
Usage: Modir
Usage: Of
Usage: I
a second form of 'I'.
 
Serendipity
Usage: sotiltee
Hoccleve's 'e's are frequently horned.
Usage: Ampersand
as with 'y', the scribe adds an otiose stroke which curves round the bottom of the graph and then rises above ampersand itself to end in a dot.
Usage: pitee
the hooked approach stroke to 'p' is similar to that of thorn.
Usage: wrecches
the concave stroke at the head of 'c' produces a horned effect on this graph also.
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, King's Manor, York YO1 7EP