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Scribal Profile
John Carpenter
Profiles for this Scribe:
1. USA, New York, NY, Pierpont Morgan Library & Museum MS M 817
 
Current Manuscript:USA, New York, NY, Pierpont Morgan Library & Museum MS M 817
Folios:2-120
Sampled Folios:16r, 43v
Example Page:Display a full page showing this scribe's hand
Image Rights:With permission of the Pierpont Morgan Library and Museum, New York . 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: and
this very stylized textura hand may have been selected especially for this manuscript. Single compartment 'a' is used throughout. The compartment is square in shape with straight sides and hairlines to close. There is often a horn at the head.
Usage: allas
Usage: And
upper case 'A's are more usually on the model of version 4. However, occasionally the scribe adds loops at either side of the head.
Usage: And
the more usual 'A' graph with squarish additions above and below the central curving line. Extra loops and flourishes may be added at beginning and end of the curving stroke.
 
D
Usage: destresse
the scribe's 'd's are consistent throughout. They are looped and the lobe is triangular.
Usage: afterward
Usage: nakede
on both the folios examined. 'd' on the top line is unlooped, with single angled line for the down-stroke.
Usage: Criseyde
 
G
Usage: gladed
secretary tailed 'g' is used throughout. There is a hairline stroke to join the two sides of the upper compartment leaving a horned effect at the head.
Usage: þyng
'g' in final position with horizontal extended slash and tag to finish. The tails of all tailed graphs tend to be fine and often with curved or curled additions.
Usage: nought
'g' in 'ght' combination.
Usage: God
 
H
Usage: hym
the scribe's regular lower case 'h'. In this example there are three points to the left of the stem. One is the place where the head-stroke begins, the second is where the loop from the head-stroke crosses back through the stem, and the third is where the scribe places his nib to form the angled foot. However, he obviously sees these addenda as decorative features. They occur also on the stems of 'b', 'l' and 'k'.
Usage: which
crossed 'h' after 'c'.
Usage: Thorugh
this image is taken from a folio earlier in the manuscript when the scribe was making his decorative features even more elaborate.
Usage: How
a fancy upper case 'H' with angled head-stroke forming a triangle, a shadow stroke to the stem with angled foot and a looped extension from the stem into the left margin.
 
R
Usage: right
modern 'r' used in all positions except after 'o'. Note also the mark above the 'i' which is almost like an infinity mark. This may be an identifying feature of this scribe's hand as well as other individual traits.
Usage: liber
Usage: lord
'z'-shaped 'r' used after 'o'. There is always a curling otiose stroke from the lower left corner of the graph.
Usage: Recordynge
upper case graph at the beginning of a line.
 
S
Usage: sentement
long 's' is used throughout in initial and medial positions. It has a long tapering stem and an angled head-stroke.
Usage: is
kidney-shaped 's' is always used in final position.
Usage: deuyse
another examle of ;ong 's'.
Usage: Sire
compared with most of the scribe's other elaborate graphs, upper case 'S' is unremarkable.
 
W
Usage: who
the scribe's 'w's are elaborate and uniform. The square tops to the arms are consistent with the angular appearance of the tops of other graphs.
Usage: now
image to show 'w' in final position and its height in relation to previous graphs.
Usage: werke
occasionally the scribe provides a rounded top to the arms of 'w'. However, with the angled foot to the left arm and the spikey appearance of the 'B'-shaped element to the right, the graph still appears angular.
Usage: Wex
upper case graph at the beginning of a line. All initial letters are tipped with yellow.
 
Y
Usage: yow
an angular appearance to the body of the letter. The tail of 'y', as with other tailed graphs, is fine and of varying length with added curls and flourishes.
Usage: redy
'y' in final position in a line. Each line is followed by a diamond-shaped punctus point.
Usage: swich þyng
from the bottom line of the folio.
Usage: Ye
 
Thorn
Usage: þe
Usage: þis
Usage: þus
Usage: boþe
 
Upper Case Letters
Usage: That
Usage: I
the more usual upper case 'I'.
Usage: I
this may be closer to the scribe's normal upper case 'i' when he is not writing in his 'special' script.
Usage: And
the only upper case 'A' which deviates from the shape defined in the description of the 'a' graph.
 
l, b, v,
Usage: Caliope
note the angular head of lower case 'l'.
Usage: brynge
Usage: voys
Usage: þank
 
Decorative Features
Usage: The top line of the folio with the scribe's decorative treatment of the ascenders.
Usage: Explicit and Incipit again with decorative work in red ink by the scribe.
Usage: Illuminated initial
Usage: Close-up of the tops of letters in the Explicit.
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, King's Manor, York YO1 7EP