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Scribal Profile
Worcestershire Piers Plowman scribe?
Profiles for this Scribe:
1. London, University Library, Sterling V.17
 
Current Manuscript:London, University of London, Senate House, Sterling Library MS V.17
Folios:1-114
Sampled Folios:1r
Example Page:Display a full page showing this scribe's hand
Image Rights:Reproduced courtesy of the Sterling Library, Senate House Library, University of London. 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: an
double compartment 'a' is used throughout.
Usage: walkyng
there is often a gap at top and bottom of the graph not necessarily connected by a hairline.
Usage: And
the scribe has two forms of upper case 'A'. This one is similar to a reversed number 3 with vertical stem to the right.
Usage: Al
in this version the first element is like a number 2, again followed by the vertical stem.
 
D
Usage: de
'd' is always looped and almost invariable no matter in what position.
Usage: Westeward
Usage: wandryng
Usage: worlde
 
G
Usage: gyle
'g' is always double compartment with lower compartment slightly smaller and more horizontal in aspect than the upper compartment.
Usage: wandryng
'g' in final position with circle sitting on the end of the horizontal slash. It could represent a missing 'e'.
Usage: sowynge
Usage: gloteny
 
H
Usage: haue
'h' is also evenly formed. The head-loop is generally closed with a short hairline back to the top of the shoulder.
Usage: schop
Usage: schepherde
Usage: Hic
an elaborate upper case 'H' for the incipit.
 
R
Usage: ryche
modern 'r' is used with little variation in all positions except after 'o' and a few round-bodied graphs.
Usage: aftur
Usage: worlde
'z'-shaped 'r' is used after 'o' and round-bodied graphs.
Usage: trowede
 
S
Usage: sesoun
long 's' is used in initial and medial positions. The stem does not extend much below the lower level of surrounding graphs.
Usage: selles
's' in final position is either '8'-shaped as here or a cross between this and a kidney-shaped 's'.
Usage: merueylously
Usage: Sum(m)e
snake-like upper case 'S' at the beginning of a line.
 
W
Usage: worlde
the scribe's formation of graphs is extremely consistent. The left limb of 'w' is usually detached.
Usage: wyse
a 3-shaped element to the right.
Usage: abowte
the spacing of the scribe's work may be seen in this word as also the relative height of 'w' against surrounding graphs.
Usage: Willelmi
I presume that this name in the incipit begins with an upper case graph. It is exactly like the lower case one but rather taller.
 
Y
Usage: y
all 'y's are dotted.
Usage: wyterly
the graph varies very little except for slight variations in the length of the tail.
Usage: monye
Usage: destruyen
 
Thorn and Yogh
Usage: þys
thorn is used frequently. The stem is short and stumpy.
Usage: welþe
thorn is also used on occasion to replace 'th'.
Usage: ȝow
yogh is also used as equivalent of 'y', as here and also of 'gh' as in the following example.
Usage: sauȝ
 
Upper Case Letters
Usage: Petro
Usage: IN
Usage: I
Usage: Sstewarde
this may or may not be a variant upper case 'S'. If it is, the scribe has made a mistake and the word begins with two 's's.
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, King's Manor, York YO1 7EP