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
Geoffrey Spirling
Profiles for this Scribe:
1. Scotland, Glasgow, University Library, MS Hunter 197 (U.1.1)
 
Current Manuscript:Scotland, Glasgow, Glasgow University Library MS Hunter 197 (U.1.1)
Folios:1-120
Sampled Folios:54r, 94v
Example Page:Display a full page showing this scribe's hand
Image Rights:By permission of University of Glasgow Library, Special Collections. 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: after
Spirling uses a mixture of anglicana and secretary forms of various graphs seemingly at random. Both double and single compartment 'a' are used with the double compartment graph used more frequently.
Usage: and
single compartment 'a' with hairline connecting stroke across the head.
Usage: caas
Usage: As
upper case 'A' is always of the anglicana type.
 
D
Usage: doctours
pointed lower lobe with upper loop swept back, sometimes over preceding graphs.
Usage: qd
'd' with tag for the shortened version of 'quod'. On f54r final 'd' was not tagged whereas on f94v which may have been copied in conjunction with Spirling's son, final 'd's were frequently tagged and this may be one distinction between the two hands. However, it is very difficult to tell as Spirling varied many of his own graphs and may also have varied the number of flourishes and tags he added.
Usage: spede
Usage: Disposeth
upper case 'D'.
 
G
Usage: god
'g' is generally of the anglicana type with two compartments and 8-shaped.
Usage: god
just as with 'a' there are a number of 'g's which tend towards the secretary type. They are used indiscriminately and may have slipped in inadvertently.
Usage: yong
final 'g' with vertical tag stroke attached. The scribe also tags the cross bar of 'f' and in portions which may be attributed to Spirling's son, the tag on 'f' is long and trailing.
Usage: God
upper case 'G' with hairline joining stroke across the head.
 
H
Usage: his
a typical 'h' with tail curving round and back up to join the following graph.
Usage: Sathanas
occasionally the limb curves round but does not curl back.
Usage: knyght
'h' is crossed in 'ght' as well as in 'th' combinations.
Usage: Herkeneth
a more upright graph at the beginning of a line.
 
R
Usage: restored
as with his other graphs, the scribe uses a selection of different 'r's. Long 'r' is used in all positions and is the most frequently used 'r'.
Usage: oure
modern 'r' is found occasionally.
Usage: There
'z'-shaped 'r' is also used frequently, after 'o', 'e' and all round-bodied graphs. It is also used in final position.
Usage: Rowte
upper case 'R' used for a noun in the middle of a line.
 
S
Usage: suffreth
the scribe uses a variety of 's' graphs. Sigma 's' is used in both initial and final positions.
Usage: spake
long 's' is used initially and medially.
Usage: his
an occasional kidney-shaped 's' is to be found in final position.
Usage: Suche
upper case 'S' of the sigma variety.
 
W
Usage: awayte
as may be seen here the scribe also has a bevy of 'w' graphs. Looped 'w' with 'B' element to the right is used frequently.
Usage: withstonde
a double 'v' graph with curving lead-in stroke is also used frequently.
Usage: how
looped 'w' with single lobe at the right side.
Usage: Whiche
'W' in upper case position at the beginning of a line. The scribe also uses the 'w' in version 1 in upper case positions at the beginnings of lines.
 
Y
Usage: ymage
the tail of 'y' is more often the shortened version seen here.
Usage: youre
a curvier version of both the left limb and also the tail.
Usage: may
Usage: Yes
'Y' in upper case position at the beginning of a line, the only difference being in a more exaggerated curve to the tail-stroke.
 
Thorn and Yogh
Usage: þis
both thorn and yogh are used by the scribe with the stem of thorn fairly long and tapering from thick to thin down its length.
Usage: Þough
thorn is used, again at whim, for some demonstratives and articles.
Usage: Lordynggeȝ
the two examples of yogh are both attached to the same word as the 'z' sound of the plural.
Usage: LOrdynggeȝ
 
Upper Case Letters
Usage: Out
Usage: Twenty
Usage: Now
Geoffrey Spirling has two different graphs for upper case 'N'.
Usage: Ne
the second version of upper case 'N'.
 
More Upper Case Letters
Usage: In
Usage: Where
Usage: Full
Usage: Vp holde
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, King's Manor, York YO1 7EP