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Hand A
 
Current Manuscript:Cambridge, Trinity College MS R.3.2. (581)
Folios:1-8v, 50r-57v, 74r-81v, 84v-89v, 98r-113r (line 15)
Sampled Folios:1v, 3, 85
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A
Usage: that
Hand A's letters are regularly formed with little variation.
Usage: As
on the folios chosen for the examples, there is little variation in the upper case 'A'. Occasionally the lower lobe is slightly more angular, but as with this scribe's lower case 'a', the script is evenly managed.
Usage: that
the upper lobe of this letter has a more squashed appearance than the majority of lower case 'a's in his repertoire.
Usage: at
 
D
Usage: and
Usage: do
a rare slight deviation from the constant shape as in version 1.
Usage: Dauid
upper case 'D'.
Usage: myddel
 
G
Usage: noght
typical lower case 'g' with curved tag on the right of the lower lobe.
Usage: goth
the 'g' often has the appearance of leaning backwards.
Usage: Goon
Usage: thurgh
there is often an uneasy relationship between 'g' and crossed 'h'.
 
H
Usage: his
the tail nearly always extends back beyond the main shaft of the letter.
Usage: which
in combinations 'ch' or 'th' or 'ght' where they occur at the end of the word, the 'h' is almost always crossed.
Usage: His
Usage: Halt
upper case 'H' with loop to the left of the shaft.
 
R
Usage: other
Usage: sore
a sit-up-and-beg 'z'-shaped 'r'.
Usage: reclus
long 'r' as the initial letter with curved approach stroke.
Usage: Reuers
 
S
Usage: such
sigma 's' is used in both initial and final positions. There are a few rare examples of long 's' as the initial letter on the sample folios.
Usage: So
Usage: wise
long 's' used medially has two distinctive features in this hand. Both may be present in the formation of 's' as here, or one, or neither. The small lead-in stroke may be seen to the left of the shaft and there is frequently a small extension at the top of the shaft.
Usage: witnesseth
two features need to be noted here. When the scribe uses double 's' or 'f', the first letter is lower than the second and the first letter sports an extension to the head of the letter as in this example.
 
W
Usage: with
there is very little variation in the formation of 'w'.
Usage: whan
Usage: othir wise
Usage: whan
 
Y
Usage: y
Usage: fynd
Usage: Yifth
upper case letter at the beginning of a line.
Usage: 'by
'y' is occasionally dotted but the dots are hard to see and are not always immediately above the letter. 'i' has a faint curved stroke above.
 
g
Usage: thing
there are many slight variations of the scribe's 'g'. He only occasionally attaches a vertical tag to final 'g'.
Usage: gracious
Usage: gen(er)al
Usage: welnygh
 
Minims
Usage: informacion
the scribe's minim strokes are distinctive. They are often slightly curved which adds to the feeling of fluency created by this hand.
Usage: chirche
Usage: him
Usage: enuye
 
l, k, b, h
Usage: thilke
the scribe forms almost all his letters very evenly. This is especially noticeable in the treatment of the head strokes of such letters as l, k, b and h. There is a remarkable uniformity in their presentation.
Usage: bulle
Usage: chirche
Usage: t(ra)uailled
 
I
Usage: In
the looped approach stroke to the letter joins the stem just below the head.
Usage: It
Usage: I
Usage: If
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, King's Manor, York YO1 7EP