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Scribal Profile
Hand 2
 
Current Manuscript:London, British Library MS Harley 1239
Folios:15-33v; 35-62v
Sampled Folios:22v
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A
Usage: al
with the provisos set out under version 2, the scribe uses only this secretary 'a' as a lower case letter. This scribe begins copying a line of verse just above the line. As the copying progresses the words slope upwards even further away from the line.
Usage: armes
anglicana 'a' similar to one of the scribe's upper case A's. As the initial letter of a noun, this may have been intended as an upper case 'A'. The scribe does use other upper case letters for no apparent reason throughout the text on this folio.
Usage: And
Usage: And
the word occurs mid-line, but as it is the top line on the folio, several of the letters are decorative or otherwise not the regular shape.
 
D
Usage: dyen
looped 'd' used throughout on this folio. However. the scribe does have an unlooped version.
Usage: redde
Usage: Deiphebus
upper case 'D' for name.
Usage: Deliu(er)ed
upper case letter at the beginning of a line.
 
G
Usage: glade
almost all the scribe's 'g's have tails which rest on the line. Only rarely does the tail fall below the line. The scribe copies most of the text at a distance above the line.
Usage: thing
'g' in final position with tag.
Usage: Right
Usage: warnyng
last word of the line with flourish on final 'g'.
 
H
Usage: his
the limb is gently curved, the short tail-stroke just grazes the line.
Usage: wych
crossed 'h' in 'ch' combination.
Usage: Ryght
'ght' combination on the top line of a stanza. Again the 'h' is crossed when following 'g'.
Usage: hert
the scribe does not appear to have a specific form of upper case 'H'. This word appears on the top line of the folio where other initial letters of words are decorated. This may therefore represent the scribe's more elaborate 'h'.
 
R
Usage: bettur
modern 'r' used occasionally.
Usage: trewly
'z'-shaped 'r' used in medial and final position.
Usage: recouur
long 'r' used in all positions.
Usage: Ryght
upper case 'R' used in initial positions not only at the beginning of lines.
 
S
Usage: This
kidney-shaped 's' always used in final position and always with extra descending vertical tag.
Usage: Pandarus
sigma 's' also used in final position.
Usage: shal
long 's' in initial position. The lead-in stroke is visible here though not always. Long 's' used in initial and medial positions.
  
 
W
Usage: draweth
the scribe uses this rounded loop-headed 'w' within a word.
Usage: wyth
the scribe uses this 'w' with an approach stroke for the initial letter of a word.
Usage: wende
the initial letter of a word on the first line of a stanza.
Usage: owne
this exaggerated form of 'w' also occurs in the first line of a stanza and is therefore given more prominence. However, as a letter within a word, the 'w' is of the more rounded form.
 
Y
Usage: shortly
there is little variation in 'y'.
Usage: Your
'y' as the first letter of a line.
    
 
Decorative Features on top lines of stanzas
Usage: dere
Usage: And al
Usage: lat hir
Usage: kyste
 
Upper Case Letters
Usage: Beth
Usage: Cupide
Usage: Pandarus
Usage: Eleyne
Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York, King's Manor, York YO1 7EP