Hand: ksi, Exeter 3500

Name: ksi
Manuscript: Exeter 3500
Script: Unspecified
Scribe: Unspecified
Date: None
Place: None

EXON Project

This hand may be recognised by the forms of the ampersand and et nota are also quite idiosyncratic: the former shows a long descender and the latter a wavy horizontal line and; in the most common form of the Gallows mark the vertical stroke often ends in a zigzag line; the tail of g, which is open with a flat bottom and finished with a downward flick.

1. Letterforms

a.- Mostly round or slightly pointed. Back sometimes rises slightly over bowl (small head) giving it its occasional pointed look. Tail normally links up to following letterform or curls upwards when at words end. Uncial form also used, but much less frequently.

d.- Both straight and round backed forms used. Straight-backed has an ascender which is about double the minim height and a notch on the left. At times it leans slightly forward. The round form, which seems to be less common, shows a tail which goes up at about 45º but ends in a fully vertical flick. Its height is about the same as all the other ascenders.

e.- It shows a rather short descender which normally ends on the baseline (not fully round). Its tongue goes up at about 45º and is extended when at word-end.

g.- Round head with a finishing stroke linking up to the following letter or curling upwards if at word’s end. Tail is open and often has a flat bottom and is finished with a flick downwards.

h.- Ascender shows a notch to the left and leans slightly to the left. Right leg is round and tucks in slightly.

p.- Its descender is straight and sometimes finished with a flick to the right (this is much more common in q).

s.- Long s used throughout with a notch on its left (not always visible) and leaning slightly to the left.

t.- Vertical stroke occasionally cuts slightly through the horizontal one, which is often wavy.

x.- Left bottom limb is slightly longer than right one and tends to go slightly beyond the baseline. It is normally finished on a flick upwards.

æ.- Not used.

2. Treatment of minims, ascenders & descenders

Minims .- They are rather short and often have an approach stroke but no feet.

Ascenders.- They are about double the height of minims and have a notch on the left. Some of them are found leaning backwards (h, long s) or even forward (d).

Descenders.- They are straight and of about same length as ascenders. The most notable feature is the finishing flick found mostly in q, but also occasionally in p.

3. Form of capitals

A. Enlarged form of uncial a, with small head (if at all).

G. Round back with lower half closed by a diagonal stroke that ends horizontally on the baseline.

S. It shows two hairline endstrokes at top and bottom. The former is elongated.

W. Two superimposed, equal-limbed Vs. Arms are normally straight..

4. Forms of punctuation

Punctus simplex seems to be only form of punctuation in use.

5. Form of paraph (gallows mark)

Rather peculiar form used (though not always) in which the vertical stroke ends in a zigzag line (see 47v).

6. Forms of abbreviation

Ampersand.- The eye of the e component is nearly as big as the bowl of the a component and its diagonal stroke is normally rather prominent, at times reaching below the baseline. Its endstroke may be extended too, but not always.

et nota.- In the shape of a numeral 7, but with a cupped horizontal stroke. Descending stroke normally goes beyond baseline and is often finished on a flick to the right.

Overline.- Starts off as a dot and curls upwards into a thinner hairline.

-ur.- Rather neat 2-shaped r in which lower section (horizontal stroke) is much thinner and curls upward.

-us.- 9-shaped compendium normally touches on the letter underneath.

-orum.-.

q- forms.-

e cauda.- Very similarly formed to et nota.

pr- forms.- Pro hook starts parallel with baseline.

other forms.- Suprascript a used, both open and closed: qua, pra.

est.-.

7. Forms of suspension

8. Ligatures

-ae-