Hand: gamma, Exeter 3500

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

gamma - EXON Project

This hand may be recognised by the shape of the ampersand, with a prominent tongue that curls upwards; the form of the Gallows mark made of two strokes only; the shape of x with an extended left leg; the overuse of the s-shaped abbreviation sign.

1. Letterforms

a.- Uncial form in which the back reaches over the bowl and leans forward at various lengths. Besides, its tail tends to either ligature with the following letter or curl upwards when at word’s end.

d.- Straight-backed form is used most of the time. As with most other ascenders, it ends with a triangular notch to its left. It also shows a short tail which may occasionally link up with the following letterform. Round d is only very occasionally found, mainly at line end and with the –us abbreviation (95r6-7).

e.- Normally ligatures with the following letter both with projecting tongue and with lower component.

g.- Round head with a horizontal stroke coming from its top to ligature with following letterform. Tail comes from the bottom right side of the head and is open, its lower section normally horizontal/flat.

h.- Ascender starts with an approach stroke (triangular notch to left) which may vary in its width. Left leg stays on the baseline, often showing a foot, whereas right limb may go a bit lower, esp. in capitalised form.

p.- Shows an approach stroke, a round bowl and a finishing stroke (down and leftwards) at the bottom of its descender.

s.- Head is normally flat or angular and it has a finishing stroke at the bottom that forms a kind of foot (not always visible). It normally stands on the baseline.

t.- Vertical stroke often goes slightly across the horizontal line (though not always).

x.- Left leg is extended and straight, reaching below the baseline.

æ.-

2. Treatment of minims, ascenders & descenders

Minims .- With finishing strokes as feet.

Ascenders.- Either approach stroke or triangular notch of varying thickness to the left. At times, due to the lack of ink, they are forked (94v17).

Descenders.- They normally end in a finishing stroke (or foot) either to left and down (esp. p).

3. Form of capitals

E. Uncial form which may occasionally have a more angular top.

G. 6-shaped form with closed bowl.

H. Enlarged minuscule form with footed left leg and right one tucking in below the baseline.

W. Superimposed Vs with straight limbs. Right ones have approach strokes at the top.

4. Forms of punctuation

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

5. Form of paraph (gallows mark)

Normally made of two strokes only (vertical and horizontal). It resembles a capital J.

6. Forms of abbreviation

Ampersand.- Extended tongue (often detached from main body) that curls upwards. The e-component is no more than at short stroke that is sometimes attached to the aforementioned tongue.

et nota.- Not found.

Overline.- Rather uncommon in this hand, who seems to prefer an s-shaped abbreviation sign. This is used several times in each line. Still, in the few occasions in which the overline is used, it turns slightly upwards finishing in a hairline.

-ur.- n-shaped form finished in an extended final stroke.

-us.- 9-shaped compendium with occasionally long lower section.

-orum.- 2-shaped r with a vertical stroke across leaning slightly to the right. (canicorum 120r16).

q- forms.-

e cauda.- cedilla made of a longer hairline leaning to right and a shorter line across forming a kind of y leaning forward.

pr- forms.- Hook in pro starts on the baseline.

other forms.-

est.- occasionally found (120r15).

7. Forms of suspension

8. Ligatures

-ae-

-ct- ligature: 95r6; 120r16.

-rt- ligature:

-st- ligature:

-or-: occasionally found (95r18; 214v1-2).

9. Method and form of annotation (signes de renvoi?)

On 94v, this scribe adds a marginal annotation to the bottom margin which is introduced by a cross (not found in the body of the text, therefore not a signe de renvoi?) and is written in a form of the script which does not differ much from that in the main text.

10. Method of correction and correction mark

Text or numerals crossed out and interlinear correction entered over it. Erasure.

11. Treatment of numerals

Between dots. v instead of u.

12. Proportions and measurements

Codicology

- Pricking.-

- Ruling.-

13. Other idiosyncrasies (preferred spellings, usages, …)

What does he write?

King (Dn) – 83v18-4r4; 94v16-5r20; 96r9-17

King (Queen Matilda) (Dn) – 109v10-10r4; 110v10-17