Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, 111, pp. 7-8, 55-56

Number of Hands: 4

Summary: According to the C11 project, the relic lists on p. 7 were written by the same scribe, between 1075 and 1087. Each is a set of relics donated by named individuals so, presumably, these entries were written at different times, as the relics were donated.

The first four manumissions on p. 8 and the last seven words of p. 56 are in the same hand, s. xi2, as CCCC 140, fols 71-72v and part of fol. 1r. The horned c is characteristic of this hand. They are dateable to Abbot Ælsige's abbacy. They have a large format, but pp. 7-8 is one folio inserted into Quire 1 of CCCC 111, linked to pp. 5-6 with a stub under both singletons. It is possible to detect, underneath the loose stitching, the original sewing stations, which ought to tally with those from CCCC 140.

Another hand wrote the fifth manumission.

One main hand wrote the agreement, pp. 55-56, but the last seven words were added later, as mentioned above

Hand 1

• Scope: major
• Scribe: Ker 35 Art. 7
• Script: English Vernacular Minuscule
• Description: Scribe at p. 7, list of relics, Items 1 and 2.
• Summary of the characteristics of the hand: An angular hand.
  • a is drawn like u, with a relatively flat top created by a second stroke.
  • Horned c.
  • Distinctive p with a rounded and curled bowl that does not quite close.
  • This scribe uses high s with an almost curled shoulder and also a low form of the graph.
• Abbreviations: The abbreviation for 'drihten' is comprised of 'driht' with a line through the h. The abbreviation mark is like s on its side.
• Punctuation: Punctuation includes low flat hyphens at the line end; and a punctus slightly above the line.
• Correcting technique: Correction is by erasure, subpunctus and interlinear correction.

Hand: 2

Scope: major

Scribe: Ker 35 Art. 8

Script: English Vernacular Minuscule

Description: Scribe at p. 8, manumissions, Items 3 and 4, 5, and 6. For the description of the hand, see the main hand in CCCC 140.

Hand: 3

Scope: major

Scribe: Ker 35 art 8

Script: English Vernacular Minuscule

Description: Scribe at p. 8, the fifth manumission, Item 7. Smaller script than the hand who copied four other manumissions. Brown ink. Short and straight descenders. The ascenders are wedged. Cross-strokes with downward serifs.

Hand: 4

Scope: major

Scribe: Ker 35 art 9

Script: English Vernacular Minuscule

Description: Scribe at pp. 55-56. Item 8. This scribe, who can be considered an anchor scribe because of the date (Confraternity Agreement between the prior of Worcester and the abbots of Evesham, Chertsey, Bath, Pershore, Winchcombe and Gloucester, (datable to early in 1077), has a number of useful dating features:

• general aspect is round and upright, regular and relatively well spaced;
• dfuctus is that of a pen held at a low angle to the ruled line; not much thin-thick distinction;
• wedged or even clubbed ascenders (þ with a split ascender), comprised generally of two strokes;
• many descenders are straight, but some curve round to the left at the bottom, and others have flattened feet at the end (p, f, ƿ);
• Caroline forms within the Latin; insular minuscule within the Old English. Graphic distinctions well maintained.

Summary of the characteristics of the hand:

• a is single compartment and slightly triangular, but rounded. Sometimes caroline too, and with a longish tail when it comes at the line end. Enlarged a, rare but present.
• æ has a high e, often with an elongated tongue.
• d is small and round-backed but the upstroke is at 45º, rather than curved back over the bowl. The upstroke frequently flicks upwards and to the right at the end.
• e has a small bowl in relation to the bow; horned with an extended tongue, especially at the end of the line.
• f is insular with a tongue (midstroke) that is longer than the curled shoulder.
• The downstroke of insular g starts in the middle of the head and curves round into an abundant and rounded closed tail. It has a small attack stroke (like the t, on occasion).
• h has serifs to the right of the downstrokes.
• minims are straight and regular.
• o is generally very round.
• p has flat feet at the end or just one oblique foot to the right.
• r is insular with a straight oblique foot across the descender to the left and to the right.
• Long s, made in two strokes, swooping up and over at the top, and then curving to the left under the line. Final s tends to be low, with a hooked curve over.
• t has an occasional attack stroke from right to left.
• þ is a dramatic graph with straight, wedged ascender.
• ð has a very long upstroke, straight, at 45º, and longer than other ascenders. The crossbar transects the upstroke closer to the top than the bowl, and has two small serifs at either end, the lower pointing upwards, the upper pointing down.
• y is rounded and dotted, curving to the right: both limbs turn over to the right at the top. The tail curves slightly under the preceding letter.
• Many descenders are straight, but some curve round to the left at the bottom, and others have flattened feet at the end (p, f, ƿ).
• Wedged or even clubbed ascenders (þ with a split ascender), comprised generally of two strokes.

Abbreviations:

• Tironian notae are quite dramatic rising above x-height, with a high cross-stroke and straight descender at 90º going below the line. Occasional minor flourish to right of the descender; occasional flick to the left at the end.
• Abbreviation for þæt is crossed þ, with a pronounced cross-stroke with reverse facing serifs.
• Biscop in line 1; abb' for abbot.
• In Latin, abbreviation mark is slightly curved.

Punctuation: punctus above line, medially placed. Usually above the base line.

Ligatures: Does not use st ligature.