Script Type : minuscule cursive
Date : 15th century
Location : England
Function : document hand
Distinctive letters : This cursive hand is more informal than the bastarda script, of standard chancery type, which was used for the actual petition. The letters are somewhat variable in form and what is shown in the alphabet given here is a representative sample. The individual letter forms are related to those of the recto of the document, notably the tall s and f with a broken backed appearance. The letter g has an unusual rapidly written form, like a y with a horizontal bar over the top. The letter x is highly cursive, written with a single curved stroke.
The letters n, u and v are virtually indistinguishable.
The letters j, k, w and z are not represented, although the word Maii on the third line has the second i extended below the line so that it resembles a j.
There are many abbreviations. Pass the cursor slowly over the first few lines to decode some words. For more detail, proceed to the paleography exercises.
The photograph on this page has been upgraded from a scan taken from an old photocopy to a colour image derived from a National Archives download.
Script Index Paleography exercises using Flash 
Requires at least the Flash 5 plugin
If you are looking at this page without frames, there is more information about medieval writing to be found by going to the home page (framed) or the site map (no frames).
