MAJUSCULE

A majuscule letter "A" formed on the model of the three-stroke "a" that is the scribe's most common form (transcribed as "a" in our transcription). With main body-height not always much greater than the minuscule, but the right-hand stroke beginning about one letter-space to the left of the body, then sweeping upwards to about ascender height and then around and down (sometimes with a distinct angle when it reaches the downward turn), and the left stroke often more rounded and forming a pronounced leftward-pointing bow.

Similar in most ways to the preceding glyph, but without the cross-stroke and therefore to be considered as a majuscule relative of the single-lobed minuscule "a."

Majuscule "B." The familiar two-lobed form, the top lobe quite a bit bigger than the bottom one, the left vertical stroke curving away to the left at top, then broken at bottom with the continuation meeting the bow of the bottom lobe about mid-body.

The standard (three-stroke) capital "C": a horizontal headstroke with medial dip, curved left stroke forming the bow; and an ogee-shaped doubling of that left stroke contained within the bowl it forms with the head-stroke.

The scribe's standard capital "D" formed of two strokes, a vertical stroke forming the back that curves a bit to the left at the top, and the right stroke forming the bow, the whole similar to a modern printed capital D.

A variant capital "D" also formed of two strokes like a modern printed capital D, a vertical stroke forming the back that curves a bit to the left at the top, and the right stroke forming the bow, but with an additional stroke forming a circle within the lobe.

A capital "E" similar to the scribe's capital "C" but with an ogeed, slightly downward-trending horizontal stroke replacing the vertical filler-stroke of the "C" within the bowl of the letter.

A long "i" that is the scribe's normal form for the personal pronoun when written as a separate word. It begins at or often above the mimim headline with a left serif or more pronounced hook, then extends vertically and tapers to a point below the minim baseline, though how far varies considerably. Graphically not often distinguishable from the sign we transcribe as "j," although sometimes written larger (longer or with more of a hook at top).

A capital "I" as exampled at line-initial position and with obvious intention to produce a majuscule form. This form is surmounted by a headstroke; the shaft is lozenge-shaped. We need to be looking for more examples of this one. The current transcription seems wrong.

A majuscule "M" formed on the pattern of the minuscule (i.e. with exaggerated first minim) by extending the third minim in a thin tail that extends left and down well below the baseline to the area below the base of the first minim.

Majuscule "N" composed of a long straight vertical at left with a question-mark-shaped right member consisting of a semi-circular stroke beginning at the top of the left shaft and extending right and downwards to about mid-letter height, then breaking into a short straight stroke downwards to the right at about 45 degrees from vertical, the whole resembling an unclosed modern capital "R."

Majuscule "N" composed of a left vertical stroke that usually exhibits a reverse s-curve (i.e. right convex at top, left convex at bottom) and a right vertical stroke that has a pronounced hook (from left) at onset, the two often joined cursively with a thin angular stroke so as to form in totality a rough mirror image of modern printed capital N, and always crossed with a thin horizontal stroke at mid-letter-height, that is, slightly below the minim headline.

Majuscule "O," formed of two curved strokes to make a large oval sitting on the baseline and about as tall as minuscule ascenders, dotted centrally.

A majuscule "P," formed essentially of the same three strokes as the minuscule with the addition of a dot or comma within the lobe. The vertical stroke begins with either a large hook or a pennant waving left; the horizontal stroke may be extended left in an ornamental curve; the right stroke is a curve but may not meet either the vertical or the horizontal strokes.

Majuscule "R" similar to modern printed "R," that is, composed of a vertical left stroke and of a right stroke that curves around from the top of that vertical to about its mid-point to form a bow, then ogees down and right to make the second leg. Additional ornamental strokes.

Majuscule "S," like modern printed capital "S" or like a larger version of the word-final "s" we transcribe as "&s;".

Majuscule "T" written with a longish horizontal headstroke above minuscule ascender height that either exhibits a gradual s-curve by bowing first upwards then downwards as it moves from left to right, or dips medially; a main downward stroke that begins within the headstroke about a third of the way from the left onset of that stroke and either curves right from the vertical as it moves downwards to the minim baseline, or forms an almost semi-circular curve with pronounced convex belly facing left (that is, forms a similar righward movement but as part of a semi-circular sweep, or descends straight vertically to just above the minim baseline then swerves abruptly to the right; and two short strokes within the frame thus composed, roughly vertical, roughly parallel to one another, and curved so as to bow right.

A majuscule T whose descender breaks halfway down and extends in a flag below the two curved filler strokes; ornamented also with two comma-shaped strokes below the left edge of the headstroke.

The glyphs we have transcribed this way are generally larger and have a more pronounced and squarer belly than those transcribed as minuscule. There does seem to be a continuum between such "minuscule" and "majuscule" forms and the project still needs to scrutinize all examples carefully to decide if there really is a "capital thorn" in the manuscript at all.