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Introduction
The handwriting in manuscript documents and volumes written in Scotland
between 1500 and 1750 is usually a mixture of formally taught handwriting
styles. One such form Italic, is, by and large, fairly easy to read, since
its letter forms are very similar to modern letters. However, in the sixteenth
century a form of handwriting was developed, which became known as Secretary
Hand, and this was an administrative/business 'shorthand' used throughout
western Europe. Some Secretary Hand letters are characteristically different
from the modern equivalents and must be memorised.
This tutorial introduces the novice palaeographer to commonly occurring
Secretary Hand letters.
1. What Secretary Hand looks like
2. Key letters - the Secretary Hand e and
s
3. Other commonly-occurring Secretary Hand letters:
a, b, c, d, h, r
and t
4. Phonetic spelling and Scots words
5. 'Sic braw secretarie hand'
6. Short test in identifying Secretary Hand letters
You can also print all 6 steps
of the 1 hour tutorial (Acrobat PDF, 1.10MB, opens in new
window).
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