English Handwriting Online 1500-1700
an online course
Course Lessons
The slate of course lessons offered below has been carefully structured around a selection of resources. Each lesson includes a central manuscript, for which the student is invited to supply a semi-diplomatic transcription in a workspace provided within the course. Alphabets of minuscule and majuscule letter-forms and of brevigraphs and other abbreviations are available, as are a zooming function. Students may also consult supplementary information on dating and describing the hand(s) of the manuscript. Each lesson concludes with a short test, usually of about ten questions, that examines students' abilities to transcribe short selections from the manuscript, afterwards supplying the 'correct' answer along with commentary and suggestions for further consideration. Students may at any time consult an exemplary transcription of each course manuscript, and are especially urged to do so once the lesson is otherwise complete; a PDF version of this file may be downloaded (and printed) to take away as a model. A student who has experienced particular trouble with a given lesson, or who would like further practice of a similar kind, may like to pursue the 'follow-up' suggestions available in the toolbar in the bottom frame.
The efficacy of these course lessons depends on the application and resourcefulness of the student. Suggestions for good use of the materials, and help (both palaeographical and technical) is available at all times; simply click on the question-mark icon at the bottom right of the lesson.
- Lesson 1: Verses vpon the duke of Buckinghams returne from the Ile of Rees
Gonville and Caius College MS 143/193, p. 149
Difficulty rating: 1/5 - Lesson 2: John Donne, 'Extasie' and 'La Corona'
Trinity College Library MS R. 3. 12, pp. 51, 224
Difficulty rating: 1/5 - Lesson 3: Whitgift School Charters
Gonville and Caius College MS 694/354, f. 7r
Difficulty rating: 1/5 - Lesson 4: The Discouerie and Recouerie of
Irelande and the Aucthors Apologie
Gonville and Caius College MS 150/200, p. 81
Difficulty rating: 1/5 - Lesson 5: A Note on Royston (extract from Rastell's Abridgement)
Gonville and Caius College MS 170/91, p. 157
Difficulty rating: 1/5 - Lesson 6: The Copie or Summe of a Sermon, preached in London, in October. 1638
Gonville and Caius College MS 389/609, p. 313
Difficulty rating: 1/5 - Lesson 7: Henry Halywell to Dr More
Christ's College MS 21, no. 37
Difficulty rating: 2/5 - Lesson 8: John Foxe, Apocalypse in English
Trinity College Library MS B. 2. 7, f. 49v
Difficulty rating: 2/5 - Lesson 9: Mermelate of Quinces
Gonville and Caius College MS 206/112, p. 177
Difficulty rating: 2/5 - Lesson 10: The Earle of Essex his instructions to his Sonne
Gonville and Caius College MS 150/200, p. 21
Difficulty rating: 2/5 - Lesson 11: 'A note of men, horses, and armer, and the prices of maintayninge them, sente forthe by my lorde of Ely...22nd March, 1569'
Gonville and Caius College MS 53/30, f. 23v
Difficulty rating: 2/5 - Lesson 12: John Dryden, The Indian Emperour
Trinity College Library MS R. 3. 10, f. 34r
Difficulty rating: 2/5 - Lesson 13: The copy of the sermon preached before the kinges Maiestie...Iune 1604
Gonville and Caius College MS 389/609, p. 343
Difficulty rating: 2/5 - Lesson 14: The words of Ptolemæus
Gonville and Caius College MS 197/103, p. 402
Difficulty rating: 3/5
- Lesson 15: Ann Mallett to Henry More
Christ's College Library MS 21, no. 10
Difficulty rating: 3/5 - Lesson 16: The Queene of Scotts to Babington
Gonville and Caius College MS 197/103, p. 526
Difficulty rating: 3/5 - Lesson 17: The distance of a Planett or fixed starre or Comet from 2 knowne Starres
Gonville and Caius College MS 613/686, f. 5r
Difficulty rating: 3/5 - Lesson 18: Sidney Psalms
Trinity College Library MS R. 3. 16, p. 78
Difficulty rating: 3/5 - Lesson 19: Sir John Finch to Sir Henry Goodricke, concerning Sir Thomas Baines
Christ's College Library MS 206, p. 1
Difficulty rating: 3/5 - Lesson 20: John Rastell, Dialogues
Trinity College Library MS O. 3. 26, f. 31v
Difficulty rating: 3/5 - Lesson 21: My Muse not I
Gonville and Caius College MS 197/103, pp. 384-5
Difficulty rating: 4/5 - Lesson 22: Privy Council letter, concerning church attendance
Gonville and Caius College MS 53/30, f. 24r (i)
Difficulty rating: 4/5 - Lesson 23: Macclesfeilde Gentlemen etc. 1581.
Gonville and Caius College MS 197/103, p. 37
Difficulty rating: 4/5 - Lesson 24: John Milton, 'Lycidas'
Trinity College Library MS R. 3. 4, p. 6
Difficulty rating: 4/5 - Lesson 25: The waye to preserve Quinses
Gonville and Caius College MS 197/103, p. 356
Difficulty rating: 4/5 - Lesson 26: The Inventory of the estate of Richard Cox, Bishop of Ely
Gonville and Caius College MS 53/30, f. 30 (ii)
Difficulty rating: 5/5 - Lesson 27: The Oath of the Gentlemen of Gray's Inn
Gonville and Caius College MS 53/30, f. 51r (ii)
Difficulty rating: 5/5 - Lesson 28: 'Even such is time'
Gonville and Caius College MS 73/40, f. 215v
Difficulty rating: 5/5
This page is edited by Andrew Zurcher, and was last updated on .
