Sample Transcriptions

This section of the course offers, for the ease of those who would rather refresh or improve their skills than learn them anew, the option of reading through manuscript pages alongside a sample semi-diplomatic transcription. The manuscript extracts presented here are the same as those used in the 'course lessons' section, and are ordered and numbered here by the same system. If you would like to use the course lessons at some point, you may want to avoid these samples. Alternatively, you may like to avoid select manuscript extracts here, or link to particular lessons via the relevant links.

Please choose from the index below. For each manuscript, you will be presented with an image, a semi-diplomatic transcription complete with lineation and a set of transcription conventions, and information on dating and describing the hand illustrated. Close the pop-up window to return to this page, or through it to other parts of the site.

  • No 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
    Go to Lesson 1  
  • No 2 John Donne, 'Extasie' and 'La Corona'
    Trinity College Library MS R. 3. 12, pp. 51, 224
    Difficulty rating: 1/5
    Go to Lesson 2  
  • No 3 Whitgift School Charters
    Gonville and Caius College MS 694/354, f. 7r
    Difficulty rating: 1/5
    Go to Lesson 3  
  • No 4 The Discouerie and Recouerie of Irelande and the Aucthors Apologie
    Gonville and Caius College MS 150/200, p. 81
    Difficulty rating: 1/5
    Go to Lesson 4  
  • No 5 A Note on Royston (extract from Rastell's Abridgement)
    Gonville and Caius College MS 170/91, p. 157
    Difficulty rating: 1/5
    Go to Lesson 5  
  • No 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
    Go to Lesson 6  
  • No 7 Henry Halywell to Dr More
    Christ's College MS 21, no. 37
    Difficulty rating: 2/5
    Go to Lesson 7  
  • No 8 John Foxe, Apocalypse in English
    Trinity College Library MS B. 2. 7, f. 49v
    Difficulty rating: 2/5
    Go to Lesson 8  
  • No 9 Mermelate of Quinces
    Gonville and Caius College MS 206/112, p. 177
    Difficulty rating: 2/5
    Go to Lesson 9  
  • No 10 The Earle of Essex his instructions to his Sonne
    Gonville and Caius College MS 150/200, p. 21
    Difficulty rating: 2/5
    Go to Lesson 10  
  • No 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
    Go to Lesson 11  
  • No 12 John Dryden, The Indian Emperour
    Trinity College Library MS R. 3. 10, f. 34r
    Difficulty rating: 2/5
    Go to Lesson 12  
  • No 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
    Go to Lesson 13  
  • No 14 The words of Ptolemæus
    Gonville and Caius College MS 197/103, p. 402
    Difficulty rating: 3/5
    Go to Lesson 14  
  • No 15 Ann Mallett to Henry More
    Christ's College Library MS 21, no. 10
    Difficulty rating: 3/5
    Go to Lesson 15  
  • No 16 The Queene of Scotts to Babington
    Gonville and Caius College MS 197/103, p. 526
    Difficulty rating: 3/5
    Go to Lesson 16  
  • No 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
    Go to Lesson 17  
  • No 18 Sidney Psalms
    Trinity College Library MS R. 3. 16, p. 78
    Difficulty rating: 3/5
    Go to Lesson 18  
  • No 19 Sir John Finch to Sir Henry Goodricke, concerning Sir Thomas Baines
    Christ's College Library MS 206, p. 1
    Difficulty rating: 3/5
    Go to Lesson 19  
  • No 20 John Rastell, Dialogues
    Trinity College Library MS O. 3. 26, f. 31v
    Difficulty rating: 3/5
    Go to Lesson 20  
  • No 21 My Muse not I
    Gonville and Caius College MS 197/103, pp. 384-5
    Difficulty rating: 4/5
    Go to Lesson 21  
  • No 22 Privy Council letter, concerning church attendance
    Gonville and Caius College MS 53/30, f. 24r (i)
    Difficulty rating: 4/5
    Go to Lesson 22  
  • No 23 Macclesfeilde Gentlemen etc. 1581.
    Gonville and Caius College MS 197/103, p. 37
    Difficulty rating: 4/5
    Go to Lesson 23  
  • No 24 John Milton, 'Lycidas'
    Trinity College Library MS R. 3. 4, p. 6
    Difficulty rating: 4/5
    Go to Lesson 24  
  • No 25 The waye to preserve Quinses
    Gonville and Caius College MS 197/103, p. 356
    Difficulty rating: 4/5
    Go to Lesson 25  
  • No 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
    Go to Lesson 26  
  • No 27 The Oath of the Gentlemen of Gray's Inn
    Gonville and Caius College MS 53/30, f. 51r (ii)
    Difficulty rating: 5/5
    Go to Lesson 27  
  • No 28 'Even such is time'
    Gonville and Caius College MS 73/40, f. 215v
    Difficulty rating: 5/5
    Go to Lesson 28  

This page is edited by Andrew Zurcher, and was last updated on .

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