[PLATE XIII.]—English (2nd half) Thirteenth-century Writing and Illumination. (Latin Bible). Ex libris S. C. Cockerell.
THE VOLUME—probably written at York—contains 427 leaves (8 inches by 512 inches): two columns to the page: MARGINS, approx.: Inner 58 inch, Head 58 inch, Side 78 inch, Foot 1716 inch. (Between the columns 38 inch.) The pages have been cut down.
THE WRITING is very small, and there are many contractions.[132] In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries the whole Bible, written in this fashion, was often small enough to be carried in the pocket. Note the closed
and the
form of &. The page is RULED with 50 lines; the 49 lines of writing lie between these, so that in each case the ascenders touch the line above, and the descenders, the line below. Note the double lines in the Foot margin (see p. [343]).