Beal, Peter. A Dictionary of English Manuscript Terminology, 1450-2000. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008

a. Dating

Cheney, Christopher R., ed. Handbook of Dates for Students of History. New ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996.

Includes tables of regnal years, the Roman calendar, etc.

b. Abbreviations

Cappelli, Adriano. Lexicon Abbreviaturarum. 6th ed. Milan: Hoepli, 1990.

Lists Latin and Italian abbreviations.

Martin, Charles Trice. The Record Interpreter: A Collection of Abbreviations, Latin Words and Names Used in English Historical Manuscripts and Records. 2nd ed. London: Stevens, 1910.

c. Rules for transcription

Report on Editing Historical Manuscripts’, Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research, 1 (1923), 6-25.

See Pt. 2: ‘Rules for Making Accurate Transcript’.

Harvey, P.D.A. Editing Historical Records. London: British Library, 2001

Chapter 4: ‘The Visual Presentation’ covers the treatment of abbreviations, notes, etc.

See also Petti above (pp. 34-5) for alternative rules for semi-diplomatic transcription and CERES English Handwriting 1500-1700: An Online Course, http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/ceres/ehoc/conventions.html

d. Language

Baker, J.H. Manual of Law French. Amersham: Avebury Publishing, 1979.

Gooder, E.A. Latin for Local Historians: An Introduction. 2nd ed. London: Longman, 1978.

A simple grammar and glossary. Includes a formulary of common Latin documents found among local historical records.

Latin 1086-1733: A Practical Online Tutorial for Beginners

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/latin/beginners

Covers the period when Latin was the official language for legal documents in England

Susan BrockInstitute for Advanced Teaching and Learning

C:\palaeography\Warwick Intro to Elizabethan handwriting

SB Jan. 11