VMs: Re: The curious quire hand mark on f57v...?

[Nick Pelling <incoming@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Rene,

> > While compiling a list of the quire marks a couple
> > of days ago, I noticed
> > once again the odd mark at the bottom on f57v, which
> > would appear to be in
> > the same slapdash hand as the quire marks ....
>
> This mark seems to contain the number 17 in
> arabic numerals of the time. The additional curved
> (horizontal) stroke could indicate a declension
> to make it mean 17th (for example).

This is one interpretation - but my point is that, if it *is* in the same 
hand as the quiration (as it seems), then it seems to be quite different 
from the numbering on quire 17.

It looks to be quite a definite shape, too, which may have had a very 
specific meaning for its author. Just a thought! :-)

> It is probably no coincidence that this is the
> page with the repeating sequence of 17 characters.
> Furthermore, it is perhaps (but I am far less
> sure) also not a coicidence that the other page
> which is on the same face of the same bifolio
> (f66r) has a sequence of 34 words.
>
> Further evidence that the pages are out of order?

I agree, it certainly looks as though it should be the innermost bifolio of 
a quire. :-)

> The plot thickens when we also realise that f66r
> has the 'mussdel' doodle. Was that written by
> the VMs author or by a later owner trying to
> decipher the MS? If the pages are out of order,
> it means that the 'mussdel' doodle was made
> before the pages were numbered....

This soup (of contingency) is is getting too thick to stir... perhaps that 
means it's changing state from liquid to solid! :-)

Cheers, ....Nick Pelling....