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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

#earlymodern name of the day submission: Mardochee Chese (possibly Chefe? I choose to believe Cheese was the intention)

secretery hand writing, ink on paper, "Mardochee Chese."

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

…ok, but tell me more about option 4 #Irish

Screenshot of an Irish language learning app with adjective “aitiuil” and possible options of: local, dear, resembling, and Strewn with grave mounds or memorial cairns

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

See thread for historically accurate rendering of this deposition taker at work #earlymodern #palaeography

ink scrawled on paper with lots of strikethroughs and very little attention paid to letter formation

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

No cat study buddy today, but TNA rat has an encouraging face. Still urging on records preservation, like the OG rats www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-...

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Grad school check list: reading assignments ✅ Nutella ice cream cone ✅ Cat holding my foot ✅

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Don't just give people credit, give them creedditt. #earlymodern spelling charms me yet again.

secretary hand ink on parchment, "giue creedditt" [TNA STAC 5/R1/32]

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Love it when a court scribe is feeling a little extra. #earlymodern #skystorians

Ink on parchment. Opening line of an interrogatory with an unusually decorative cadel letter "I" (TNA C 24/227)

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Sometimes, I just picture 16th century scribes to be my toddlers, and I close my eyes and listen to what they are saying. In this case, foreign merchants "in the p[art]es of beyenssee" aka parts beyond the seas. Words aren't real. #earlymodern #motherhoodskills #skystorians

Secretary hand ink on paper, "in the p[ar]tes of beyenssee" TNA E 133/1/165

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Hey look, a totally irrelevant 500 year old example of what Masha Gessen calls a "bully lie." In this case, a watchman tells the sheriff, "why will not you look to yonder men carrying gear or wares against the Queen's profit?" The sheriff responds by holding up the goods, but notably

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

My nerdy side quest while transcribing 16th century records has been antedating OED entries. I've submitted dozens of words at this point (sorry, OED people), but this is the first one to officially show up on the online edition. I'm so happy about it. See quote from 1598 under the entry for "knub"

media.tenor.com

a man with a lightning bolt on his shirt is sitting at a table and says " i 'm wildly popular "

ALT: a man with a lightning bolt on his shirt is sitting at a table and says " i 'm wildly popular "

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Look at how pretty this manuscript damage is. Any cross disciplinary scholars want to explain why iron gall ink would repel (water? who knows) in this way? A chemistry friend of a friend provided the structural formula. #earlymodern #skystorians #histsci

16th century Iron gall ink on paper, top corner of legal proceedings with a brown stain that follows the edges of the written words

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

PELICAN LORE UPDATE: I was recounting the story in my previous thread to a childhood friend who I share basically zero interests with and he mentioned that the New Orleans basketball team mascot is a pelican. And it turns out that the state flag of Louisiana is a vulning pelican! 🧵

Louisiana state flag - vulning pelican with 3 chicks in a nest on a blue background and the words "union justice confidence" on a banner below.

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

My face this morning while learning about medieval Pelican lore #skystorians

Chartres Cathedral stained glass window, featuring a pelican wounding her chest to feed her blood to her young

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

In a world of boring signatures by mark, be a precognizant bicycle. John Ynge of Sandwich, Kent in February 1571. #earlymodern #skystorians

Ink on paper, signature by mark, 2 circles side by side, with crosses in the center, rather like a 2 seated bicycle. [TNA E 133/1/138]

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

I still remember getting excited about my first "she" while transcribing 16th century English court docs only to discover the "she" in question was, in fact, a boat. I have a theory that there are more named boats in these records than named women. Came across my name (almost) today...also a boat.

Secretary hand ink on paper, "Juliane". TNA E 133/1/110, May 1570

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

What do historians call the feeling when they read about the death of someone who in fact has been dead this whole time? #earlymodern #paleography🧵

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

As penance for missing #NationalHandwritingDay, I present some of my favorite not-handwriting details in 16th century English court manuscripts. #skystorians #earlymodern

Signature by mark, uniquely anthropomorphic

A parchment hole with text from the next page visible

Old school erasing - scraped and struck through section in an interrogatory

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

Odd spellings often have interesting etymological reasons behind them. But sometimes, what I assume is just one weirdo's odd conception of a word gets immortalized & I like it so much. Like this spelling of 'transporting': "was strancesported" and then "so stransesported" in the line below.

Secretary handwriting, ink on paper. "the sayd Cornne was strancesported nor..." and the line below "Barle ther was so stransesported" TNA E/133/1/58

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

Obsolete word of the day: sunderly. Used in a 1565 deposition discussing whether wool was processed separately or mixed with other merchant's wool. If you have heard the phrase "to put asunder" you have some sense of the word already (I think that counts as a fossil word) #earlymodern

ink on paper, secretary hand "sonderly" (TNA E/133/1/36)

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

One nice thing about freelance paleography is getting to read random phrases like "marchantes of the staple," and then double checking to see if I've gotten it right, and then falling down a lovely little rabbit hole about the etymology of "staple." I recommend it. www.jstor.org/stable/551016

ink on paper handwritten secretary hand, "marchantes of the staple"

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

A bright spot in my day: I looked up an archaic term for woman and OED didn't list, "also, whore" in the definition. Congrats, goodwife Parker - the patriarchy hasn't eaten your title yet. My condolences to all the mistresses, single-women, wenches, common women, hussies... #earlymodern #skystorians

handwriting, ink on paper, " good wyff P[ar]kar" TNA E133/2/325, interrogatory dated 1575

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

Is it just me or is this 500 year old ink blot yelling at us?

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

Happy to announce that the #Transkribus model I've had the pleasure of working on for the last few years is live! It is built on a variety of hands used in English courts around 1530-1650 (just hit over 1 mil words in the training set!) Take a look: #earlymodern app.transkribus.org/models/publi...

app.transkribus.org

Egerton: English Secretary Hand

This model transcribes English secretary hand, which was in use during the 16th and 17th centuries. The model was primarily, but not exclusively, trained on equity court material from the National Arc...

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

Today in random London history landmarks: The Great Conduit. Construction began in 1245, and it stood until it was damaged in the Great Fire and then removed. Now it is marked by a plaque in front of a Tesco #earlymodern #skystorians [photo from www.londonremembers.com/memorials/gr... ]

Drawing of the Great Conduit, next to The Cheapside Cross. Guildhall Library & Art Gallery/Heritage Images/Getty

Photograph of current day Tesco in London. Square on sidewalk marks the spot where the Conduit once stood.

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 21/06/2025

I have been casually using #earlymodern expressions in front of my elementary aged kids in the hopes of someday hearing something about "the hurly burly" instead of "six SEVEN" ad nauseam. This is a long term project but I have high hopes for it. Any other good expressions I should use? #skystorians

secretary hand ink on paper, "and in the hurly burly master munces man went a waye with the Truse vnder his Cloke" [TNA E 133/1/160]

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

Happy Mother's Day, particularly to Catherine Moyle, who said she loved her son Sir Moyle Finch's "little fynger more then any other of her sonnes" [TNA C24/256A] #earlymodern #skystorians

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

I will never tire of these charming little details in #earlymodern court records. "the same yeveninge in the said Cittie." Maybe calling back to the Old English geǣfnian? Or a quirk of pronunciation almost like an elision with "same" #linguistics #wordnerd

secretary hand, ink on parchment. "the same yeveninge" TNA STAC5/W48

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

A court tries to determine premeditation (among other things) by asking if the men involved in a riot were wearing "p[ri]veye Coates stiched doubletes or Coates of defence." #earlymodern #materialculture #skystorians

Secretary hand document, ink on parchment, "p[ri]vey Coates stiched doubletes or Coates of defence" TNA STAC5/W48

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

Any ventures on this word? This is a particularly bad London deposition scribe that I have grown pretty accustomed to, but he still stumps me pretty regularly. Full line in the comments, more images upon request. #earlymodern #paleography

1500s handwriting, ink on paper, "<???> last" STAC5/H59/37

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

A good week for invective! "rioto<us>, evill, and light disposid persons" A brief search didn't turn "light disposed" up, but the idea seems to be about people that were unserious or undisciplined. #earlymodern #palaeography #skystorians

secretary hand document, pen on parchment, "and light disposid p[er]sons" TNA STAC5/H59/36

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

#earlymodern insult of the day: "crow keepers" - an insult that is also found in Shakespeare's King Lear. Crow keepers were usually young boys that practiced their amateur archery skills while keeping the birds off the crops. According to this Folger post it is an insult to someone's archery skills.

secretary hand document that reads "termed them rascalls Cowardes and crowe keepers," TNA STAC5/A46

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Pretty cool to see a case in Malmesbury in the 1500s cite a gift granted by Athelstan, "sometymes kinge" about 500 years previously. Also enjoying this scribe's decision to change "kinge of England" to "kinge of the Englishemen." Scope of memory in this case is fascinating. #earlymodern #skystorians

secretary hand on paper, handwriting reads "sometymes kinge of England" with "England" struck through and replaced by "the Englishemen"

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

The first rule of London deposition hand club is, "we don't acknowledge minims" (is this the most uselessly niche reference using the overused Fight Club mantra?) #paleography #earlymodern #skystorians

a nearly flat line that actually says "mencioned in"

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

I grew up near Plymouth Rock so I have an innate appreciation for underwhelming rock monuments. Here I am being (presumably) the only person excited to take a selfie with London Stone this year. And a record of Giles Francis, who had a house beside the stone in 1595. #earlymodern #skystorians

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

First eel sighting! Our dataset is now nearing 1 mil words, & I finally have a small offering for @greenleejw.bsky.social. A passing mention in a deposition "nether hathe he knowne any fishe ether putt in or taken out of that place, except it were a fewe eyles when the watercourse was clensed."

"a fewe eyles" in secretary hand script on paper (UK NA C24/256A)

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

Having a nice time realizing every word for woman will eventually mean "whore." And no words for a man will ever mean "whore." Just once...I'm begging you, English. Mistress? Hussy? Common woman? SINGLEWOMAN? Did not realize how radicalizing etymology can be #linguistics #earlymodern #skystorians

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

Any guess on the last name of this interpreter? Interesting to me that he has a shaky/untrained hand but knew to abbreviate all of the -er/-re letters in "Interpreter." I see "Interpreter William" and I'll avoid my guess so as not to color new ideas! #earlymodern #skystorians #paleography

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 08/11/2024

Sir Thomas Posthumus hobby - so named because he was born after the death of his father. Anyone know if that was ever common naming practice? Depositions are the best - you never know who you might find. #skystorians #earlymodern #paleography www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-...

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 04/11/2024

If you are looking for a creative but obsolete insult to add to your lexicon, consider "baggage." This deponent says that the defendant called him "a baggage and not worthy to wype his bootes, besides other unseemly and ungentlemenly terms." [TNA C24/256A] #earlymodern #skystorians #linguistics

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 31/10/2024

This deponent describes an old book as "of so old a writinge & in such a kind of Bastard Court hand that it could hardly be read." I know the feeling, friend. [C24/256A 1597]

image of secretary hand writing, "Bastard Court hand that it could hardly be read"

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 18/10/2024

Happy to see a post about the project I've been working on for the last few years. And it even features one of my proudest accomplishments - antedating the first attested "kiss my arse" in the #OED by 90 years. #earlymodern #skystorians www.transkribus.org/success-stor...

Secretary hand script "kisse his the sayd Brewsters Arse"

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 12/10/2024

If I had a dollar for every time I transcribed a British place name and thought, "surely I have that wrong," only for google to confirm said random name...At least on this one the scribe also got confused - Ayloff? No, maybe Alooph is better. #earlymodern #skystorian

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 25/09/2024

word-word for the day is metanalysis: The changing of the boundaries between words #OED. "in Vmber" for "in number." In an alternate universe we wear naprons instead of aprons, and ask for an apkin at the table. #paleography #earlymodern #linguistics

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 25/09/2024

Question for the #archive #library #specialcollections #rarebooks people out there. Choosing between a MIS in Archive Management vs MLIS. For career goals in special collections, would you recommend one over the other? The MLIS seems ubiquitous but the Archive courses are more appealing. Help!

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 11/09/2024

Happy black cat season to all who celebrate! And the skeleton hands in the card catalog idea is my single greatest home decor achievement (possible my only home decor achievement). Tell your #library and #archives and furniture hoarding friends.

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 27/08/2024

Some charming spelling from the 1570s. Words like "night" would have been pronounced more in line with their Germanic roots, with a fricative -ich. Which makes "perfighter" a natural spelling for perfecter, even though it does not have Germanic roots. [REQ 2/34/55] #linguistics #earlymodern

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 18/08/2024

Some guy from the 1500s wants you to believe that this says "might." No, but really, this says "might." He promises. #earlymodern #paleography #manuscripts

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 16/08/2024

Thanks to @scriptor.bsky.social for the term "fossil words"! Here is one more, describing land "enclosed with a pale." In this context pale is a now obsolete word for fence/boundary - I think we only use now in the phrase "beyond the pale" (& related to impale!) #earlymodern #linguistics #etymology

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Julianna Bratt @bjulianna.bsky.social · 16/08/2024

Is there a word for nearly obsolete words that we all know because of one idiom that wont die? I think of them as vestigial words but I feel like the #OED must have a word for that kind of word. #earlymodern #etymology (examples in replies)

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