Littera textualis or textura evolved from late caroline minuscule. It is by far the most common book­hand of the later middle ages in Europe. The early, 11th- and 12th-century style is nominated littera prae-gothica. Striking symptoms of gothic textura are the extension, vertical alignment and breaking of all shafts; also from now on all vertical shafts are written on the line, not below it. Another characteristic is the application of 'biting' connectives, linking adjoining letters to each other.

Apart from a 'pure' textualis, several comparable scripts are to be distinguished: littera textualis (E), with a 'simple' a; littera textualis (Y), with loops; and littera textualis (Z), with both features combined. Their dispersment in and outside the Low Countries needs to be studied. A variant of textualis without shaft-breaking is sometimes referred to as 'rotunda' or Italiana.

Literature

• G.I. Lieftinck, 'Pour une nomenclature de l'écriture livresque de la période dite gothique. Essai s'appliquant spécialement aux manuscrits originaires des Pays-Bas médiévaux'. In: B. Bischoff, G.I. Lieftinck, G. Battelli, Nomenclature des écritures livresques du IXe au XVIe siècle. Premier colloque international de paléographie latine. Paris, 28-30 avril 1953. Paris, 1954, pp. 15-34.
• J.P. Gumbert, 'A proposal for a Cartesian nomenclature'. In: Miniatures, scripts, collections. Essays presented to G.I. Lieftinck, 4. Amsterdam, 1976, pp. 45-62.
• A. Derolez, The palaeography of gothic manuscript books from the twelfth to the early sixteenth century. Cambridge 2003 (Cambridge Studies in Palaeography and Codicology: 9).

Sample

• The Hague, KB : ms. 128 E 3, f. 1r; Holland, second quarter 14th century

[...]

Want et dinket mi wesen scande

Dat de lieden vanden lande

Ander giesten vele weten

Ende si des hebben vergheten

Wanen si selue sijn gheboren

Ende wie si waren hier tevoren

Die tlant wonnen entie erve

Daer si of nutten de bederue

Dat willic hier doen weten

Wie die lande hadden beseten

[...]

Sample

• The Hague, KB : ms. 75 H 15, f. 1v; Northern Netherlands, 1401

[...]

Recht als een dronken man

die sijn peert haestelike mit

sporen iaghet niet en merket

dat hi vol wijns is ende sijn arm

peert nauwe sat hoys is. Ende

want hijt ouer sijn macht doet

arbeyden so blijftet onder hem

ligghende. Ende comt spader ter

herberghe dan of hijt mit maten

ghedreuen hadde. Ende somtijt

[...]

Sample

• The Hague, KB : ms. 72 J 7, f. 66r; Delft, c. 1440-1460 (E)

[...]

 vrouwe in dye

verbolghentheit

gods en laet mi

niet beruspet wer-

den noch gheoer-

delt in sinen toer-

ne Om die

eer dijns naems o vrouwe so moet

ons die alre eerwaerdichste vrucht

dijns bloeyenden buucs ontfermen

[...]

Sample

• The Hague, KB : ms. 135 E 3, f. 1r; Arnhem, c. 1450 (Z)

[...]

Gnoscam te cognitor

meI: cognoscaI te virtus

anime mee. Ostende te mihi

consolator meus: videam te

lumen oculorum meorum. Veni

gaudium spiritus mei; vide-

am te leticia cordis mei: diligam te vita

anime mee. Appare in delectacio mea mag

na. solacium meum dulce: domine deus. vita et

gloria tota anime mee. Inueniam te desiderium

[...]