Julianna Bratt
@bjulianna.bsky.social
Paleographer & family historian interested in early modern England, book binding & book history, and nice people fleeing twitter. MA student in archives & records management, distance learning through Aberystwyth University.
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](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:byjtznsj5hs7usynzy3tpcbx/bafkreig3dgsc2wuco7ouqtanzhmdonoya76dtb3p2pcrjkcv3znymsd5fm@jpeg)
October 16, 2025 at 10:32 PM
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
Is it just me or is this 500 year old ink blot yelling at us?
October 15, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Is it just me or is this 500 year old ink blot yelling at us?
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...
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...
app.transkribus.org
August 4, 2025 at 2:30 PM
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...
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... ]
August 3, 2025 at 12:35 AM
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... ]
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]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:byjtznsj5hs7usynzy3tpcbx/bafkreifmtngnkvc3pbnmly7hf67d5j337qpdyoao3b2a6rkf2e4trr6mnm@jpeg)
June 21, 2025 at 12:54 PM
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
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
May 11, 2025 at 7:29 PM
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
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
March 25, 2025 at 2:30 PM
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
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](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:byjtznsj5hs7usynzy3tpcbx/bafkreie5sbob4v5xaqifrnwbfsqyyttpkx7kxgjhnuuhbyu5spycucjezi@jpeg)
March 25, 2025 at 2:21 PM
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
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
March 20, 2025 at 5:12 PM
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
A good week for invective! "rioto, 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](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:byjtznsj5hs7usynzy3tpcbx/bafkreigska7emxngq6un6xbb3fw5qkwkiz7nk6zkuew7msbhslc5oe7cxe@jpeg)
March 20, 2025 at 3:23 PM
A good week for invective! "rioto, 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
#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.
March 18, 2025 at 5:04 PM
#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.
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
February 6, 2025 at 6:03 PM
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
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
January 28, 2025 at 2:59 PM
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
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
January 21, 2025 at 6:23 PM
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
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."
December 5, 2024 at 10:06 PM
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."
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
#linguistics #earlymodern #skystorians
November 14, 2024 at 9:32 PM
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
#linguistics #earlymodern #skystorians
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
November 9, 2024 at 8:00 PM
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
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-...
November 8, 2024 at 2:54 PM
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-...
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
November 4, 2024 at 6:47 PM
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
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]
October 31, 2024 at 4:06 PM
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]
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...
www.transkribus.org/success-stor...
October 18, 2024 at 1:01 AM
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...
www.transkribus.org/success-stor...
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
October 12, 2024 at 8:54 PM
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
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
September 25, 2024 at 6:59 PM
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
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!
September 25, 2024 at 6:49 PM
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!
