STEMMA: Systems of Transmitting Early Modern Manuscript Verse (@stemma.bsky.social)

@stemma.bsky.social Oct 14, 2026, 12:27 PM

In honour of the falling leaves, here are some massive ones drawn on the folio manuscript leaves of Bod. MS Ashmole 38, 165-166

@stemma.bsky.social Oct 5, 2026, 4:58 PM

The STEMMA team is growing: @normaowens.bsky.social has joined us as a Research Assistant. Norma is interested in using computational and quantitative methods to recover under-represented groups and exploring patterns of connectivity and knowledge transmission in historical networks. Welcome, Norma!

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 29, 2026, 4:37 PM

Paper trees and embroidery 🌳🪡 In our latest STEMMA blog @leahveronese.bsky.social explores two poems celebrating female craft in Bodleian MS Rawl. poet. 84 stemma.universityofgalway.ie/paper-trees-...

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 28, 2026, 2:28 PM

A little bouquet of surprise flowers in the endleaves of British Library Additional MS 15227, Fol.101v to Fol.102r 🌼🌸🌷🪻🌻

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 25, 2026, 3:52 PM

Elegant and practical ☂️

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 25, 2026, 3:49 PM

Close up detail of a bank covered in flowers and grass

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 25, 2026, 3:49 PM

🌞

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 25, 2026, 3:49 PM

LOOK AT THIS LITTLE FACE

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 25, 2026, 3:49 PM

Plaintive but hopeful elephant 🐘♥️ Please be nice to him British Library Sloane MS 3794: Fol.5r

Drawing of an elephant with it's back to the viewer raising it's trunk to the sun

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 18, 2026, 2:36 PM

And just in case you can't bear to travel without vinegar, p.122

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 18, 2026, 2:36 PM

Also featured, how to make purple ink, p.119

Close up of Arts Treasury
TEXT
To make a curious Purple Ink
Take a quarter of an ounce of Lake and half an ounce of Indigo, and bruise them small; which done, warm half a pint of water, and infuse into it an ounce of Gum-arabick; then put the Colour in, and shake them well together

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 18, 2026, 2:36 PM

Variations on a theme of tea-staining your homework? Arts Treasury, 1688, p.119

Detail from Arts Treasury
TEXT
To make new writing look old, and of long standing
Take a dram of Saffron and infused it into half a pint of Ink, and suffer it to warm over a gentle fire, and it will cause whatever is written with it to turn yellowish and appear as if of many years standing

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 17, 2026, 1:36 PM

Today's rabbit hole (or tree labyrinth). Love the little gardener 🥹❤️🪏👒 Ralph Austen, A Treatise of Fruit Trees or Spiritual Use of an orchard, 1653

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 16, 2026, 11:03 AM

Poetry and maths side by side - just how we like it here at STEMMA Bodleian MS Rawl. Poet. 142, Fols 11v - 12r

Photo of an open manuscript: one page covered in calculations (and spilling over onto the next page) and poetry on the other

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 11, 2026, 2:23 PM

A verse letter about a dog-seal! 🐕❤️💌 Bodleian MS Add. A. 267: Fol.28r

Close up of a manuscript
TEXT: the subscription, the letter being sealed with a sealed whereon portrayed a dog

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 10, 2026, 1:30 PM

Paper cut! Bodleian MS Eng. poet. e. 14: Fol. 23r

Photo of a page of a manuscript with a big diagonal slash across the text

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 4, 2026, 12:23 PM

Getting ready for the new academic year: 17th century undergraduate Simon Sloper writes his term dates into his commonplace book in 1619 Bodleian MS Eng. poet. f. 10: Fol.52r

@stemma.bsky.social Sep 1, 2026, 4:22 PM

August 31st/September 1st