Transcription

In quotations from early modern sources, printed or manuscript, almost all abbreviations and contractions are expanded with supplied letters in italic. The only regular exceptions are the ampersand and abbreviations for pounds, shillings, and pence. Occasional exception is made for superior letters in special contexts, but ‘master’ is generally preferred over ‘mr’.

Forenames are usually, and common surnames often, given their usual modern spellings. Surnames of printers and publishers usually follow the spellings preferred by STC. Titles of early printed works, many of which went through multiple editions in varying spellings, are usually given in modern spelling in the main text and footnotes. But if cited by title in the notes or bibliography, specific editions are identified in original spelling.

Dating

Unless quoted from a document using legal-year dating, all dates follow the calendar year. In other words the year number changes on New Year’s Day (a name that since Roman times has meant only 1 January) rather than on 25 March. Because the liturgical year began with the calendar in January, it was always usual for almanacks (both secular and liturgical) to be identified by the number of whichever ‘Year of the Incarnation’ began during the twelve months covered. That may be why most printers in England normally used calendar-year dating.