Minuscule 447

New Testament manuscripts
papyri • uncials • minuscules • lectionaries

Minuscule 447
Folio 9, beginning of the Gospel of Matthew
Text	Gospels †
Date	15th century
Script	Greek
Now at	British Library
Size	19.6 cm by 14.7 cm
Type	Byzantine text-type
Category	none
Hand	well written

Minuscule 447 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering), ε 507 (in the Soden numbering),^[1] is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 15th century.^[2]

Description

The codex contains a complete text of the four Gospels on 329 parchment leaves (19.6 cm by 14.7 cm). It is written in one column per page, in 25 lines per page.^[2] 3 paper fly-leaves were added in modern time. The headpieces are decorated in red and black ink, or black and brown ink. The initial letters in red.^[3]

The text is divided according to the κεφαλαια (chapters), whose numerals are given at the margin, and the τιτλοι (titles of chapters) at the top of the pages. There is also a division according to the smaller Ammonian Sections (in Mark 240, 16:9), with references to the Eusebian Canons (written below Ammonian Section numbers).^[4]

It contains the Eusebian Canon tables (in red), prolegomena, lists of the κεφαλαια (tables of contents) before each Gospel, ornamentations, lectionary markings at the margin (for liturgical use), Synaxarion, Menologion, subscriptions at the end of each Gospel, στιχοι, prolegomena to Paul.^[5][4] It is well written.^[5]

Text

The Greek text of the codex is a representative of the Byzantine text-type. Hermann von Soden classified it to the textual family K^x.^[6] Aland did not place it in any Category.^[7] According to the Claremont Profile Method it represents textual family Family K^x in Luke 1 and M27 in Luke 10 and Luke 20. It is close to 1014 in Luke 10 and Luke 20.^[6]

History

The manuscript was written by Gerardos, a scribe. John Gibson, a dealer, sold it to Edward Harley on 13 February 1723/1724.^[3] In 1753 it was purchased along with other manuscripts of collection by the British Museum.^[3]

The manuscript was added to the list of New Testament manuscripts by Scholz (1794-1852).^[8] Scholz examined only Mark 5. C. R. Gregory saw it in 1883.^[4] The manuscript was rebound in 1965.^[3]

It is currently housed at the British Library (Harley 5784) in London.^[2]

See also

Bible portal

• List of New Testament minuscules
• Biblical manuscript
• Textual criticism

References

1. ^ Gregory, Caspar René (1908). Die griechischen Handschriften des Neuen Testament. Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs'sche Buchhandlung. p. 64. http://www.archive.org/stream/diegriechischen00greggoog#page/n75/mode/2up. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Aland, K.; M. Welte, B. Köster, K. Junack (1994). Kurzgefasste Liste der griechischen Handschriften des Neues Testaments. Berlin, New York: Walter de Gruyter. p. 74. ISBN 3110119862. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d} Harleian 5784 at the British Library
4. ^ ^{a b c} Gregory, Caspar René (1900). Textkritik des Neuen Testaments, Vol. 1. Leipzig. p. 191. http://www.archive.org/stream/textkritikdesne00greggoog#page/n203/mode/2up. 
5. ^ ^{a b} Scrivener, Frederick Henry Ambrose; Edward Miller (1894 (2005 reprint)). A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament, Vol. 1 (4 ed.). London: George Bell & Sons. p. 239. 
6. ^ ^{a b} Wisse, Frederik (1982). The profile method for the classification and evaluation of manuscript evidence, as Applied to the Continuous Greek Text of the Gospel of Luke. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. p. 60. ISBN 0-8028-1918-4. 
7. ^ Aland, Kurt; Barbara Aland; Erroll F. Rhodes (trans.) (1995). The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. p. 139. ISBN 978-0-8028-4098-1. 
8. ^ Scrivener, Frederick Henry Ambrose (1894 (reprint 2005)). A Plain Introduction to the Criticism of the New Testament, Vol. 1. London. p. 225. 

Further reading

• Cyril Ernest Wright, Fontes Harleiani: A Study of the Sources of the Harleian Collection of Manuscripts in the British Museum (London: British Museum, 1972), p.162.
• Repertorium der griechischen Kopisten 800-1600, ed. by Ernst Gamillscheg and Dieter Harlfinger, Veröffentlichungen der Kommission für Byzantinistik, 3-1, ed. by Herbert Hunger (Vienna: Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1981- ), I: Handschriften aus Bibliotheken Grossbritanniens, 3 vols, no. 80.
• Summary Catalogue of Greek Manuscripts (London: British Library, 1999- ), I, p. 191.

External links

• Harleian 5784 at the British Library