Minuscule 44


Minuscule 44, ε 239, is a Greek minuscule manuscript of the New Testament, on parchment leaves. Palaeographically it has been assigned to the 12th century. It has complex contents and full marginalia.

Description

The codex contains complete text of the four Gospels on 259 leaves with size. The text is written in one column per page, 21-22 lines per page. In Gospel of Matthew verses are omitted.
The text is divided according to the κεφαλαια, whose numbers are given at the margin, and their τιτλοι at the top of the pages. There is also another division according to the smaller Ammonian Sections, with references to the Eusebian Canons.
It contains liturgical books with hagiographies, pictures, lectionary markings at the margin, subscriptions at the end of the Gospels, and numbers of Stichometry.

Text

The Greek text of the codex is a representative of the Byzantine text-type. Hermann von Soden classified it to the textual family Family E. Aland placed it in Category V.
According to the Claremont Profile Method it represents textual family Kx in Luke 1, Luke 10, and Luke 20. It belongs to the textual cluster 1434 in Luke 20.

History

The manuscript was dated by Scholz to the 11th century. Gregory dated it to the 12th century. Currently it has been assigned by the INTF to the 12th century.
The codex was brought from Athos to England by César de Missy, French chaplain of George III, King of England, who spent his life in collecting materials for an edition of the New Testament. It was examined by Amelotte, Simon, Wetstein in 1746, Scholz, and Bloomfield. Wettstein gave a collation, but very imperfect.
It was added to the list of the New Testament manuscripts by Wettstein. C. R. Gregory saw it in 1883.
It is currently housed in at the British Library, at London.