Coislin Manuscript

Coislin Manuscript (so called from the library of Coislin, bishop of Metz, which originally contained most of the leaves), a name applied to two very different Greek uncial MSS.

1. CODEX COISLINIANUS, the great copy of the Sept. Octateuch, first made known by Montfaucon (Biblioth. Coislin. 1715), and illustrated by a fac- simile in Silvestre's Paleogr. Univ. No. 65. It contains 227 leaves in two columns, 13 inches by 9: the fine massive letters of the sixth or seventh century are much like those of the Alexandrian MS. In the margin, prima manu, Wetstein found Ac 9:24-25, and so inserted this as Cod. F in his list of MSS. of the Acts. In 1842 Tischendorf observed nineteen other passages of the N.T., which he published in his Monumenta Sacra Inedita

(p. 400 sq.), with a fac-simile. These texts are Mt 5:48; Mt 12:48; Mt 27:25; Lu 1:42; Lu 2:24; Lu 23:21; Joh 5:35; Joh 6:53,55; Ac 4:33-34; Ac 10:13,15; Ac 22:22; 1Co 7:39; 1Co 11:29; 2Co 3:13; 2Co 9:7; 2Co 11:33; Ga 4:21-22; Col 2:16-17; Heb 10:26. These portions of the MS. are designated as Fa of the Gospels, etc. — Scrivener, Introd. to N.T. p. 105.

2. FRAGMENTA COISLINIANA, a relic of only fifteen leaves, written stichometrically, with a subscription referring to a comparison with the the copy at Caesarea, which had been written by Pamphilus himself. The letters are large and square. When somewhat faded, the whole (except the subscriptions, which were written in vermillion) was gone over again, most coarsely, by a corrector, who added the accents and breathings, but reblackened the letters in such a manner as thoroughly to destroy their elegance. Fourteen of these leaves were published by Montfau on (ut sup.), who ascribed the MS. to the fifth or sixth century. These sheets were used at Matthew Athos in 1218 as part of the covers of another book, which at length fell into Europeap hands, and was saved; the rest of the MS. had probably perished previously, or been destroyed in a similar manner. After the fire of St. Germain des Prex, where the fragments were preserved, twelve leaves only were found, which are now in the Imperial Library at Paris, and contain 1Co 10:22-29; 1Co 11:9-16; 1Ti 3:7-13; Tit 1:1-3,15-2:5; Tit 3:13-15; Hebrews 2:11-16; 3:13-18: 4:12- 15. Two other leaves, however, were transferred to the Imperial Library at St. Petersburg, and contain Ga 1:4-10; Ga 2:9-14. Tischendorf has lately recovered another sheet from Matthew Athos, containing Col 3:4-11. These fragments are known as H of the Pauline Epistles. — Tregelles, in Home's Introd. new ed. 4:194. SEE MANUSCRIPTS, BIBLICAL.