Stowe MS 3

Catalogue of the Stowe Manuscripts in the British Museum, 2 vols (London: British Museum, 1895-1896), I, pp. 2-3 (no. 3):

'THE FOUR GOSPELS, in Latin: Vulgate version. Preceded by the prologue "Plures fuisse" (f. 9), and the Epistle of St. Jerome to Pope Damasus, "Novum opus facere" (f. 10). Each Gospel is preceded by its usual argument ("Matheus ex iudea," etc.), and by a " breviarium " or table of chapters; but while St. Mark and St. Luke are divided into the usual number of 46 and 94 chapters respectively, St. Matthew and St. John are divided into the smaller number of 28 and 14 chapters, a division which is found in the Codex Cavensis (C) alone of those quoted in Wordsworth's edition (Oxford, 1889): cf. Tommasi, Opera, vol. i. pp. 319, 346, ed. Vezzosi, 1747, where other examples are quoted. The Ammonian sections are marked in the margin. The Eusebian canons are rarely noted; but under each of the Ammonian sections is given the number of the corresponding section in the other Gospels. The text appears to be not of the first class, generally differing in doubtful passages from the Codex Amiatinus and kindred MSS. At the end is a Lectionary, entitled 'capitulare euuangeliorum de anni circulo' (ff. 216-224). Vellum; ff. 224. xth cent. Probably written in Germany. At the beginning (f. 2 b) is a full-page miniature of St. Matthew writing at a desk; and on ff. 3-8 are the usual columns and arches for the Eusebian canons, which, however, are not inserted. At the beginning of St. Matthew (f. 15) the first two letters of " Liber " are illuminated in green and gold, within an arch of the same colours, and the unoccupied part of the page is washed with purple, the white vellum, however, being left within the interlacings of the LI. This was done after the leaf had been gummed to the next; and, as they are now separated again, ff. 15 b, 16 are blank and the text of the Gospel begins on f. 16 b, the first verse being written at the top of the page in a different hand. A blank page (f. 72 b) was left for the first verse of St. Mark, and a design has been partially outlined upon it. This is the case also with two large initials in St. Luke, i. 1, 5 (ff. 111 b, 112), and with the first verse of St. John (ff. 172, 172 b). Bound in wooden boards, recently covered with morocco. In the upper cover are inserted three plaques of carved ivory, partly gilt, the work of a Byzantine artist of the 13th century. The subject of the central one is the Virgin and Child, with an inscription in red paint, MP KΥ[Μήτηρ Κυρίου]; that on the left represents a saint whose name is almost entirely effaced [St. Theodore?], with the Archangel Michael above, and that on the right another saint, also with partially effaced inscription [St. George?], with the Archangel Gabriel above. Folio.'.