Medieval and Early Modern Greek Manuscripts : Gospel of Mark with Hebrew translation

Medieval and Early Modern Greek Manuscripts

<p style='text-align: justify;'>This is an manuscript of the <i>Gospel of Mark with Hebrew translation</i>, presented alongside the original Greek text on facing pages. It was written between 1583 and 1589, apparently by the translator, the priest and Fellow of Christ's College Richard Clarke or Clerke (d. 1634). Clarke's Hebrew scholarship was reflected in his inclusion among the translators responsible for the first twelve books of the King James Bible.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Clarke dedicated and presented this translation to his patron Walter Mildmay (c. 1520-1589), a senior financial official under successive Tudor monarchs who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer to Queen Elizabeth I from 1566 until his death in 1589. The main text is prefaced not only by a prose dedication in Latin but by a Latin acrostic poem and a brief epigram written in Greek, Hebrew and Syriac translation.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>In the second half of the 17th century, the manuscript was owned by another cleric, Luke Milbourne, who was himself a translator. Although Milbourne had studied at Pembroke Hall, it was to Emmanuel College that he donated it in 1691. This was probably in recognition of the manuscript's links to Mildmay, the founder of Emmanuel.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Dr Christopher Wright</p>