Codex Bezae is one of the great treasures of Cambridge University Library, to which it was presented in 1581 by the French Protestant theologian Theodore Beza (1519-1605). Containing most of the four Gospels, and Acts, and written during the fifth century, the codex is one of the most important witnesses to the formation of the Gospels. Its origins are unclear, but it was held in the monastery of St Irenaeus at Lyon for many centuries before coming into Beza's hands during the French Wars of Religion; by giving it to Cambridge, he probably intended to ensure its safety and survival. This edition by Frederick Scrivener (1813-91) was published in 1864, making an important manuscript accessible. After a lengthy introduction to the text and its history, Scrivener provides the parallel Greek and Latin texts of the work, indicating missing sections, abbreviations, lineation and foliation, with editorial notes and alternative readings.
