St John's College K.17 (James 337)
John Milner, Latin translation of the Targum on Chronicles I and II. 1662.
The colophon to this manuscript, on p. 506, reads 'Absoluta est versio haec Targum librorum Chronicorum, sive Paralipomenon, 15o Novembris an. D. 1662 sub nocte'. The section on Chronicles II begins on p. 239. While it is nowhere stated that John Milner (1628-1703) is the author, the article on Milner in ODNB states that 'St John's College Library received his unpublished manuscripts, including an annotated translation in Latin of the targum on the first and second books of Chronicles'. This manuscript is also referred to in Ralph Thoresby's life of Milner in his Vicaria Leodiensis (London, 1724) p. 119 ('A Translation of the Targum on the first and second Book of Chronicles into Latin, with Annotations'). Milner, a nonjuring clergyman, was educated at Christ's College and spent the years after his deprivation as a guest of St John's.
225 x 175 mm. iv + 506 + iii (blank) + iv pp. (contemporary pagination, p. 257 omitted by mistake). Bequeathed by Humphrey Gower (1638-1711), Master of St John's College, according to a printed label inside the front cover. Gower was a friend and admirer of Milner and clearly kept this manuscript for his own use after the latter's death.
A clean copy in a single hand, written only on the rectos, but with occasional notes and glosses on facing versos. Paper, lightly ruled in pencil. Original quarter binding of leather and marbled paper.