The codex contains a complete text of the four Gospels on 309 leaves (size 22.8 cm by 17.8 cm).[2] The last verse in the Gospel of John was supplied by a later hand.[3] The text is written in one column per page, 22 lines per page.[2][4]
There are four decorated head-pieces and ornamental initial letters in colour and gold, one at the beginning of each Gospel.
The text is divided according to the κεφαλαια (chapters), whose numbers are given at the margin, and their τιτλοι (titles of chapters) at the top of the pages. There is also another division according to the smaller Ammonian Sections (in Matthew 355, Mark 234 - 16:9, Luke 342, John 232 sections), whose numbers are given at the margin with references to the Eusebian Canons (written below Ammonian Section numbers).[4]
It contains the Epistula ad Carpianum, the Eusebian Canon tables at the beginning, tables of the κεφαλαια (tables of contents) before each Gospel, subscriptions at the end of each Gospel, with numbers of στιχοι.[3][4]
There are some notes made by later hand at the margin.
The Greek text of the codex is a representative of the Byzantine text-type. Aland placed it in Category V.[5]
It is a member of the textual family E (Soden's Ki). According to the Claremont Profile Method it represents the textual family Kx in Luke 1, Luke 10, and Luke 20.[6]
Minuscule 446 probably was rewritten from this manuscript.
In 1674 the archbishop of Proconesus presented this manuscript to John Covel (1637–1722), British chaplain in Constantinople, and in 1677 Covel brought it from Sinai to England along with minuscule 110.[7]
Then the manuscript belonged to Robert Harley, and to his son Edward Harley.[8] In 1753 it was purchased along with other manuscripts of the collection by the British Museum.
The manuscript was examined by John Mill (as Cov. 1) and Griesbach.[4] Griesbach allocated to it number 167 on his list. C. R. Gregory saw it in 1883.[4]
^ abcdK. Aland, M. Welte, B. Köster, K. Junack, "Kurzgefasste Liste der griechischen Handschriften des Neues Testaments", Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York 1994, p. 50.
Cyril Ernest Wright, Fontes Harleiani: A Study of the Sources of the Harleian Collection of Manuscripts in the British Museum (London: British Museum, 1972), p. 116.