Monday, December 08, 2025

An Unknown 15th Century French Commentator on the Woman of Revelation 12

The British Museum houses a manuscript designated, add ms 17399, which is available online in a variety of places (here is an example).  The manuscript is dated to the fifteenth century (specifically it is thought to date between AD 1475-1499), and the author is currently unknown.  There is a prologue attributed to Gilbert de la Porrée (1076-1154) followed by what the Museum itself describes as "Apocalypse ... in prose with glosses."  I don't think we should assume that the commentary on the Apocalypse is his work, though I would welcome the insights of any French medievalists who may have more insight than I do.

I was gratified to see that the author continues the tradition we saw in Latin commentaries of not mistakenly associating this woman with Mary, the mother of my Lord:


As you can see, the author associates the woman with the holy church.

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