PARIS, MATTHEW, the best Latin chronicler of the 13th c., was b. about 1103, and in 1217 entered the Benedictine monastery of St. Albans. After the departure of Roger of Wendover, iii 1233, Paris was chosen to succeed him as annalist of the monastery. He discharged his functions with veracity and boldness, in consequence of which he greatly displeased some of his contemporaries. The principal external incident of his life was his voyage to Norway, whither he was invited by king Hakon, to repair the financial disorders in the Benedictine monastery of Holm. Paris landed at Bergen. July 10, 1248, was courteously received by the Norwegian monarch, and settled the business about which he came in a satisfactory manner. After his return to England lie stood high in time favor of Henry III., who used to converse with him in the most familiar manner, and from whose lips he derived not a little of the information that makes his Chronicle so valuable. He had also a wide circle of influential friends and acquaintances among the clergy, from whom he obtained materials for his work. Ins death occurred in 1259. Paris had a great reputation in his clay for his virtues and abilities. lie was considered a 'universal scholar, and is said by his laudatory biographers to have been versed in mathematics, poetry. oratory, divinity, history, paintihg, and architecture. One thing about him long kept his memory green in the hearts of his countrymen—he was a patriotic Englishman, and though a sincere Catholic (like all good men of his age), yet lie loved his country better than the pope, and wrote so fiercelyagainst the encroach ments of the court of home in ecclesiastical matters that ln.m Chronicle became, in after
times, a great favorite with the reformers. Paris's principal work is his Historia which begins with the Norman conquest, and extends to the year of the author's death. It was continued by William Rislmnger, also a monk of St. Albans, till the death of Henry III. in 1'272. The first edition was published at London by archbishop Parker in 1571, and was reproduced at Zurich in 1606; later and more complete editions are those of London in 1640-11, and in 1684. The only portion of the Historia Major, how ever, 'which is properly the work of Paris is that extending from 1235 to 1259; the pre vious part being nearly a transcription from the Flores Historiaram, attributed to Roger of Weudover, whence some critics have supposed that Paris is really the author of that work too. But this opinion is strenuously contested by the most recent editor of the Flores Historiarum, the rev. H. 0. Coxe (4 vols. 1841144 Translations both of Paris's Chronicle and that of Roger of Wendover have been published by Bohn in his Anti quarian library. The British museum, and the library of Corpus Christi college at Cambridge, contain mannailipt abridgments of the Ilistoria Major, made by Paris him self, and entitled Chronica Majora Sande Albuai; a second abridgment is known as the .1Estoria Minor. Other works of Paris's are DUOTUM. Oflbrurn Mereiorum Region Vigiate trium Abbatum, 8. Albani Vittv; and Additamenta, being explanatory additions to his Historia Major.