Matthew
was born about 1200, and though of English descent derived his surname
from the French capital, either because it was his birthplace, or
because he was a student at its university. He became a monk of St.
Albans on January 21st, 1217. He went with Abbot John of Hertford to
London to be present at the marriage of Henry III. to Eleanor of
Provence, 1236; and again he went to Westminster Abbey for the
celebration of the feast of the founder, on which occasion he was asked
by the King to write an account of the proceedings. He was sent on a
mission to the Benedictine monastery at Trondhjem in 1248, attended the
royal court at Winchester in 1251, and was present at the marriage of
Henry's daughter to the Scottish King, Alexander II. When Henry III.
spent a week at St. Albans in 1257, he admitted Matthew to his table and
treated him with great confidence, communicating many facts and details
of his life to him. Matthew afterwards exerted his influence with the
King in behalf of the University of Oxford, when its privileges were in
danger from the encroachments of the Bishop of Lincoln. His great work
was the "Historia Major." This professes to give the outlines of human
history from the Creation up to 1259. The work up to 1189 seems to have
been compiled by John de Cella, from 1189 to 1235 by Roger of Wendover.
Matthew of Paris transcribed and edited the work of his two
predecessors, and continued the history from 1235 to 1259. He shows
himself in it a warm advocate of English rights and liberties, and an
opponent of papal and regal tyranny. It is the best early history we
have of our own country up to the beginning of the Barons' War, and is
also an authority on Continental affairs. He wrote too an abridgement of
this work, leaving out the parts dealing with foreign history; this he
called "Historia Anglorum." He also wrote "The Lives of the two Offas"
and the "Lives of Twenty-three Abbots of St. Albans," whence most of the
details of the history of the Abbey given here have been derived. Thomas
of Walsingham, who continued the history, lived in the reigns of Henry
IV. and Henry V.

Against Abbot John it is alleged that he had his commons sent to his
private room, instead of taking his meals with the brethren in the
refectory. When he died he was buried with great honour, "as became so
great a father."

24. #Roger of Norton# (1260-1290). The new Abbot had been one of the
monks; his appointment was confirmed by Pop