GRATIAN, a famous Benedictine monk, in the 12th
century, was born at Chiusi, and employed near twenty-four years in composing a work, entitled, Decretum, or Concordantia Discordantium Canonum, because he there endeavoured to reconcile the canons, which seemed contradictory to each other. This work he published in 1151. As he is frequently mistaken, in taking one canon of one council, or one passage of one father, for another, and has often cited false decretals, several authors have endeavoured to correct his faults; and chiefly Anthony Augustine, in his excellent work, entitled, De emendatione Gratiani. To the decretals of Gratian, the popes principally owed the great authority they exercised in the thirteenth and following centuries.