MATTHEW, or Gospel of St Matthew, a canonical book of the New Testament.

St Matthew wrote his gospel in Judea, at the request of those he had converted; and it is thought he began in the year 41, eight years after Christ's resurrection. It was written, according to the testimony of all the ancients, in the Hebrew or Syriac language; but the Greek version, which now passes for the original, is as old as the apostolical times.

St Matthew the Evangelist's Day, a festival of the Christian church, observed on September 21st.

St Matthew, the son of Alpheus, was also called Levi. He was of a Jewish original, as both his names discover, and probably Galilean. Before his call to the apostolate, he was a publican or toll-gatherer to the Romans, an office of bad repute among the Jews, on account of the covetousness and exaction of Matthew, those who managed it; St Matthew's office particularly consisting in gathering the customs of all merchandise that came by the sea of Galilee, and the tribute that passengers were to pay who went by water. And here it was that Matthew sat at the receipt of customs, when our Saviour called him to be a disciple. It is probable, that, living at Capernaum, the place of Christ's usual residence, he might have some knowledge of him before he was called. Matthew immediately expressed his satisfaction in being called to this high dignity, by entertaining our Saviour and his disciples at a great dinner at his own house, whither he invited all his friends, especially those of his own profession, hoping, probably, that they might be influenced by the company and conversation of Christ. St Matthew continued with the rest of the apostles till after our Lord's ascension. For the first eight years afterwards, he preached in Judea. Then he betook himself to propagating the gospel among the Gentiles, and chose Ethiopia as the scene of his apostolical ministry; where it is said he suffered martyrdom, but by what kind of death is altogether uncertain. It is pretended, but without any foundation, that Hyrtaeus, king of Ethiopia, desiring to marry Iphigenia, the daughter of his brother and predecessor Ægillus, and the apostle having represented to him that he could not lawfully do it, the enraged prince ordered his head immediately to be cut off. Baronius tells us, the body of St Matthew was transported from Ethiopia to Bithynia, and from thence was carried to Salernum in the kingdom of Naples in the year 954, where it was found in 1080, and where Duke Robert built a church bearing his name.

St Matthew, a town of Spain, in the kingdom of Arragon, seated in a pleasant plain, and in a very fertile country watered with many springs. W. Long. o. 15. N. Lat. 40. 22.

Matthew of Paris. See PARIS.

Matthew of Westminster, a Benedictine monk and accomplished scholar, who wrote a history from the beginning of the world to the end of the reign of Edward I. under the title of Flores Historiarum; which was afterwards continued by other hands. He died in 1380.

St Matthias, an apostle, was chosen instead of Judas. He preached in Judea and part of Ethiopia, and suffered martyrdom. See the Acts of the Apostles, chap. i. There was a gospel published under Matthias's name, but rejected as spurious; as likewise some traditions, which met with the same fate.

St Matthias's Day, a festival of the Christian church, observed on the 24th of February. St Matthias was an apostle of Jesus Christ, but not of the number of the twelve chosen by Christ himself. He obtained this high honour upon a vacancy made in the college of the apostles by the treason and death of Judas Iscariot. The choice fell on Matthias by lot; his competitor being Joseph called Barsabas, and surmised Justus. Matthias was qualified for the apostleship, by having been a constant attendant upon our Saviour all the time of his ministry. He was, probably, one of the 70 disciples. After our Lord's resurrection, he preached the gospel first in Judea. Afterwards Afterwards it is probable he travelled eastward, his residence being principally near the irruption of the river Apsarus and the haven Hyssus. The barbarous people treated him with great rudeness and inhumanity; and, after many labours and sufferings in converting great numbers to Christianity, he obtained the crown of martyrdom; but by what kind of death, is uncertain.—They pretend to show the relics of St Matthias at Rome; and the famous abbey of St Matthias near Treves boasts of the same advantage; but doubtless both without any foundation. There was a gospel ascribed to St Matthias; but it was universally rejected as spurious.

**MATTIACÆ AQUÆ**, or **MATTIACI FONTES**, in Ancient Geography, now Wishbaden, opposite to Mentz, in Weteravia. E. Long. 8. N. Lat. 50. 6.

**MATTIACUM**, or **MATTIUM**, in Ancient Geography, a town of the Mattiaci, a branch of the Catti in Germany. Now Marpurg in Hesse. E. Long. 8. 40. N. Lat. 50. 40.

**MATTINS**, the first canonical hour, or the first part of the daily service in the Romish church.

**MATTHIOLUS, PETER ANDREW**, an eminent physician in the 16th century, born at Sienna, was well skilled in the Greek and Latin tongues. He wrote learned commentaries on Dioscorides, and other works which are esteemed; and died in 1577.

**Maturants**, in Pharmacy, medicines which promote the suppuration of tumors.

**MATY, MATTHEW, M. D.** an eminent physician and polite writer, was born in Holland in the year 1718. He was the son of a clergyman, and was originally intended for the church; but in consequence of some mortifications his father met with from the synod, on account of the peculiar sentiments he entertained about the doctrine of the Trinity, turned his thoughts to physic. He took his degree of M. D. at Leyden; and in 1740 came to settle in England, his father having determined to quit Holland for ever. In order to make himself known, he began in 1749 to publish in French an account of the productions of the English press, printed at the Hague under the name of the Journal Britannique. This journal, which continues to hold its rank amongst the best of those which have appeared since the time of Bayle, answered the chief end he intended by it, and introduced him to the acquaintance of some of the most respectable literary characters of the country he had made his own. It was to their active and uninterrupted friendship he owed the places he afterwards possessed. In 1758 he was chosen fellow, and in 1765, on the resignation of Dr Birch, who died a few months after, and had made him his executor, secretary to the Royal Society. He had been appointed one of the under librarians of the British museum at its first institution in 1753, and became principal librarian at the death of Dr Knight in 1772. Useful in all these situations, he promised to be eminently so in the last, when he was seized with a languishing disorder, which in 1776 put an end to a life which had been uniformly devoted to the pursuit of science and the offices of humanity. He was an early and active advocate for inoculation; and when there was a doubt entertained that one might have the smallpox this way a second time, tried it upon himself unknown to his family. He was a member of the medical club (with the Drs Parsons, Templeman, Maty, Fothergill, Watson and others), which met every fortnight in St Paul's Churchyard. He was twice married, viz. the first time to Mrs Elizabeth Boisragon; and the second to Mrs Mary Deners. He left a son and three daughters. He had nearly finished the Memoirs of the earl of Chesterfield; which were completed by his son-in-law Mr Justamond, and prefixed to that nobleman's Miscellaneous Works, 1777, 2 vols 4to.

**Maty, Paul Henry**, M. A. F. R. S. son of the former, was born in 1745, and was educated at Westminster and Trinity college, Cambridge, and had their travelling fellowship for three years. He was afterwards chaplain to Lord Stormont at Paris, and soon after vacated his next fellowship by marrying one of the three daughters of Joseph Clerk, Esq. and sister of Captain Charles Clerk (who succeeded to the command on the death of Captain Cook). On his father's death in 1776, he was appointed to the office of one of the under librarians of the British Museum, and was afterwards preferred to a superior department, having the care of the antiquities, for which he was eminently qualified. In 1776 he also succeeded his father in the office of secretary to the Royal Society. On the disputes respecting the reinstatement of Dr Hutton in the department of secretary for foreign correspondence in 1784, Mr Maty took a warm and distinguished part, and resigned the office of secretary; after which he undertook to assist gentlemen or ladies in perfecting their knowledge of the Greek, Latin, French, and Italian classics. Mr Maty was a thinking conscientious man; and having conceived some doubts about the articles he had subscribed in early life, he never could be prevailed upon to place himself in the way of ecclesiastical preferment, though his connexions were amongst those who could have served him essentially in this point; and soon after his father's death he withdrew himself from ministering in the established church, his reasons for which he published in the 47th volume of the Gent. Magazine, p. 466. His whole life was thenceforwards taken up in literary pursuits. He received 100l. from the duke of Marlborough, with a copy of that beautiful work, the Gemmae Marlburicenses, of which only 100 copies were worked off for presents; and of which Mr Maty wrote the French account, as Mr Bryant did the Latin. In January 1782 he set on foot a Review of publications, principally foreign, which he carried on, with great credit to himself and satisfaction to the public, for near five years, when he was obliged to discontinue it from ill health. He had long laboured under an asthmatic complaint, which at times made great ravages in his constitution, and at last put a period to his life in Jan. 1787, at the age of 42; leaving behind him one son.—Mr Maty was eminently acquainted with ancient and modern literature, and particularly conversant in critical researches. The purity and probity of his nature were unquestionable; and his humanity was as exquisite as it would have been extensive, had it been seconded by his fortune.

**Maubeuge**, a fortified town of the Netherlands, in Hainault, which formerly contained an abbey of canonesses, who were noble both by the father and mother's side. In 1678 this place was ceded to France, in whose possession it still remains. In September Maubeuge in 1793, the Austrians formed the blockade of this place, but were driven from their position in the following month. It is seated on the river Sambre, in E. Long. 4° 2' N. Lat. 50° 16'.