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.

Matthew, St, an uninhabited island, situated off the western coast of Lower Siam, belonging to the Burmans. Long. 97. 30. E. Lat. 9. 35. N.

Matthias, St, 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 it was rejected as spurious; there were 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 in the college of the apostles, occasioned by the treason and death of Judas Iscariot. The choice fell on Matthias by lot; his competitor being Joseph called Barsabas, and surnamed Justus. Matthias was qualified for the apostleship by having been a constant attendant upon our Saviour during all the time of his ministry. He was probably one of the seventy disciples. After our Lord's resurrection, he preached the gospel, first in Judaea, and afterwards, it appears, travelled eastward, his residence being principally near the junction of the river Ap-sarus and the haven of 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. There existed a gospel ascribed to St Matthias, but it was universally rejected as spurious.