A new history of ecclesiastical writers containing an account of the authors of the several books of the Old and New Testament, of the lives and writings of the primitive fathers, an abridgement and catalogue of their works ... also a compendious history of the councils, with chronological tables of the whole / written in French by Lewis Ellies du Pin.

FLODOARD Prebendary of Rheims. * 1.1

FLodoard or Frodoard is not one of the least Ornaments of the Church of Rheims. He was born at Espernay in the year 894. He was Prebendary of the Church of Rheims, and the Scholar of Rhemy of Auxerre, whom Fulcus had invited to Rheims, to be President of the School of his Ca∣nons. In the year 936, he took a Journey to Rome, and in the year 940. he took up a Resolution of going to S. Martin of Tours, because he could not approve of the Promotion of Hugh to the Arch-bishoprick of Rheims. But Count Hebert caus'd him to be apprehended, and took from him the Revenues belonging to the Church of Rheims, which he was in possession of, and the Church of Cormicy which he govern'd. He was for five Months confin'd to that City, till he was brought to Soissons, where he submitted to the Judgment of the Bishops, who confirm'd the Promotion of Hugh. Then he was restor'd to favour; the Revenues which he possess'd were restor'd to him, and the Church of Coroy given him, instead of Cormicy. He assisted at the Council of Verdun, wherein Ar∣taldus was elected Archbishop of Rheims; and liv'd in the World to Odalric's time, into whose hands he resign'd his Benefice, and withdrew into the Solitude of a Monastery, where he dyed in the year 966.

This Author has written an History of the Church of Rheims, divided into four Books. He there∣in gives an Account of the Succession and Lives of the Archbishops, of what they had done or written, and what happened worth the taking notice of under each of them in that Church. The first Book begins with the Apostles, and ends at the death of S. Remy. The Account of the first Bishops is fabulous, and what he says of the following is very uncertain. The Life of S. Remy, the Conversion and Baptism of Clovis take up the greatest and best part of that Book. The second Book contains the Succession and History of the Archbishops of Rheims from S. Remy down to Hincmarus. The third is wholly taken up with the Life of Hincmarus, and with the Abstract of his Writings. The fourth contains the History of Fulcus, and of those who succeeded him down to Odalric. This Hi∣story was publish'd by Father Sirmond, and printed at Paris in the year 1611. and afterwards by Colvenerius who got it to be printed at Doway in the year 1617.

Beside this Piece, Flodoard did likewise compose a Chronicon (for Monsieur Pithon had no grounds to question whether it were his or no.) It began at the year 877. but the first years are lost, and we have only by us the year 919. and those which follow to the 966. where it ends. Bonderius ob∣serves that at Treves there is a Manuscript, which contains several pieces of Poetry of Flodoard; namely, five Books of the Triumphs of the Italian Martyrs and Confessors; three Books of the Tri∣umphs of JESUS CHRIST, and of the Saints of Palestine; and two Books of the Triumphs of JESUS CHRIST at Antioch. But these Pieces have not as yet been publish'd, and no body (as we hear of) has ever seen them since. The Chronicon was publish'd by Monsieur Pithon, and Monsieur Duchesne, in their Collections of the Writers of the History of France.

An ADVERTISEMENT to the following Addition.

As soon as this Volume was printed off, I understood by Father Thierry Ruinard, a Learned Religious Benedictine of the Congregation of S. Maur, that the Treatise of Flodoard concerning the Triumph of the Martyrs, which Bonderius made mention of, was in an ancient Manuscript in the Convent of the unshod Carmelites of that City; and this Father has been pleas'd to communicate the Ab∣stract of that Manuscript to me, which I thought fit to publish.

The ADDITION.

I Have examin'd that Manuscript, the beginning of which is torn; the Work begins at the end of the first Chapter of the third Book. He therein treats of the Martyrs who suffer'd under Valeri∣an's Persecution.

The fourth Book begins with Pope S. Foelix, and treats of the Persecutions of Aurelian, Claudius, Numerian, and Dioclesian. He therein speaks of the Popes according to the times wherein they liv'd.

The Fifth and sixth Books are not there, tho' there seems to be nothing left out.

The seventh treats only of the Persecution under Diocletian.

The eighth has this Title De Persecutione Maximiniani, i. e. Concerning the Persecution under Maxi∣minian.

It begins with the History of S. Marcel, and of all the Martyrs which are in his false Decre∣tals: Afterwards he speaks of the Martyr'd Saints which are worship'd in Italy. The fifteenth Chap∣ter is concerning S. Afra of Augsburgh. The sixteenth is concerning S. Eusebius the Pope.

The ninth Book makes mention of S. Valentine a Martyr at Rome, afterwards of the Martyrs thereabouts; and of the Decretals of S. Sylvester, Gallicanus, S. John, and S. Paul, and of several other Martyrs, who were at Rome in the time of Julian the APOSTATE.

The tenth Book begins at S. Julus the Pope, and ends with Vitalian and A-Deodate. He therein mentions several other Saints; as for instance, in the second Chapter he speaks of Eusebius, whom he calls Praesul, Prelate, who is said to have suffered at Rome under Constance, with Orosus and o∣thers: he speaks of S. Eusebius of Verceil, of Victorine the Rhetorician, and of S. Dennis of Milan; he makes mention of the Translation of the latter, made by S. Basil, who sent his Body to S. Am∣brose. (I have the Letter of S. Basil by me, directed to S. Ambrose, taken out of an ancient Manu∣script, which makes mention of this Translation.) In the third Chapter, where he treats of S. Da∣masus the Pope, he likewise speaks of S. Jerom. In the eighth Chapter he treats of the Schism of Lawrence, of Pascasius the Deacon▪—In the nineteenth of Horsmisdas the Pope, of the Peace in the East, of S. Germain of Capua, of the Restitution of Africa, of S. Remy, of the Conversion of Clovis, of the Crown which he sent to Rome, of the Censular Habits which he receiv'd from the Emperor. In the tenth Chapter he speaks of S. John the Pope, of Symmachus, and of Boëtius, whom Theodoric caus'd to be put to death. In the twelfth Chapter of Cassiodorus, of what Belisairus did a∣gainst the Goths in Italy and Africa. Lastly he treats at large of S. Gregory, and of what happened in his Monastery.

The eleventh Book comprehends the History of the Popes from Agatho down to Christophilus. In the fifth Chapter he speaks at large of Boniface of Germany, whom he stiles Doctor and Martyr. In the sixth Chapter of Charlemagne Prince of France, who turn'd a Religious. In the seventh Chapter of Pope Stephen II. of his Progress into France, of the miraculous Cure he wrought in the Abby of S. Dennis, &c.

The twelfth Book contains the History from Leo IV. to Leo VII. In the first Chapter he speaks of the Palls of Hincmarus, of the Settling the Octave of the Feast of the Assumption of our Lady. In the second Chapter, of John Bishop of Ravenna. In the third Chapter of Hincmarus and of Charles the Bald. In the fourth Chapter of Fulcus Archbishop of Rheims, and of the several Commissions which the Popes granted him. In the fifth Chapter of the Translation of S. Calixtus the Pope to Rheims, which he calls Urbem Nostram, Our City. He treats at large of the Actions of Formosus, whom (he says) Charles▪ King of France desir'd to send him Panem Benedictum, i. e. some Consecrated Bread.

The thirteenth Book is about the Saints which S. Gregory treats of in his Dialogues, and of other Saints of Italy.

The fourteenth Book is about the Guardian Saints, Martyrs, and others of the Cities of Italy. He ends all by S. Colomban and his Disciples.

At the end is an Epitaph of Flodoard himself.

This Manuscript is almost as ancient as Flodoard.

Flodoard's stile is very plain, without any Ornament and without the least Affectation. He makes a great many Extracts, and relates a vast number of Miracles.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Flodoard Prebendary of Rheims