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.

Saint MARTIALIS.

SAint Martialis came into France with St. Dionysins a 1.1 under the Emperor Decius towards the year of our Lord 250. Two Letters attributed to him, one written to the People of Burdeaux, the other to those of Tholouse, which were said to be found in the Vestry of b 1.2 St. Peter of Limoges in the Eleventh Century, and have been since c 1.3 frequently Printed, and inserted into the last Biblio∣theca Patrum, though no man questions that these Letters are Supposititious. For in the first place the Author tells us, that he lived with Jesus Christ, which can by no means agree with him who was Bishop of Limoges in 252. Secondly, in the Eighth Chapter of the Second Letter, he saith, that he Baptized King Stephen, and another Tyrant with his Noblemen. Now in the time of Martialis there was nei∣ther King nor Tyrant in France. Thirdly, he tells us, that in his time the Temples of the Gods were demolished, and that Churches were built by the Kings Authority, which does not agree with the time of St. Martialis. Fourthly, the Texts of Scripture quoted in these Letters follow the vulgar Transla∣ation, which was composed long after. Fifthly, the Author tells us, that he had eaten with Jesus Christ at the last Supper, though it is certain that none but the Apostles were there.

The Life of St. Martialis, Printed at the end of Abdias, which carries the Name of Aurelian Bishop of Limoges, is a spurious Piece, no less than the Epistles of that Bishop, and full as Fabulous as the Histo∣ry of Abdias, to which it is joyned. The Author by a very gross Error supposes, that Vespasian succeed∣ed Nero immediately. He tells us that St. Martialis received from Jesus Christ after his Resurrection, the same Power which the Apostles had; that he never suffered either Hunger, Thirst, or Pain, and recounts several other Fables concerning him, which are no less ridiculous than those that are to be found upon the same Subject in the two Councils of Limoges, held in the Years 1029, and 1031.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Under the Emperor Decius.] St. Gregory of Tours is the Man that fixes this Epocha of the com∣ing of St. Denis, Martialis, and their Colleagues into France. There is no Author extant, who is either more ancient or more worthy to be believed than St. Gregory, that has given us any Account of their arrival there any sooner.
• b 1.2

  Peter of Limoges.] This Story is related by a Monk called Gausius, in a Chronicle which is to be found in the Bibliotheca Patrum, p. 288, 289. first printed in the year 1521, with Abdias, and af∣terwards in 1571, and 1614.
• c 1.3

  Frequently Printed.] They were first printed by Badius in the Year 1521, afterwards by B••rdes in the Year 1573, with the Notes of Elmenhorstius at Helmstad in 1614, at Basil in 1655, at Colen in 1560.