GREGORY of Tours.
GEorgius Florentius Gregorius Bishop of Tours, was descended of an Illustrious Family of Arvernia, and the Son of Florentius Brother of Gullus Bishop of Clermont. He succeeded Euphronius Bishop of * 1.1 Tours in the Year 574.
The principal Work of Gregory is his History of France, divided into ten Books. In the first, having made a Confession of his Faith, and given a Scheme or Abridgment of Ecclesi∣astical History from the beginning of the World, he relates the Origine of Christianity among the Gauls, by Photinus Bishop of Lyons, and the famous Mission of seven Bishops sent in time of the Emperor Decius, viz. St. Saterninus to Tholouse, St. Gatianus to Tours, St. Trophimus to Arle••, St. Paul to Narbonna, St. Denis to Paris, St. Stremonius to Clermont, and St. Martial to Lemovicum. He con∣cludes this Book with the death of St. Martin, and in those that follow he continues the Ecclesiasti∣cal and Profane History of the Gauls and Franks until his own time, i. e. until the Year 596. Fre∣degarius has since added to it an eleventh Book, wherein he has continued the History to the Reign of Charlemagne.
He wrote also eight other Books, concerning the Miracles or the Lives of the Saints. In the first he relates the Miracles of Jesus Christ, the Apostles and Martyrs: In the second he recounts many Miracles of St. Justin, who was martyr'd in Arvernia. The four following Books contain many Miracles of St. Martyn of Tours; the seventh contains the Lives of some Holy Monks; entitled, The Lives of the Fathers, at the end whereof is a Letter concerning the History of the seven Sleepers: And the last is concerning the Glory or the Miracles of some holy Confessors. He himself mentions his Works, which were printed at Paris in 1640.
Besides this, he wrote a Commentary upon the Psalms, and composed a Treatise De Cursibus Ec∣clesiasticis, or The Divine Offices: The Lives of some Saints are also attributed to him. He speaks of a Preface which he had prefix'd to a Treatise of Messes written by Sidonius. Sigibert says that he compos'd his History of France in the way of an Epitome, and made a Chronicon.
This Author had reason to confess himself that his style was rude and rustical; which ought not to be taken for a Figure, but a sincere Confession of the thing as it is: His style is low and mean, his words are harsh. He was credulous and simple as to the matter of Miracles, and vented boldly such Histories as are uncer••ain or fabulous. But notwithstanding this his History is very useful, and contains many things of great consequence. He died in the Year 596.