Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/180

 IjU the ML'NIMENTS of the ABBEV of WESTMINSTER. Flete, sacrist and prior at the end of that century (whose ]IS. is in the Chapter Library) ; and Sporle, who nourished about the year 14oi), and who, being the latest writer, and copying ahnost entirely from Flete, thought proper to carry back the history of the Abbey earlier than any other, asserting it to have been built in the year 184, when King Lucius embraced Christianity ; and that his story was not entirely disbelieved might be inferred from the fact that the charter of King Lucius is said to have been pleaded by Dean Goodman as to the question of Sanctuary.^ Of the mysterious ^Yritcr, ^Matthew of Westminster, whose " Flores Ilistoriarum" was one of the first historical MS. published by Archbishop Parker in 1567, little was known till ►Sir F. Madden edited the works of ][atthew Paris in 18GG, and cleared up the mystery. There is no doubt that the name, ^latthew of Westminster, is a composite growing out of the circumstances of the work. The Chronicle was written at St. Albans by ]Iatthcw Paris to about the year 1265, then sent to Westminster, and continued by monks there from that year to about 1325, principally by one John lievere, about whom 1 was enabled to furnish a few particulars from the Abbey muniments. •' Sc'O "Hifitorical Memorials of Wesitmmstcr Abbey," p. 380.