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know that much that is false is found in it. For a certain Seleucus (= Leucius above), who wrote the Passions of the Apostles, composed this book also. But just as he told the truth about their mighty deeds and the miracles done by them, but lied much concerning their doctrine, so here also he forged much that is untrue, of his own heart. On this account I shall be careful to translate it word for word as it is in the Hebrew, inasmuch as it appears that the holy evangelist Matthew composed this same book and prefixed it, concealed as it was in Hebrew letters, to his Gospel. The truth of this statement I leave to the author of the preface and the faith of the writer; for myself, while pronouncing it doubtful, I do not affirm that it is clearly false. This, however, I say boldly, that I believe none of the faithful will deny that, whether this story be true or invented by some one, great miracles preceded the holy birth of Mary, and yet greater ones followed upon it; and therefore this can be believed and read with intact faith and without peril to the soul, by those who believe that God is able to do such things. Finally, as far as my recollection serves me, following the sense, not the words, of the writer, and walking, now in the same path though not in the same footprints, now regaining the same road after some digressions, I shall so attempt (or temper) the style of the narrative, and shall not tell anything but what is either written therein or might reasonably have been written.

A document so full of contradictions can seldom have been put together! 'Seleucus composed the book—no, Matthew composed it: I shall translate it word for word—no, I shall follow the sense, not the words', and so forth.

Finally, some copies have a prologue attributing the writing not to Matthew but to James. Such a prologue was known to Hrosvita, who cites James as her authority. It is as follows:

I, James the son of Joseph, walking in the fear of God, have written all things that I saw with mine own eyes come to pass at the time of the birth of Saint Mary the virgin or of the Lord the Saviour: giving thanks to God who gave me understanding in the histories of his coming, showing forth the fulness of time unto the twelve tribes of Israel.

It is worthy of remark that the last sentence of this evidently late prologue contains the two expressions 'histories' and 'twelve tribes of Israel', which recall the opening words of the Protevangelium, but not of Ps.-Matthew. The clause 'giving thanks to God', &c., comes from Protev. xxv. 1.