=Mathis=, a German miller, greatly in debt. One Christmas Eve a Polish Jew came to his house in a sledge, and, after rest and refreshment, started for Nantzig, “four leagues off.” Mathis followed him, killed him with an axe, and burnt the body in a lime-kiln. He then paid his debts, greatly prospered, and became a highly respected burgomaster. On the wedding night of his only child, Annette, he died of apoplexy, of which he had previous warning by the constant sound of sledge-bells in his ears. In his dream he supposed himself put into a mesmeric sleep in open court, when he confessed everything, and was executed.--J. R. Ware, _The Polish Jew_. ⁂ This is the character which first introduced H. Irving to public notice. =Math´isen=, one of the three anabaptists who induced John of Leyden to join their rebellion; but no sooner was John proclaimed “the prophet-king” than the three rebels betrayed him to the emperor. When the villains entered the banquet-hall to arrest their dupe, they all perished in the flames of the burning palace.--Meyerbeer, _Le Prophète_ (an opera, 1849). =Matilda=, wife of the earl of Leicester, in the “first American tragedy regularly produced” in the United States. She plans to poison her lord, a plot discovered and thwarted by him. In shame and remorse she stabs herself to the heart, praying Leicester to “pity her youthful paramour.”--William Dunlap, _Leicester, A Tragedy_ (1794). _Matilda_, sister of Rollo and Otto, dukes of Normandy, and daughter of Sophia.--Beaumont and Fletcher, _The Bloody Brother_ (1639). _Matilda_, daughter of Lord Robert Fitzwalter. ⁂ Michael Drayton has a poem of some 650 lines, so called. _Matilda_, daughter of Rokeby, and niece of Mortham. Matilda was beloved by Wilfred, son of Oswald; but she herself loved Redmond, her father’s page, who turned out to be Mortham’s son.--Sir W. Scott, _Rokeby_ (1812). =Matsys= (_Quintin_), a blacksmith of Antwerp. He fell in love with Liza, the daughter of Johann Mandyn, the artist. The father declared that none but an artist should have her to wife; so Matsys relinquished his trade, and devoted himself to painting. After a while, he went into the studio of Mandyn to see his picture of the fallen angel; and on the outstretehed[TN-6] leg of one of the figures painted a bee. This was so life-like, that when the old man returned, he proceeded to frighten it off with his handkerchief. When he discovered the deception, and found out it was done by Matsys, he was so delighted that he at once gave Liza to him for wife. =Matthew Merrygreek=, the servant of Ralph Roister Doister. He is a flesh-and-blood representative of “vice” in the old morality-plays.--Nicholas Udall, _Ralph Roister Doister_ (the first English comedy, 1634). =Matthias de Monçada=, a merchant. He is the father of Mrs. Witherington, wife of General Witherington.--Sir W. Scott, _The Surgeon’s Daughter_ (time, George II.).