Peter the Singer (Pierre Le Chanteur)

Peter The Singer (Pierre le Chanteur)

a French theologian, was born in Beauvoisis near the beginning of the 12th century. The place of his birth is strongly controverted, and certain authors assert that he was born in Paris or Rheims. It is probable that, educated by the care of Henry of France, brother of the king Louis le Jeune, and bishop of Beauvais in 1149, he followed him to Rheims when he was raised to that seat in 1162. Peter went afterwards to Paris, where he taught theology, and became grand chorister of the cathedral, a dignity which gained him the surname under which he was known (1184). Elected in 1191 bishop of Tournay, he saw his election broken for want of form, and was in 1196 called to the episcopal seat of Paris, but without being more fortunate this time. He was supplanted by Eudes de Sully. The pope charged him to preach the crusade in France; but Peter, weakened by disease, confided this care to Foulques, cure of Neuilly-sur-Marne, his disciple, and died in the garb of a monk at Longpont, September 22, 1197, when he had just been elected dean of Rheims. Of his numerous writings a single one has been published under the title of Verbum abbreviatum, because it commences with these words (Mons, 1639, 4to). See Hist. Litt. 15:283-303; Muldrac, Hist. de l'Abb. de Longpont; Dupin, Auteurs Eccles. du Treizieme Siecle. — Hoefer, Nouv, Biog. Genesis 40:192.