Lantbert

ON SAINT LANTBERT, FORMER ABBOT OF FONTENELLE, ARCHBISHOP OF LYON.

ABOUT THE YEAR 688.

Lantbert, from Abbot of Fontenelle, Archbishop of Lyon in Gaul (St.)

BY G. H.

[1] Fontenelle, on the river Seine in present-day Normandy, between Rouen and the Ocean, an illustrious Abbey, was built in the seventh century of Christ by St. Wandregisilus, from whom also it is commonly called St. Wandrille. Chronicle of Fontenelle, To this founder and first Abbot, St. Lantbert, of whom we now treat, was subrogated. There exists a Chronicle of Fontenelle, sometimes cited by us from our copy, afterwards published by Luc d'Achery in volume 3 of the Spicilegium, drawn up in the time of the Emperor Louis the Pious: and because at that time the method of reckoning time from the birth of Christ and inserting Indictions with years or at least the names of the Roman Pontiffs was in its first vigor, the same was done by the author of the said Chronicle and by the writers of the said monastery;

even in earlier centuries, in which such calculation had not yet been adopted in Gaul. Hence not without various errors such notes are found inserted in the Acts of SS. Wandregisilus, and various Lives of Saints have years of Christ inserted wrongly. Lantbert and their successor Abbots, indeed also in the Life of St. Audoenus Archbishop of Rouen, by whom St. Wandregisilus was initiated into sacred Orders, in whose diocese he built his monastery: There exists a double Life of St. Wandregisilus, both by a contemporary author; in one of which, by an author who was a monk of Fontenelle, from the Chronicle of Fontenelle; so that it might be known when the said monastery was built, this note of time is inserted: "This work began from the year of the Lord's Incarnation 645, on the day of the Kalends of March, Indiction III, which was the 11th year of King Clovis, with the most blessed Pope Martin presiding in the Seat of the Roman Church in his 7th year." Thus there. But with the said year 645 only Indiction III agrees. But St. Martin the Pope was only created in the month of July of the year 649, and so much the more distant is his 7th year, which he had in the month of March far from his Roman See in exile, with St. Eugene II already substituted in his place as Vicar. Finally the 11th year of Clovis found by them, because they wished him to have been substituted for his father Dagobert I in the year 633 and indeed from the 19th day of January, so that in the 3rd year of Clovis, of Christ 635, they might assert that SS. Eloi and Audoenus were consecrated Bishops on May 14, the Sunday before Rogations or the Ascension of Christ, which in the said year with cycle of the Moon 9, of the Sun 28, Dominical letter A, and Easter concurring on the 9th day of April, these things would have agreed in this manner. But how the aforesaid things about the consecration of Bishops Eloi and Audoenus are to be taken, we give in the Dissertation on the three Dagoberts Kings of the Franks, renewed and established, and illustrated with new characters of the times, before the third volume of this month of April: whence we conclude that, in the said Chronicle of Fontenelle, the death of Dagobert I is anticipated by five years.

[2] We say moreover that, Dagobert having died in the year 638, on the 19th day of January, In the year 648 Fontenelle was built: Clovis II succeeded, and his 11th year of reign corresponds to the year 648, in which year the cenobium of Fontenelle began to be built on the day of the Kalends of March. From which day St. Wandregisilus lived until July 22, of the year 667, in which he died, in the 19th year of his rule, 4th month, 21st day, which is called the eleventh year of Chlothar III in the said Life of St. Wandregisilus, in the year 667 St. Lantbert succeeds St. Wandregisilus, who succeeded his father Clovis in the year 656. Therefore in the 11th year of this Chlothar, of Christ 667 still in the month of July, St. Lantbert was created Abbot of Fontenelle: and because he governed the same monastery for 13 years and 8 months, he left it at least at the end of March of the year 681, in which he was ordained Archbishop of Lyon: Meanwhile while he was Abbot, King Chlothar III having died, in the year 670 declining toward the end, his younger Brother Theodoric succeeded, and when he was expelled in the year 671 Childeric was summoned from Austrasia, who when he had not fully ruled four years, ordained in the year 681 Archbishop of Lyon. killed in the year 675, had Theodoric his brother as successor: in whose 6th year St. Ansbert succeeded St. Lantbert in the government of the Fontenelle cenobium: and his second year corresponds to the 7th year of the reign of Theodoric, as Aigrad relates in the Life of St. Condedus on October 21, and confirms our calculation. Indeed in the same Life of St. Condedus the 3rd year of King Theodoric, and the 11th year of St. Lantbert (for so the characters inverted from IX must be corrected, as the passage indicated before demands) on October 10 agree in the year of Christ 678. But the said Ansbert, by St. Lantbert and other Bishops was consecrated as Archbishop of Rouen, when on the 24th of August, St. Audoenus, Bishop of the same city, had died in the year 683, he consecrates in the year 683 St. Ansbert Archbishop of Rouen. that is after 43 years, 4 months and 10 days of rule. Where again the Fontenelle interpolators placed the year 677, in the published and MS. Life. But from their established principles it should have been the following year 678, perhaps erroneously noted by an easy error of copyists. However long St. Lantbert governed the said Church of Lyon, is not clear. Mabillon refers the year of his death to the year 688; but on what argument he relied, he does not indicate.

[3] Aigrad, a contemporary author, wrote the Acts of St. Lantbert, as also of SS. Ansbert and Condedus. But hitherto only some fragment of them, A fragment of the Life is given with analecta found by Luc d'Achery and published in the Appendix of the Acts, which d'Achery and Mabillon published concerning the Saints of the Benedictine Order: from whose part 2 of volume 3 we here give the same fragment, and illustrate it with our notes: and we attach to it what is held concerning the same in the Acts of SS. Ansbert, Hermeland, Erembert and Condedus; all of whom under the same St. Lantbert led a monastic life among the Fontenelle. There is also an illustrious mention of the same St. Lantbert in the cited Life of St. Wandregisilus: which is nearly the same, as some things from the Life of St. Ansbert, are repeated below in the Fragment of this Life, and therefore we omit them.

[4] The sacred cultus of St. Lantbert among the Fontenelle is ancient, and can thence be gathered, sacred cultus, because among them there existed some old copy of the Hieronymian Martyrology, in which as on July 22 in the first place is referred with illustrious encomium the memorial of St. Wandregisilus, and on March 9 toward the end the memorial of St. Ansbert, and on April 30 the translation of St. Erembert; so on this day April 14 these words were inscribed: "And in the city of Lyon the passing of Dom Landibert the Bishop." Which words afterwards in the Lucca codex were intruded by the copyist among the Martyrs of Interamna, of whom we have treated; perhaps because they had been inscribed in the margin before. In the MS. codex Blumianum of the same Hieronymian Martyrology, with a few things changed, it is called the Deposition of Landibert. In the MS. Martyrology of Brussels of the Church of St. Gudula, which is the principal of the said city, these things are read: "The passing of St. Lantbert Bishop of Lyon, disciple of St. Wandregisilus, and second Rector of the cenobium of Fontenelle after him." Nearly the same things are held in the MS. Florarium Sanctorum. In the ancient Breviary of Fontenelle his festivity is expressed in red letters. Grevenus and Molanus in the Additions to Usuard make mention of St. Lantbert on the same day, and again Molanus with a longer encomium in the Natales Sanctorum Belgii, Miraeus in the Belgian and Burgundian Fasti, Saussay in the Gallican Martyrology, Canisius in the German, and with these the Tables of the Roman Martyrology in these words: "At Lyon, of St. Lambert Bishop and Confessor." We were at Lyon and Fontenelle in the year 1662, and learned that in this cenobium he is celebrated with solemn cultus: but at Lyon we received the Calendar and Lives of the Saints of the Breviary of Lyon, by the author Stephen Vernay the Priest, whence we have an illustrious encomium taken from his Acts: such as Theophile Raynaud published, but much more copiously, in his Indiculus of the Saints of Lyon.

[5] A controversy has recently arisen concerning the Rule which St. Wandregisilus prescribed to his followers, and which SS. Lantbert and Ansbert observed. also among the Benedictines. We, outside the line of the dispute, to the Life of St. Ansbert we brought forward the long elogium of Wion, and then we cited Dorganius and Menardus. In the same manner we do in this place. Trithemius in book 4 of the Lives of the Illustrious of the Order of St. Benedict, chapter 4, celebrates St. Lantbert, but erroneously makes him Archbishop of Bourges: when this error had been corrected, Wion, Dorganius, Menardus, Bucelinus inscribed him in the Benedictine Martyrologies. Charles Lecointe opposes himself to the Benedictines in the Ecclesiastical Annals of the Franks under the year 667, number 1 and following, and under the year 734 number 69. Against him Jean Mabillon in the Preface to part 2 of volume 3 of the Acts of the Benedictine Saints, number 35 and following, defends the Benedictines and rejects the arguments of the other: all of which can be seen there in the said authors. Whatever may be about the opposition of Lecointe, the ancient cultus of St. Lantbert suffices, which the Benedictines can and must retain among the Saints of their Order.

[6] The Life now to be given had this title prefixed to it: "Begin the Acts of Blessed Lantbert the Abbot, who was the second after Blessed Genesius made Prelate of the Church of Lyon, Title of the Life. and after the life-giving Wandregisilus Rector of the cenobium of Fontenelle for thirteen years and eight months, who also built the cenobium of Donzère in the region called Provincia, above the river Rhone, in whose time very many things accrued to our Church." Thus there. From which we gather that the Author of the Life was a monk of Fontenelle, and as we said Aigrad the contemporary author. Now St. Lantbert was the second Bishop of Lyon from St. Genesius, that is, his nearest successor.

FRAGMENT OF THE LIFE.

Drawn from MSS. by Luc d'Achery.

Lantbert, from Abbot of Fontenelle, Archbishop of Lyon in Gaul (St.)

BHL Number: 4675

[1] Lantbert, a man exceedingly distinguished, and sprung from the lineage of the most noble family, born of a father, by name ^a Erlebert in the territory of Thérouanne, succeeds first in the government of the cenobium to the great Priest of the Lord and in Christ the admirable Father ^b Wandregisilus. St. Lantbert of Thérouanne, He in the court of the young King Chlothar, son of ^c Clovis, first served in a secular habit, although his mind panted more for another warfare, having left the King's court as the outcome of the matter is an indication. Finally in the ^d eighth year of the young King, having deserted the warfare of the corruptible King, and having laid aside the swords formed from ^e iron, he most devotedly flew to the shining camps of Christ; and clothed with the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of faith, and the sword of the Holy Spirit, he happily fought against the invisible enemy. He received also the tonsure of his head in this cenobium, under the aforesaid venerable Father Wandregisilus of holy memory, that is in the fourth year before the servant of Christ himself entered the way of the Fathers. For there were uncles of his, most distinguished men and most noble in the world, whose names are ^e Rotbert and Altbert (of whom the former Rotbert at that time had been chief Referendary of the palace, Led by his uncles to Fontenelle, he becomes a monk: the second Altbert at a later time received from the holy man Lantbert himself the habit of the ^f Clerical state), who led the same distinguished man honorably to this cenobium of Fontenelle, though they wished to turn him from this intention, so that he might rather remain in the secular habit. Who on the day of the cutting of his hair, among other little gifts of various kinds, bestowed seventy gold solidi on the aforesaid great Father, which in his ornaments had been inserted by smith's work, namely in the baldric, belts and bracelets. For he was of most wealthy and honorable parents, and in the royal house was to be honored not moderately, but shining in the greatest honor: for just as he showed himself noble in worldly affairs, so he rendered himself more noble by the innocence of his life. Now the aforesaid

admirable Father of the cenobium loved him, on account of the distinguished operation of his chaste conversation in him. By what order indeed he took up the order of government after him, is now to be said in the present work.

[2] When therefore the blessed aforesaid ^g Wando of Christ had held this cenobium in his government for 19 years and ^h five months from the first day of its building, he succeeds St. Wandregisilus: and was already placed in decrepit and old age, the same, ninety-six years old, is seized with a slight illness before the day of his death. And already being placed in his last moments, and intent on the agony of his dissolution, the whole company of the Brothers asks of him whom he would appoint as Rector over them after his departure. To whom he is said to have given this response: "God, my dearest Sons, I believe, will after my death provide you the best Rector: I however, a suppliant servant, implore his clemency, that he may grant to his family a worthy steward, who may grant it a double provision. But you, dearest ones, consult his will, and place in his judgment always what is to be done, and no longer weary my course, but rather protect me with your prayers, and always remember my admonitions. I commend today your care to Christ the highest Shepherd of all: may he grant you so to retain in mind my tiny admonitions, and constantly keep his most sweet precepts, that you may deserve happily to arrive at his eternal brightness. There are however two in your presence, my most delightful sons, to whom, after my little dissolution, the place of government will fall." Now this Lantbert was one of the two, and the other the most distinguished Ansbert, both sufficiently marked with virtues of most excellent religion and comrades in the work of God. When the servant of God had completed this sacred address, he gave back his soul to heaven, to be joined to the angelic choirs, to possess the happiness of Paradise, on the 11th Kalends day, on the ⁱ 7th day of the week, Indiction VII. After his most glorious passing, the whole band of monks implored the clemency of Christ, celebrating a three-day fast with all devotion. When this was most devoutly celebrated, it elects the aforesaid Lantbert to be substituted in the place of government, and he presided for 43 years and 8 months, in the year of the Lord's Incarnation 665, in the Indiction written above, which was the eleventh year of the aforesaid young King Lothar; and moreover the ^k seventh year of Pope Vitalian had already passed. He remained in the same cenobium for thirteen years and eight months under three brother Kings, holding the scepters of the kingdom of the Franks in turn by order, that is Chlothar, Childeric, and Theodoric.

[3] Now the same venerable Father Lantbert was chaste in work, venerable to Kings on account of his virtues, diffuse in charity, most firm in faith, prudent in counsels, conspicuous in goodness, affable in conversations, and prompt in every best thing; of tall stature also, and comely in appearance: from the lowest sole of the foot to the very top of the head he was most elegant. Indeed all the aforesaid Kings wished to call him no otherwise, both in their mutual conversations and also in the descriptions of privileges or letters which they extended to him, "Lord and in Christ our Father the venerable Abbot Lantbert." For after the aforesaid young King Chlothar had ended his life, ^l and had left his brothers Childeric and Theodoric surviving, and a violent contention had arisen between them for the summit of the Kingdom; with some favoring the part of Childeric, others inclining toward Theodoric; so this venerable man rendered himself cautious, so that he inclined to neither part, until a part of the people might overcome the rival part. For when Childeric had been raised to the throne of the Kingdom, he was held in such great honor by him, that whatever he asked from him, he obtained without any obstacle of difficulty. Which also from the grants of certain possessions, and remaining in the middle between them contending for the throne, which he bestowed on the same venerable Father and this cenobium, it is clear to be manifest. Finally at the petition of his Queen Bilhild and the venerable Bishops, that is of ^m Leodegar of good memory, Bishop, who was afterwards made a most glorious Martyr, ⁿ also of Nivo the Bishop, he is given estates by Childeric. and of Ermonius; and of the illustrious men, whose names are these, ^o Fucoald, Amalric, Wulfoald Major-domo of the royal house, [p] Bavo, Waning, Adalbert, Gerinus the brother of the famous aforesaid Leodegar the Bishop, he bestowed on the aforesaid venerable Father two fiscs, whose names are [q] Ulmius and Warinna, which are situated in the district of Tellau near the rivers called Tella and Warinna, with all their adjacent properties, that is Crisciacus, Seda, Magnerotus, and again Magnerotus, Neon and Toscariae, together with land on the shore of the sea, and areas of salt pits and fisheries, which had been established there; also vines in Warnacus, on the river Seine, situated in the district of Vexin, with all their integrity. All these things, establishing with his own authority two privileges, he handed over to the same venerable Father and this Cenobium of Fontenelle to be possessed with most firm right forever. Now this royal grant was issued at the delightful palace of Arlaunus, in the [r] 12th year of the aforesaid King in Austrasia, who had been the first in Neustria; and moreover in the most bright [s] fifth year of the same Rector of the Cenobium, from the time when he obtained the place of government after the most happy death of the great Father and of the most distinguished Priest of Christ, Wandregisilus. For very many grants of various possessions of the same King issued to the same most reverend Father exist up to now, which it is most laborious even to enumerate. For he among various other gifts, also bestowed a portion of the forest of Jumièges on the same venerable Father: whence some privileges remain with us, which are kept as a sacred gift in this Cenobium. For in them, if anyone shall have considered them worthy of reading, he will find the places designated, by which the boundary of this donation is determined.

[4] He has a dispute with St. Philibert the Abbot. There arose at that time no small dispute between the same venerable Father Lantbert and the most reverend [t] Rector of the cenobium of Jumièges, Philibert, over the boundary of the same forest: whom Audoenus, great Pontiff of the Church of Rouen, of glorious memory, together with his own authority, and together with the letter of the aforesaid King directed to him concerning the same matter, recalled to concord of true peace, and with equal lot divided the same forest between the same life-giving Fathers. And because Father Lantbert's portion seemed to be greater, the aforesaid Prelate, together with his consent, from the same division to the basilica of the distinguished Martyr of Christ Dionysius, which is situated on the bank of the bed of the Seine, in the place which is called [u] Duro-Clarus, where Lidoald held the place of government, bestowed some little portion. For he was conspicuous in sanctity, whose marks of perfection always were such, that he opened the way of salvation to his fellow citizens by sacred preachings, and instructed untaught peoples with bright examples, and kindled by the vigor of the supernal Spirit, by the greatest industry recalled even the discordant to the brightness of concord.

[5] The aforesaid [x] King Childeric, by the plots of his henchmen, [y] namely Amalbert and Ingolbert, Childeric is killed with his son Dagobert. and together with Bodilo, and also with Lupus and others, together with his wife, by name Bilhild, and his son by name [z] Dagobert, was deprived of life and kingdom: whose bodies the aforementioned greatest … The rest is lacking.

NOTES.

ANALECTA.

From the Acts of SS. Ansbert, Hermeland, Erembert and Condedus.

Lantbert, from Abbot of Fontenelle, Archbishop of Lyon in Gaul (St.)

BHL Number: 3851

BY G. H. FROM VARIOUS SOURCES

[1] He uses the counsel of St. Ansbert: Aigrad in the Life of St. Ansbert writes these things about St. Lantbert: "With the grace of Divine charity inspiring, the same venerable Father venerated the blessed servant of Christ Ansbert as a father, loved him as a son: and there was to them in the Lord one heart and one soul. He, however, who had taken up the care of government, at the counsel of the holy Father Ansbert, in managing the flock of Christ ^a according to the norm of the holy Fathers, energetically and irreproachably conducted all things: by whose examples of pious action, and by diligent exhortations of words, very many being stirred up, seized the journeys of holy conversation."

[2] To this venerable Father Lantbert, King Theodoric, He receives Donzère in Provence from the King: son of King Clovis and Queen Bathild, granted some patrimony, which was situated beyond the river Rhone, in the region which is properly called Provincia, in this manner, namely, that this estate might furnish the monks, dwelling in the cenobium of Fontenelle, lights for the church, in oil and other things necessary for this. In which place the aforesaid Father founded an excellent cenobium of monks, monks having been sent from the cenobium of Fontenelle, and there he builds a monastery: who diligently carried out that praiseworthy work. And from a small estate a great monastery of monks still exists, even excellent in that region above others, ^b devastated in the time of the invasion of the wicked race of Hagarenes.

[3] Under whose rule also blessed Hermeland, from the aforesaid monastery of Fontenelle, at the request of the venerable Pontiff Pascharius of the city of Nantes, was sent by the Father Lantbert himself into the same region of Nantes, on a certain island of the channel of the Loire, another on the Loire through St. Hermeland, which was called Antrum, according to the property of the same name, built a venerable cenobium of monks. In the grant of which, the aforesaid Prelate Pascharius established that after the passing of the same venerable Father Hermeland, from the monastery of Fontenelle, through all succeeding ages, all the inhabitants of the said place should appoint for themselves Rectors; just as the grants of the same place, which are still kept in the aforesaid monastery of Fontenelle, most openly declare.

[4] With the aforesaid Father Lantbert also holding the government of the place, he receives SS. Erembert and Condedus blessed Erembert, Pontiff of Christ of the city of Toulouse, and the holy Priest Condedus and anchorite, born on the island of Britain, took up in the aforesaid monastery of Fontenelle both the name and the habit of a monk worthy of God. Very many things also about so great a Father, did we not hasten to others, worthy of God and useful to the place, done by him and under his government, could be told, which we once gave to memory more fully in his deeds, to be imparted to posterity.

[5] By what order indeed in Lyon, most celebrated city of Gaul, he was made Pontiff, With St. Genesius dead he becomes Bishop of Lyon: we shall narrate in a brief discourse. When therefore St. Genesius, Prelate of the same city, had died, whose God-worthy life his praiseworthy deeds commend; straightway the pious King Theodoric and the distinguished Prince Pippin, son of Ansegisus, namely cousin of blessed Father Wandregisilus, holding salutary counsel with the Nobles of the palace, with divine providence so commanding, with the unanimous vote of the people of the same region, established him as Prelate of the same city in the aforesaid city. But when, for a long time opposing with too much humility, he was unwilling to undertake it, compelled by royal command and priestly election, he is ordained ^c Pontiff of the aforesaid metropolis city. And so, having been directed to the same province with the honor befitting his Priesthood, with examples of humility and holy preaching and pious action, he dies holily, he ruled the flock of Christ with diligent moderation irreproachably. And there, called by God, stripped of the chains of earthly corruption, he happily migrated to the joys of the supernal city.

[6] From the aforesaid Saints, who lived under St. Lantbert, the first is Hermeland, or Ermenland, He clothes St. Hermeland with the sacred habit whose Life, written by a contemporary, we illustrated on March 25, from which we pluck these few things about Lantbert. "The most blessed Ermenland, having gone forth from the palace with the blessing of the King and his nobles, came in haste to the monastery of Fontenelle, where the venerable Landbert presided as regular Father of the monks. For he sought conversion in the aforesaid cenobium, and from the Abbot himself and from all the Brothers obtained the effect of his prayers. And according to the custom of monastic life ^d tested in the cell of the novices, he confirmed his vow of perfection with a sacred promise; adorned with all virtues, he admits to profession: so that among his fellow-soldiers, as the morning star brighter than the other stars, he shone conspicuous with the ray of virtues. Which the venerable Abba Landbert, perceiving with a sagacious eye, whom he had received to be instructed by the grace of discipleship; venerating him as a master on account of the beauty of his virtues, he loved. Also approving him as worthy of the sacred altars, he caused him to be ordained a Priest for himself by the Bishop …"

[7] "Therefore at that time in which the aforesaid man of the Lord Ermeland was strong in such virtues in the cenobium, Pasquarius, Bishop of pious memory, ruled the Church of Nantes with devout pastoral care … Now considering his own and the people's heart, He takes up the embassy sent by St. Pasquarius Bishop of Nantes, with the Lord inspiring the vow of this matter, with the effect of one will … he directed vigorous messengers to the venerable Abbot Landbert, who then was governing the cenobium of Fontenelle under the sacred habit of monastic life, beseeching through them his holiness, that by his liberality he might obtain the effect of his and the people's vows. Who, fortified with the blessing of their Pontiff, and going forth from him, taking up the journey, with the Lord as guide, swiftly arrived at the sacred monastery of Fontenelle. And when they had been well received by the Brothers and presented to the venerable Landbert; from the command of their Father, they addressed him in such words: 'Pasquarius the Pontiff, a great lover of your holiness, burning with sacred devotion, and urged by the prayers of all the people committed to him, asking for monks for the building of a monastery: desires with ardent vow, that in his parish monks, he preparing a place for them, may hold the regular life by way of example, for the profit of holy Church and the perpetual praise of God. Learning however, with the fame of your holiness flying far and wide, that your congregation shines more than the others in the beauty of this religion, he prays that your holy liberality may send him most religious monks, who know how best to keep this life, and to hand it over to others: so that he may be able to fulfill through them what he desires.'"

[8] "Who, when he recognized that the Priest of God with the people committed to him was on fire with such devotion, first gave the highest thanks to the most omnipotent and undivided Trinity, then having called Blessed Ermenland the monk, ordered the petition of the venerable Pasquarius to be expounded again before him, he says he will send St. Hermeland and other monks and finally gave a response in this manner: 'The vows indeed, dearest sons, of Pasquarius the Bishop and his holy flock, it is clear, just as they are divinely inspired, to savor of most holy devotion: and therefore, that I may deserve to be a sharer in such a vow, although I am deprived of great solace, the petition asked from our littleness, through this dearest brother Ermeland, with other Brothers sent with him, I would strive to fulfill; if most certainly I knew that the cenobium would be so established by him, that in future times the Brothers established in it, as far as it can be avoided by him, would not be disturbed by the molestation of anyone. For the life of our Order requires the greatest quiet, and nevertheless suffers great loss, when it intently contemplates heavenly things, if by the complaints of the wicked it is called away from the inspection of the supernal things. if the cenobium is well established, If therefore on the estate of his Church he should build a cenobium, in which these whom we send, and others divinely inspired, and converted from the world by their example, may dwell, they will perhaps be able to use the desired peace in his times; but after his passing, if he should leave the same cenobium under the dominion of his successor, with great (as we have found to be done in many cenobiums) instinct of cupidity, they will be disturbed by the unquiets of the wicked; so that necessity compels them to go out thence, and forces them, wandering, to roam around. But to me, if it should so happen, who direct the entrusted monks thither, much danger will come, and to him no increase of reward: and be confirmed by royal diplomas: but if with a view to perpetual recompense he desires to build a monastery, I urge that he commit it to royal hands to be protected, and that the Kingly clemency deign to make such a prescription, that no other power, instigated by a malignant spirit, with every occasion of dominion removed, may dare to bring molestation on those dwelling in it: so that, defended by royal protection, for his and the whole of his kingdom's perpetual peace, freely, the impulse of the wicked having been removed, they may supplicate the clemency of Christ.' 'Do not,' they say, 'do not delay with such suspicions, Father; for most certainly you can trust in the goodness of our Father Pasquarius, because according to the command of your mouth he will, with the Lord helping, complete the whole cause of this work.'"

[9] "Then, confirmed by the promises of the messengers, he said to Blessed Ermeland: 'Trusting too much, dearest Brother, in your religion, although I do not doubt that the greatest loss will come to me by your bodily absence, He selects St. Hermeland and 12 companions: I wish to send you with twelve Brothers, of whom in my stead I will appoint you Father, to the venerable Pasquarius: so that with your teaching dictating, he may build a monastery as he desires. Nothing however from this will I attempt to do without your determination, but I commit the whole cause of this business to your prudent judgment.' 'Do not, I pray,' said the holy man, 'my Father, deign to elicit our will over this, which for Christ I have handed over to your discretion: but wherever you send me, most willingly, as if divinely commanded, I will strive to go: only let the will of the Lord and yours be done.' Then the same Father

filled with joy, congratulating his most distinguished obedience, said: 'Come, my son, seize, as a soldier of Christ, a prosperous journey, take up the praiseworthy work, through which you and many others may deserve to enter the kingdoms of heaven.' When he had exhorted him and the others whom he was sending with him with such words, and especially that they should keep the holy rule with manly guard, rushing forward, he and all the Brothers, with tears in mutual embraces, giving to one another the kiss of peace, dismissed them, and after mutual embraces dismisses him, wishing for them all things prosperous, saying: 'May the grace of the supreme Trinity accompany you, and direct all the works of your hands prosperously, and may it deign by perennial guardianship to protect and preserve the place of your habitation for the salvation of many souls.' They, having asked for the blessing and having abundantly received it, taking up the journey with the legates of the already mentioned Bishop, hastened to present themselves to his face: praying that Christ might grant them solace for completing the enjoined work: and thus with the Lord as leader they arrived at the city of Nantes."

[10] "Then Blessed Ermeland with his companions entered the basilica of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul for the sake of prayer. The venerable Bishop, hearing that they had arrived, exulting with ineffable joy, said: 'The Lord has remembered me, so that he has deigned to fulfill the vow of my desire.' Blessed Ermeland recited before him what his Father had objected to his messengers, with happy outcome. and their response, and finally added: 'And now if your holiness is willing to obey the counsel of my Father, as the Lord will grant to our smallness, whatever you command we will strive to perform. But if something else pleases your Paternity, with inviolable charity, according to his command, we will return to our Father.' 'No one, dearest Brother,' he said, 'more than I desires to establish the perfection of this work with perpetual firmness, I who seem to be its author and founder. And therefore according to your and your Father's suggestion and the promise of our messengers, not only will I commit you, with the cell which we propose to build, with all things which I shall confirm there for the support of the Brothers dwelling there, according to canonical authority to the royal dominion, and I will obtain its command to have for you; but also whatever I can deliberate upon with you as fitting and useful for the perpetual quiet of that place, I will most willingly strive to fulfill.'"

[11] The other above-named disciple is St. Erembert, who, having left his bishopric of Toulouse, withdrew to the monastery of Fontenelle, where at that time the venerable Rector Landbert presided, and living there for some time in holy conversation, finally worn out by old age … happily migrated to Christ, as is asserted on May 14 in his Acts.

[12] Benefits bestowed on SS. Erembert, and St. Condedus. The third is St. Condedus, who learning, fame flying about, that the congregation of the cenobium of Fontenelle of the holy Father Landbert shone no less than others by the beauty of religion; disposed himself to be fortified by their fellowship … The holy man came to the monastery of Fontenelle, and after prayers to God and fraternal greetings and spiritual conversations, when all humanity, as the monastic norm dictates, had been shown to the same holy man with all his, whom St. Lantbert the Abbot had received as if they were Angels, and for several days he was staying in the aforesaid cenobium, and enjoying the sweet conversations of such great Fathers; finally opening the vow of his heart he said, that it did not seem enough to him to sweat in the holiness of religion, if he did not also profit others by preaching and by radiating with the light of examples. Then at the counsel of the aforesaid Father Lantbert he sought a suitable place. Then with the blessing and permission of the aforesaid Father he sailed to the island [e] Belsinnaca, etc. Thus Aigrad in his Life on October 21.

NOTES.