Albricus or Aldricus

ON S. ALBRICUS OR ALDRICUS, BISHOP OF AUTUN,

AT MONT-BRUSON IN THE DIOCESE OF LYONS.

From the schedules of Petrus Franc. Cisslet S. J.

AFTER THE YEAR DCCC.

Albricus or Aldricus or Adelricus, Bishop of Autun at Mont-Bruson in the diocese of Lyons (S.)

BY THE AUTHOR D. P.

The Catalogues of the Bishops of Augustodunum or Aedua in Burgundy, in Claude Robert, By the only and somewhat different name known at Autun, Sammarthani, & others, after S. Leodgar, cruelly killed about the year DCLXXV, on the V day of the Nones of October; & Ermencharius the successor, known only from his Acts; exhibit to us the bare names of six following Bishops, until Moduinus; who is known to have administered that Church in the year DCCCXXXV. The last of these, Adelricus or Aldericus by them is written: & seems wholly the same, whom under the name of Albericus or Albricus venerate on this day (as we have received from the schedules of our Chiflet) the inhabitants of Mont-Bruson, commonly Mont-brisson, a noble town in Segasia or Forez, at the second or third league

from the very Forum of the Segusiani (commonly Feurs) & from the river Loire; across which, at the twelfth league toward the East, it looks toward the Metropolis of Lyons.

[2] The opinion is, that to a provincial Synod or for some other cause coming here, because dying abroad, he is venerated at Montbrisson; & seized by disease, he died in the house of a certain citizen, opposite the church of S. Andrew; in which also he was buried. There certainly, behind the major altar are kept, not only the bones of the sacred body, but also a shoe, glove & belt; as also the digital part of the Episcopal staff, of ivory or bone turned: which it is wonderful in the year MDLXII escaped the fury of the Huguenot heretics, when with the place occupied by force on the XIV day of July, more than eight hundred Catholic citizens they hurled headlong from the highest castle, with the rest killed. Those Relics is said to have recognized, with relics preserved there & famous for miracles. & to have proved through fire Archbishop of Lyons D. Petrus d'Espinac, raised to that Cathedra in the year MDLXXIV; which he held until almost the end of that century, dying in the year XCIX, V Ides of January. They are also said who labor with fever, to implore his help & to experience it frequently; as also women in childbirth in danger, especially when girded with his belt.

[3] About Mont-Bruson Hadrian Valesius treats at length in the Notice of the Gauls, Etymology of the name. especially from the monuments of the Insula Barbara near Lyons, & the letters of the Counts of Forez. It would interest us more, to know something more about the holy guest there, whom his Aeduans hitherto pursue with no veneration, & almost are ignorant. Meanwhile the various spelling of the name does not move us much, having experienced how easily are interchanged Alp or Alb mons; Adel noble; Alde, ancient, old; to which with the termination Rike added, rich, most usual among the Burgundians, who used a common Teutonic language with the Franks, constitutes names; from which here, either opulent possession in mountains, or opulence of ancient or noble stock, for the cause of good omen is signified.