[Roman and other Martyrologies. Authority:—Life by Ansgrad, the monk, dedicated to Abbot Hilbert, the successor of S. Ansbert. This life has, however, suffered from interpolators.]

This saint was at one time chancellor to Clothaire III., and in the midst of the temptations of a court, preserved his integrity and purity. At length, quitting the court, he assumed the monastic habit at Fontenelle, and on the election of the abbot Lantbert to the see of Lyons, he succeeded him as abbot of that famous monastery. He was confessor to Thierri III., and was, with his consent, chosen archbishop of Rouen, on the death of S. Ouen, in 683. Pepin, mayor of the palace, afterwards banished him, on a false accusation of treason, to the monastery of Hautmont in Hainault, where he died on the 9th February, 695. His body was transported to the abbey of Fontenelle, and afterwards to Boulogne, but in 944, through fear of the Northmen, it was translated to the convent of S. Peter in Ghent; but was dragged from its resting-place by the furious Calvinists, under William of Orange, in 1578; some portions of the sacred relics have, however, we believe, been preserved.

S. Ansbert is often called S. Aubert.

[28] Dr. Lanigan's Eccles. Hist. of Ireland, Dublin, 1827; Vol. iii., p. 39, & i. p. 243.

[29] Rees: Essay on the Welsh Saints, pp, 245-6.

[30] In the original, the simplicity of this story is quite spoiled by what is evidently added by the monkish author, unable to see the beauty of the unadorned incident; for, it is said, this was a proof of miraculous power in the saint, that he was able to see through a stone wall the upsetting of a corn-cart.

February 10.