[29] The bishop George whom we know as intimately concerned with the affairs of Hadrian I and with British interests was Bishop of Ostia. If this is he, we shall hear of him again in connexion with the Archbishopric of Lichfield. [30] Abbat of St. Martin of Tours, a curiously early connexion of Alcuin with his future home. To him Alcuin addressed the earliest letter of his which is extant; see p. 205. [31] Alcuin was about seven years older than Karl. They were at this time about forty-six and thirty-nine years of age. [32] St. Peter of Ferrières, dio. Sens. [33] Alcuin makes mention of his residence here during the autumn of 798 in his correspondence with Gisla, Karl’s sister; see p. 253. The Museum of Troyes is housed in the old buildings of the Abbey of St. Loup. [34] Matt. x. 23. [35] He was subject to febrile attacks. [36] For Alcuin’s letter to Fulda, written after Karl’s refusal of permission, see Appendix A. [37] “In psalmorum et missarum multa celebratione.” [38] See p. 13. [39] Called Witto by Alcuin (ep. 107), and Candidus (106) as the Latin rendering of the Teutonic name. [40] To Fredegisus Alcuin wrote letters on the three kinds of visions (257) and on the Trinity (258). He is understood to be the “Nathanael” of other letters. Of Fredegisus, Theodulfus, the Bishop of Orleans, wrote to Karl: Stet levita decus Fredegis sociatus Osulfo, Gnarus uterque artis, doctus uterque bene. He was a master in the school of the Palace and afterwards Archdeacon. He became Abbat of Cormery, and eventually of Tours. [41] See the mention of him in previous note. Osulf was a household officer of the young King Charles, see p. 250. The last words of Alcuin’s interpretation of the vision suggest that he was an Englishman, one of the youths whom Alcuin brought from York as his assistant masters. [42] This was Benedict, the Abbat of Aniane in Languedoc. That region is here spoken of as Gothia, because the Goths had settled about Toulouse in the fifth century. The fact that Benedict used often to come to consult Alcuin is an interesting illustration of the disregard of distance in those days. As the crows fly, Toulouse is some 270 miles from Tours, and the journey was a long and arduous one. [43] The three sons of Karl were all of them kings (practically sub-kings) of one part or another of his vast domains. The great partition of the empire was not arranged by Charlemagne till after Alcuin’s death. [44] It will be borne in mind that Alcuin was only in deacon’s orders. [45] This is one of the various indications of date which enable us to calculate the time at which the biography was written. [46] Charles and Pepin died before their father, and Louis became sole emperor and ruler of all that Charlemagne had held. [47] With regard to some possible confusion here between Karl and his eldest son Charles, see p. 246. [48] Vita, c. 21.