THE CANTON OF ST. GAELEN.

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for some important services, Sigebert , King of theFranks , considerably extended the limits of the monas-tery ; but at the death of Gallas, in 651, it contained onlya few monks, who were so poor, that they had scarcelysufficient covering to keep them from the inclemency ofthe weather. The first abbot, Othman of Constance,was created by Charles Martel . From his holy andvirtuous life, he was considered as a Saint, and reveredas such by the brotherhood, whose number was then in-creased to forty. They were afterwards protected byLouis le Debonaire, and Louis le Gros ; and, when theyamounted to one hundred, the cousin of Henry the Firstof France became their abbot. At this time they re-ceived new honours and privileges, and the power andsplendour of the convent was daily increased. It issaid, that one of his successors appeared at Strasbourg with a thousand horses in his train, the whole of them

and to reject it, is no common thing.” He then relates the followingstory. “ Sixtus the Fourth, having a great esteem for John Wessel, ofGroeningen, one of the most learned meu of his age, sent for him, andsaid to him, ‘ Son, ask of us what you will; nothing shall be refused,that becomes our character to bestow, and your condition to receive.

Most holy father,’ said he, ‘ and my generous patron, I shall not betroublesome to your holiness. You know that I never sought after greatthings. The only favour I have to beg, is, that you would give me outyour Vatican library, a Greek and a Hebrew Bible.’ ‘ You shallhave them,’ said Sixtus; ‘ but what a simple man are you ! Why do younot ask a bishoprick V Wessel replied, ‘ Because I do not want one.’(Tracts, vol. 1. pp. 455--6.)