ST. AUSTRUDE 95 Her mother was St. Fraheohilde, or Frambuss. Austreberta was bom at Theronane, in Belgium. It is asserted that, at the moment of her birth, a super- natural light shone in the room, a sweet odour filled the neighbourhood, and a white doTe, which had been seen to fly all about the town, finally settled on the head of the new-born child. Her vow of celibacy was confirmed by the appari- tion of a veil descending on her head as she looked at herself in a well. Her father having promised her in marriage to a young nobleman, she fled and hid herself. Finding the roads flooded and bridges washed away by the river Gauge, she walked on the water. She received the religious veil from St. Omer, Bishop of Therouane, who then restored her to her parents. She lived the life of a nun in their house, and after a time betook herself, with their approval, to the con- vent of Port on the Somme, where Ber- goflede was abbess. Austreberta was almost immediately elected prioress. She was afterwards abbess of a new convent in Normandy: its name is unknown; it was built by Amelbert for his daughter. Some of the nuns, having tried and failed to poison St. Austreberta, accused her of cruelty to the said daughter of Amel- bert, of wasting the goods of the com- munity, and of other oflences. He came and reproached Austreberta bitterly. In his ungovernable rage he drew his sword. She presented her neck, and thus caused Amelbert to recover from his fury and honour ^er saintly courage and humility. She is said to have restored to life a nun who hadg been killed through her own disobedience. Being unable to manage these refractory nuns, she com- plied with the request of St. Filibort, Abbot of Jumi^ges, to undertake the care of the new convent he had built at Pavilly, in the district of Caux, in Nor- mandy. It was afterwards destroyed in an invasion of the Normans, and a hospice for Benedictine monks was built on the spot in later times. B.M. Baillet says her Life, by a writer almost contem« porary, is fairly reliable. Martin, from Surius. Butler. Bollandus. St. Austregild, Agia, mother of St. Loup. St. Austrude, Oct. 17 (Anstrude, Anstruse, Astrude, Audru, Ostru), V. Abbess of Laon. "f 688 or 707. Daughter of B. Blandin or Bason and St. Sala- BERGA. Bom in the diocese of Toul, in Lorraine, about 634. She was conse- crated to God before her birth by her mother. When Austrude was three years old, St. Salaberga, with her hus- band's consent, left her home and became a nun. At the age of twelve St. Aus- trude was asked in marriage by Laudran, a rich young nobleman. Her father left the decision of the matter to her, and she said she had already chosen an im- mortal Husband. Accordingly, she at once took the veil in the double monas- tery of St. John the Baptist, at Laon. It was built and governed by her mother. She gave such proofs of piety and capa- bility, that on Salaberga's death she was chosen to succeed her as abbess, at the early age of twenty. She declined the ofiBce on the plea of her youth and inex- perience, but as the whole community demanded her appointment, she was obliged to accept the post in obedience to the King of France and the Bishop of Laon. The murder of her brother, 3. Baldwin, was a great grief to her. The same enemies who had plotted his assassination accused St Austrude to King Thierry III., of favouring the party of the unfortunate Dagobort 11., son of St. Sigebert, who had been killed in 680, in the war against Thierry. Ebroin, mayor of the palace, was much incensed against her, and was only convinced of her innocence by the apparition of a globe of flre above the abbey, where- upon he became her friend and protector. Soon afterwards she had a narrow escape from assassination. Her intended mur- derer, being touched by finding her engaged in prayer, confessed his sin, and obtained her forgiveness. In a civil broil, her abbey was in great danger of being pillaged, for Ebrohard burned a great port of the town of Laon, and for- cibly possessed himself of the keys of the abbey; but in the moment of greatest peril, its inhabitants learned that they wore saved by the death of Ebrohard. Austrude's troubles were, however, not ended, for her own bishop, Madelgar or
