II. Notitia historica et bibliographica in Servatum Lupum by Baluze, in Migne, l.c. col. 423–6.
Nicolas: Étude sur les lettres de Servai Loup, Clermont Ferrant, 1861; Franz Sprotte: Biographie
des Abtes Servatus Lupus von Ferrières, Regensburg, 1880. Du Pin, VII. 169–73. Ceillier, XII.
500–514. Hist. Lit. de la France, V. 255–272. Bähr, 456–461. Ebert, II. 203–209. J. Bass
Mullinger: The Schools of Charles the Great. London, 1877, pp. 158–170. For Lupus’ part in
the different councils he attended, see Hefele: Conciliengeschichte, IV. passim.
Lupus, surnamed Servatus,^1314 was descended from a prominent family. He was born in Sens
(70 miles S. E. of Paris) in the year 805 and educated in the neighboring Benedictine monastery of
SS. Mary and Peter anciently called Bethlehem, at Ferrières, then under abbot Aldrich, who in 829
became archbishop of Sens, and died early in 836. He took monastic vows, was ordained a deacon
and then taught in the convent-school until in 830 on advice of Aldrich he went to Fulda. Einhard,
whose life of Charlemagne had already deeply impressed him,^1315 was then abbot of Seligenstadt,
only a few miles away, but his son Wussin was being educated at Fulda, and it was on a visit that
he made to see his son that Lupus first met him. With him and with the abbot of Fulda, the famous
Rabanus Maurus, he entered into friendship. It was he who incited Rabanus to make his great
compilation upon the Epistles of Paul;^1316 and to him Einhard dedicated his now lost treatise De
adoranda cruce.^1317 He pursued his studies at Fulda and also gave instruction until the spring of
836, when he returned to Ferrières.^1318 He then took priest’s orders and taught grammar and rhetoric
in the abbey school. In 837 he was presented at the court of Louis the Pious, and by special request
of the empress Judith appeared the next year (Sept. 22, 838).^1319 The favor showed him led him
naturally to expect speedy preferment, but he was doomed to disappointment. In the winter of 838
and 839 he accompanied Odo, who had succeeded Aldrich, to Frankfort,^1320 where the emperor
Louis spent January and February, 839. Louis died in 840 and was succeeded by Charles the Bald.
In 842 Charles deposed Odo because of his connection with Lothair, and by request of the emperor
the monks elected Lupus their abbot, Nov. 22, 842,^1321 and the emperor confirmed the election. It
was with difficulty that Odo was removed. The year 844 was an eventful one with Lupus. The
monks of Ferrières were bound yearly to supply money and military service to Charles, and Lupus
had to take the field in person.^1322 In this year he went against the rebellious Aquitanians. On June
14th he was taken prisoner by them in the battle of Angoulême, but released after a few days by
intervention of Turpio, count of Angoulême, and on July 3d he was back again in Ferrières. Later
on he was sent by Charles, with Prudentius, bishop of Troyes, to visit the monasteries of Burgundy,
(^1314) Perhaps in memory of his recovery from some severe illness, as that which in the winter of 838-9 confined him for
a time in the convent of St. Trend in the diocese of Liège
(^1315) Lupus, Epist. I. (Migne, CXIX. col. 433).
(^1316) Baluze, in Migne, ibid. col. 425.
(^1317) Migne, ibid col. 445.
(^1318) Although he thus lived six years in Germany he never obtained a mastery of German. Wetzer u. Welte, Kirchenlexicon
s. v. Lupus.
(^1319) So Baluze, in Migne, CXIX col. 423.
(^1320) It was upon this journey that Lupus fell sick. See fn. 864 p.735.
(^1321) So Baluze, ibid. col. 425.
(^1322) Pertz, Legg. I. 223