John (Called Also Jeannelin), Abbot of Fecamp
John (Called Also Jeannelin), Abbot Of Fecamp, France, was born in the neighborhood of Ravenna. His family name Labbe supposes to have been Dalye, or D'Alye. He came to France with William, abbot of St. Benigne of Dijon, and studied under that learned man. He practiced medicine with success; but William going to Fecamp to reform the abbey, and install there a colony of Benedictines, John accompanied him, was made prior, and finally succeeded William as abbot. He reformed several convents, and by his firm adherence to discipline embroiled himself with many prelates, sustained, however, in every instance by the pope. In 1054 he visited England, where he was welcomed by king Edward, but, having subsequently undertaken a journey to the Holy Land, he was made prisoner by the Mohammedans, and is said to have only returned to France in 1076. He died Feb. 2, 1079. He wrote a book of prayers, the preface of which is to be found in Mabillon, Analecta, 1, 133, and three chapters in. the Meditationes S. Augustini. He is also considered as the author of a treatise, De Divina Contemplatione, publ. in 1539, under the title of Confessio Theologica, and attributed to John Cassien, etc. See Gallia Christ. 11, col. 206; Hist. Litt. de la France, 8, 48; Hoefer, Nouv. Biogr. Générale, 26, 531.
