Location:Probably the abbey of Gembloux - Date:1st version: 1177-1179 or earlier, 2nd version with letter of dedication to Philip of Heinsberg, archbishop of Cologne: after the return of Guibertus from Tours (1181) (Index scriptorum) - Commission:dedicated to Philip of Heinsberg, archbishop of Cologne (1167-1191)

c. 35.500 words (estimate based on manuscript)

Since reading the Life of St Martin of Tours by Sulpicius Severus as a child Guibert fostered a special admiration for St Martin. He wrote a versed life dedicated to this saint and presented the text to Philip of Heinsberg, the archbishop of Cologne, during his stay at Rupertsberg (1177-1179). Philip advised Guibert to further 'polish' the work. With the support of Philip Guibert departed for Tours, where he collected several texts on the saint during his 8-month stay (autumn 1180 - spring 1181). These texts were integrated in the reworked version of his Vita, to which he also added a dedicatory letter to Philip by way of a prologue. In addition to this versed Vita Guibert als wrote a Vita dedicated to St Martin in prose text (see NaSo 515).

Versed vita about St Martin of Tours, divided into two books and prefaced with a dedicatory letter to Philip of Heinsberg, the archbishop of Cologne (1167-1191) as a prologue. The first book (BHL 5636) is subdived in 4 parts that deals with St Martin's life and death, his cult, the return of his relics from Burgundy and glory of Marmoutier and Châteauneuf, the two religious communities at Tours; to which is added a complaint against the devil and several supplications. The second book(BHL 5367) lists Martin's disciples, his hagiographers and his admirers and recounts miracles executed by St Martin.

Gregorius van Tours, De virtutibus sancti Martini
Gregorius van Tours, Gloria Confessorum
Sulpicius Severus, Vita Sancti Martini
Sulpicius Severus, Dialogi ad vitam Sancti Martini
Pseudo-Odo Cluniacensis, De reversione beati Martini a Burgundia
Guibertus Gemblacensis, Epistularium (NaSo 524)
Anselmus Gemblacensis, Chronica Continuatio (anno 1129)
Pseudo-Gregory of Tours, Historia septem dormientium

Brussel/Bruxelles, Koninklijke Bibliotheek/Bibliothèque Royale, 1510-1519 (Link)
Brussel/Bruxelles, Koninklijke Bibliotheek/Bibliothèque Royale, 5527-5534 (Link)

DREVON (J.M.), De Paulini Petrocorii vita et scriptis (1889) 229-235 (1), 235 (2) (fragment)
PITRA (J.B.), Analecta sanctae Hildegardis opera Spicilegio Solesmensi parata, Analecta sacra, 8 (Monte Cassino, 1882; reprint: Farnborough, 1966) 440 582-591 (fragment)

Bibliotheca Hagiographica Latina 5636-5637
Bibliotheca Sanctorum, 8 1248-1291
DELEHAYE (H.), 'Guibert abbé de Florennes et de Gembloux XIIe et XIIIe siècles', in: Revue des questions historiques, 46 (1889) 49, 87-88 (5-90)
Index scriptorum operumque Latino-Belgicorum Medii Aevi, 3:1 (Bruxelles, 1979) 110
MOENS (S.), 'Twelfth-century epistolary language of friendship reconsidered. The case of Guibert of Gembloux', Revue Belge de philologie et d'histoire/ Belgisch tijdschrift voor filologie en geschiedenis, 88 (2010), 983-1017
SCHRADER (M.), 'Guibert de Gembloux', in: Dictionnaire de spiritualité ascétique et mystique doctrine et histoire, 6 (Parijs, 1967) 1134 (1132-1135)