Doctissimi,

In researching the Hypogee des Dunes in Poitiers, I find frequent identification of the "Mellebaude" for whom the burial place was constructed as "Abbe Mellebaude." He is a rather murky character about whom nothing is known but his name. Yet he is referred to as "Abbe." Does the following inscription (crosses perhaps) give an indication of clerical status or are people simply inferring from its wording and the splendor (relative) of his tomb that he was a cleric?

" † Au nom de Dieu, moi † Ici Mellebaude, débiteur et serviteur de Jésus-Christ, j'ai institué pour moi la crypte que voici, où gît indignement ma sépulture…".
Forgive the lack of accents in my own text. I'm on a laptop at the moment and am simply too lazy to provide them :-)
Marjorie Greene
http://medrelart.shutterfly.com/