Here followeth the Life of S. Germain, and first of his name.

Germain is said of germ and ana that is, high. This is to say, sovereign germ. Three things be found in seed germining, that is to wit, natural heat, humour nutrimental, and reason of seed. Then the holy S. Germain is said as seed germining. For in him was heat by burning of love, humour by fatness of devotion, and reason of the seed by virtue of predication, by which he engendered much people to the faith and in good manners. And Constance the priest wrote his life to S. Severin, bishop of Auxerre.