He was by his virtue the great ornament of the illustrious family
of Montmorency in France. He was born in the castle of Marli. His
father, Bouchard of Montmorency, gave him an education suitable to
his birth, and trained him up to the profession of arms, in which so
many heroes of that family have signalized themselves. But Theobald
manifested from his infancy a strong inclination to a state of
holy retirement, dreading the least shadow of danger which could
threaten his innocence. He spent great part of his time in prayer,
and resorted often to the church of the nunnery called Port-Royal,
which had been founded in 1204 by Matthew of Montmorency, and on
which his father Bouchard had bestowed so many estates that he was
regarded as a second founder. Theobald took the Cistercian habit at
Vaux de Cernay in 1220, and was chosen abbot of that house in 1234.
He lived in the midst of his brethren as the servant of every one,
and surpassed all others in his love of poverty, silence, and holy
prayer. He was highly esteemed by St. Lewis. His happy death happened
in 1247. His shrine in his abbey is visited by a great concourse of
people on the Whitsun-holidays. His solemn festival is there kept on
the 8th, and in some places on the 9th of July, probably the day on
which the first translation of his relics was made. The Bollandists
defer his life to the 8th of December, the day of his death. See Le
Nain, Histoire de Citeaux, t. 9.