says of Eloi: "He made for the king a great numer of gold vesses
enriched with precious stones, and he worked incessantly, seated
with his servant Thillo, a Saxon by birth, who followed the lessons
of his master." St. Eloi founded two institutions for goldsmithing:
one for the production of domestic and secular plate, and the other
for ecclesiastical work exclusively, so that no worker in profane
lines should handle the sacred vessels. The secular branch was
situated near the dwelling of Eloi, in the Cité itself, and was
known as "St. Eloi's Enclosure." When a fire burned them out of
house and shelter, they removed to a suburban quarter, which soon
became known in its turn, as the "Clôture St. Eloi." The religious
branch of the establishment was presided over by the aforesaid
Thillo, and was the Abbey of Solignac, near Limoges. This school
was inaugurated in 631.

While Eloi was working at the court of King Clothaire II., St. Quen
was there as well. The two youths struck up a close friendship, and
afterwards Ouen became his biographer. His description of Eloi's
personal appearance is worth quoting, to show the sort of figure a
mediæval saint sometimes cut before canonization. "He was tall, with
a ruddy face, his hair and beard curly. His hands well made, and his
fingers long, his face full of angelic sweetness.... At first he
wore habits covered with pearls and precious stones; he had also
belts sewn with pearls. His dress was of linen encrusted with gold,
and the edges of his tunic trimmed with gold embroidery. Indeed, his
clothing was very costly, and some of his dresses were of silk. Such
was his exterior in his first period at court, and he dressed thus
to avoid singularity; but under this garment he wore a rough sack
cloth, and later on, he disposed of all his ornaments to relieve the
distressed; and he might be seen with only a cord round his waist