Paul the Deacon

Paul the Deacon (Paulus Diaconus, c. 720–799) was a Lombard monk and historian, born in Friuli. He was educated at the court of the Lombard kings at Pavia, later entered the monastery of Monte Cassino, and spent several years at Charlemagne's court before returning there; he is best known for his History of the Lombards.

Tradition ascribes to him the hymn to St John the Baptist, Ut queant laxis, and its continuation Antra deserti, which the Roman Breviary used for the Baptist's feast on 24 June. The English given here is Edward Caswall's version from Lyra Catholica (1849).