 Section 5 OF SELECTIONS OF THE HISTORY OF THE FRANKS. This is a LibriVox recording, all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. SELECTIONS OF THE HISTORY OF THE FRANKS by Gregory of Tours, translated by Ernest Briehot. Book 3. CHAPTERS 15 TO 37. 15 Theodoric and Childebert made a treaty, and swearing to each other that neither would attack the other they took hostages from each other, in order that their agreement might be more secure. Many sons of senators were given as hostages on that occasion, but a quarrel arose later between the kings, and they were given over to servitude, and those who had taken them to guard now made slaves of them. Many of them, however, escaped by flight and returned to their native land, but a good many were kept in slavery. Among these was Adelis, nephew of the blessed Gregory, Bishop of Longraise, who became a slave, and was appointed keeper of horses. He was in servitude to a certain barbarian in the Territory of Traves. Now the blessed Gregory sent servants to inquire for him, who found him, and offered presents to the man, but he rejected them contentiously, saying, This fellow, belonging to such a family, ought to be ransomed with ten pounds of gold, and when they had returned a certain Leo belonging to the kitchen of his master said, I wish you would give me permission, and perhaps I might be able to bring him back from captivity. His master was glad of the offer, and he went straight to the place, and desired to carry the youth away secretly, but could not. Then, bargaining with a certain man, he said, Come with me, and sell me in the house of that barbarian, and take the profit of my price. Only let me have a freer opportunity of doing what I have decided. After taking on an oath, the man went and sold him for twelve gold pieces, and departed. The purchaser asked the new slave what work he could do, and he answered, I am very skilled in preparing all the things that ought to be eaten at the tables of masters, and I am not afraid that my equal in skill can be found. For I tell you, that even if you desire to make ready a feast for the king, I can prepare kingly vians, and no one better than I. And he said, The day of the sun is near, for thus the Lord's day is usually named in the barbarian fashion. And this day my neighbors and kinsmen shall be invited to my house. I ask you to make me such a feast as to make them wonder, and say, We have not seen better in the king's palace. And the other said, Let my master order a great number of fowls, and I will do what you command. Accordingly the preparations which the slave had asked for were made, and the Lord's day dawned, and he made a great feast full of delicacies. And when all had feasted and praised the vians, the master's kinsmen went away. The master thanked his slave, and gave him authority over the food that he had ready for use, and he loved him greatly. And the slave used to serve food to all who were with his master. After the space of a year, when his master was now certain of him, Leo went out into a meadow that was near the house, with the slave Adelus, the keeper of the horses, and lying on the ground with him a long distance off with their back turned so they would not be recognized as together, he said to the youth, It is time that we ought to be thinking of our native place. Therefore I advise you not to allow yourself to go to sleep tonight when you bring the horses to be shut in, but as soon as I call you, come and let us undertake the journey. Now the barbarian had invited many of his kinsmen to a feast, and among them was his son-in-law who had married his daughter. And at midnight they rose from the banquet and retired to rest, and Leo attended his master's son-in-law to the place assigned and offered him drink. The man said to him, Tell me, if you can, trusted servant of my father-in-law, when will you decide to take his horses and go to your own country? He said this in a joking way. In the same way the other jokingly gave the truthful answer, to-night, I think, if it is God's will. And he said, I hope my attendance will be on the guard that you will take nothing of mine. Then he parted laughingly. And when all were asleep, Leo called Adelus, and when the horses were saddled he asked him if he had a sword. He answered, I do not need one, I have only a small lance. But the other went into his master's house and took his shield and spear, and when he asked who it was and what he wanted, he answered, I am Leo, your slave, and I am waking Adelus, so that he may rise quickly and take the horses to pasture, for he is sleeping as soundly as if he were drunk. And he said, Do as you please, and saying this he fell asleep. The other went out of doors and armed the youth, and found unbarred by divine help the gates of the yard, which at night he had barred with wedges driven by a hammer to keep the horses safe, taking God he took the remaining horses and went off, taking also a roll of garments. They came to the river of Moselle in order to cross it, and being detained by certain persons they left their horses and clothes, and swam over the river, supported on a shield, and climbing the further bank they hid themselves in the woods amid the darkness of the night. The third night was come since they had been on their way without tasting food. Then by God's will they found a tree full of the fruit which is commonly called plums, and ate and were strengthened somewhat, and began the journey through Champagne. And as they hastened they heard the tramping of horses going at a great gate, and they said, Let us throw ourselves on the ground, so as not to be seen by the men who are coming. And behold, they suddenly came upon a great bramble-bush, and they passed behind it through themselves on the ground with their swords unsheathed, in order to defend themselves quickly from the wicked men if they should be noticed. And when the others had come to the thorn-bush they stopped, and one of them said, While their horses were making water, woe is me that these accursed wretches are escaped and cannot be found. But by my salvation if they are found I command one to be condemned to the gallows, and the other to be cut to fragments by strokes of the sword. Now the barbarian who said this was their master, who was coming from the city of Reims seeking for them, and he would certainly have found them on the way if night had not prevented. Then starting their horses they went off. The fugitives reached the city on this very night, and going in they found a man of whom they made inquiries, and he told them where the house of the priest Paulalis was, and while they were passing through the square the bell was rung for matins, for it was the Lord's Day, and knocking at the priest's door they went in, and Leo told about his master, and the priest said to him, It was a true vision I had, for last night I saw two doves fly toward me, and settle on my hand, and one of them was white, and the other black. And Leo said to the priest, May the Lord be kind as the day is holy, for we ask you to give us some food, for the fourth day is dawning since we have tasted bread and meat. He hid the slaves and gave them bread soaked in wine, and went away to matins. The barbarian followed them, asking for the boys a second time, but he was deceived by the priest, and he went back, for the priest had an old friendship with the blessed Gregory. Then the youths, after refreshing their strength with food, and remaining two days in the home of the priest, departed, and thus they came to the holy Gregory. The bishop rejoiced at seeing them, and wept on the neck of Adelaus his nephew. He set Leo free from the yoke of slavery with all his family, and gave him land of his own, on which he lived, a free man, with his wife and children, all the days of his life. 16. Sigavald Duke of Averna is miraculously punished for taking church property. 17. Even successive bishops of Tours are mentioned, one of them Leo, being a man of energy and skill in the building of wooden structures. 18. While Queen Clotilde was staying at Paris, Childebert saw that his mother loved with special affection the sons of Clotimer, whom we have mentioned above, and being envious and fearful that they would have a share in the kingdom through the favour of the Queen, he sent secretly to his brother King Clothar saying, Our mother keeps our brother's sons with her, and wishes them to be kings. You must come swiftly to Paris, where we will take counsel together and discuss what ought to be done about them, whether their hair shall be cut, and they be treated like the rest of the common people, or whether we shall kill them and divide our brother's kingdoms between ourselves equally. And Clothar was very glad at these words, and came to Paris. Now Childebert had spread the report among the people that the kings were meeting for the purpose of raising the little ones to the throne, and when they met they sent to the Queen, who was then dwelling in the city, saying, Send the little ones to us, that they may be raised to the throne. And she rejoiced, not knowing their treachery, and giving the boys food and drink, she sent them away, saying, I shall not think that I have lost my son, if I see you occupy his place in the kingdom. And they went and were seized at once, and were separated from their servants and tutors, and they were guarded separately in one place the servants in another these little ones. Then Childebert and Clothar sent Arcadius, whom we have mentioned before, to the Queen, with a pair of scissors and a naked sword. And coming he showed both to the Queen and said, Most glorious Queen, your sons, our masters, ask your decision as to what you think ought to be done with the boys, whether you give command for them to live with shorn hair or for both to be put to death. She was terrified by the news, and at the same time enraged, especially when she saw the naked sword and the scissors, and being overcome with bitterness and not knowing in her grief what she was seeing, she said imprudently, It is better for me to see them dead rather than shorn if they are not raised to the kingship. But he wondered little at her grief, and did not think what she would say later in less haste, but went swiftly taking the news and saying, Finish the task you have begun with the Queen's favor, for she wishes your design to be accomplished. There was no delay. Both our seas the older boy by the arm and dashed him to the earth, and, plunging his hunting-knife into his side, he killed him pitilessly. And while the child was screaming, his brother threw himself at Childebert's feet and seized his knees and said, Help me, kind father, lest I perish like my brother. Then Childebert, his face covered with tears, said, Dearest brother, I ask you to grant his life to me in your generosity, and let me pay for his life what you wish, only let him not be killed. But the other attacked him with abuse and said, Cast him from you, or you shall surely die in his place. It is you, said he, that are the guilty instigator of this matter. Do you so easily break faith? Childebert heeded this, and cast the boy away from him to the other, who seized him, and plunged his knife into his side and slew him, as he had his brother before. Then they killed the servants and the tutors. When they were killed, Clothar mounted his horse and went off, making a small matter of the killing of his nephews. Then Childebert retired to the outskirts of the city, and the queen placed their little bodies on a bire, and followed them to the Church of St. Peter, with loud singing and unbounded grief, and buried them side by side. One was ten years old, the other seven. But the third, clobald, they were unable to seize, since he was freed by the aid of brave men. He gave up his earthly kingdom, and passed to the Lord's service, and cutting his hair with his own hand he became a clerk, busied with good works, and as a priest passed from this life. The two kings divided equally between them the kingdom of Clothamar. And Queen Clothilda showed herself such, that she was honored by all. She was always diligent in alms, able to endure the whole night in watching, unstained in chastity and uprightness. With a generous and ready good will she bestowed estates on churches, monasteries, and holy places wherever she saw there was need, so that she was believed to serve God diligently. Not as a queen, but as his own handmaid. And neither her royal sons, nor worldly ambition, nor wealth, used her up for destruction. But her humility exalted her to grace. 19 There lived at that time in the city of Longres, the Blessed Gregory, the great bishop of God, renowned for his signs and miracles. And since we have spoken of this bishop I think it not unpleasant to insert here in this place an account of the site of Dijon, where he was especially active. It is a stronghold with very solid walls built in the midst of a plain, a very pleasant place, the lands rich and fruitful, so that when the fields are plowed, once the grain is sown, and a great wealth of produce comes in due season. On the south it has the Uka, a river very rich in fish, and on the north comes another little stream, which runs in at the gate, and flows under a bridge, and again passes out by another gate, flowing around the whole fortified place with its quiet waters, and turning with wonderful speed the mills before the gate. The four gates face the four regions of the universe, and thirty-three towers adorn the whole structure, and the wall is thirty feet high, and fifteen feet thick, built of squared stones up to twenty feet, and above of small stone. And why is it not called the city, I do not know. It has all around it abundant springs, and on the west are hills very fertile, and full of vineyards, which produce for the inhabitants such a noble falernian that they disdain wine of alkaline. The ancients say this place was built by the emperor Aurelian. 20. Petrothal of Theodoric son Theodobart to Visigard. 21. The Franks retake some of the cities taken by Clovis from the Goths. 22. Theodobart falls in love with Deoteria. 23. In those days Theodoric killed his kinsmen Sigavald with the sword, sending secretly to Theodobart that he should slay Sigavald's son Sigavald, whom he had with him. But he was unwilling to destroy him, because he had taken him from the sacred front, but he gave him the letter to read which his father had sent, saying, Flea from here, as I have received my father's command to kill you, and if he dies and you hear that I am reigning, then return to me safely. On hearing this Sigavald thanked him, said goodbye, and departed. Now at that time the Goths had taken possession of the city of Arles, from which Theodobart still held hostages. To it Sigavald fled. But he saw that he was not safe there, and went to Lothium, and remained hidden there. While this was going on, word was brought to Theodobart that his father was seriously ill, and that if he did not hasten swiftly to him so as to find him alive, he would be excluded by his uncles, and would never be allowed to return. And he postponed everything on hearing this, and hastened thither, leaving Diatoria with her daughter at Claremont. And not many days after he had gone, Theodoric died in the twenty-third year of his reign, and Sheldobart and Clothar rose against Theodobart, and wished to take the kingdom from him. But he was defended by his Lutis, after they had received gifts from him, and was established in his kingdom. He sent later to Claremont, and summoned Diatoria, hence, and married her. 24. Sheldobart saw that he was not able to prevail, and sent an embassy to him, and made him come to him, saying, I have no sons, I wish to treat you as a son. And when he came he bestowed such rich gifts upon him that all wondered, for he presented him with three pairs of all the articles of armor, vestments, and other equipments that it becomes a king to have, and likewise with horses and chains. Sigavald heard this, namely that Theodobart had received his father's kingdom, and returned to him from Italy. And Theodobart rejoiced, and kissed him, and bestowed on him a third part of the gifts which he had received from his uncle, and he gave orders that all that his father had seized of the property of Sigavald's father should be returned to him. 25. And he was established in his kingdom, and showed himself great, and distinguished by every goodness, for he ruled his kingdom with justice, respecting the bishops, making gifts to the churches, relieving the poor, and doing kindnesses to many persons with a pious and generous heart. He kindly remitted all the tribute which was payable to his treasury from the churches situated in Auvirna. 26. Now Deateria saw that her daughter was quite grown up, and was afraid that the king would desire to take her. She placed her in a litter to which wild oxen were yoked, and sent her headlong over a bridge, and she lost her life in the river. This happened in the city of Verdun. 27. As it was now the seventh year since Theodobart and Visigard had been betrothed, and he was unwilling to take her on account of Theateria, the Franks, when they met, were greatly scandalized at him, because he had abandoned his betrothed. Then he was alarmed, and abandoning Deateria, by whom he had a little son named Theodobald, he married Visigard. And when she died not long after, he took another wife, but he did not have Deateria after that. 28. Childebert and Theodobart march against Clothar, but are turned back, by a miraculous hailstorm sent by St. Martin. 29. Later King Childebert set out for Spain, and entering the country of Clothar they surrounded the city of Saragossa with their army, and besieged it. But the besieged turned to God in such humility that they put on haircloth, abstained from food and drink, and made the round of the walls of the city with psalms-hanging, carrying the tunic of the blessed Vincent, the martyr, and women, too, followed wailing, clothed in black robes, with their hair hanging loose and ashes upon it, so that one would think they were attending the funerals of their husbands. And to such a degree did that city place its whole hope in God's mercy, that it was said they were celebrating the feast of the Ninevites there, and there was no idea of any other possibility than that the divine mercy might be won by prayers. But the besiegers did not know what was going on, and when they saw them go around the wall in such a way, they supposed they were engaged in some sorcery. Then seizing one of the common people of the place, they asked him what it was they were doing, and he said, they are carrying the blessed Vincent's tunic, and at the same time they are praying the Lord to pity them. And they were afraid at this, and went away from the city. However, they acquired a very large part of Spain, and returned to the Gauls with great spoils. Thirty. After Amalerek, Theoda was ordained king in the Spains, and when he was slain they raised Theodegithel to the throne. When he was dining with his friends and was very cheerful, suddenly the lights were put out in the dining hall, and he was slain by his enemies, being thrust through with a sword. After him, Aguila became king. For the Gauls had formed the detestable habit of attacking with a sword any one of their kings who did not please them, and they would appoint as king any one who took their fancy. Thirty-one. Theodoric of Italy, having married a sister of King Clovis, died, and left his wife and a little daughter. When this girl was grown, because of her fickle temper, she refused the counsel of her mother, who was looking out for a king's son for her, and took her slave, named Tragulanus, and fled with him to a city where she hoped to defend herself. And when her mother raged at her furiously, and begged her not to disgrace further a noble family, and said it was her duty to send the slave off and take one of equal rank with herself from a royal family whom her mother had provided, she was by no means willing to agree to it. When her mother, still raging at her, set an army in motion, and they came upon them, and killed Tragulanus with the sword, chastised the girl herself, and took her to her mother's house. Now they belonged to the Aryan sect, and as it is their custom, that those going to the altar that kings receive one cup and the lesser people another, she put poison in the cup from which her mother was going to receive the communion. And she drank it, and died forthwith. There is no doubt that such harm is from the devil. What shall the wretched heretics answer to this charge, that the enemy dwells in their holy place? But as for us who confess the trinity in one, similar equality and omnipotence, even if we should drink a deadly draft in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the true and incorruptible God, it would not do us any harm. The Italians were indignant at this woman, and they invited Theobald, king of Tuskia, and made him king over them. When he learned what the harlot had been guilty of, how she had slain her mother on account of a slave whom she had taken, he gave orders that a bath be raised to a great heat, and that she be shut in the same with one maid. And when she entered the hot vapors she fell at once on the pavement, and died, and was consumed. And when the kings Shildebert and Clothar, her cousins, as well as Theodobart, learned of this, namely that she had been put to death in so shameful a manner, they sent an embassy to Theobat, including him for her death, and saying, if you do not make an arrangement with us for what you have done, we will take your kingdom from you, and condemn you to a like punishment. Then he was afraid, and sent to them fifty thousand gold pieces. And Shildebert, being ever envious of king Clothar, and deceitful, joined with Theodobart his nephew, and they divided the gold between them, and refused to give any of it to king Clothar. But he made an attack upon the treasures of Clothar, and took much more from them than that of which they had defrauded him. 32 Theodobart went to Italy, and there made great gains. But as those places according to report are full of diseases, his army was attacked by various fevers, and many of them died there. Following this, Theodobart returned from the country and brought much spoil, himself and his men. It is related that at that time he went as far as the city of Pavia, to which he again sent Busellanus. And he captured Lesser Italy, and brought it under this way of the king who had been mentioned, and attacked Greater Italy. Here he fought against Belsorius many times, and won the victory. And when the emperor saw that Belsorius was being beaten more frequently, he removed him, and put Narces in his place, and as a humiliation he made Belsorius count of the stable, a place he had held before. But Busellanus fought great battles against Narces. Capturing all Italy he extended his boundaries to the sea, and he sent great treasures from Italy to Theodobart. When Narces made this known to the emperor, the emperor hired nations and sent aid to Narces, and in the battle later he was defeated. Then Busellanus sees Sicily, and exacting tribute from it he sent it to the king. He enjoyed great prosperity in these matters. 33. Tribute between Asteriolus and Sagundinus, advisers of King Theodobart. 34. Desideratus, bishop of Verdun, to whom King Theodoric had done many wrongs, was restored to liberty at the Lord's command. After many losses, and reverses, and griefs, and received the office of bishop, as we have said, at the city of Verdun, and seeing its inhabitants very poor and destitute, he grieved for them, and since he was left without his own property because of Theodoric, and had nothing of his own with which to relieve them, knowing the goodness and kindness to all of King Theodobart, he sent an embassy to him saying, 34. The fame of your goodness is spread over all the earth, since your generosity is such that you give aid even to those who do not seek it. I beg of your kindness that if you have any money, that you lend it to us, that we may be able to relieve our fellow citizens, and when those in charge of business secure a return in our city such as the rest have, we will repay your money with lawful interest. Then Theodobart was stirred with pity, and furnished seven thousand gold pieces, which the bishop received, and paid out among his fellow citizens, and they who were engaged in business were made rich through this, and are considered great to the present day. And when the bishop, who had been just mentioned, offered the money which was due to the king, the king answered, I have no need to take this, it is enough for me if the poor who were suffering want have been relieved by your care because of your suggestion and my generosity, and he whom we have mentioned made the citizens rich without demanding anything. 35. Cygrius avenges rungs done to his father by killing Serovald. 36. After this king Theodobart began to be sick, and the physicians gave him much care, but he did not get well, because the Lord was already bidding him to be summoned. And so, after a very long illness he died of his infirmity, and as the Franks hated Pytheneus intensely, because he had subjected them to the tribute in the time of the king just mentioned, they began to attack him. He saw that he was in danger, and fled from the city, and humbly begged two bishops to conduct him to the city of trees, and checked the sedition of the frenzied people by their preaching. While they were on their way he was lying on his bed at night, and suddenly he made a loud cry in his sleep, saying, Ho, ho, help you who are here, and assist one who is perishing! By this shouting those who were there were awakened, and they asked him what the matter was. And he answered, Asinius, my friend, and my wife, Papianella, whom I slew long ago, were summoning me to judgment, saying, Come to defend yourself, since you are going to plead with us in the presence of the Lord. Now he had slain his innocent wife and his friend some years before, under the influence of jealousy. Accordingly the bishops approached the city just mentioned, and since they could not comb the sedition among the rebellious people, they wished to hide him in the church, placing him in a chest, and strewing above him vestments, which were used in the church. The people came in, and after searching every corner of the church went out in a rage, when they found nothing. Then one said suspiciously, Behold, a chest in which our enemy has not been sought for! And when the guards said that there was nothing in it except that it contained the furniture of the church, they demanded the key, saying, Unless you quickly unlock it, we will break it open ourselves. Finally the chest was unlocked. The linen cloths were removed, and they found him, and dragged him out rejoicing and saying, God has delivered our enemy into our hands. Then they struck him with their fists, and spat on him, and crying his hands behind his back they stoned him to death beside a column. He was very voracious in eating, and when he ate he digested speedily, taking aloes in order to be made hungry soon again. And so he perished, meeting this kind of end. Thirty-seven. In that year the winter was a grievous one, and more severe than usual, so that the streams were held in the chains of frost, and furnished a path for the people like dry ground. Birds too were affected by the cold and hunger, and were caught in the hand without any smear when the snow was deep. Now from the death of Clovis to the death of Theodobart there are reckoned thirty-seven years. When Theodobart died in the fourteenth year of his reign, Theodald his son reigned in his stead. Here ends the third book. End of section five. Section six of Selections of the History of the Franks. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by B. Tuten. Selections of the History of the Franks by Gregory of Tore. Translated by Ernest Breho. Book four, chapters one to twenty-six. Here begins the fourth book with happy auspices. One, Queen Clotilda dies at Tore and is buried at Paris. Two, King Clothar had ordered all the churches of his kingdom to pay into his treasury a third of their revenues. But when all the other bishops, though grudgingly, had agreed to this and signed their names, the blessed injuriosus scorned the command and manfully refused to sign, saying, If you attempt to take the things of God, the Lord will take away your kingdom speedily, because it is wrong for your storehouses to be filled with the contributions of the poor whom you yourself ought to feed. He was irritated with the king and left his presence without saying farewell. Then the king was alarmed and being afraid at the power of the blessed Martin, he sent after him with gifts, praying for pardon and admitting the wrongfulness of what he had done, and asking also that the bishop avert from him by prayer the power of the blessed Martin. Three, the king had seven sons by several wives, namely by Ingunda, Gunthar, Childerick, Charyburt, Gunthram, Sigiburt, and a daughter, Clotsinda. By Aragunda, sister of Ingunda, Childerick, and by Chuncina he had Cramness. I will tell why it was he married his wife's sister. When he was already married to Ingunda and loved her alone, he received a hint from her, saying, My Lord has done with his handmade what he pleased and has taken me to his couch. Now let my Lord the king hear what his servant would suggest to make his favor complete. I beg that you consent to find a husband for my sister, a man who will be of advantage to your servant and possess wealth, so that I shall not be humiliated but rather exalted and shall be able to serve you more faithfully. To this request he gave heed and being of a wanton nature he fell in love with Aragunda and went to the estate on which she was living and married her himself. Having done this he returned to Ingunda and said, I have tried to do the favor which your sweet self asked of me. I sought for a man of riches and wisdom to unite to your sister but I found no one better than myself. And so allow me to tell you that I have married her which I think will not displease you. And she replied, let my Lord do what seems good in his eyes only let his handmade live in favor with the king. Now Gunther Kramness and Childerick died in their father's lifetime. Of the death of Kramness I shall write later. An Alban king of the Lombards married Klotsinda, his daughter. In Juryosus, Bishop of Tuur died in the 17th year of his Episcopate and Boudinus, a former official of King Clothar succeeded him, the 16th after the death of the Blessed Martin. Four, Chanel, Count of the Bretons killed three of his brothers. He wished to kill Macleavus also and seized him and kept him in prison loaded with chains. But he was freed from death by Felix, Bishop of Nantes. After this, he swore that he would be faithful to his brother but for some reason or other he became inclined to break his oath. Chanel was aware of this and began to attack him again. And when Macleavus saw that he could not escape he fled to another Count of that district, Cronomor by name. When Cronomor learned that Macleavus' pursuers were near at hand, he hid him in a box underground and heaped a mound over it in the regular way leaving a small airhole so that he could breathe. And when his pursuers came, they said, behold, here lies Macleavus dead and buried. On hearing this they were glad and drank on his tomb and reported to his brother that he was dead. And his brother took the whole of his kingdom for since Clovis' death the Bretons have always been under the dominion of the Franks and their rulers have been called Counts, not Kings. Macleavus rose from underground and went to the city of Van and there received the tonsure and was ordained Bishop. But when Chanel died, he left the priesthood, let his hair grow long and took back not only his brother's kingdom but also the wife whom he had abandoned when he became a priest. However, he was excommunicated by the bishops. What his end was, I shall describe later. Now Bishop Bodinus died in the sixth year of his Gopiscabit and the Abbott Gunther was appointed in his place the 17th after the passing of the Blessed Martin. Five, how St. Gaul, Bishop of Clermont averted the plague from his people. And when St. Gaul had departed from this world and his body had been washed and carried to the church, Cato the priest immediately received the congratulations of the clergy on becoming Bishop. And as if he were already Bishop he took under his control all the church property, removed the superintendents and cast the lesser officials out and regulated everything himself. Six, the bishops who came to St. Gaul's funeral said to Cato the priest after the funeral. We see that you are the choice of by far the largest part of the people. Come then, join us and we will bless and ordain you as Bishop. The King is very young and if any fault is found with you we will take you under our protection and deal with the leading men of the out of all's kingdom so that no wrong shall ever be done you. Trust us faithfully since we promise that even if some loss shall come to you we will make it all good from our own properties. But he was puffed up with the pride of vanglory and said, you know from widespread report that from the beginning of my life I have always lived religiously, that I have fasted, delighted in almsgiving, often kept watch without ceasing and have frequently continued the singing of Psalms without a break the whole night through. The Lord God to whom I have paid such service will not allow me to be deprived of this office for I attained all the grades of the clergy as directed in the cannons. I was reader 10 years, I performed the duties of sub-deacon five years, I have been priest now for 20 years. What more is left for me except to receive the office of Bishop which my faithful service deserves. You then return to your cities and busy yourself with whatever tends to your advantage for I intend to gain this office in the matter prescribed by the cannons. The bishops heard this and departed cursing his empty boasting. Seven, he was accordingly designated to be bishop by the choice of the clergy. And when he had taken charge of everything though he was not yet ordained, he began to make various threats against the Archdeacon Coutinas saying, I will cast you out, I will degrade you, I will cause many sorts of violent death to threaten you. And he answered, I wish to have your favor, pious master, and if I win it there is one kindness I can do. Without any trouble on your part and without any deceit, I will go to the king and obtain the office of bishop for you asking no reward except to win your favor. But the other was suspicious that he meant to make a mock of him and rejected the offer with great disdain. And when Coutinas perceived that he was in disgrace and was the object of ill report, he pretended sickness and left the city by night going to King Theodovald and reporting the death of Saint Gaul. And when he and his court were informed of it they assembled the bishops at the city of Metz and Coutinas the Archdeacon was ordained bishop. And on the arrival of the messengers of the priest Cato he was already bishop. Then by the king's order these clerks were delivered over to him and all that they had brought from the property of the church and bishops and officials of the treasury were appointed to accompany him and they sent him on his way to Clermont. And he was gladly received by the clergy and citizens and was thus made bishop of Clermont. But later enmity arose between him and Cato the priest because no one was ever able to influence Cato to submit to his bishop. A division of the clergy appeared and some followed the bishop Coutinas and others the priest Cato. There was a great drawback to them and Coutinas saw that Cato could not be forced in any way to submit to him and took all church property from him and his friends and whoever took his part and left them weak and empty. But whoever of them returned to him again again received what he had lost. Eight, King Aguila of Spain loses cities to the emperor which his successor Athanagild recovers. Nine, when the Odovald had grown up he married Vol de Trada. This the Odovald they say had a bad disposition so that when he was angry with anyone whom he suspected of taking his property he would make up a fable saying, a snake found a jar full of wine. He went in by its neck and greedily drained what was inside but being puffed out by the wine he could not go out by the opening by which he had entered. And the owner of the wine came and when the snake tried to get out but could not he said to him, first vomit out what you have swallowed and then you will be able to go free. This fable made him greatly feared and hated. Under him, Buccellanus after bringing all Italy under the rule of the Franks was slain by Narces and Italy was taken over by the emperor's party and there was no one to recover it later. In his time we saw grapes grow on the tree we call Salkum, elder tree without having any vine on it and the blossoms of the same trees which as you know usually produce black seeds yielded the seeds of grapes. And at that time a star coming from the opposite direction was seen to enter the disc of the fifth moon. I suppose these signs announce the death of the king. He became very sick and could not move from the waist down. He gradually grew worse and died in the seventh year of his reign and King Clothar took his kingdom taking Voldetrada, his wife to his bed but being rebuked by the bishops he left her giving her to Duke Garavald and sending his son Cramness to Clermont. 10, King Clothar destroys the greater part of the rebellious Saxons and lays Thuringia waste. 11, Bishop Gunthar died at tour and at a suggestion it is said of Bishop Coutinas the priest Cato was requested to undertake the government of the church at tour and the clergy accompanied by Lubastes keeper of the relics and abbot went in great state to Clermont. When they had declared the king's will to Cato he would not answer them for a few days but they wished to return and said declare your will to us so that we may know what we ought to do otherwise we will return home for it was not of our own will that we came to you but at the command of the king and Cato in his breed for Vainglory got together a crowd of poor men and instructed them to shout as follows good father why do you abandon us your children whom you taught until now who will strengthen us with food and drink if you go away we beg you not to leave us whom you are want to support then he turned to the clergy of tour and said you see now beloved brothers how this multitude of the poor loves me I cannot leave them to go with you they received this answer and returned to tour now Cato had made friends with Cranus and got a promise from him that if King Clothar should die at that time Coutinas was to be cast out at once from the bishop's office and Cato was to be given control of the church but he who despised the chair of the Blessed Martin did not get what he desired and in this was fulfilled that which David sang saying he refused the blessing and it shall be kept far from him he was puffed up with vanity thinking that no one was superior to him in holiness once he hired a woman to cry aloud in the churches if possessed to say that he was holy and great and beloved by God but Coutinas the bishop was guilty of every crime and unworthy to hold the office of bishop 12 now Coutinas on taking up the duties of bishop became greatly addicted to wine and proved to be of such a character that he was loathed by all he was often so befuddled by drink that four men could hardly take him away after dinner because of this habit he became an epileptic later on a disease which frequently showed itself in public he was also so avaricious that if he could not get some part of the possessions of those whose boundaries touched him he thought it was ruined for him he took from the stronger with quarrels and abuse and violently plundered the weaker and as Arsalia says he would not pay the price because he despised doing so and would not accept deeds because he thought them useless there was at that time a priest Anastasius of free birth who held some property secured by deeds of Queen Clotilde of glorious memory usually when he met him the bishop wouldn't treat him to give him the deeds of the queen mentioned above and when Anastasius postponed complying with the will of his bishop the latter would try now to coax him with kind words and now to terrify him with threats when he continued unwilling to the end he ordered him to be brought to the city and there shamelessly detained and unless he surrendered the deeds he was to be loaded with insults and starved to death but the other made a spirited resistance and never surrendered the deeds saying it was better for him to waste away with hunger for a time than to leave his children in misery then by the bishop's command he was given over to the guards with instructions to starve him to death if he did not surrender these documents now there was in the church of St. Cassius the martyr a very old and remote crypt in which was a great tomb of Parian marble wherein it seems the body of a certain man of long ago had been placed in this tomb upon the dead body the living priest was placed and the tomb was covered with the stone with which it had been covered before and guards were placed at the entrance but the faithful guard seeing that he was shut in by a stone as it was winter lit a fire and under the influence of hot wine fell asleep but the priest like a new Jonah prayed insistently to the Lord to pity him from the interior of the tomb as from the belly of hell and the tomb being large as we have said he was able to extend his hands freely wherever he wished although he could not turn his whole body there came from the bones of the dead as he used to relate a killing stench which made him shudder not only outwardly but in his inward parts as well while he held his robe tightly against his nose and could hold his breath his feelings were not the worst but when he thought that he was suffocating and held the robe a little away from his face he drank in the deadly smell not merely through mouth and nose but even so to speak through his very ears why make too long a story when he had suffered as I suppose like the divine nature he stretched out his right hand to the side of the sarcophagus and found a crowbar which had been left between the cover and the edge of the tomb when the cover sank into place moving this by degrees he found that with God's help the stone could be moved and when it had been moved so far that the priest could get his head out he made a larger opening with greater ease and so came out bodily meanwhile the darkness of night was over spreading the day though it had not spread everywhere as yet so he hastened to another entrance to the crypt this was closed with the strongest bars and bolts but was not so smoothly fitted that a man could not see between the planks the priest placed his head close to this entrance and saw a man go by he called to him in a low voice the other heard and having an axe in his hand he had once cut the wooden pieces by which the bars were held and opened away for the priest and he went off in the darkness and hastened home after vigorously urging the man to say nothing of the matter to anyone he entered his home and finding the deeds which the queen mentioned before had given him took them to King Clothar informing him at the same time how he had been committed to a living burial by his own bishop all were amazed and said that never had Nero or Herod done such a deed as to place a mive man in the grave then Bishop Coutinas appeared before King Clothar but upon the priest's accusation he retreated in defeat and confusion the priest according to directions received from the king maintained his property as he pleased and kept possession of it and left it to his children in Coutinas there was no holiness no quality to be esteemed he was absolutely without knowledge of letters both ecclesiastical and secular he was a great friend of the Jews and subservient to them not for their salvation as ought to be the anxious care of a shepherd but in order to purchase their wares which they sold to him at a higher price than they were worth since he tried to please them and they very plainly flattered him thirteen at this time Cramis lived at Clermont he did many things contrary to reason and for this his departure from the world was hastened and he was bitterly reviled by the people he made friends with no one from whom he could get good and useful counsel but he gathered together young men of low character and no stability and made friends of them only listening to their advice and at their suggestion he even directed them to carry off daughters of senators by force he offered serious insults to Furman and drove him out of his office as count of the city and placed Salis son of Eubodius in his place Furman with his mother-in-law took refuge in the church it was lent and Bishop Coutinas had made preparations to go in processions singing Psalms to the parish of Brioche according to the custom established by Saint Gaul as we described above and so the bishop went forth from the city with loud weeping afraid that he would meet some danger on the way for King Cramness had been uttering threats against him and while he was on the way the king said in a car and scaphthar his chief adherents saying go and drag Furman and Caesarea his mother-in-law away from the church by force so when the bishop had departed with psalm singing as I have said before the men sent by Cramness entered the church and strove to calm the suspicion of Furman and Caesarea with many deceitful words and when they had talked over one thing after another for a long time walking to and fro in the church and the fugitives had their attention fixed on what was being said they drew near to the doors of the sacred temple which were then open then in a car seized Furman in his arms and scaphthar Caesarea and cast them out from the church where their slaves were ready to lay hold of them and they sent them into exile at once but on the second day their guards were overcome with sleep and they saw that they were free and hastened to the church of the Blessed Julian and so escaped from exile however their property was confiscated now Coutinas had suspected that he himself would be subjected to outrage and as he walked along on the journey I have told of he kept nearby a saddled horse and looking back he saw men coming on horseback to overtake him and he cried woe is me for here are the men sent by cramness to seize me and he mounted his horse and gave up his psalm singing implying his steed with both heels arrived all alone and half dead at the entrance of Satan Julian's church as I tell this tale I'm reminded of Salas saying which he uttered with references to the critics of historians he says it seems difficult to write history first because deeds must be exactly represented in words and second because most men think that the condemnation of wrongdoing is due to ill will and envy however let us continue fourteen now when Clothar after Theodovald's death had received the kingdom of Francia and was making a progress through it he heard from his people that the Saxons were engaged in a second mad outburst and were rebelling against him and contemptuously refusing to pay the tribute which they had been accustomed to pay every year aroused by the reports he hastened toward their country and when he was near the boundary the Saxons sent legates to him saying we are not treating you contemptuously and we do not refuse to pay what we have usually paid to your brother and nephews and we will grant even more if you ask for it we ask for only one thing that there be peace so that your army and our people shall not come into conflict King Clothar heard this and said to his followers these men speak well let us not go against them for fear that we sin against God but they said we know that they are deceitful and will not do at all what they have promised let us go against them again the Saxons offered half of their property in their desire for peace Clothar said to his men give over I beg you from these men lest the anger of God be kindled against us but they would not agree to it again the Saxons brought garments, cattle and every kind of property saying take all this together with half of our land only let our wives and little ones remain free and let war not arise between us but the Franks were unwilling to agree even to this and King Clothar said to them give over I beseech you give over from this purpose for we have not the right word do not go to war in which we may be destroyed if you decide to go of your own will I will not follow then they were enraged at King Clothar and rushed upon him and tore his tent in pieces and overwhelmed him with abuse and dragged him about violently and wished to kill him if he would not go with them upon this Clothar went with them though unwillingly and they began the battle and were slaughtered in great numbers by their adversaries and so great a multitude from both armies perished that it was impossible to estimate or count them then Clothar in great confusion asked for peace saying that it was not of his own will that he had come against them and having obtained peace he returned home 15 the people of Tor heard that the king had returned from the battle with the Saxons and making choice of the priest Euphronius they hastened to him when their suggestion had been made the king replied I had given directions for Cato the priest to be ordained there why has my command been slighted they answered we invited him but he refused to come and while they were speaking Cato the priest suddenly appeared to request the king to expel Coutinas and command that he himself be appointed in Clermont when the king laughed at him he made a second request that he should be ordained at Tor which he had contemptuously refused before and the king said to him I at first gave directions that they should ordain you Bishop of Tor but as I hear you look down on that church therefore you shall be kept from becoming master of it and so he went off in confusion when the king asked about the Holy Euphronius they told him that he was a grandson of the Blessed Gregory whom I have mentioned before the king answered it is a great and leading family let the will of God and the Blessed Martin be done let the choice be confirmed and according to his command the Holy Euphronius was ordained Bishop the eighteenth after the Blessed Martin sixteen Cramness king Clothar's son opposes Bishop Coutinas at Clermont he goes to Poitiers and enters into an agreement with his uncle Childebert against Clothar he assumes authority over part of Clothar's realm and Clothar sends to other sons Cherrybert and Gunthram against him when they are ready to fight Cramness causes a report of Clothar's death to be circulated and Cherrybert and Gunthram haste him off Cramness marches to Dijon where he consults the Bible as to his future King Clothar meanwhile fights the Saxons seventeen Cramness joins Childebert in Paris Childebert ravages Clothar's territory as far as Rens eighteen Duke Austrapius takes refuge in Saint Martin's church in fear of Cramness Cramness orders him to be starved in the church but he obtains drink miraculously and is saved he later becomes a priest nineteen Medard Bishop of Soissons dies twenty King Childebert fell ill and after being bedridden for a long time died at Paris he was buried in the church of the Blessed Vincent which he had built King Clothar took his kingdom and treasures and sent into exile Volthrugatha and her two daughters Cramness presented himself before his father but later he proved disloyal and when he saw he could not escape punishment he fled to Brittany and there with his wife and daughters lived in concealment with Cheneuber count of the Bretons and Willakar, his flodder-in-law, fled to the church of Saint Martin then because of Willakar and his wife the holy church was burned for the sins of the people and the mockeries which occurred in it this we relate not without a heavy sigh moreover the city of Tours had been burned the year before and all the churches built in it were deserted then by order of King Clothar the church of the Blessed Martin was roofed with tin and restored to its former beauty then two hosts of locusts appeared which passed through Auvergne and Limousin and as they say come to the plain of Romagnac where a battle took place between them and there was great destruction now King Clothar was raging against Cramness and marched with his army into Brittany against him nor was Cramness afraid to come out against his father and when both armies were gathered and encamped on the same plane and Cramness with the Bretons had marshaled his line against his father night fell and they refrained from fighting during the night Cheneuber count of the Bretons said to Cramness I think it wrong for you to fight against your father allow me tonight to rush upon him and destroy him with all his army but Cramness would not allow this to be done being held back I think by the power of God when morning came they set their armies in motion and hastened to the conflict and King Clothar was marching like a new David to fight against Absalom his son crying aloud and saying look down Lord from heaven and judge my cause since I suffer a wicked outrage from my son look down Lord and judge justly give that judgment that thou once gave us between Absalom and his father when they were fighting on equal terms the count of the Bretons fled and was slain then Cramness started in flight having ships in readiness at the shore but in his wish to take his wife and daughters he was overwhelmed by his father's soldiers and captured and bound fast this news was taken to King Clothar and he gave orders to burn Cramness with fire together with his wife and daughters they were shut up in a hut belonging to a poor man and Cramness was stretched on a bench and strangled with a towel and later the hut was burned over them and he perished with his wife and daughters twenty one in the fifty first year of his reign King Clothar set out for the door of the Blessed Martin with many gifts and coming to the tomb of the bishop just mentioned at tour and repeating all the deeds he had perhaps done heedlessly and praying with loud groaning that the Blessed Confessor of God would obtain God's forgiveness for his faults and by his intercession blot out what he had done contrary to reason he then returned and in the fifty first year of his reign while hunting in the forest of Cuis he was seized with the fever and returned thence to a villa in Compiègne there he was painfully harassed by the fever and said Alas what do you think the king of heaven is like when he kills such great kings in this way laboring under this pain he breathed his last and his four sons carried him with great honor to soisson and buried him in the church of Saint Medard he died the next day in the revolving year after Cramness had been slain twenty two the four sons of Clothar make a lawful division of his kingdom to Cherrybert is assigned Paris for his capital to Guntherham or Leon to Chilperic soisson to Cigabert Reims twenty three the Huns attack Cigabert and Chilperic takes the opportunity to see some of his cities Cigabert recovers them twenty four when King Guntherham had taken his part of the realm like his brothers he removed the patrician agricola and gave the office of patrician to Kelsus a man of tall stature strong shoulders strong arms and boastful words ready in retort and skilled in the law and then such a greed for possessing came upon him that he often took the property of the churches and made it his own once when he heard a passage from the prophet Isaiah being read in the church which says woe to those who join house to house and unite field to field even to the boundaries of the place he is said to have exclaimed it is out of place to say woe to me and my sons but he left a son who died without children and left the greater part of his property to the churches which his father had plundered twenty five the good King Guntherham first took a concubine veneranda a slave belonging to one of his people by whom he had a son Gundabad later he married market route daughter of magnar and sent his son Gundabad to early on but after she had a son market route was jealous and proceeded to bring about Gundabad's death she sent poison they say and poison his drink and upon his death by god's judgment she lost the son she had and incurred the hate of the king was dismissed by him and died not long after after her he took austere killed also named Bobilla he had by her two sons of whom the older was called clothar and the younger claudimer twenty six moreover King Charibot married Ingeburga by whom he had a daughter who afterwards married a husband in Kent and was taken there at that time Ingeburga had in her service two daughters of a certain poor man of whom the first was called Marco Vefa who wore the robe of a nun and the other was Maraflet the king was very much in love with them they were as I have said the daughters of a worker in wool Ingeburga was jealous that they were loved by the king and secretly gave the father work to do thinking that when the king saw this he would dislike his daughters while he was working she called the king he expected to see something strange but only saw this man at a distance weaving the king's wool upon this he was angry and left Ingeburga and married Maraflet he also had another a daughter of a shepherd named Theodogild by whom he is said to have had a son who when he came from the womb was carried at once to the grave in this king's time Leonceus gathered the bishops of his province at the city of Saint and deposed Emery from the bishopric saying that this honor had not been given him in accordance with the cannons for he had had a decree of King Clothar that he should be ordained without the consent of the metropolitan who was not present when he had been expelled from his office they made choice of Heraclius then a priest of the church at Bordeaux and they sent word of these doings in their own handwriting by the priest just named to King Cheriburt he came to tour and related to the blessed Euphronius what had been done begging him to consent to subscribe to this choice but the man of God flatly refused to do so now after the priest had come to the gates of the city of Paris and approached the king's presence he said hail glorious king the apostolic sea sends to your eminence the most abundant greetings but the king replied you haven't been at Rome have you to bring us the greeting of the pope it is your father Leonceus the priest went on who together with the bishops of his province sends you greeting and informs you that Kimulus this is what they used to call Emery as a child has been expelled from the episcopate because he neglected the sacred authority of the cannons and sought actively for the ocevis of bishop in the city of Saint and so they have sent you their choice in order that his place may be filled so that when men who violate the cannons are condemned according to the rule the authority of your kingdom will be extended into distant ages when he said this the king gnashed his teeth and ordered him to be dragged from his site and placed on a wagon covered with thorns and thrust off into exile saying do you think that there is no one left to the sons of King Clothar to uphold his father's acts since these men have cast out without our consent the bishop whom he chose and he had once sent men of religion and restored the bishop to his place sending also certain of his officers of the treasury who exacted from bishop Leonceus one thousand gold pieces and find the other bishops up to the limit of their power of payment and so the insult to the prince was avenged after this he married Mark of Vapha sister of Mara fled for which reason they were both excommunicated by the holy bishop Germanus but since the king did not wish to leave her she was struck by a judgment of God and died not long after the king himself died and after his death the Odegild one of his queens sent messengers to King Guntherham offering herself in marriage to him to which the king sent back this answer let her not be slow to come to me with her treasures I will take her and make her great among the people so that she will surely have greater honor with me than with my brother who has just died and she was glad and gathered all together and set out to him and the king seeing this said it is better for these treasures to be in my control than in the hands of this woman who has unworthily gone to my brother's bed then he took away much and left little and sent her to a convent at Arle but she took it very hard to be subject to fasts and watches and made proposals to a goth by secret messengers promising that if he would take her to Spain and marry her she would leave the monastery with her treasures and follow him willingly this promise he made without hesitation but when she had got her things together and packed and was ready to go from the convent the diligence of the abbess frustrated her purpose and the wicked project was detected and orders were given to beat her severely and put her under guard and she continued in confinement to the end of her life on earth consumed with no slight passions end of section six recording by B. Tuten section seven of selections of the history of the Franks this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain from our information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by B. Tuten selections of the history of the Franks by Gregory of Tours translated by Ernest Breho book four chapters twenty-seven to fifty-one twenty-seven now when King Sigibur saw that his brothers were taking wives unworthy of them and to their disgrace were actually marrying slave women he sent an embassy into Spain and with many gifts asked for Brunhilda daughter of King Athanagild she was a maiden beautiful in her person lovely to look at virtuous and well behaved with good sense and a pleasant address her father did not refuse but sent her to the king I have named with great treasures and the king collected his chief men made ready a feast and took her as his wife and the great joy and mirth and though she was a follower of the Aryan law she was converted by the preaching of the bishops and the admonition of the king himself and she confessed the blessed Trinity in unity and believed and was baptized and she still remains Catholic in Christ's name twenty-eight when Chilperik saw this although he had already too many wives he asked for her sister Galswenda promising through his ambassadors that he would abandon the others if he could only obtain a wife worthy of himself and the daughter of a king her father accepted these promises and sent his daughter with much wealth as he had done before now Galswenda was older than Brunhilda and coming to King Chilperik she was received with great honor and united to him in marriage and she was also greatly loved by him for she had brought great treasures but because of his love of Fredagunda whom he had had before there arose a great scandal which divided them Galswenda had already been converted to the Catholic law and baptized and complaining to the king that she was continually enduring outrages and had no honor with him she asked to leave the treasures which she had brought with her and be permitted to go free to her native land but he made ingenious pretenses and calmed her with gentle words at length he ordered her to be strangled by a slave and found her dead on the bed after her death God caused a great miracle to appear for the lighted lamp which hung by a rope in front of her tomb broke the rope without being touched by anyone and dashed upon the pavement and the hard pavement yielded under it and it went down as if into some soft substance and was buried to the middle but not at all damaged which seemed a great miracle to all who saw it but when the king had mourned her death a few days he married Fredagunda again after this action his brothers thought that the queen mentioned above had been killed at his command and they tried to expel him from the kingdom Chilbaric at that time had three sons by his former wife out of Ere namely Theodobart whom we have mentioned before Merovec and Clovis but let us return to our task 29 the Huns were again endeavoring to make an entrance into the Gauls Sigiburt marched against them with his army leading a great number of brave men and when they were about to fight the Huns who were versed in magic arts crossed false appearances of various sorts to come before them and defeated them decisively Sigiburt's army fled but he himself was taken by the Huns and would have remained a prisoner if he had not overcome by his skill in making presence the men whom he could not conquer in battle he was a man of fine appearance and good address he gave gifts and entered into an agreement with their king that all the days of their lives they should fight no battles with one another and this incident is rightly believed to be more to his credit than otherwise the king of the Huns also gave many gifts to King Sigiburt he was called Gaganus all the kings of that people are called by this name 30 King Sigiburt attempts to take Arl from his brother Gunthrom but fails 31 now a great prodigy appeared in the Gauls at the town of Tarendunum situated on the river Rhone after a sort of rumbling had continued for more than sixty days the mountain was finally torn away and separated from another mountain near it together with men, churches, property and houses and fell into the river and the banks of the river were blocked and the water flowed back for that place was shut in on either side by mountains and the torrent flowed in a narrow way it overflowed above and engulfed and destroyed all that was on the bank then the gathered water burst its way downstream and took men by surprise as it had above and caused a loss of life overturned houses, destroyed beasts of burden and overwhelmed with a sudden and violent flood all that was on the banks as far as the city of Geneva it is told by many that the mass of water was so great that it went over the walls into the city mentioned and there is no doubt of this tale because as we have said the Rhone flows in that region between mountains that hem it in closely and being so closely shut in it has no place to turn aside it carried away the fragments of the mountain that had fallen and thus caused it to disappear wholly and after this thirty monks came to the place where the town fell in ruins and began to dig in the ground which remained when the mountain had fallen trying to find bronze and iron and while engaged in this they heard a rumbling of the mountain like the former one and while they were kept there by their greed the part of the mountain which had not yet fallen fell on them and covered and destroyed them and none of them was found in like manner too before the plague at Clermont great prodigies terrified that region for three or four great shining places frequently appeared about the sun and the rustics used to call them suns saying behold three or four suns in the sky once on the first of October the sun was so darkened that not a quarter of it continued bright but it looked hideous and discolored about like a sack moreover a star which certain call it common with a ray like a sword appeared over that country through a whole year and the sky seemed to be on fire and many other signs were seen in the church at Clermont while the morning watches were being observed at a certain festival a bird of the kind we call lark entered flapping its wings above the lights and so swiftly extinguish them all that one would think they had been taken by the hand of a single man and plunged into water the bird passed under the veil into the sanctuary and attempted to put out the light there but it was prevented from doing so by the doorkeepers and killed in the church of the blessed Andrew another bird did the same with the lighted lamps and presently the plague came and such a carnage of the people took place through the whole district that the legions that fell could not be counted for when sepulchres and gravestones failed ten or more would be buried in a single trench three hundred dead bodies were counted one Sunday in the church of the blessed Peter alone death was sudden a wound the shape of a serpent would appear on groin or armpit and the man would be so overcome by the poison as to die on the second or third day moreover the power of the poison rendered the victim insensible at that time kato the priest died for when many had fled from the plague he never left the place but remained courageously burying the people and celebrating mass he was a priest of great kindness and a warm friend of the poor and if he had some pride this virtue i think counterbalanced it but the bishop Coutinas after running from place to place in fear of this plague returned to the city caught it and died on the day before passion Sunday at that at very hour two to try to use his cousin died at that time leon warge cahor and Dijon were seriously depopulated from this plague thirty two the remarkable virtue of the priest julian thirty three the good abbot and the warning he received to be more severe with his monks thirty four i will relate what happened at that time in a certain monastery but i do not wish to give the name of the monk who is still alive for fear that when this account comes to him he may become vane glorious and lose merit a young man came to the monastery and presented himself to the abbot with the proposal to pass his life in god service the abbot made many objections explaining that the service there was hard and he could never accomplish what was required of him but he promised that he would call on the lord's name and accomplish it all and so he was admitted by the abbot after a few days during which he proved all that he was humble and holy it happened that the monks threw out of the granary about three chori of grain and left it to dry in the sun and appointed this month to guard it while the others were taking refreshment and he was left to guard the grain the sky suddenly became overcast and a heavy rain with roaring wind came swiftly in the direction of the heap of grain upon seeing it the monk knew not how to act or what to do he thought however that even if he called the rest considering the great quantity of grain they would not be able to store it in the granary for the rain and so giving up everything else he devoted himself to prayer beseeching the lord not to allow a drop of the rain to fall on the wheat and when he threw himself on the ground and prayed the cloud was divided and although there was a heavy downpour all around if it is right to say so it did not dampen a single grain of the wheat and when the other monks in the abbot became aware of the coming storm they came quickly to take the grain within and saw this miracle and looking for the man in charge of the grain they found him close by stretched out on the sand praying the abbot on seeing this prostrated himself close to him and when the rain had passed and the prayer was finished he called him to arise and gave orders to seize him and punish him with stripes saying my son you must grow in the fear and service of god with humility and not be puffed up with prodigies and miracles he ordered him to remain shut up in his cell seven days and to fast as if he were at fault in order to keep vanglory from forming an obstacle before him at the present time as we learn from men of the faith the same monk is so obsstemious that he eats no bread in the forty days of lint and drinks only a cup of barley water every third day and may the lord with your prayers dain to keep him is as pleasing to himself until his life is ended thirty five the priest Euphratesius and the Archdeacon Avitus are candidates for the bishopric of Alvern the former Gregory's describes in these words he was indeed a man of refined manners but his acts were not virtuous and he often made the barbarians drunk and rarely helped the needy thirty six Necetius succeeds Sacherdos as bishop of Lyon he has succeeded in turn by the wicked Priscus thirty seven death of the holy Friar thirty eight Louva and Louvielde kings of Spain the latter slew all who had been accustomed to kill the kings thirty nine Palladius and Parthenius respectively count and bishop of Jevoda, Quarrel Palladius accuses the bishop of unnatural crime he is removed and Romanus becomes count thirty nine it happened that one day Palladius and Romanus met in Clermont and in their dispute about the office of count Palladius was told that he was going to be put to death by King Sigibur however the story was false was ascertained to have been put in circulation principally by Romanus then Palladius was terrified and reduced to such despair that he threatened to kill himself with his own hand and although he was carefully watched by his mother and his kinsmen Furman to prevent the deed which he had conceived in the bitterness of his heart he escaped from his mother's sight for a short time and went into his chamber where he could be alone unsheathed his sword and putting his feet on the crosshilt of the sword he put its point at his breast and pushed on the sword from above and it entered at one of his breasts and came out at the shoulder blade raising himself up a second time he thrust himself in like manner in the other breast and fell dead I regard this deed with astonishment since it could not have been done without the help of the devil for the first wound would have killed him if the devil had not supported him so that he could accomplish his wicked purpose his mother rushed in half dead with alarm and fell in a faint on the body of her son she had lost and the whole household uttered cries of lamentation nevertheless he was carried to the monastery of Cornal and buried there but without being placed near the bodies of Christians or receiving the solemn service of the mass and this evidently happened to him for nothing else than his insult to the bishop forty Justin, a man of many vices, succeeds the emperor Justinian he associates with himself Tiberius who was just, charitable, a discerner of the right and winner of victories and a feature that surpasses all other excellences a most orthodox Christian forty one Albin, king of the Lombards, who had married Clotsinda, daughter of King Clothar abandoned his country and set out for Italy with all the Lombard people they put their army in motion and went with their wives and children proposing to remain there they entered the country and spent seven years chiefly in wandering through it to spoiling the churches, killing the bishops and bringing the land under their control when his wife Clotsinda died Albin married another wife whose father he had killed a short time before for this reason the woman always hated her husband and awaited an opportunity to avenge the wrong done her father and so it happened that she fell in love with one of the household slaves and poisoned her husband when he died she went off with the slave but they were overtaken and put to death together then the Lombards chose another king over them forty two Eunius who was also named Momulus was made patrician by King Gunthram I think that certain details should be given as to the beginning of his military service he was a son of Peonius and the native of the city of Orser Peonius governed this town as Count and when he had sent gifts to the king by his son to secure reappointment the son gave his father's presence and asked for his father's office and took his place when he should have helped him from this start he gradually rose and attained a greater prominence and upon the invasion of the Gauls by the Lombards the patrician Amatus who had lately succeeded Calces went against them and engaged in battle but was defeated in slain and it is said that the slaughter of the Burgundians by the Lombards was so great on that occasion that the slain could not be counted and the Lombards loaded with plunder departed again for Italy and upon their departure Unius also named Mumulus was summoned by the king and raised to a high office of patrician when the Lombards made a second inroad into the Gauls and came as far as Mustier Calmas near the city of Ambron Mumulus sent his army in motion and came to that place with the Burgundians he surrounded the Lombards with his army and made an Abadus and attacked them in pathless woods and killing many took a number of captives whom he sent to the king the king ordered them to be kept under guard in various places through the country but a few in one way or another escaped and took the news to their native land there were present in this battle Salonius and Sagittarius brothers and bishops who armed themselves not with the cross of heaven but with the worldly helmet and coat of mail and what is worse are reported to have killed many with their own hands this was Mumulus' first victory then the Saxons who had entered Italy with the Lombards made a second expedition into the Gauls and pitched camp in the territory of Rie that is near the village of Estublan scattering from there among the villages belonging to neighboring cities taking away leaving off captives and laying all waste when Mumulus learned of this he sent his army in motion and attacked them killing many thousands and he did not cease to cut them down until evening when night made an end for he had taken them off their guard when they expected nothing of what happened in the morning the Saxons marshaled their army and made ready for battle but messengers passed from one army to the other and they made peace they gave presents to Mumulus and surrendered all the plunder of the region with the captives and departed after taking oath that they would return to the Gauls in obedience to the kings and as allies to the Franks and so the Saxons returned to Italy and taking their wives and little ones and all their possessions undertook the return journey into the Gauls with the intention of presenting themselves to King Sigibur and establishing themselves again in the district which they had left they formed two wedges, cuneos as they call them and one came by way of niece and the other by Ambron keeping in fact to the road they had come the previous year and the two divisions united in the territory of Avignon it was then harvest time and that country had its crops chiefly in the open fields and the inhabitants had not stored any of them when the Saxons came they divided the crops among them and gathered and threshed the grain and used it leaving nothing to those who had done the work but after the harvest had been used up and they came to the shore of the river Rhône in order to cross the torrent and present themselves in the kingdom of King Sigibur Romulus meant them and said you shall not cross this torrent behold you have devastated the land of my lord the king you have gathered the crops, plundered the herds, burned the houses cut down the olive groves and vineyards you shall not go up unless you first satisfy those whom you have left and want otherwise you shall not escape my hands but I shall draw my sword against you and your wives and little ones and avenge the wrong done to my lord King Gunthrom then they were very much afraid and gave many thousand pieces of coined gold as a ransom and were allowed to cross and thus they came to Clermont it was then springtime they brought their pieces of bronze engraved like gold and anyone seeing them would have no doubt that it was gold tested and weighed for it was colored by some device or other and a good many were deceived by the false appearance and gave gold and received bronze and became poor and they went on to King Sigibur and were settled in the land they had left 43 Albinus governor of Provence seizes Archdeacon Virgilius on Christmas Day in the church for failing to punish his men Albinus is fined 44 three lumbar chiefs in vague gall but are defeated and driven back into Italy by Momulus 45 Momulus recovers tour and Poizier for Sigibur from Chilburg 46 as I am about to speak of the death of Andarchius it seems best to tell first of his birth in native place he was a slave of the senator Felix as they say and being assigned to attend his young master he entered with him upon the study of letters and became distinguished for his learning for he was fully instructed in the words of Virgil the books of the Theodosian law and the art of calculation being puffed up with such knowledge he began to hold his masters in contempt and devoted himself to the service of Duke Lupus when he went to the city of Marseille by order of King Sigibur when Lupus left Marseille he told Andarchius to go with him and secured for him the favor of King Sigibur and put him at his service and Sigibur sent him to various places and gave him an opportunity for military service being held in a sort of honor because of this he came to Clermont and there entered into friendship with Ursus a citizen of the city then being of an ambitious temper he wished to be betrothed to Ursus's daughter and concealed a coat of mail as they tell in a chest in which documents used to be kept and said to Ursus's wife I give in your care a multitude of gold pieces more than sixteen thousand which I have placed in this chest and it shall be yours if you will cause your daughter to be betrothed to me to what do you not drive the hearts of men a cursed greed for gold the woman believed him without reserve and in her husband's absence agreed to betroth the girl to him he went back to the king and brought an order to the judge of the place commanding him to marry this girl saying I paid the earnest money at the betrothal but Ursus denied it saying I do not know who you are and I have none of your property when the quarrel continued and grew hotter and Darkias had Ursus summoned to the presence of the king and coming to the village of Bran he found another man named Ursus whom he caused to be taken secretly to the altar and to swear and say by this holy place and the relics of the blessed martyrs I will not delay in paying you the sixteen thousand solitude since I am not to give my daughter in marriage to you now witnesses were standing in the sanctuary listening secretly to what was said but not seeing the person who spoke then and Darkias soothed Ursus with gentle words and caused him to return to his native place without seeing the king after this he made an oath and when Ursus went away he produced before the king a document containing the oath and said such and such is the writing I have from Ursus and therefore I request an order from your glory that he give his daughter to me in marriage otherwise let me have authority to take his possessions until I receive sixteen thousand solitude and am satisfied in this case then he received the order and returned to Clermont and showed the judge the king's order Ursus retired into the territory of Ville and when his property was turned over to and Darkias he also went to Ville and going into one of Ursus's houses he bade them prepare supper for him and heat water for bathing and when the slaves of the household did not obey their new master he beat some with clubs others with switches and struck some on the head drawing blood the whole household was in confusion but the supper was prepared he bathed in hot water became drunk with wine and stretched himself on his couch he had only seven slaves with him and when they were sound asleep weighed down by drowsiness not less than by wine the household was gathered together and Ursus closed the doors of the house which were made of wooden boards he took the keys and tore down the stacks of grain nearby and heaped piles of the grain which was then in the sheaf around and above the house until it was seen that the house was entirely covered then he set fire to it in different places and when the burning timbers of the building were falling on the luckless ones they awoke and began to shout but there was no one to listen to them and the whole house was burned and the fire consumed all alike Ursus fled in fear to the church of St. Julian and after making presence to the king he received again a good title to his property. 47 civil war between Chilperic and Sigbert there was at that time a worse outcry among the churches than in the time of Diocletian's persecution 48 the wickedness of the people of Gaul as compared with earlier times the plundering of the monastery of Lata 49 the civil war is continued Sigbert forces Chilperic to restore his cities 50 Chilperic shuts himself up in Tournai 51 in that year lightning was seen to traverse the sky as once we saw before the death of Clothar now Sigbert took the cities this side of Paris and marched as far as Rouen wishing to destroy these same cities with his army but he was prevented from doing so by his own people he returned thence and entered Paris and there Brunhilda came to him with her children and the Franks who had once looked to the older Childebert sent an embassy to Sigbert that if he would come to them they would abandon Chilperic and make him king over them on hearing this he sent men to besiege his brother in the city mentioned above and he himself proposed to hasten dither and the holy bishop Germanus said to him if you go and do not propose to kill your brother you shall return alive and victorious but if you have another purpose in mind you shall die for thus said the lord through Solomon you who prepare a pit for your brother shall fall into it but because of his wickedness he failed to pay heed and when he came to the village named Vitri all the army was gathered about him and they placed him on a shield and made him king over them then two slaves who had been placed under a charm by Queen Fretagunda carrying strong knives with poison blades of the sort commonly called scromosoxy approached him on some pretext and stabbed him one on each side he cried aloud and fell and died in a short time at the same time Charagiesel his chamberlain was slain and Sigilla who came from the land of the Goths was seriously wounded he was afterwards seized by King Chilperic and met a cruel death every joint being burned with white hot irons and his limbs being torn one from the other Charagiesel was both fickle and avaricious he had risen from a lowly place and become great with the king by flattery he was a man who grasped other men's property and was a breaker of wills and the end of his life was such that he did not succeed in making his own will when death threatened he who had so often destroyed the wills of others Chilperic was in suspense and did not know whether he should escape or perish when messengers came to him to tell of his brother's death then he left Tornay with his wife and children and clothed Sigiburt and buried him in the village of Lomb whence he was later transferred to Swasson to the church of the holy Medard which he had built and was buried there by the side of his father Clothar he died in the 14th year of his reign the 40th of his life from the death of Theodoburt the elder to that of Sigiburt 29 years are included and there were 18 days between his death and that of his nephew Theodoburt upon the death of Sigiburt Childebert his son reigned in his place from the beginning to the flood there were 2242 years from the flood to Abraham 942 years from Abraham to the going out of the children of Israel from Egypt 462 years from the going of the children of Israel from Egypt to the building of the temple of Solomon 480 years from the building of the temple to its desolation and the migration to Babylon 390 years from the migration to the passion of the Lord 668 years from the passion of the Lord to the death of Saint Martin 412 years from the death of Saint Martin to the death of King Clovis 112 years from the death of King Clovis to the death of Theodoburt 37 years from the death of Theodoburt to the death of Sigiburt 29 years which makes a total of 5774 years here ends the fourth book end of section seven recording by B. Tooton