 Section number 10 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. Tootin. Selections of the History of the Franks by Gregory of Tour, translated by Ernest Breho. Book number 6, chapters 1 to 22. Here begins the sixth book, starting with the sixth year of King Childebert. One, Childebert allies himself with Chilparic instead of with Gunthrong. A synod meets at Lyon. Two, meanwhile King Chilparic's legates, who had gone three years before to the Emperor Tiberius, returned but not without severe loss and danger. For as they did not dare to enter the harbor of Marseille on account of the quarrels among the kings, they made for Agde, which is situated in the Gothic Kingdom. But before they could reach the shore, the ship was driven by the wind and dashed on the land and broke into fragments. The legates and their men, seeing they were in danger, seized planks and with difficulty reached the shore, many of the men being lost but most escaped. The inhabitants took the articles that the waves carried ashore, but they recovered the more valuable of them and carried them to King Chilparic. The people of Agde nevertheless kept much. At that time I had gone to the Villa of Nojon to see the king and there he showed me a great basin of 50 pounds weight which he had made of gold and gems and he said, I made this to bring honor and glory to the Frankish people and I shall make many more if I live. He showed me also gold coins, each of a pound's weight, sent by the emperor, having on one side the likeness of the emperor and the inscription in a circle, Tiberii Constantini Perpetui Augusti and on the other a four-horse chariot and charioteer with the inscription Gloria Romanorum. He showed me also many other beautiful things brought by the legates. Three, the alliance between Chilparic and Childebert is confirmed and they agree to take Guntherham's kingdom away from him. Four, now Lupus, Duke of Champagne had long been continually harassed and plundered by his enemies and especially by Urcio and Berthafrit and at length they made an agreement to kill him and they marched against him. But Queen Brunhild heard of it and grieving at the unjust attacks on her loyal supporter she armed herself like a man and rushed into the midst of the opposing forces and cried, do not, oh warriors, do not do this evil, do not attack the innocent, do not for one man engage in a battle which will destroy the welfare of the district. Urcio said to her, leave us woman, let it suffice for you to have ruled under your husband but now your son rules and his kingdom will be maintained not by your support but by ours. Leave us or our horses hooves will trample you to the earth. When they had continued such talk as this a long time the Queen's determination that they should not fight prevailed. However on leaving that locality they burst into Lupus's house seized all his property and took it home pretending they were going to place it in the King's treasury and they threatened Lupus and said he will never escape alive from our hands. Lupus saw he was in danger and placing his wife in safety within the walls of the city of Laon he fled to King Gunthrum and being welcomed by him he remained in hiding waiting till Childeburg should come of age. Five, while King Chilperich was still at the villa mentioned above he directed his baggage to be moved and made arrangements to go to Paris and when I went to see him to say goodbye a certain Jew named Priscus came in who was on friendly terms with him and helped him buy costly articles. The King took him by the hair in a gentle way and said to me come Bishop of God and lay your hands on him but he struggled and the King said to him oh obstinate minded and ever disbelieving race which does not recognize the Son of God promised to it by the voices of its prophets and does not recognize the mysteries of the church prefigured in its own sacrifices. To these words the Jew replied God never married nor was blessed with offspring nor allowed anyone to share his power but he said by the mouth of Moses see see that I am the Lord and accept me there is no God I shall kill and I shall make alive I shall wound and I shall heal. Footnote the argument is continued at length along this line between the Jew on the one hand and Chilperic and Gregory on the other end of footnote. Although I said this and more the wretched man felt no remorse and refused to believe then when he was silent and the King saw that he was not conscious stricken because of my words he turned to me and asked to receive my blessing that he might depart. He said I will say to you Bishop what Jacob said to the angel for he said to him I will not let you go until you bless me. So saying he ordered water brought for our hands after washing them we prayed and taking bread I thanked God and took it myself and offered it to the King and after a draft of wine I said farewell and left and the King mounted his horse and returned to Paris with his wife and daughter and all his household. Six there was at this time in the city of Nice a recluse hospice who was very abstinious. He wore iron chains next to his body and over these a hair shirt and ate nothing but plain bread with a few dates and during Lent he lived on roots of Egyptian herbs such as the hermits use which were brought to him by traders. First he would drink the soup in which they were cooked and eat the roots next day. The Lord did not disdain to work great miracles through him for at one time the Holy Spirit revealed to him the coming of the Lombards into the Gauls and he foretold it as follows. The Lombards said he will come into the Gauls and will lay waste seven cities because their wickedness has grown in the sight of God since no one understands no one seeks God no one does good to appease the anger of God. For all the people are unfaithful given up to perjury addicted to thievery ready to kill and from them comes no fruit of justice at all. Tithes are not paid the poor are not fed the naked are not clothed strangers are not received with hospitality or satisfied with food therefore this affliction has come and now I say to you gather all your substance within the enclosure of the walls that the Lombards may not take it and fortify yourselves in the strongest places. At these words all stood gaping and they said goodbye and returned home with great admiration. He also said to the monks you too depart from this place and take with you what you have for behold the people I have named draw near but when they replied we will not leave you most Holy Father he said to them don't fear for me for they will offer me insults but they will not harm me unto death. The monks went away and that people came and laying waste all they found they came to the place where the Holy recluse of God was and he showed himself to them at the window of the tower. They went all around the tower but could find no entrance by which they could come to him. Then two climbed up and pulled the roof off and seeing him bound with chains and clad in a hair shirt they said here is a malefactor who has killed a man and therefore is kept bound in these fetters. They called an interpreter and asked him what crime he had committed to be so confined in punishment and he confessed that he was a homicide and guilty of all crime. Then one of them drew his sword to strike at his head but his lifted right arm stiffened in the very act of striking and he could not draw it back to him. He let go the sword and let it fall on the ground. Seeing this his comrades raised a shout to heaven begging the saint to declare to them kindly what they were to do and he made the sign of salvation and restored the arm to health. The man was converted on the spot and received the tonsher and is now reckoned a most faithful monk. And two dukes who listened to him returned safe to their native place but those who despised his command perished wretchedly in the province. Many of them were seized with demons and cried why holy and blessed one do you torture and burn us? And he laid his hand on them and cured them. After this there was a man of Angers who in a severe fever had lost both speech and hearing. And when he got better of the fever he continued deaf and dumb. Now a deacon was sent from that province to Rome to obtain relics of the blessed apostles and other saints who protect that city. And when he came to this infirm person's relatives they begged him to take him as a companion on the journey believing that if he reached the tombs of the blessed apostles he would forthwith be cured. They went on their way and came to the place where the blessed hospiceus lived. After greeting and kissing him the deacon told the purpose of his journey and said he was starting for Rome and asked the holy man to recommend him to ship captains who were friends of his. And while he was still staying there the blessed man felt that power was in him through the spirit of the Lord. And he said to the deacon I beg you to bring to my sight the infirm person who is the companion of your journey. The deacon made no delay but went swiftly to his lodging and found the infirm person full of fever. And he indicated by signs that there was a humming in his ears. The deacon seized him and led him to the saint of God. The holy man took hold of his hair and drew his head into the window and taking oil that had been blessed he took hold of his tongue with his left hand and poured the oil in his mouth and on the top of his head saying the name of my Lord Jesus Christ let your ears be opened and let that power which once drove a wicked demon from a deaf and dumb man open your lips. Having said this he asked him his name and he answered in a clear voice I'm called so and so. When the deacon saw this he said I give the endless thanks Jesus Christ who daynest to work such miracles by thy servant. I was seeking Peter. I was seeking Paul and Lawrence and the others who made Rome glorious with their blood. Here I have found them all. I have discovered everyone. As he was saying this with loud weeping and great admiration the man of God holy intent on avoiding vanity said be silent beloved brother it is not I who do this but he who created the universe out of nothing who took on man for our sake and gave sight to the blind hearing to the deaf speech to the dumb who bestowed on lepers the skin they had before on the dead life and on all the infirm abundant healing. Then the deacon said farewell and departed rejoicing with his comrades. When they had gone a certain Dominic this was the man's name who had been blind from birth came to prove his miraculous power and when he had dwelt in the monastery two or three months praying and fasting at length the man of God called him to him and said do you wish to recover your sight and he replied I wish to know a thing unknown for I do not know what the light is only one thing I know that it is praised by men but I have not deserve to see from the beginning of my life until now then he made the holy crossover his eyes with oil that had been blessed and said in the name of Jesus Christ our redeemer let your eyes be opened and at once his eyes were opened and he wondered and contemplated the great works of God which he saw in this world then a certain woman who as she herself asserted had three demons was brought to him and he blessed her with a sacred touch and made the cross and holy oil on her forehead and the demons were driven out and she departed cleansed. Moreover he cured by his blessing a girl who was vexed with an unclean spirit and when the day of his death was drawing nigh he summoned the prior of the monastery and said bring iron tools to open the wall and send messengers to the bishop of the city to come and bury me for on the third day I shall depart from this world and go to the appointed rest which the Lord has promised me upon this the prior sent messengers to the bishop of niece to carry this word after this one kreskens went to his window and seeing him bound with chains and full of worms he said oh my master how can you bear such tortures so bravely and he replied he comforts me in whose name I suffer this for I tell you that I am now freed from these bonds and I'm going to my rest when the third day came he laid aside the chains by which he was bound and prostrated himself in prayer and after he had prayed and wept a long time he lay down on a bench and stretched out his feet and raised his hands to heaven and thanked God and died and immediately all the worms that were boring through his holy limbs disappeared and bishop austereus came and most carefully placed the blessed body in the grave all these things I learned from the lips of the very deaf and dumb man who is I related above was healed by him he told me many other miracles of his but I have been kept from describing them by the fact that I have been told that his life has been written by many persons seven the bishops of uze eight Ibarcus died also a reclusive Angulem a man of great holiness through whom god did many miracles and leaving out most of them I will tell briefly of a few he was a native of parigar but after his conversion he entered the clergy and went to Angulem and built a cell for himself there he gathered a few monks and prayed continually if any gold or silver was offered to him he would pay it out for the necessities of the poor or to ransom captives no bread was baked in that cell why he lived was brought in by the devout when it was needed he ransomed a great number of people from the offerings of the devout he often cured the poison of malignant pimples by the sign of the cross and by prayer drove demons out from the bodies that they possessed and with his charming manner often rather ordered than requested judges to spare the guilty for he was so attractive in his address that they could not deny him when he asked a favor on one occasion a prisoner who was vehemently accused by the inhabitants of many crimes both thefts and homicides was to be hanged for theft and when this was reported to Ibarcus he sent his monk to entreat the judge to grant life to the guilty man since the throng insulted the judge and cried loudly that if he were let go it would be good neither for the country nor the judge the prisoner could not be let go meanwhile he was stretched on the wheel beaten with rods and clubs and condemned to the gallows and when the monk sadly brought the news to the abbot he said go wait at a distance for be assured the lord will grant us of his own gift what man has refused when you see him fall take him and bring him at once to the monastery the monk went about his bidding and Ibarcus threw himself down in prayer and wept and poured forth prayers to God until the bar and chains being broken the hanged man should be placed on the ground then the monk took him and brought him safe and well to the abbot and he thanked God and ordered the count summoned and said to him you were always used to hear me kindly beloved son and why did you harden yourself today and refuse to let the man go whose life I ask for he replied I would willingly heed you sacred priest but the people rose and I could do nothing else for fear of a rebellion the recluse answered you did not heed me but God deigned to heat me and he restored to life the one whom you gave to death behold said he he stands alive before you as he said this the man threw himself at the feet of the count who was astonished that he saw living one whom he left dead this I heard from the lips of the count himself moreover he did many other miracles which I have thought it tedious to relate after 44 years as a recluse he contracted a fever and died he was taken forth from his cell and buried and a great assembly of those he had ransomed as we have said followed his funeral 9 Domnolis Bishop of Ma began to sicken in the time of King Clothar he had been in charge of the monks at the church of Saint Lawrence in Paris but as he had always been faithful to King Clothar while the older Childebert was still living and often concealed his messengers when sent to spy the king was awaiting an opportunity to make him bishop when the bishop of Avignon passed away he had proposed to appoint him there but the blessed Domnolis heard of this and came to the church of Saint Martin where King Clothar had then come for prayer and after spending a whole night in watching he sent a hint to the king through the leading men who were there not to remove him far from the king's sight like a captive and not to permit a man of his straightforward character to be worn out among sophistical senators and philosophizing judges saying this was a place of humiliation for him rather than of honor to this the king assented and when Inocentius bishop of Ma died he appointed him as bishop of that church when he had reached this honor he conducted himself so that he rose to the summit of holiness and restored the power of walking to a lame man and sight to one who was blind after 22 years in his episcopate he perceived that he was greatly worn out with the king's evil and gout and he selected the Abbot Theodolph for his place the king assented to his desire but not long after changed his mind and the election was given to bat a chisel the king's major domo he received the tonsure went through the grades of the clergy in 40 days and when the bishop passed away he succeeded him 10 in these days thieves broke into Saint Martin's church they placed a railing which was on the tomb of a dead man at a window of the apps and climbing up by it they broke the glass and entered and taking a great quantity of gold and silver and silken cloths they went off not fearing to set foot on the holy tomb where we scarcely dare to touch our lips but the saint's power made this foolhardy deed known by a terrible judgment for after committing the crime they went on to the city of Bordeaux and a quarrel arose and one killed the other and thus their deed was found out and their theft was revealed and the broken silver and the cloths were taken from their lodging when this was reported to King Chilperic he ordered them to be bound and brought into his presence then I was afraid that men would die because of him who in his lifetime in the body often prayed for the lives of the lost and sent the king a letter of entreaty not to put these men to death since we to whom prosecution belonged did not accuse them and he received my request with kindness and restored them to life and the valuable articles which had been scattered he collected very carefully and ordered them sent back to the holy place 11 Denamious Governor of Provence and Theodore Bishop of Marseille quarrel Childebert supports Theodore and Guntherham Denamious 12 Chilperic takes advantage of the quarrel and seizes Perigue, and a number of other cities belonging to Guntherham 13 Lupus a citizen of Tours having lost wife and children desired to enter the clergy but was prevented by his brother Ambrose who was afraid that he would leave his property to the church of God if he were joined to it Ambrose persuading him to his harm provided him with another wife and appointed the day to meet to give the betrothal gifts then they went together to the town of Chinon where they had a dwelling but Ambrose's wife being an adulterous and loving another with the love of a lewd woman and hating her husband made a plot for him and when these brothers had feasted together and had drunk wine in the night until they were intoxicated they lay down on the same bed then the adulterer came in the night when all were sleeping heavily because of the wine and setting fire to the straw in order to see what he was doing he drew his sword and struck Ambrose on the head so that the sword went in at his eyes and cut the pillow in tube beneath his head Lupus was aroused by the blow and finding himself wallowing in blood he called in a loud voice saying alas alas help my brother is killed but the adulterer who had committed the deed and was now going off heard this and returned to the bed and attacked Lupus although he resisted he was wounded many times and overwhelmed and given a mortal stroke and left half dead but no one of the household knew of it in the morning all were amazed at such a crime Lupus however was found to be still alive and after telling the story as it occurred he died but the harlot did not take a long time to mourn in a few days she joined her adulterer and departed 14. In King Childebert's seventh year which was the 21st of Chilperic and Guntrum in the month of January there were rains and heavy thunder and lightning blossoms appeared on the trees the star which I called above the comet appeared in such a way that there was a great blackness all around it and it was placed as it were in a hole and gleamed in the darkness sparkling and scattering rays of light and a ray of wonderful size extended from it which appeared like the smoke of a great fire a long way off it appeared in the west in the first hour of the night at soison on the day of holy Easter the heavens were seen to be on fire and there appeared to be two fires one greater and the other less and after the space of two hours they united and formed a great flame and vanished in the territory of Paris real blood fell from the clouds and dropped on the garments of many men and so defiled them with gore that they shuddered at their own clothes and put them away from them this prodigy appeared in three places in the territory of that city in the territory of Saint-Lis a certain man's house when he rose in the morning appeared to have been sprinkled with blood from within there was a great plague that year among the people the sickness took various forms and was severe with pimples and tumors which brought death to many still many who were careful escaped we heard that at Narbonne in that year the bubonic plague was very fatal so that when a man was seized by it he had no time to live 15 Felix Bishop of Nantes was stricken by this plague and began to be seriously sick then he called the neighboring bishops to him and begged them to give the influence of their signatures to the choice which he had made of his nephew Burgundio then they sent him to me at that time Burgundio was about 25 years old he came and asked that I would consent to go to Nantes and give him the tonsure and consecrate him bishop in place of his uncle who was still living this I refused to do since I knew it was not in accordance with the canons still I gave him advice saying we haven't written in the cannons my son that no one can rise to the office of bishop unless he first passes through the grades of the clergy in regular order you then dearly beloved must return thither and request him who has made choice of you to give you the tonsure and when you reach the office of priest be regular in attendance at church and when God wills that he pass away then you will readily attain to the office of bishop he returned and pretended to take my advice since the bishop Felix seemed to be recovering from his illness but after the fever departed his legs burst out in pimples from the humor then he put on two strong opulterates of cantherides and his legs putrified and he died in the 33rd year of his episcopate and in the 70th of his life and nonicius his cousin succeeded him by the king's order 16 Felix's niece had been married to papillanus but Felix brought about their separation papillanus now recovered his wife from a nunnery 17 king chilperic ordered many jews to be baptized that year and received a number of them from the sacred font some of them however were purified in body only not in heart and lying to God they returned to their former perfidy so that they could be saved to observe the Sabbath as well as honor the Lord's day but priscus could not be influenced in any way to recognize the truth the king was angry at him and ordered him to be put into prison in the idea that if he did not wish to believe of his own accord he would force him to hear and believe but priscus offered gifts and asked for time until his son should marry a Hebrew girl at marseilles he promised deceitfully that he would then do what the king required meantime a quarrel arose between him and fatir one of the jewish converts who was now a god son to the king and went on the Sabbath priscus clad in an orery and carrying nothing of iron in his hand was retiring to a secret place to fulfill the law of moses suddenly fatir came upon him and slew him with the sword together with the companions who accompanied him when they were slain fatir fled with his men to the church of st. Julian which was on a neighboring street while they were there they heard that the king had granted to the master his life but ordered the men to be dragged like malifactors from the church and put to death then their master being already gone one of them drew his sword and killed his comrades and then left the church armed with his sword but the people rushed upon him and he was cruelly killed fatir obtained permission and returned to gunthrum's kingdom once he had come but soon after he was killed by priscus's kinsmen 18 legates returning from spain report that king luva guild admits that christ is the equal of god but denies that the holy spirit is god at all 19 gunthrum's men crossed the river orge and do damage in chilperic's territory 20 in that year crudinas died a man of magnificent goodness and piety a great almsgiver and helper of the poor a lavish enricher of churches and supporter of the clergy for he often started at the beginning and cleared estates laying out vineyards building houses making fields and he would then invite bishops who were poor and give them a feast and generously distribute among them houses with fields and men to till them and silver and bedding and utensils and officers and slaves saying let these properties be given to the church that when poor men are supported upon them they may obtain pardon for me before god i have heard many other good things of this man which it would take too long to tell he died in his 70th year 21 list of prodigies 22 king chilperic having seized cities belonging to his brother appointed new counts and ordered that all the tribute of the cities be paid to him and we know that this was done in these days two men were seized by nannikius count of limoges who were carrying letters in the name of charterious bishop of perigure which contained many insults against the king and among the rest it was put as if the bishop were complaining that he had gone down from paradise to hell because for sooth he had been transferred from gunthorms rule to the dominion of chilperic the count just names sent these letters and these men to the king under strict guard the king pacently sent for the bishop to come to his presence to tell whether the charges against him were true or not the bishop came and the king confronted him with the men in the letters he asked the bishop if they had been sent by him he said they had not the men then were asked from whom they had received them they said it was frontonius the deacon the bishop was asked about the deacon he replied that he was his greatest enemy and there could be no doubt that this was his wickedness since he had often set wicked plots going against him the deacon was brought at once in question by the king he testified against the bishop saying it was i who wrote this letter at the bishop's order but the bishop cried out and said that this man had often devised clever tricks to cast him out from his office and the king was moved with pity and commending his cause to god he let them both go interceding with the bishop for the deacon and begging the bishop to pray for him and thus the bishop was sent back with honor to the city but after two months count nunicius who started this scandal died from an apoplectic stroke and as he was without children his property was granted to several persons by the king end of section 10 recording by b tutin section 11 of selections of the history of the francs this is a livery vox recording all livery vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit livery vox.org recording by b tutin selections of the history of the francs by gregory of tour translated by earnest braho book number six chapters 23 through 46 23 on account of the birth of a son king chilperic releases prisoners and remits taxes 24 gundevold who claims to be a son of clothar returns to gall from constantanople and is received by bishop theodore of marseille who is there upon seized and held prisoner by king gunthrong 25 prodigies 26 gunthrong boso is charged with bringing gundevold to gall he says that memolis is guilty of this and promises to bring him to king gunthrong 26 now duke gunthrong took with him the men of clairement and le velet and went off to avion but by a stratagem of memolis rotten boats were ready for them at the ron they embarked on them without suspicion and when they came to the middle of the river the boats filled and sank then being in danger some escaped by swimming and a number tore planks from the boats and reached the shore but a good many who had less presence of mind were drowned in the river duke gunthrong however reached avion now memolis on entering the city had seen to it that as only a small part was left which was not guarded by the ron the whole place should be protected by a channel into which he led water from the river here he had dug holes of great depth and running water concealed the traps he had made then upon the coming of gunthrong memolis cried from the wall since we are men of good faith let him come to one bank and i to the other and let him say what he wants when they had come gunthrong said from the other side it was this arm of the river that was between them if you please i will cross because there are some things to speak of in secret memolis answered come don't be afraid there upon he entered the water with one of his friends he was wearing a heavy coat of mail and immediately when they reached the hole in the river his friends sank under the water and did not reappear but while gunthrong was underwater and being carried along by the swift current one of the bystanders stretched out a spear to his hand and brought him ashore and then he and memolis abused one another before leaving the place while gunthrong was besieging this city with king gunthrong's army the news was taken to childebert he was angry because gunthrong was doing this without being ordered and sent gundolph whom i have mentioned before to the place he put an end to the siege and took memolis to claremont but after a few days he returned to avignon 27 childebert went to paris the day before easter was celebrated and to avoid the curses contained in the compact between him and his brothers that no one of them should enter paris without the consent of the others the relics of many saints were carried before him as he entered the city and he spent easter amid great mirth and gave his son to be baptized and ragnomode bishop of the city received him from the holy font childebert directed them to call him theodoric 28 marcus the referendary dies first receiving the tonsure 29 the piety of the nuns of poitiers is described as the result of a vision one of them acted as follows when the maiden had had this vision she was contrite in heart and after a few days she asked the abbess to get ready a cell in which she could be shut the abbess got it ready quickly and said here is the cell what more do you wish the maiden asked to be permitted to be shut in it this was granted and the nuns gathered with loud psalm singing and the lamps were lighted and she was conducted to the place the blessed radigunda holding her hand and so she said farewell to all and kissed each one and became a recluse and the entrance by which she went in was walled up and she is there now spending her time in prayer and reading 30 the emperor tiberius dies and moritzias succeeds him 31 king chilperate received legates from his nephew childebert and among them the leader was egetius the bishop of reins on being brought before the king they presented their letter and said our master your nephew begs you to keep special care the peace you have made with him since he cannot have peace with your brother who took away his share of marseille after his father's death and retains fugitives and is not willing to send them back therefore your nephew childebert wishes to preserve unbroken the friendship which he now has with you chilperic replied my brother has proven guilty in many particulars for if my son childebert would seek a path of reason he would know at once that it was by my brother's connivance that his father was killed upon this bishop egetius said if you would join with your nephew and he with you and take the field due vengeance would be speedily visited on him when they had sworn to this agreement and exchanged hostages they departed then relying on these promises childebert sent the army of his kingdom in motion and went to paris and on encamping there he brought great expense to the inhabitants and duke berylf went with the people of tour poitiers angers and not to the boundary of bourge and desiderius and bladast with all the army of their province hemmed in the territory of bourge on the other side completely devastating the country through which they came and childebert ordered the army which had come to him to pass through the territory of paris and when they had passed through he passed also and went to the town of melin burning and wasting all and although his nephew's army did not come to him still his dukes and legates were with him then he sent messengers to the dukes just mentioned and said enter the territory of bourge and go right to the city and demand the orphan fidelity in my name but the people of bourge gathered at the town of chateau mayan to the number of 15 000 and there fought duke desiderius and there was great slaughter there so that more than 7 000 from each army fell and the dukes went to the city with the people who were left plundering and devastating all and such marauding was done there as was never heard of in old times so that no house nor vineyard nor tree was left but they cut burned and subdued all moreover they carried the sacred utensils from the churches and burned the churches with fire but king gunthram went with an army against his brother placing all his hope in the judgment of god and one evening he sent his army and destroyed a great part of his brother's army in the morning legates went to and fro and they made peace promising one another that each would pay for what he had done beyond the limit of the law whatever the bishops and leaders of the people should decide and so they parted peaceably and when king chilpere could not keep his army from plundering he slew the count of ruan with his sword and thus returned to paris leaving all the booty and giving up the captives and the beseechers of bourge on receiving orders to return home took with them so much plunder that all the district they left was believed to be emptied of men and domestic animals the army of desiderius and bladast went through the land of tour and burned plundered and slew as is the custom with enemies they took captives the most of whom they spoiled and afterwards let go they're followed upon this disaster a disease among domestic animals so that scarcely enough remained to make a start with and it was strange if anyone saw an ox or heifer while this went on king childebert remained with his army in one place and one night the army mutinied and the lesser people raised a great murmur against bishop agideus and the king's dukes and began to cry aloud and shout in public saying let those be thrust from the presence of the king who sell his kingdom give over his cities to the dominion of another and betray his people to the rule of another prince while they continued shouting such things the morning came and they seized their armor and hastened to the king's tent in order to seize the bishop and leaders and crush them by force and beat and wound them on learning of this the bishop fled on horseback and hastened to his own city and the people pursued him hurling stones and shouting abuse and he was saved by the fact that they had no horses ready the bishop outstripped his companions horses and hastened on alone so terrified that when one shoe dropped off he did not stop to put it on and so he arrived at his city and shut himself within the walls of reams 32 a few months earlier ludast had come to tour with the king's command to take his wife back and dwell there moreover he brought me a letter signed by the bishops directing that he be admitted to the communion again but since i saw no letter from the queen on whose account especially he had been excommunicated i put off admitting him and said when i receive the queen's command then i will not delay to admit him meantime i sent to her and she wrote back saying i was urged by many and could not help letting him go but now i ask you not to be reconciled to him nor give him the holy bread from your hand until i consider more fully what i ought to do but when i read this letter over i was afraid he would be killed and sending for his brother-in-law i made it known to him and asked that ludast be careful until the queen should relent but he received with suspicion the advice which i gave frankly in god's sight and since he was my enemy he refused to do what i ordered and the proverb was fulfilled which i once heard an old man mention always give good advice to friend and foe because the friend takes it and the foe despises it and so he despised this advice and went to the king who was then at malon with his army and he entreated the people to beg the king to see him so when all made in treaty the king gave him a hearing ludast threw himself at his feet and begged for pardon and the king replied to him be on guard yet for a little while until i see the queen and make arrangement as to how you are to return into favor with her but he was reckless and foolish and was confident because he had had a hearing before the king and when the king returned to paris he threw himself at the queen's feet in the holy church on the lord's day and asked for pardon but she was furious and cursed the sight of him and drove him away and said bursting into tears i have no sons living to avenge the slander against me and i leave it to you Lord jesus to avenge and she threw herself at the king's feet and added woe is me that i see my enemy and do not prevail over him then ludas was driven from the holy place and the mass was celebrated the king and queen returned from the holy church and ludas went to the square having no idea what was going to happen to him he went around to the traders houses examined their costly wares tested the weight of the silver articles and looked at various ornaments saying i'll buy this and this because i still have much gold and silver as he was saying this the queen servants came suddenly and wished to bind him with chains but he drew his sword and struck one of them then in a rage they seized their swords and shields and rushed at him and one of them dealt a stroke that took hair and skin off a great part of his head and as he fled across the city bridge his foot slipped between two planks of the bridge and his leg was broken and he was taken his hands were tied behind his back and he was put in prison the king ordered the physicians to attend him in order that when cured of his wounds he might be executed with prolonged torture he was taken to one of the estates of the fisk but his wounds putrified and he was dying when the queen ordered him to be laid on the ground on his back then a great bar of iron was placed under his neck and they struck his throat with another and so after living an always perfidious life he died a just death 33 list of prodigies 34 death of chilporic's infant son theodoric 35 in the meantime the queen was told that the boy who had died had been taken away by evil arts and enchantments and that memolis the prefect whom the queen had long hated had a share in the death of her son theodoric and it happened that while memolis was dining at home one from the king's court complained that a boy whom he loved had been attacked by dysentery and the prefect said to him i have an herb at hand a drought of which will soon cure a sufferer from dysentery no matter how desperate the case this was reported to the queen and she was the more enraged meantime she apprehended some women of paris implied them with tortures and strove to force them by blows to confess what they knew and they admitted that they practice magic and testified that they had caused many to die adding what i do not allow anyone to believe we gave your son o queen in exchange for memolis the prefect's life then the queen used severe torture on the women and caused some to be drowned and delivered others over to fire and tied others to wheels where their bones were broken and then she retired with the king through the villa of copien and there disclosed to him what she had heard of the prefect the king sent his men and ordered him summoned and after examining him they loaded him with chains and subjected him to torture he was hung to a beam with his hands tied behind his back and there asked what he knew of the evil arts but he confessed nothing of what we have told above nevertheless he told how he had often received from these women ointments and potions to secure for him the favor of the king and queen now when released from torture he called a reader and said to him tell my master the king that i feel no ill effect of the tortures inflicted on me hearing this the king said is it not true that he practices evil arts if he has not been harmed by these tortures then he was stretched on the wheel and beaten with triple thongs until his torturers were wearied out then they put splinters under his finger and toenails and when he had come to this that the sword hung over him to cut his head off the queen obtained his life but a disgrace not less than death followed everything was taken from him and he was put on a rough wagon and sent to his birthplace the city of bordeaux but on the way he had a stroke of apoplexy and was scarcely able to reach his destination and not long after he died then the queen took all the boy had owned both garments and costly articles whether of silk or wool all she could find and burn them they say there were four wagon loads she had the things of gold and silver melted in a furnace that nothing might remain as it was to recall the sad memory of her son 36 difficulties of ethereus bishop of lisieux with a dissolute priest and how he finally triumphed 37 abbot lupentius is falsely accused tortured and murdered by count innocent 38 count innocent becomes bishop of rhodae 39 sulpichius becomes bishop of bourge 40 theological argument between gregory and a spanish legate 41 chilporic returns to cambray 42 childebert receives money from the emperor to drive the lombards out of italy but fails to do so 43 events in spain 44 list of prodigies 45 meantime the first of september came and a great embassy of goths came to king chilporic he had now returned to paris he ordered many households of slaves to be taken from his estates and placed on the wagons many two who wept and refused to go he ordered to be put under guard in order to send them more easily with his daughter they say that many in their grief hanged themselves fearing they would be taken from their kinsmen son was separated from father mother from daughter and they departed with loud outcries and curses there was such a wailing in the city of paris that it was compared with the wailing of egypt many of the older men who were forced to go made their wills and left their property to the churches and requested that when the girl had entered the spains the wills should be opened at once as if they were already buried meantime legates came to paris from king childebert and warned king chilporic not to take anything from the cities he held that belonged to the realm of childebert's father or present his daughter with the treasures in any of them or dare to touch the slaves or horses or yokes of oxen or anything in them they say that one of these legates was secretly killed but it was not known by whom still suspicion turned to the king king chilporic promised that he would touch nothing from these cities and invited the frankish nobles and the rest who had sworn fealty and celebrated his daughter's marriage she was given over to the legates of the goths and he gave her great treasures moreover her mother presented her with a great quantity of gold and silver and garments so that when the king saw it he thought he had nothing left the queen noticed he was provoked and she turned to the franks and said do not think men that i have anything here from the treasures of previous kings for all that you see is taken from my own property since the most glorious king has given me much and i have gathered a good deal by my own labor and i have made great gains from houses granted to me both from the revenues and the tribute moreover you have often enriched me with your gifts and from these sources comes all that you see before you where there is nothing here from the public treasures and thus the king's mind was deceived there was such a multitude of things that it took 50 wagons to carry the gold and silver and other ornaments the franks offered many gifts some gold others silver many horses or garments each gave such a gift as he could finally the girl said farewell after tears and kisses and when she was going out of the gate a wagon axle broke and all said malla aura which was taken by sun as an augury so she went forth from paris and ordered the tents pitched at the eighth milestone from the city and 50 men rose in the night and took a hundred of the best horses with golden bridles and two great chains and fled to king childebert moreover along the whole way when anyone could escape he fled taking whatever he could lay his hands on abundant supplies at the expense of the different cities were gathered along the way in this the king ordered that nothing should be taken from his own treasury but all from the contributions of the poor and as the king was suspicious that his brother or nephew would prepare some ambush against the girl on the way he directed that she should be guarded by an army great warriors were with her duke bobo mumalina's son with his wife as a attendant on the bride doma guisle and encevald and the major dormo wato who had once been count of sent and also about four thousand common soldiers the rest of the dukes and chamberlands who started with her turned back at poitiers the others journeyed on as they could and on this journey such spoils and booty were taken as can scarcely be described where they robbed the huts the poor wasted the vineyards cutting off the vines and carrying them away grapes and all taking domestic animals and whatever they could come upon and leaving nothing along their road and the words that were spoken through joel the prophet were fulfilled that which the locust hath left hath the canker worm eaten and that which the canker worm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten and that which the caterpillar hath left hath the palmer worm eaten this is what happened on this occasion what was left by frost the storm destroyed what was left by the storm the drought destroyed and what was left by the drought the host carried away 46 while they continued on their way with this plunder chilporic the nero inherent of our time went to his villa of shell about 100 studs distant from paris and they're hunted one day returning from the hunt in the dusk when he was dismounting from his horse and had one hand on a slave's shoulder a certain one came and stabbed him with a dagger under the armpit and repeating the blow pierced his belly a flood of blood issued at once from his mouth and the open wounds and put his wicked soul to flight the narrative before this shows how iniquitous he was for he frequently laid great districts waste and burn them over and experienced no pain in this but rather joy like nero before him when he recited tragedies as the palace burned he often punished men unjustly because of their wealth very few clerics in his time reached the office of bishop he was given over to gluttony and his belly was his god he used to say that no one was wiser than he he wrote two books on the model of sedulias but their feeble little verses can't stand on their feet at all since for lack of understanding he put short syllables for long ones and long for short he wrote pamphlets also and hymns and masses which can in no wise be received he hated the causes of the poor he was always blaspheming the bishops of the lord and when he was in retirement he belittled and ridiculed no one more than the bishops of the churches he called this one lightheaded that one vein another lavish another wanton another conceited another pompous he hated nothing more than churches for he often used to say behold our treasury has remained poor behold our wealth has gone to the churches no one reigns if not the bishops our office will perish and be transferred to the bishops of the cities going on in this way he would always break wills that were made in favor of churches and he trampled underfoot the last directions of his own father thinking that there was no one left to require the execution of his will as to lust and wantonness nothing can be found in thought that he did not realize indeed and he was always looking for new devices to injure the people and of late years if he found anyone guilty he would order his eyes torn out and in the directions he sent to his judges to secure his own advantages he would add this if anyone disregards our orders let him be punished by having his eyes torn out he never loved anyone sincerely and was loved by no one and therefore when he died all his people deserted him but malif bishop of san li who had been sitting in his tenth three days and had been unable to see him came when he heard he was killed and washed him and put on better garments and spent the night singing hymns and took him in a boat and buried him in the church of saint vincent which is at paris leaving queen freda gunda in the cathedral here ends in christ's name the sixth book of the histories thanks be to god amen end of section number 11 recording by b tootin section 12 of selections of the history of the francs this is a libravax recording all libravax recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libravax.org selections of the history of the francs by gregarie of tours translated by earnest brighalt book seven here begins the seventh book one though it is my desire to continue the history which the previous books have left untold still affection requires me first to tell somewhat concerning the death of the blessed salveas who as is well known died in this year footnote salveas died september 10 584 chelperix death which closes book six occurred in 584 and a footnote as he himself was want to relate he continued for a long time in the secular garb and with secular judges devoted himself to worldly cases but yet he never entangled himself in the passions in which the mind of the young is usually involved and finally when the odor of the divine breath had touched his inward parts he left the warfare of the world and sought a monastery and being even then devoted to godliness he understood that it was better to be poor with the fear of god than to pursue the gains of the perishing world in this monastery he continued a long time under the rule established by the fathers and when he had reached a more mature strength both of understanding and of life the abbot who was over the monastery died and he took up the task of feeding the flock and whereas he should have shown himself more commonly among his brethren for their correction after he attained this honor he was more retiring and so he sought for himself a more secluded cell now in the former as he himself told he had changed the skin of his body more than nine times from scourging himself with too great determination then after receiving the office while he devoted himself to prayer and reading contented with this abstinence he kept considering whether it was better for him to be hidden among the monks or to take the name of abbot among the people why say more he said farewell to his brethren and they to him and was immured while thus immured he continued in all abstinence more than before and in his love of charity he sought when any stranger came to bestow his prayers on them and administer the grace of the blessed bread abundantly which brought sound health to many who were infirm and once he lay panting on his bed worn out by a high fever and behold his cell was suddenly brightened by a great light and quivered and he lifted his hands to heaven and breathed out his spirit while giving thanks with mingled cries of mourning the monks and his mother took the dead man's body out of the cell washed and clothed it and placed it on a buyer and spent the night in weeping and singing psalms in the morning while preparations for the funeral went on the body began to move on the buyer and behold his cheeks regained color and as if roused from a deep sleep he stirred and opened his eyes and lifted his hands and said merciful god why has thou allowed me to return to this gloomy place of life on earth since i mercy in heaven would be better for me than via life in this world his people were wonderstruck and asked what such a prodigy could mean but he made no answer to their questions he rose from the buyer feeling no harm from the painful experience he had suffered and continued for three days without the support of food or drink on the third day he called the monks and his mother and said listen dear ones and understand that what you look upon in this world is nothing but it is like the prophet Solomon song all is vanity happy as the man who can live in the world so as to deserve to see the glory of god in heaven having said this he began to doubt whether to say more or be silent when he had said no more he was beset by the entities of his brethren to tell what he had seen and he went on four days ago when myself quivered and you saw me lifeless i was seized by two angels and carried up to the high heavens so that i thought i had under my feet not only this filthy world but the sun also and the moon the clouds and the stars then i was taken through a door brighter than this light into that dwelling in which all the pavement was like shining gold and silver a brightness and a spaciousness beyond description and such a multitude of both sexes was there that the length and breath of the throne could not be seen away was made for me through the press by the angels who guided me and we came to a place which i had already seen from a distance a cloud hung over it brighter than any light in which no sun no moon or star could be seen but exceeding all these it gleamed more brightly than the light of nature and a voice came out of the cloud like a voice of many waters then i a sinner was humbly greeted by men in priestly and worldly dress who my guides told me were martyrs and confessors whom we worship here with the greatest reverence i stood where i was bidden and a very sweet odor enveloped me so that i was refreshed by this sweetness and up to the present have wanted no food or drink and i heard a voice saying let him return to the world since he is necessary to our churches it was only the voice that was heard for it could not be seen who spoke and i threw myself on the pavement and said with loud weeping alas alas lord why dis thou show me this if i was to be deprived of it behold today thou wilt cast me out from thy face to return to the sinful world and never be able to return here again i beseech thee lord not to take thy mercy from me but permit me to stay here and not fall thither and perish and the voice which spoke to me said going peace for i am your keeper until i bring you back to this place then i was left alone by my companions and departed weeping by the gate by which i had entered and returned here when he had said this and all present were wonder struck god saint began to weep and say what was me who have dared to reveal such a mystery for the pleasant odor which i brought from the holy place by which i have been supported the last three days without eating or drinking has gone my tongue too is covered with grievous sores and swollen so that it seems to fill the whole of my mouth and i know that it was not well pleasing to my god to make these secrets known but thou knowest lord that i did this in simplicity of heart not in boastfulness i beg thee be kind and do not abandon me according to thy promise after this he said no more and took food and drink now as i write this i am afraid that some reader may not believe it according to what solace the historian says when you speak of the virtue and fame of good men each calmly believes what he thinks it easy for himself to do beyond that he considers it falsely invented for i call all powerful god to witness that i learned from his own lips all that i have told a long time after the blessed man was taken from his cell chosen bishop and ordained against his will and when he was i think in his tenth year as bishop the plague grew worse in albie and the greatest part of the people had now died and few of the citizens remained but the blessed man like a good shepherd never consented to leave the place but he continually urged those who were left to devote themselves to prayer and to keep watch continually and to be engaged always in good works and profitable thought saying do this so that if god wishes you to go from this world you can enter not into judgment but into rest and when by god's revelation as i suppose he recognized the time of his calling he made himself a tomb and washed his body and clothed it and thus always intent upon heaven he breathed out his blessed spirit he was a man of great holiness and not greedy at all he never wished to possess gold if he took it under compulsion he at once paid it out to the poor in this time when mamma was the patrician took many captives from that city he followed him and ransomed them all and the lord gave him such favors with that people that the very men who took the captives made him concessions in the price and also gave him gifts and so he restored the captives taken from his country to their former liberty i have heard many good things about this man but as i desire to return to the history i have undertaken to pass them over for the most part two now when chelperic had died and had found the death he had long been looking for the men of orleans united with those of beloy made an attack on the people of chateau dune and defeated them taking them off their guard they burned their houses and crops and whatever they could not carry away conveniently and they plundered flocks and herds and carried off all that was not fast upon their departure the men of chateau dune with the rest of the men of chartras pursued them closely and treated them in the same way as they were treated leaving nothing in their houses or outside their houses or of their houses and while they were still abusing one another and raging the men of orleans were ready to fight the men of chartras the counts intervened and at a hearing before them peace was made on condition that on the day when court was to be held the side which flamed out wrongly against the other should make payment according to justice and thus the war was ended three vedastas slain in a quarrel with the sacks and children who settles for it by a payment to vedas son four fredegunda takes refuge in a church shildebert gets some of her treasure five fredegunda invites gundrum to take shilperic's kingdom and become guardian to her son he goes to paris shildebert also approaches the city six when the people of paris refused to admit shildebert he sent legates to king gundrum i know most righteous father that it is not unknown to your goodness how up to the present time the enemy has defrauded us both so that neither of us could find justice for what was do him therefore i humbly beg you now to keep the agreement that was made between us after my father's death then king gundrum said to the legates oh wretches always faithless you have no truth in you and you do not stick to your promises behold you failed in all your promises to me and entered into a new compact with king shilperic to drive me from my kingdom and divide my cities between you here is your compact here are your very signatures by which you connived together with what face do you now ask me to receive my nephew shildebert whom you wished to make my enemy by your perversity to which the legates said if you are so possessed with anger as not to keep your promises to your nephew at least cease taking what is due to him from sherbert's kingdom and he replied here is the agreement entered into with my brothers that whoever entered paris without his brother's consent should lose his part and polyactus the martyr and hilarious and martin the confessors were to be his judges and punishers after this my brother sygbert entered who died by the judgment of god and lost his part so did shilperic now they lost their parts by their wrong doings therefore since they have died by the judgment of god in accordance with the curses in the compact i will subject all sherbert's kingdom with its treasures to my rule by right of law nor will i grant anything to anyone from it except of my own free will away with you then you everlasting liars and traitors and take this word to your king seven they departed but legates came again from shildebert to the king i have mentioned demanding queen fredegunda and saying give up that murderous who strangled my aunt and killed my father and uncle and also slew my cousins with the sword but he answered in the port which we hold we decide everything and consider what ought to be done for he was supporting fredegunda and used often to invite her to dinner promising that he would be her strongest defender and one day when they were dining together the queen rose and said farewell but was detained by the king who said eat something more but she replied pardon me pray my lord for according to the custom of women i must rise because of having conceived upon hearing this he was amazed knowing that it was the fourth month since she had born a son but he permitted her to rise now the leading men of shelter x kingdom like answold and the rest gathered about his son who as we have stated was four months old and was named clothe and they extracted oaths in the cities that formerly looked to shelter to be faithful to king goon throng and his nephew clothe are and king goon throng by process of justice restored all that king shell pricks followers had wrongfully taken from various sources and he himself gave much to the churches and he gave effect to the wills of the dead which had contained bequests to churches and had been broken by shell pricks and he was generous to many and gave much to the poor eight but in as much as he had no trust in the men among whom he had come he guarded himself with armed men and never went to church or to the other places he took pleasure in visiting without a strong guard and so one lord's day when the deacon had called for silence among the people for the hearing of the mass the king rose and addressed the people i adjure you men and women who are present to think it worthwhile to keep unbroken faith with me and not to kill me as you lately did my brothers and to allow me for three years at least to help my nephews who have become my adopted sons for it may perchance happen if i die while they are little that you will perish at the same time may the eternal deity not allow it since there will be no one of our family strong enough to protect you when he had said this all the people poured forth prayers to the lord for the king nine while this was going on raguntha king show pricks daughter arrived at talus with the treasures described above and seeing she was down near the gothic boundary she began to contrive excuses for delay and her people told her also that she ought to remain there for a time since they were wearied with the journey and their clothing was rough their shoes torn and the harness and carriages which had been brought on wagons were not yet put together they ought first to make all these preparations with care and then set out on the journey and be received in all elegance by her betrothed and not to be laughed at by the ghosts if they appeared among them in a rough condition while they were delaying for these reasons she'll pricks death was reported to do as a Darius and he gathered his brave men and entered to loose and finding the treasures took them from the queen's control and put them in a certain house sealed up and under the guard of brave men and he allowed the queen a scanty living until she should return to the city. 10. Gundavald is proclaimed king. 11. A list of prodigies pointing to Gundavald's death. 12. Tours is forced to become subject to gundhrum. 13. Poitoye also comes under gundhrum's control. 14. Now when court was held Bishop Eguidius, gundhrumboso, Sigavald, and many others were sent by King Shildebert to King Gundhrum and they went into him and the bishop said, most righteous king, we thank the all-powerful god that he has restored you after many toils to your own land and kingdom. And the king said to him, yes it is to the king of kings and lord of lords who in his mercy thought it right to accomplish this, that do thanks should be given. For it is certainly not to you, by whose treacherous counsel and perjuries my land was burned over a year ago, you never kept good faith with any man, your crooked dealing appears everywhere. It is not a bishop, but an enemy of my kingdom that you show yourself to be. At these words the bishop, though enraged, was silent. But one of the legate spoke. Your nephew, Shildebert, begs you to order the cities which his father held to be given back to him. At this he replied, I told you before that our compacts give them to me, and therefore I refuse to restore them. Another of the legate said, your nephew asks you to order the sorceress Fredegunda, through whom many kings have been killed, to be surrendered to him, so that he can avenge the death of his father, uncle, and cousins. She shall not be given into his power, said Grunthrum, because she has a son who is king. Besides, I do not believe that what you say against her is true. Then Grunthrum Bozo approached the king as if he were going to make some request. But since it had been certainly reported that he had raised Gundavald up as king, Grunthrum spoke before him, and said, you enemy of my country and kingdom, who went a few years ago to the east for the express purpose of bringing Bulamer, so I used to call Gundavald, into my kingdom. You who are always treacherous and never perform what you promise, Grunthrum Bozo replied, you are lord and king, and sit on a royal throne, and no one ventures to make answer to what you say. Now I say that I am innocent of this charge, and if there be anyone in my rank who secretly makes this charge against me, let him come now openly and make it. Then, most righteous king, I will leave it to the judgment of God to decide when he sees us fighting on a level field. At this all were silent, and the king added, all ought to be eager to drive from our territories an adventurer whose father was a miller, and to tell the truth his father was in charge of the combs, and wove wool. And although it is possible for one man to be master of two trades, still one of them answered in ridicule of the king. Therefore, as you say, this man had two fathers at the same time, one a worker in wool, the other a miller. Fie on you, king, to say such an outlandish thing, for it is an unheard of thing that one man should have two fathers at the same time, except in a spiritual sense. Then they laughed without restraint, and another legate said, We bid you good-bye, old king. Although you have refused to restore your nephew's cities, we know that the axe is still safe that was driven into your brother's heads. It will soon strike yours. Thus they went off in a quarrelsome spirit. Then the king, inflamed at their insults, ordered his men to throw on their heads as they went, ride at horse-dung, chips, hay, and straw, covered with filth, and the stinking refuse from the city. And they were badly followed, and went off amid unmeasured insult and abuse. Fifteen. Fifteen. While queen Fredagunda was living at the church at Paris, Leonard, formerly an officer of the household, who then came from Toulouse, went to her and began to tell her of the abuse and insults offered to her daughter, saying, At your command I went with queen Reguntha, and saw her humiliation, and how she was plundered of her treasures and everything, and I escaped by flight, and have come to report to my mistress what has happened. On hearing this she was enraged, and ordered him despoiled in the very church, and she took away his garments and the belt which she had as a gift from King Chopric, and ordered him out of her presence. The cooks and bakers, too, and whoever she learned of as returning from this journey, she left beaten, plundered, and maimed. She tried to ruin by wicked accusations to the king, Nectar, brother of Bishop Bodegissel, and she said he had taken much from the treasury of the dead king. Moreover, she said he had taken from the storehouse's sides of meat, and a great deal of wine, and she requested that he should be bound and thrust into prison darkness. But the king's patience and his brother's help prevented this. She did many foolish things, and did not fear God in whose church she was taking refuge. She had with her at the time a judge, Aldo, who had assisted in many wrong doings in the time of the king, for together with Momolus, the prefect, he subjected to the state tax many Franks, who in the time of King Shildebert the Elder were free-born. After the king's death he was despoiled by them, and stripped, so that he had nothing left except what he could carry away, for they burned his house, and would have taken his life if he had not fled to the church with the queen. 16. Pretext status returns to the bishopric of Rouen. 17. Promotus had been made bishop of Chateau d'Oune by order of King Sigebert, and had been removed after that king's death on the ground that the town was a parish of Chartres. The judgment had been given against him to the effect that he should perform only the functions of a priest. He now came to the king and begged to receive again his ordination as bishop in the town mentioned. But Papallus, bishop of Chartres, opposed him and said, It is my parish, pointing especially to the decision of the bishops, and Promotus could obtain nothing more from the king than permission to take again his own property which he had within the territory of the town on which he lived, with his mother, who was still living. 18. King Guntherum fears assassination. 19. Fredagunda is ordered to retire to her via at Ruelle. 20. She sends a clerk to assassinate Brun Hilda. When he returns without success, she has his feet and hands cut off. 21. After this, when King Guntherum returned to Chalon and endeavored to inquire into his brother's death and the queen had put the blame on the chamberlain Eberruf, for she had invited him to reside with her after the king's death, but could not prevail upon him to do so, this enmity accordingly broke out, and the queen said that the king had been killed by him, and that he had taken much from the treasures, and so gone off to tours. And therefore, if the king wished to avenge his brother's death, he might know that Eberruf was the leader in the matter. Then the king swore to all his nobles that he would destroy not only Eberruf himself, but also all his kinsmen, to the ninth degree, in order that by their death, the wicked custom of killing kings might be ended. On learning this, Eberruf fled to the church of St. Martin, whose property he had often seized. Then upon the pretext of watching him, the men of Arlene's employ came in turn to keep guard, and at the end of fifteen days returned with great booty, taking horses, flocks, and herds, and whatever they could carry off. But the man who took away the blessed Martin's horses got into a quarrel, and pierced one another with lances. Two who were taking mules went to a house nearby and asked for a drink, and when the man said he had none, they raised their lances to attack him. But he drew his sword, and thrust them both through, and they fell dead. St. Martin's horses were returned. Such evils were done at that time by the men of Arlene's that they cannot be described. 22 While this was going on, Eberruf's property was being granted to different persons. His gold and silver and other valuables that he had with him he offered for sale. What he held in trust was confiscated. The herds of horses, swine, and pack animals were taken. His house within the walls, which he had taken from the possession of the church, and which was full of grain, wine, and sides of meat, and many other things, was completely cleaned out, and nothing but the bare walls remained. Because of this he regarded me with great suspicion, although I was running faithfully on his errands, and he kept promising that if he ever regained the king's favor he would take vengeance on me for what he had suffered. But God, of whom the secrets of the heart are revealed, knows that I helped him disinterestedly, as far as I could. And although in former times he had laid many traps for me in order to get St. Martin's property, still there was a reason why I should forget them, namely because I had taken his son from the holy font. But I believe it was the greatest drawback to the unlucky man that he showed no respect to the holy bishop. For he often engaged in violence within the very portico that is close to the saint's feet, and was continually occupied with drunkenness and vanities, and when a priest refused to give him wine, since he was plainly drunk already, he crushed him down on a bench, and beat him with his fists and with other blows, so that he seemed to be almost dying, and perhaps he would have died if the cupping glass of the physicians had not helped him. Now because of his fears of the king he had taken his lodging in the audience chamber of the holy church, and when the priest who kept the door keys had closed the other doors and gone, girls went in with the rest of his attendance by the door of the audience chamber, and looked at the paintings on the walls, and fingered the ornaments of the holy tomb, which was a wicked crime in the eyes of the religious, and when the priest learned of this he drove nails in the door and fitted bars within. And after dinner when he was drunk he noticed this, and as we were singing in the church on account of the service at nightfall he entered in a rage, and began to attack me with abuse and curses, reviling me, among other things, because I wished to keep him away from the holy bishop's tomb cover, but I was amazed that such madness should possess the man, and try to calm him with soothing words. But as I could not overcome his rage by gentle words I decided to be silent, and finding that I would say nothing he turned to the priest and overwhelmed him with abuse, for he assailed both him and me with vile language and various insults. But when we saw that he was so to speak possessed by a demon, we went out of the church and ended the disgraceful scene, and the service at the same time, being especially indignant that he had become so abusive before the very tomb, without respect for the holy bishop. In these days I saw a vision which I told him in the holy church, saying, I thought that I was celebrating mass in this holy church, and when the altar with the offerings was now covered with a silk cloth I suddenly saw King Goonthram entering, and he said in a loud voice, Drag out the enemy of my family, tear the murderer away from God's sacred altar, and when I heard him I turned to you and said, Rich, take hold of the altar cloth with which the holy gifts are covered lest you be cast out of here. And although you laid hold of it, you held it with a loose hand, and not manfully. But I stretched out my hands and opposed my breast against the king's breast, saying, Do not cast this man out of the holy church lest you incur danger to your life, lest the holy bishop destroy you by his power. Do not kill yourself with your own weapon, because if you do this you will lose the present life and the eternal one. But when the king opposed me, you let go the cloth and came behind me. And I was very much annoyed at you, and when you returned to the altar you took hold of the cloth, but again let go. And while you held it without spirit, and I manfully resisted the king, I woke up in terror, not knowing what the dream meant. Now, when I told it to him, he said, It is a true dream that you just saw, because it strongly agrees with my purpose. And I said to him, And what is your purpose? He replied, I have determined that if the king orders me to be dragged from this place, I will hold to the altar cloth with one hand, and with the other draw my sword, and first kill you, and then as many clerks as I can reach. And after this it would not be a misfortune for me to die, if I first took vengeance on this saint's clerks. I heard this and was amazed, and wondered why it was that the devil spoke by his mouth, for he never had any fear of God. For while he was at liberty his horses and flocks were let go among the crops and vineyards of the poor, and if they were driven away by the men whose labor they were destroying, these were at once beaten by his men. In this trouble in which he was, he often told how many of the blessed bishops' possessions he had taken unjustly. In fact, the year before he had urged on a certain foolish citizen, and caused him to summon the bailiffs of the church. Then, without regard for justice, he had taken property which the church formerly possessed under pretense of having bought it, given the man the gold ornament on his belt. Moreover he acted perversely in many other things to the end of his life, which we shall tell later. 23 In this year Armentarius, a Jew with one attendant of his own sect, and two Christians, came to Tours to demand payment of the bonds which, injuriosus, ex-vicar, and Eunomius, ex-count, had given to him on account of the tribute. And, calling on the men, he received a promise to pay the sum with interest, and they said to him, besides, if you will come to our house, we will pay what we owe, and honor you with presence also, as is right. He went and was received by injuriosus, and placed at dinner, and when the feast was over and night came, they arose and passed from one place to another. Then, as they say, the Jews and the two Christians also were killed by injuriosus' men, and thrown into a well which was near the house. Their kinsmen heard what had been done, and came to Tours, and information was given by certain men, and they found the well, and took the bodies out, while injuriosus vigorously denied that he had been involved in this matter. After this it came to trial, but as he denied it with vigor, as I have said, and they had no means of proving him guilty, it was decided that he should take oath that he was innocent. But they were not satisfied with this, and they set the trial before King Childebert. However, neither the money nor the bonds of the dead Jew were found. Many said at a time that Medgard, the tribute, was involved in this crime, because he too had borrowed money from the Jew. However, injuriosus went to the trial before King Childebert, and waited for three days until sunset. But as they did not come, and he was not examined on the case by anyone, he returned home. 24. The territory of Partois is devastated, and its people are forced to declare their allegiance to Guntrum a second time. 25. Merylif, who had been regarded as the chief physician in King Chilperic's household, they attacked most eagerly, and although he had been well plundered already by Duke Guerrering, he was a second time stripped bare by these, so that he had no substance left. They took away his horses, gold, silver, and other valuables alike, and subjected him to the control of the Church. For his father's service had been to attend to the mills of the Church, and his brothers and cousins and other relatives were attached to the kitchens and mills of their masters. 26. Gundvald goes among the southern cities, extracting the oath of allegiance. 27. He enters Toulouse and exiles Bishop Magnulf. 28. Guntrum's army marches south from Poitois. 29. Iberruf is slain by Claudius. 30. A legate of Gundvald is captured by Guntrum. 31. Gundvald obtains a piece of the finger bone of the martyr Sergius, hearing that an Oriental King had defeated his enemy by the help of one of Sergius' finger bones. 32. Two legates of Gundvald are taken and tortured. 33. Friendship is re-established between Guntrum and Sholdebert. 34. Gundvald takes refuge in Cominges. 35. March of Guntrum's army to Cominges. 36. Guntrum's men outside the wall abuse Gundvald, and he answers with an account of his life. 37. The fifteenth day of this siege had dawned when Ludigissel began to make ready his engines to destroy the city. Wagens carrying battering rams covered with woven branches and planks under which the army was to move forward to tear down the walls. But when they came near, they were so overwhelmed with stones that all who got near the wall perished. They threw upon them pots of burning pitch and fat, and hurled jars full of stones down on them, and when night ended the contest the army returned to the camp. Now Gundvald had on his side Sharuf, a very rich and powerful man, with whose store rooms the city was very full, and it was on his substance that they were chiefly supported. And Vladass saw what was being done, and was afraid that Ludigissel would win the victory and put them to death. So he set fire to the bishop's house, and when the people shut in the city ran to put the fire out, he slipped away and departed. In the morning the army rose again for battle, and they made bundles of rods as if to fill the deep trench which lay on the east. But here the engine could do no harm. In Sagittarius the bishop went frequently around the walls in arms, and from the wall hurled stones with his own hand at the enemy. Thirty-eight. Finally, when those attacking the city saw that they could accomplish nothing, they sent secret messages to Momolis, saying, Recognize your lord and finally give up your perversity. What madness possesses you to become a follower of an unknown man? For your wife and your daughters have been captured, and your sons have been already slain. What end are you coming to? What do you expect, except to perish? He received this message and replied, Already as I see our kingdom has reached its end and its power fails. One thing is left. If I learn that I have security of life, I can relieve you of great trouble. When the messengers left, Bishop Sagittarius, with Momolis, Caroof, and Waddle, hastened to the church, and there they swore to one another that if they should be assured of life they would give up their friendship for Gundvald, and betray him to the enemy. The messengers returned and promised them security of life, and Momolis said, Let this be done. I will betray him into your hand, and I will recognize my master, the king, and hasten to his presence. Then they promised that if he did this they would receive him to their friendship, and if they could not secure his pardon from the king, they would place him in a church that he might avoid the punishment of death. This they promised with an oath, and then departed. And Momolis went to Gundvald with Bishop Sagittarius, and Waddle, and said, You were present and know what oaths of faithfulness we took to you. But now accept wholesome counsel, and go down from this city, and present yourself to your brothers, as you have often desired to do. For we have spoken with these men, and they have told us that the king does not wish to lose your support because too few remain of your family. But he understood their treachery, and bursting into tears said, It was at your invitation I came to these galls, and of my treasures comprising a great amount of silver and gold and various articles of value some have been kept in Avignon, and some have been taken by Guntrum Poso, and next to God's help I placed all my hope in you, and to you entrusted my counsels, and by your help always wished to reign. Now let your settlement be with God, if you have lied to me, for he will judge my cause. To this, Momolis replied, We are not speaking deceitfully to you, and lo, brave men are standing at the gate, awaiting your coming. Now lay down my gilded belt that you are wearing, that you may not seem to go forth boastingly, and gird on your sword, and give me mine back. He answered, There is a double meaning in what you say, since you are taking away the things of yours that I have used as a token of affection. But Momolis swore that no harm should be done to him. Accordingly, they went out of the gate, and he was received by Olo, Count of Bouges, and by Boso. And Momolis returned into the city with his followers, and barred the gate very securely. And when Gundavolt saw that he was betrayed into the hands of his enemies, he raised his hands, and eyes to heaven, and said, Eternal Judge, true Avenger of the Innocent, God from whom all justice comes, whom lying displeases, and whom is no craft or wicked cunning. To thee I commend my cause, praying that thou mayest be a swift Avenger upon those who have betrayed an innocent man into the hands of his enemies. Having said this, he crossed himself, and went off with the men I have mentioned. And when they had gone some distance from the gate, as the whole valley around the city as precipitous, he was given a push by Olo and fell. Olo calling out, There is your Balomer, who says he is brother and son of a king. And he threw his lance and wished to pierce him, but it was checked by the links of Gundavolt's coat of mail, and did him no injury. Then when he rose and attempted to climb the mountain, Bozo threw a stone and struck his head, and he fell and died. And the whole throng came and thrust their lances into him, and tied his feet with a rope, and dragged him through all the camp of the armies, and they tore out his hair and beard, and left him unburied in the place where he was killed. The next night the leader secretly carried off all the treasures they could find in the city, together with the church utensils, and in the morning they opened the gates and admitted the army, and gave over all the common folk inside to the edge of the sword, butchering also the bishops of the Lord with their attendants at the very altars of the churches. And after they had killed all so that not one remained, they burned the whole city, both churches and other buildings, and left nothing but bare ground. 39. Now Ludigizl, on his return to the camp with Momolus, Sagittarius, Sharuf, and Waddle, sent messengers secretly to the king to ask what he wished to be done with them. And he gave orders to put them to death. But Waddle and Sharuf by that time had left their sons as hostages and gone off. When the word about their death had come and Momolus heard of it, he put on his armor and went to Ludigizl's hut, and Ludigizl saw him and said to him, Why do you come thus as if ready to flee? And he answered, The word that was given is not to be kept, I see, for I know that I am close to death. But Ludigizl replied, I will go out and settle everything. He went out, and immediately by his command the house was surrounded in order that Momolus might be killed. But he made a long resistance against his assailants, and at last came to the door, and as he stepped out two withlances struck him on each side, and so he fell and died. Unseen this the bishop was overwhelmed with fear, and one of the bystanders said to him, Behold with your own eyes, bishop, what is being done. Cover your head to escape recognition, and make for the woods, and hide for a little time, and when their anger passes you can escape. He took the advice, but while he was trying to get away with his head covered, a certain man drew his sword, and cut off his head, hood and all. Then each now returned home, plundering and killing along the way. In these days Fredagunda sent Chupan to Delus to bring her daughter Thence as best he could. Now many said that he was sent in case he found Gundavald alive, to entice him away with many promises, and bring him to her. But since Chupan could not do this, he took Ragunda and brought her back from that place amid great scorn and contempt. Forty. Monaless's treasures, amounting to two hundred and fifty-two talents of silver and a great value in gold, are taken. Forty-one. A giant, two or three feet taller than the tallest men, is taken by King Guntheron. Forty-two. The count of Borges attempts to find St. Martin's men for not taking part in the expedition against Gundavald. Forty-three. Desiderius, Waldo, and Cherouf escape. Forty-four. There was at this time a woman who had a spirit of divination, and one great king for her owners by prophesying, and she won such favor from them that she was set free and left to her own devices. And if anyone suffered from theft or any wrong doing, she would at once tell where the thief had gone, whom he had given the property or what he had done with it. She gathered together gold and silver every day, and went forth in rich clothing, so that she was thought among the people to be something divine. But when this was reported to Agharic, Bishop of Verdun, he sent to arrest her. When she was arrested and brought to him, he perceived, according to that which we read in the Acts of the Apostle, that there was in her an unclean spirit of divination. And when he set a formula of exorcism over her, and anointed her head with holy oil, the demon cried out, and revealed to the bishop what it was. But since he could not drive it from the woman, she was allowed to go, and the woman saw that she could not dwell in the place, and she went off to Queen Fridagunda and remained hid. 45. In this year a severe famine oppressed almost all of the Gauls. Many dried and ground into powder grapes, seeds, and oat chaff, and firm roots, and mixed a little flour with it and made bread. Many cut straw and did the same. Many who had no flour ate different herbs which they gathered, and in consequence swelled up and died. Many too wasted away and died of starvation. At that time the traitors plundered the people greatly, selling scarcely a peck of grain or half measure of wine for the third of a piece of gold. They subjected the poor to slavery in return for a little food. 46. Christopher, a traitor, is killed by his Saxon slaves, one of whom is caught and executed. 47. Quirrell between two citizens of tours. Here ends the seventh book. End of section 12.