_The Sacred Oil of Rheims, and the French Fleurs de Lis._
LXVII. The fact of the singular glory resulting to the French monarchy and
its kings on account at the coronation of Clodovicus, the oil with which
he was consecrated, together with the fleurs de lis, having descended
from Heaven, the first brought by a dove, and the second by an angel; I
say the certainty of this fact is not so firmly established among the
French themselves, as that some of their own authors do not entertain
a doubt of it; because when they tell the story, they make use of the
expressions, it is so said, it is so reported, and it is believed,
&c. The silence of St. Gregory of Turene upon this head, who wrote so
extensively upon miracles, and of whom some have remarked, that he was
exceedingly credulous, is, with many people, a convincing proof that
there never was such a prodigy. The silence of Paulus Emilius also on the
matter, who was a noble and general historian of the affairs of France,
is an argument, that he looked upon the story as fabulous; because if he
had thought it probable, he would surely not have omitted to mention it.