Charlemagne came to the point of death while fighting the Saracens in
the field, and made his testament.
Among other things he left his horse and his arms to the poor. And he
left them in charge of a baron of his that he should sell them, and
give the money to the poor.
The baron kept them, however, instead of obeying. Charlemagne appeared
to him and said: you have made me suffer eight generations of torment
in purgatory on account of the horse and the arms which you received.
But thanks be to God, I now go, purged of my sins, to heaven and you
will pay dearly for your act.
Whereat, in the presence of a hundred thousand people, there descended
a thunderbolt from the sky, and bore the baron away to hell. [33]