28. When Chilperic saw this, although he had already too many wives,

he asked for her sister Galsuenda, promising through his ambassadors

that he would abandon the others if he could only obtain a wife

worthy of himself and the daughter of a king. Her father accepted

these promises and sent his daughter with much wealth, as he had done

before. Now Galsuenda was older than Brunhilda. And coming to king

Chilperic she was received with great honor, and united to him in

marriage, and she was also greatly loved by him. For she had brought

great treasures. But because of his love of Fredegunda whom he had

had before, there arose a great scandal which divided them. Galsuenda

had already been converted to the catholic law and baptized. And

complaining to the king that she was continually enduring outrages

and had no honor with him, she asked to leave the treasures which she

had brought with her and be permitted to go free to her native land.

But he made ingenious pretences and calmed her with gentle words. At

length he ordered her to be strangled by a slave and found her dead

on the bed. After her death God caused a great miracle to appear. For

the lighted lamp which hung by a rope in front of her tomb broke the

rope without being touched by anyone and dashed upon the pavement and

the hard pavement yielded under it and it went down as if into some

soft substance and was buried to the middle but not at all damaged.

Which seemed a great miracle to all who saw it. But when the king had

mourned her death a few days, he married Fredegunda again. After this

action his brothers thought that the queen mentioned above had been

killed at his command, and they tried to expel him from the kingdom.

Chilperic at that time had three sons by his former wife Audovera,

namely Theodobert, whom we have mentioned above, Merovech and Clovis.

But let us return to our task.

29. The Huns were again endeavoring to make an entrance into the

Gauls. Sigibert marched against them with his army, leading a great

number of brave men. And when they were about to fight, the Huns,

who were versed in magic arts, caused false appearances of various

sorts to come before them and defeated them decisively. Sigibert’s

army fled, but he himself was taken by the Huns and would have

remained a prisoner if he had not overcome by his skill in making

presents the men whom he could not conquer in battle. He was a man

of fine appearance and good address. He gave gifts and entered into

an agreement with their king that all the days of their lives they

should fight no battles with one another. And this incident is

rightly believed to be more to his credit than otherwise. The king

of the Huns also gave many gifts to king Sigibert. He was called

Gaganus.[BJ] All the kings of that people are called by this name.

[30. King Sigibert attempts to take Arles from his brother Gunthram

but fails.]

31. Now a great prodigy appeared in the Gauls at the town of

Tauredunum, situated on the river Rhone. After a sort of rumbling had

continued for more than sixty days, the mountain was finally torn

away and separated from another mountain near it, together with men,

churches, property and houses, and fell into the river, and the banks

of the river were blocked and the water flowed back. For that place

was shut in on either side by mountains and the torrent flowed in a

narrow way. It overflowed above and engulfed and destroyed all that

was on the bank. Then the gathered water burst its way downstream and

took men by surprise, as it had above, and caused a loss of life,

overturned houses, destroyed beasts of burden, and overwhelmed with

a sudden and violent flood all that was on the banks as far as the

city of Geneva. It is told by many that the mass of water was so

great that it went over the walls into the city mentioned. And there

is no doubt of this tale because as we have said the Rhone flows

in that region between mountains that hem it in closely, and being

so closely shut in, it has no place to turn aside. It carried away

the fragments of the mountain that had fallen and thus caused it to

disappear wholly. And after this thirty monks came to the place where

the town fell in ruins and began to dig in the ground which remained

when the mountain had fallen, trying to find bronze and iron. And

while engaged in this they heard a rumbling of the mountain like the

former one. And while they were kept there by their greed the part

of the mountain which had not yet fallen fell on them and covered

and destroyed them and none of them was found. In like manner too

before the plague at Clermont great prodigies terrified that region.

For three or four great shining places frequently appeared about

the sun and the rustics used to call them suns, saying: “Behold,

three or four suns in the sky.” Once on the first of October the sun

was so darkened that not a quarter of it continued bright, but it

looked hideous and discolored, about like a sack. Moreover a star

which certain call a comet, with a ray like a sword, appeared over

that country through a whole year, and the sky seemed to be on fire

and many other signs were seen. In the church at Clermont while the

morning watches were being observed at a certain festival, a bird of

the kind we call lark entered, flapping its wings above the lights,

and so swiftly extinguished them all that one would think they had

been taken by the hand of a single man and plunged into water. The

bird passed under the veil into the sanctuary and attempted to

put out the light there but it was prevented from doing so by the

door-keepers and killed. In the church of the blessed Andrew another

bird did the same with the lighted lamps. And presently the plague

came, and such a carnage of the people took place through the whole

district that the legions that fell could not be counted. For when

sepulchers and grave-stones failed, ten or more would be buried in

a single trench. Three hundred dead bodies were counted one Sunday

in the church of the blessed Peter alone. Death was sudden. A wound

the shape of a serpent would appear on groin or armpit and the man

would be so overcome by the poison as to die on the second or third

day. Moreover the power of the poison rendered the victim insensible.

At that time Cato the priest died. For when many had fled from the

plague he never left the place, but remained courageously burying the

people and celebrating mass. He was a priest of great kindliness and

a warm friend of the poor. And if he had some pride, this virtue I

think counterbalanced it. But the bishop Cautinus, after running from

place to place in fear of this plague, returned to the city, caught

it and died on the day before Passion Sunday. At that very hour too,

Tetradius his cousin died. At that time Lyons, Bourges, Cahors, and

Dijon were seriously depopulated from this plague.

[32. The remarkable virtue of the priest Julian. 33. The good abbot

and the warning he received to be more severe with his monks.]

34. I will relate what happened at that time in a certain monastery,

but I do not wish to give the name of the monk, who is still

alive, for fear that when this account comes to him he may become

vainglorious and lose merit. A young man came to the monastery and

presented himself to the abbot with the proposal to pass his life

in God’s service. The abbot made many objections, explaining that

the service there was hard, and he could never accomplish what was

required of him. But he promised that he would call on the Lord’s

name and accomplish it all. And so he was admitted by the abbot.

After a few days during which he proved to all that he was humble and

holy, it happened that the monks threw out of the granary about three

_chori_ of grain and left it to dry in the sun and appointed this

monk to guard it. And while the others were taking refreshment and he

was left to guard the grain, the sky suddenly became overcast, and

a heavy rain with roaring wind came swiftly in the direction of the

heap of grain. Upon seeing it the monk knew not how to act or what to

do. He thought however that even if he called the rest considering

the great quantity of grain they would not be able to store it in the

granary before the rain, and so giving up everything else he devoted

himself to prayer, beseeching the Lord not to allow a drop of the

rain to fall on the wheat. And when he threw himself on the ground

and prayed, the cloud was divided, and although there was a heavy

downpour all around, if it is right to say so, it did not dampen a

single grain of the wheat. And when the other monks and the abbot

became aware of the coming storm they came quickly to take the grain

within, and saw this miracle, and looking for the man in charge of

the grain they found him close by stretched out on the sand praying.

The abbot on seeing this prostrated himself close to him, and when

the rain had passed and the prayer was finished he called to him to

arise, and gave orders to seize him and punish him with stripes,

saying:[BK] “My son, you must grow in the fear and service of God

with humility, and not be puffed up with prodigies and miracles.” He

ordered him to remain shut up in his cell seven days, and to fast

as if he were at fault, in order to keep vainglory from forming an

obstacle before him. At the present time, as we learn from men of

the faith, the same monk is so abstemious that he eats no bread in

the forty days of Lent and drinks only a cup of barley-water every

third day. And may the Lord with your prayers deign to keep him as is

pleasing to himself until his life is ended.

[35. The priest Eufrasius and the archdeacon Avitus are candidates

for the bishopric of Auvergne. The former Gregory describes in these

words: “He was indeed a man of refined manners, but his acts were not

virtuous and he often made the barbarians drunk and rarely helped

the needy.” 36. Nicetius succeeds Sacerdos as bishop of Lyons. He

is succeeded in turn by the wicked Priscus. 37. Death of the holy

Friard. 38. Leuva and Leuvield, kings of Spain. The latter slew

“all who had been accustomed to kill the kings.” 39. Palladius and

Parthenius, respectively count and bishop of Gévaudan, quarrel.

Palladius accuses the bishop of unnatural crime; he is removed and

Romanus becomes count.]

39. … It happened that one day Palladius and Romanus met in Clermont,

and in their dispute about the office of count Palladius was told

that he was going to be put to death by king Sigibert. However the

story was false, and was ascertained to have been put in circulation

principally by Romanus. Then Palladius was terrified and reduced to

such despair that he threatened to kill himself with his own hand.

And although he was carefully watched by his mother and his kinsman

Firmin, to prevent the deed which he had conceived in the bitterness

of his heart, he escaped from his mother’s sight for a short time and

went into his chamber where he could be alone, unsheathed his sword,

and putting his feet on the crosshilt of the sword he put its point

at his breast and pushed on the sword from above, and it entered at

one of his breasts and came out at the shoulder-blade, and raising

himself up a second time he thrust himself in like manner in the

other breast and fell dead. I regard this deed with astonishment

since it could not have been done without the help of the devil. For

the first wound would have killed him if the devil had not supported

him so that he could accomplish his wicked purpose. His mother rushed

in half dead with alarm, and fell in a faint on the body of the son

she had lost, and the whole household uttered cries of lamentation.

Nevertheless he was carried to the monastery of Cournon and buried

there, but without being placed near the bodies of Christians or

receiving the solemn service of the mass. And this evidently happened

to him for nothing else than his insult to the bishop.

[BL][40. Justin, a man of many vices, succeeds the emperor Justinian.

He associates with himself Tiberius “who was just, charitable, a

discerner of the right and winner of victories and--a feature that

surpasses all other excellences--a most orthodox Christian.”]

[BM]41. Albin, king of the Lombards, who had married Chlotsinda,

daughter of king Clothar, abandoned his country and set out for

Italy with all the Lombard people. They put their army in motion

and went with their wives and children, purposing to remain there.

They entered the country and spent seven years chiefly in wandering

through it, despoiling the churches, killing the bishops, and

bringing the land under their control. When his wife Chlotsinda

died, Albin married another wife whose father he had killed a short

time before. For this reason the woman always hated her husband and

awaited an opportunity to avenge the wrong done her father, and so

it happened that she fell in love with one of the household slaves

and poisoned her husband. When he died she went off with the slave

but they were overtaken and put to death together. Then the Lombards

chose another king over them.

42. Eunius, who was also named Mummulus, was made patrician by king

Gunthram. I think that certain details should be given as to the

beginning of his military service. He was a son of Peonius and native

of the city of Auxerre. Peonius governed this town as count. And when

he had sent gifts to the king by his son to secure reappointment, the

son gave his father’s presents and asked for his father’s office,

and took his place when he should have helped him. From this start

he gradually rose and attained a greater prominence. And upon the

invasion of the Gauls by the Lombards the patrician Amatus, who had

lately succeeded Celsus, went against them and engaged in battle,

but was defeated and slain. And it is said that the slaughter of the

Burgundians by the Lombards was so great on that occasion that the

slain could not be counted. And the Lombards loaded with plunder

departed again for Italy. And upon their departure Eunius, also named

Mummulus, was summoned by the king and raised to the high office of

patrician. When the Lombards made a second inroad into the Gauls and

came as far as _Mustiæ Calmes_ near the city of Embrun, Mummulus

set his army in motion and came to that place with the Burgundians.

He surrounded the Lombards with his army and made an abattis and

attacked them in pathless woods, and killing many took a number of

captives whom he sent to the king. The king ordered them to be kept

under guard in various places through the country, but a few in one

way or another escaped and took the news to their native land. There

were present in this battle Salonius and Sagittarius, brothers and

bishops, who armed themselves not with the cross of heaven but with

the worldly helmet and coat of mail, and, what is worse, are reported

to have killed many with their own hands. This was Mummulus’ first

victory. Then the Saxons, who had entered Italy with the Lombards,

made a second expedition into the Gauls, and pitched camp in the

territory of Riez, that is, near the village of Estoublon, scattering

from there among the villages belonging to neighboring cities, taking

booty, leading off captives and laying all waste. When Mummolus

learned of this he set his army in motion and attacked them, killing

many thousands, and he did not cease to cut them down until evening

when night made an end. For he had taken them off their guard when

they expected nothing of what happened. In the morning the Saxons

marshaled their army and made ready for battle, but messengers passed

from one army to the other and they made peace. They gave presents

to Mummolus, and surrendered all the plunder of the region with

the captives, and departed[BN] after taking oath that they would

return to the Gauls in obedience to the kings and as allies to the

Franks. And so the Saxons returned to Italy, and taking their wives

and little ones and all their possessions undertook the return

journey into the Gauls with the intention of presenting themselves

to king Sigibert and establishing themselves again in the district

which they had left. They formed two wedges [_cunios_] as they call

them; and one came by way of Nice and the other by Embrun, keeping

in fact to the road they had come the previous year, and the two

divisions united in the territory of Avignon. It was then harvest

time, and that country had its crops chiefly in the open fields and

the inhabitants had not stored any of them. When the Saxons came they

divided the crops among them and gathered and threshed the grain and

used it, leaving nothing to those who had done the work. But after

the harvest had been used up and they came to the shore of the river

Rhone in order to cross the torrent and present themselves in the

kingdom of king Sigibert, Mummolus met them and said: “You shall not

cross this torrent. Behold, you have devastated the land of my lord

the king, you have gathered the crops, plundered the herds, burned

the houses, cut down the olive groves and vineyards. You shall not

go up unless you first satisfy those whom you have left in want;

otherwise you shall not escape my hands, but I shall draw my sword

against you and your wives and little ones and avenge the wrong done

to my lord king Gunthram.” Then they were very much afraid and gave

many thousand pieces of coined gold as a ransom, and were allowed to

cross, and thus they came to Clermont. It was then springtime. They

brought there pieces of bronze engraved like gold, and any one seeing

them would have no doubt that it was gold tested and weighed; for it

was colored by some device or other. And a good many were deceived

by the false appearance and gave gold and received bronze and became

poor. And they went on to king Sigibert and were settled in the land

they had left.

[43. Albinus, governor of Provence, seizes archdeacon Virgilius on

Christmas day in the church for failing to punish his men; Albinus

is fined. 44. Three Lombard chiefs invade Gaul but are defeated and

driven back into Italy by Mummolus. 45. Mummolus recovers Tours and

Poitiers for Sigibert from Chilperic.]

46. As I am about to speak of the death of Andarchius, it seems best

to tell first of his birth and native place. He was a slave of the

senator Felix as they say, and being assigned to attend his young

master he entered with him upon the study of letters and became

distinguished for his learning. For he was fully instructed in the

works of Virgil, the books of the Theodosian law, and the art of

calculation. Being puffed up with such knowledge he began to hold

his masters in contempt, and devoted himself to the service of

duke Lupus when he went to the city of Marseilles by order of king

Sigibert. When Lupus left Marseilles he told Andarchius to go with

him and secured for him the favor of king Sigibert and put him at

his service. And Sigibert sent him to various places and gave him an

opportunity for military service. Being held in a sort of honor[BO]

because of this he came to Clermont and there entered into friendship

with Ursus, a citizen of the city. Then being of an ambitious temper

he wished to be betrothed to Ursus’ daughter, and concealed a coat

of mail, as they tell, in a chest in which documents used to be

kept, and said to Ursus’ wife: “I give in your care a multitude of

gold pieces, more than sixteen thousand, which I have placed in

this chest, and it shall be yours if you will cause your daughter

to be betrothed to me.” [BP]“To what do you not drive the hearts

of men, accursed greed for gold?” The woman believed him without

reserve and in her husband’s absence agreed to betroth the girl to

him. He went back to the king and brought an order to the judge of

the place[BQ] commanding him to marry this girl, saying: “I paid

the earnest money at the betrothal.” But Ursus denied it saying: “I

do not know who you are and I have none of your property.” When the

quarrel continued and grew hotter Andarchius had Ursus summoned to

the presence of the king. And coming to the village of Braine he

found another man named Ursus whom he caused to be taken secretly to

the altar and to swear and say: “By this holy place and the relics

of the blessed martyrs I will not delay in paying you the sixteen

thousand _solidi_, since I am not to give my daughter in marriage

to you.” Now witnesses were standing in the sanctuary listening

secretly to what was said but not seeing the person who spoke. Then

Andarchius soothed Ursus with gentle words and caused him to return

to his native place without seeing the king. After this he made an

oath and when Ursus went away he produced before the king a document

containing the oath and said: “Such and such is the writing I have

from Ursus, and therefore I request an order from your glory that he

give his daughter to me in marriage. Otherwise let me have authority

to take his possessions until I receive sixteen thousand _solidi_ and

am satisfied in this case.” Then he received the order and returned

to Clermont and showed the judge the king’s order. Ursus retired into

the territory of Velay. And when his property was turned over to

Andarchius he also went to Velay, and going into one of Ursus’ houses

he bade them prepare supper for him and heat water for bathing. And

when the slaves of the household did not obey their new master, he

beat some with clubs, others with switches, and struck some on the

head, drawing blood. The whole household was in confusion but the

supper was prepared; he bathed in hot water, became drunk with wine

and stretched himself on his couch. He had only seven slaves with

him. And when they were sound asleep, weighed down by drowsiness not

less than by wine, the household was gathered together, and Ursus

closed the doors of the house which were made of wooden boards. He

took the keys and tore down the stacks of grain near by and heaped

piles of the grain which was then in the sheaf around and above the

house until it was seen that the house was entirely covered. Then he

set fire to it in different places and when the burning timbers of

the building were falling on the luckless ones they awoke and began

to shout but there was no one to listen to them and the whole house

was burned and the fire consumed all alike. Ursus fled in fear to

the church of St. Julian, and after making presents to the king he

received again a good title to his property.

[47. Civil war between Chilperic and Sigibert. “There was at

that time a worse outcry among the churches than in the time of

Diocletian’s persecution.” 48. The wickedness of the people of Gaul

as compared with earlier times; the plundering of the monastery of

Latta. 49. The civil war is continued. Sigibert forces Chilperic to

restore his cities. 50. Chilperic shuts himself up in Tournai.]

51. In that year lightning[BR] was seen to traverse the sky as once

we saw before the death of Clothar. Now Sigibert took the cities this

side of Paris and marched as far as Rouen, wishing to destroy these

same cities with his army. But he was prevented from doing so by his

own people. He returned thence and entered Paris. And there Brunhilda

came to him with her children. Then the Franks who had once looked to

the older Childebert, sent an embassy to Sigibert that if he would

come to them they would abandon Chilperic and make him king over

them. On hearing this he sent men to besiege his brother in the city

mentioned above, and he himself purposed to hasten thither. And the

holy bishop Germanus said to him: “If you go and do not purpose to

kill your brother you shall return alive and victorious; but if you

have another purpose in mind you shall die. For thus said the Lord

through Solomon: ‘You who prepare a pit for your brother shall fall

into it.’” But because of his wickedness he failed to pay heed. And

when he came to the village named Vitry, all the army was gathered

about him, and they placed him on a shield and made him king over

them. Then two slaves who had been placed under a charm by Queen

Fredegunda, carrying strong knives with poisoned blades--of the sort

commonly called _scramasaxi_--approached him on some pretext and

stabbed him one on each side. He cried aloud and fell and died in a

short time. At the same time Charigysel, his chamberlain, was slain

and Sigila who came from the land of the Goths was seriously wounded.

He was afterwards seized by King Chilperic and met a cruel death,

every joint being burned with white-hot irons and his limbs being

torn one from the other. Charigysel was both fickle and avaricious.

He had risen from a lowly place and become great with the king by

flattery. He was a man who grasped other men’s property,[BS] and was

a breaker of wills, and the end of his life was such that he did not

succeed in making his own will when death threatened, he who had so

often destroyed the wills of others.

Chilperic was in suspense and did not know whether he should escape

or perish, when messengers came to him to tell of his brother’s

death. Then he left Tournai with his wife and children and clothed

Sigibert and buried him in the village of Lambres. Whence he was

later transferred to Soissons to the church of the holy Medard which

he had built, and was buried there by the side of his father Clothar.

He died in the fourteenth year of his reign, the fortieth of his

life. From the death of Theodobert the elder to that of Sigibert

twenty-nine years are included, and there were eighteen days between

his death and that of his nephew Theodobert. Upon the death of

Sigibert, Childebert his son reigned in his place.

From the beginning to the flood there were 2242 years; from the flood

to Abraham 942 years; from Abraham to the going out of the children

of Israel from Egypt 462 years; from the going of the children of

Israel from Egypt to the building of the temple of Solomon 480

years; from the building of the temple to its desolation and the

migration to Babylon 390 years; from the migration to the passion

of the Lord 668 years; from the passion of the Lord to the death of

St. Martin 412 years; from the death of St. Martin to the death of

King Clovis 112 years; from the death of King Clovis to the death of

Theodobert 37 years; from the death of Theodobert to the death of

Sigibert 29 years. Which make a total of 5774 years.

HERE ENDS THE FOURTH BOOK.

FOOTNOTES:

[54] Sidonius Apollinaris.

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE FIFTH BOOK

1. The rule of the younger Childebert; his mother.

2. Merovech marries Brunhilda.

3. War with Chilperic; Rauching’s wickedness.

4. Roccolenus comes to Tours.

5. The bishops of Langres.

6. Leonastis, archdeacon of Bourges.

7. The recluse Senoch.

8. The holy Germanus, bishop of Paris.

9. The recluse Caluppa.

10. The recluse Patroclus.

11. Conversion of Jews by bishop Avitus.

12. The abbot Brachio.

13. Mummulus devastates Limoges.

14. Merovech after receiving the tonsure flees to St. Martin’s

church.

15. War between the Saxons and Suevi.

16. Death of Macliavus.

17. The uncertainty about Easter; the church at Chinon; how king

Gunthram killed Magnachar’s sons and lost his own and then

allied himself with Childebert.

18. Bishop Prætextatus and Merovech’s death.

19. Tiberius’s charities.

20. Bishops Salunius and Sagittarius.

21. The Breton Winnoc.

22. Death of Samson, Chilperic’s son.

23. Prodigies that appeared.

24. Gunthram Boso takes his daughters from the church of the holy

Hilarius and Chilperic attacks Poitiers.

25. Death of Dacco and of Dracolinus.

26. The army marches against the Bretons.

27. Salunius and Sagittarius are degraded.

28. Chilperic’s taxes.

29. The ravaging of Brittany.

30. The rule of Tiberius.

31. The attacks of the Bretons.

32. Sacrilege done in the church of St. Denis because of a woman.

33. Prodigies.

34. Dysentery and the death of Chilperic’s sons.

35. Queen Austrechild.

36. Bishop Eraclius and Count Nanthinus.

37. Martin, bishop of Galicia.

38. Persecution of the Christians in the Spains.

39. Clovis’s death.

40. Bishops Elafius and Eunius.

41. Legates from Galicia and prodigies.

42. Maurilio, bishop of Cahors.

43. Dispute with a heretic.

44. Chilperic’s writings.

45. Death of bishop Agricola.

46. Death of bishop Dalmatius.

47. Eunomius becomes count.

48. Leudast’s wickedness.

49. The plots he formed against us and how he was himself brought

low.

50. Prediction of the blessed Salvius about Chilperic.

HERE END THE CHAPTERS

HERE BEGINS THE FIFTH BOOK WITH HAPPY AUSPICES. AMEN

I am weary of relating the details of the civil wars that mightily

plague the nation and kingdom of the Franks; and the worst of it

is that we see in them the beginning of that time of woe which the

Lord foretold: “Father shall rise against son, son against father,

brother against brother, kinsman against kinsman.” They should have

been deterred by the examples of former kings who were slain by their

enemies as soon as they were divided. How often has the very city

of cities, the great capital of the whole earth, been laid low by

civil war and again, when it ceased, has risen as if from the ground!

Would that you too, O kings, were engaged in battles like those in

which your fathers struggled, that the heathen terrified by your

union might be crushed by your strength! Remember how Clovis won your

great victories, how he slew opposing kings, crushed wicked peoples

and subdued their lands, and left to you complete and unchallenged

dominion over them! And when he did this he had neither silver nor

gold such as you now have in your treasuries. What is your object?

What do you seek after? What have you not in plenty? In your homes

there are luxuries in abundance, in your storehouses wine, grain and

oil abound, gold and silver are piled up in your treasuries. One

thing you lack: without peace you have not the grace of God. Why does

one take from another? Why does one desire what another has? I beg of

you, beware of this saying of the apostle: “But if ye bite and devour

one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.”

Examine carefully the books of the ancients and you will see what

civil wars beget. Read what Orosius writes[BT] of the Carthaginians,

who says that after seven hundred years their city and country were

ruined and adds: “What preserved this city so long? Union. What

destroyed it after such a period? Disunion.” Beware of disunion,

beware of civil wars which destroy you and your people. What else is

to be expected but that your army will fall and that you will be left

without strength and be crushed and ruined by hostile peoples. And,

king, if civil war gives you pleasure, govern that impulse which the

apostle says is urgent within man, let the spirit struggle against

the flesh and the vices fall before the virtues; and be free and

serve your chief who is Christ, you who were once a fettered slave of

the root of evil.

[1. Sigibert’s son, Childebert, not yet five years old, is made king.

Chilperic seizes Brunhilda and keeps her in exile at Rouen.]

2. Chilperic sent his son Merovech to Poitiers with an army. [BU]But

he disobeyed his father’s orders and came to Tours and spent there

the holy days of Easter. His army did great damage to that district.

Merovech himself in pretence that he wanted to go to see his

mother[BV] went to Rouen and there met queen Brunhilda and married

her. Upon news of this Chilperic became very bitter because Merovech

had married his uncle’s widow contrary to divine law and the canons,

and quicker than speech he hastened to the above mentioned city.

But when they learned that he was determined to separate them they

took refuge in the church of St. Martin that is built of boards upon

the wall of the city. But when the king on his arrival strove to

entice them thence by many artifices and they refused to trust him,

thinking that he was acting treacherously, he took oath to them,

saying: “If it was the will of God, he himself would not attempt to

separate them.” They accepted this oath and came out of the church

and Chilperic kissed them and gave them a fitting welcome and feasted

with them. But after a few days he returned to Soissons, taking

Merovech with him.

[3. Godin makes an attack on Chilperic’s territory but is defeated.

Chilperic suspects Merovech of being involved in the attack. Godin’s

wife after his death marries a notorious character, Rauching.]

3. … Godin’s wife married Rauching, a man full of every vanity,

swollen with haughtiness, wanton with pride, who treated those under

him in such a way that one could not perceive that he had any human

feeling in him, and he vented his rage on his own people beyond the

limits of human wickedness and folly and committed unspeakable

wrongs. For whenever a slave held a candle for him at dinner, as

the custom is, he would make him bare his legs and hold the candle

against them until it went out; when it was lighted he would do the

same thing again until the legs of the slave who held the candle were

burned all over. And if he uttered a cry or tried to move from that

place to another a naked sword at once threatened him, and when he

wept Rauching could scarcely contain himself for delight. Certain

ones tell the story that two of his slaves at that time loved one

another, namely, a man and a maid--a thing that often happens. And

when this love had lasted a space of two years or more, they were

united together and took refuge in the church. When Rauching found it

out he went to the bishop of the place and demanded that his slaves

be returned to him at once, and said they would not be punished. Then

the bishop said to him: “You know what respect should be paid to the

churches of God; you cannot take them unless you give a pledge of

their permanent union, and likewise proclaim that they shall remain

free from every bodily punishment.” When he had continued silent for

a long time in doubtful thought, he finally turned to the bishop and

placed his hands on the altar and swore, saying: “They shall never be

parted by me but I will rather cause them to continue in this union

permanently, because although it is annoying to me that this was done

without my consent, still I welcome this feature of it, that he has

not married a maid belonging to another nor she another’s slave.” The

bishop in a simple-hearted way believed the crafty fellow’s promise

and restored the slaves under the promise that they would not be

punished. Rauching took them and thanking the bishop went home. He

at once directed a tree to be cut down and the trunk cut off close

to the branches and split with wedges and hollowed out. He ordered

the earth to be dug to a depth of three or four feet and half the

trunk put in the trench. Then he placed the maid there as if she were

dead and ordered them to throw the man in on top. And he put the

covering on and filled the trench and buried them alive, saying: “I

have not broken my oath that they should never be separated.” When

this was reported to the bishop he ran swiftly, and fiercely rebuking

the man he finally succeeded in having them uncovered. However it

was only the man who was alive when dragged out; he found the girl

suffocated. In such actions Rauching showed himself very wicked,

having no other aptitude except in loud laughter and trickery and

every perversity. Therefore he justly met a fitting death, since he

so behaved himself when he enjoyed this life; but I shall tell of

this later.…

4. In these days Roccolenus being sent by Chilperic came to Tours

with great boasting and pitching camp beyond the Loire he sent

messengers to us that we ought to drag from the holy church Gunthram,

who was at that time wanted for the death of Theodobert;[BW] if we

would not do it he would give orders to burn the city with fire and

all its suburbs. On hearing this we sent messengers to him saying

that what he asked to have done had not been done from ancient time;

moreover the holy church could not now be violated; if it should

be, it would not be well for him or for the king who had given this

command; let him rather stand in awe of the holiness of the bishop

whose power only the day before had given strength to paralytic

limbs. But he had no fear of such words and while he was dwelling in

a house belonging to the church beyond the river Loire he tore down

the house itself which had been built with nails. The people of Mans

who had come on that occasion with him carried the nails[BX] off,

filling their bags, and they destroyed the grain and laid everything

waste. But while Roccolenus was engaged on this he was struck by God,

and becoming saffron color[BZ] from the royal disease he sent harsh

commands saying: “Unless you cast duke Gunthram out of the church

to-day I will destroy every green thing around the city so that the

country will be ready for the plow.”[55] Meantime the sacred day of

Epiphany came and he began to be in greater and greater torture.

Then after taking counsel with his people he crossed the river and

approached the city. And when [the clergy] were hastening from the

cathedral to the holy church[BY] singing psalms, he rode on horseback

behind the cross, preceded by his standards. But when he entered

the holy church his rage and threats cooled and going back to the

cathedral he could take no food on that day. Then being very short of

breath he departed for Poitiers. Now these were the days of holy Lent

during which he often ate young rabbits. And after setting for the

first of March the actions by which he meant to ruin and fine the

citizens of Poitiers, he rendered up his life on the preceding day;

and so his pride and insolence ceased.

5. At that time Felix, bishop of Nantes,[CA] wrote me a letter full

of insults, writing also that my brother had been slain because he

had killed a bishop, being himself greedy for the bishopric. But the

reason Felix wrote this was because he wanted an estate belonging

to the church. And when I would not give it he was full of rage and

vented on me, as I have said, a thousand insults. I finally replied

to him: “Remember the words of the prophet: ‘Woe unto them that

join house to house, that lay field to field! They are not going to

inhabit the earth alone, are they?’ I wish you had been bishop of

Marseilles! For ships would never have brought oil or other goods

there, but only paper that you might have greater opportunity for

writing to defame honest men. It is the scarcity of paper that sets

a limit to your wordiness.” He was a man of unlimited greed and

boastfulness. Now I shall pass over these matters, not to appear

like him, and merely tell how my brother passed from the light of

day and how swift a vengeance the Lord visited upon his assassin.

The blessed Tetricus,[56] bishop of the church of Langres, who was

already growing old,[CB] expelled the deacon Lampadio from his place

as procurator,[CC] and my brother[CD] in his desire to aid the poor

men whom Lampadio had wickedly despoiled, joined in bringing about

his humiliation and thus incurred his hatred. Meantime the blessed

Tetricus had an apoplectic stroke. And when the poultices of the

doctors did him no good, the clergy were disquieted, and seeing they

were bereft of their shepherd they asked for Monderic. The king

granted their request and he was given the tonsure and ordained

bishop with the understanding that while the blessed Tetricus lived

he should govern the town of Tonnerre as archpriest and dwell there,

and when his predecessor died he should succeed him. But while he

lived in the town he incurred the king’s anger. For it was charged

against him that he had furnished supplies and made gifts to king

Sigibert when he was marching against his brother Gunthram. And so

he was dragged from the town and thrust off into exile on the bank

of the Rhone in a certain tower that was very small and had lost

its roof. Here he lived for nearly two years to his great hurt,

and then through the intercession of the blessed bishop Nicetius

he returned to Lyons and dwelt with him for two months. But since

he could not prevail on the king to restore him to the place from

which he had been expelled he fled in the night and passed over to

Sigibert’s kingdom and was made bishop of the village of Arisitum[CE]

with fifteen parishes more or less under him. These the Goths had

held at first, and now Dalmatius, bishop of Rodez, judges them.

When he went away the people of Langres again requested as bishop,

Silvester, a kinsman of ours and of the blessed Tetricus. Now they

asked for him at the instigation of my brother. Meantime the blessed

Tetricus passed away and Silvester received the tonsure and was

ordained priest and took the whole authority over the property of

the church. And he made preparations to go and receive the blessing

of the bishops at Lyons. While this was going on he was stricken by

an attack of epilepsy, having been long a victim of the disease,

and being more cruelly bereft of his senses than before he kept

continually uttering a moaning cry for two days and on the third day

breathed his last. After this Lampadius, who had lost his position

and his means as is described above, united with Silvester’s son in

hatred of Peter the deacon, plotting and asserting that his father

had been killed by Peter’s evil arts. Now the son being young and

light-minded was aroused against him, accusing him in public of

murder. Upon hearing this Peter carried his case before the holy

bishop Nicetius, my mother’s uncle, and went to Lyons and there in

the presence of bishop Siagrius and many other bishops as well as

secular princes he cleared himself by oath of ever having had any

part in Silvester’s death. But two years later, being urged to it

again by Lampadius, Silvester’s son followed Peter the deacon on the

road and killed him with a lance wound. When the deed was done Peter

was taken from that place and carried to the town of Dijon and buried

beside the holy Gregory, our great-grandfather. But Silvester’s son

fled and passed over to king Chilperic, leaving his property to the

treasury of king Gunthram. And when he was wandering through distant

parts because of the crime he had committed, and there was no safe

place for him to dwell in, at length, I suppose, innocent blood

called upon the divine power against him and when he was traveling in

a certain place he drew his sword and slew a man who had done him no

harm. And the man’s kinsmen, filled with grief at the death of their

relative, roused the people, and drawing their swords they cut him

in pieces and scattered him limb by limb. Such a fate did the wretch

meet by God’s just judgment, so that he who slew an innocent kinsman

should not himself live longer in guilt. Now this happened to him in

the third year.

After Silvester’s death the people of Langres again demanded a

bishop, and received Pappolus who had once been archdeacon at Autun.

According to report he did many wicked deeds, which are omitted by us

that we may not seem to be disparagers of our brethren. However, I

shall not fail to mention what his end was. In the eighth year of his

episcopate, while he was making the round of the parishes and domains

of the church, one night as he slept the blessed Tetricus appeared

to him with threatening face and said: “What are you doing here,

Pappolus? Why do you pollute my see? Why do you invade my church? Why

do you so scatter the flock that was put in my charge? Yield your

place, leave the see, go far from this territory.” And so speaking he

struck the rod he had in his hand sharply against Pappolus’ breast.

Upon this Pappolus woke up and while he was thinking what this meant

a sharp pang darted in that place and he was tortured with the

keenest pain. He loathed food and drink and awaited the approach of

death. Why more? He died on the third day with a rush of blood from

the mouth. Then he was carried forth and buried at Langres. In his

place the abbot Mummolus, called also Bonus, was made bishop. To him

many give great praise: that he is chaste, sober, moderate, very

ready for every goodness, a friend of justice and a zealous lover of

charity. When he took the bishopric he perceived that Lampadius had

taken much of the church property by fraud, and by spoiling the poor

had gathered lands, vineyards and slaves, and he ordered him to be

stripped of all and driven out from his presence. He now lives in

the greatest want and gets his living by his own hands. Let this be

enough on these matters.

6. In the same year as that mentioned above, that is, the year in

which Sigibert died and Childebert his son began to reign, many

miracles were done at the tomb of the blessed Martin[CF] which I

have described in the books I have attempted to compose about these

miracles. And though my speech is unpolished I have still not allowed

the things that I saw with my own eyes or learned from trustworthy

persons to pass unknown. Here I shall relate merely what happens to

the heedless who after a miracle from heaven have sought for earthly

cures, because his power is shown in the punishment of fools just as

much as in the gracious working of cures. Leonastis, archdeacon of

Bourges, lost his sight through cataracts that grew over his eyes.

And when he altogether failed to recover it by going around among

many physicians, he came to the church of St. Martin and remaining

here for two or three months and fasting continuously he prayed to

recover his sight. And when the festival came his eyes brightened

and he began to see. He returned home and summoned a certain Jew and

applied cupping glasses to his shoulders by the help of which he

was to increase his eyesight. But as the blood flowed his blindness

revived again. When this happened he again returned to the holy

temple. And remaining there again a long time he did not succeed in

recovering his sight. Which I think was refused because of his sin,

according to the words of the Lord: “For whosoever hath, to him shall

be given, and he shall have abundance; but whosoever hath not, from

him shall be taken away even that which he hath.” “Behold thou art

made whole; sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee.” For he would

have continued in health if he had not brought in the Jew in addition

to the divine miracle. For such is the warning and reproof of the

apostle, saying: “Be not yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship

have righteousness and iniquity? Or what communion hath light with

darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what portion

hath a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement hath a temple

of God with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Therefore

come ye out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord.”

Therefore let this case teach every Christian that when he has merit

to receive heavenly medicine[CG] he should not seek after earthly

help.

[7. Death of the priest Senoch, one “of the tribe of Theifali.” 8.

Germanus, bishop of Paris, dies. As he is taken to be buried “his

body bears heavily down on the street when the prisoners raise a

cry and when they are released it is easily taken up again.” 9. The

recluse Caluppa dies. 10. The recluse Patroclus dies. He was very

abstemious and “always wore a hair shirt next his body.” “His eyes

never grew dim.”]

11. And since our God always deigns to give glory to his bishops,[CH]

I shall relate what happened to the Jews in Clermont this year.

Although the blessed bishop Avitus often urged them to put aside

the veil of the Mosaic law and interpret the Scriptures in their

spiritual sense, and with pure hearts contemplate in the sacred

writings Christ, son of the living God, promised on the authority

of prophets and kings, there remained in their hearts, I will not

now call it the veil which dimmed the light for Moses’ face, but a

wall. The bishop prayed also that they should be converted to the

Lord and that the veil of the letter should be torn from them, and

one of them asked to be baptized on holy Easter, and being born again

in God by the sacrament of baptism, in his white garments he joined

the white-clad procession with the others. When the people were

going in through the gate of the city one of the Jews, urged to it

by the devil, poured stinking oil on the head of the converted Jew.

And when all the people, horrified at this, wished to stone him, the

bishop would not allow it. But on the blessed day on which the Lord

ascends to heaven in glory after the redemption of man, when the

bishop was walking in procession from the cathedral to the church

singing psalms, a multitude of those who followed rushed upon the

synagogue of the Jews and destroying it from the foundations they

leveled it to the ground. On another day the bishop sent messengers

to them saying: “I do not compel you by force to confess the Son of

God, but nevertheless I preach him and I offer to your hearts the

salt of wisdom. I am the shepherd put in charge of the Lord’s sheep,

and as regards you, the true Shepherd who suffered for us said that

he had other sheep which are not in his sheepfold but which should

be brought in, so that there may be one flock and one shepherd. And

therefore if you are willing to believe as I, be one flock with me as

your guardian; but if not, depart from the place.” Now they continued

a long time in turmoil and doubt and on the third day because of

the prayers of the bishop, as I suppose, they met together and sent

word to him saying; “We believe in Jesus, son of the living God,

promised to us by the words of the prophets, and therefore we ask

that we be purified by baptism and remain no longer in this guilt.”

The bishop was rejoiced at the news and keeping watch through the

night of holy pentecost went out to the baptistery beyond the walls

and there the whole multitude prostrated themselves before him and

begged for baptism. And he wept for joy, and cleansing all with water

he anointed them with ointment and gathered them in the bosom of the

mother church. Candles were lit, lamps burned brightly, the whole

city was whitened with the white throng and the joy was as great as

once Jerusalem saw when the holy spirit descended on the apostles.

The baptized were more than five hundred. But those who refused

baptism left that city and returned to Marseilles.

[12. The abbot Brachio, a Thuringian and formerly a hunter, dies. 13.

Great battle between Chilperic’s duke, Desiderius, and Gunthram’s

patrician, Mummolus. Desiderius is defeated.]

14. After this Merovech, who was kept in custody by his father,

received the tonsure, and changing his garments for those which

it is customary for the clergy to wear he was ordained priest and

sent to the monastery at Mans called Anninsola [Saint-Calais] to be

instructed in the duties of priests. Hearing this Gunthram Boso who

was then living in the church of St. Martin, as we have stated, sent

the subdeacon Rigulf to advise him secretly to take refuge in the

church of St. Martin. And when Merovech was on his way, Galen his

slave went to meet him from the other side. And since his escort was

not a strong one he was rescued by Galen on the way, and covering

his head and putting on secular clothes he took refuge in the temple

of the blessed Martin. We were celebrating mass in the holy church

when he entered, finding the door open. After the mass he asked us to

give him the consecrated bread. Now there was with us at that time

Ragnemodus, bishop of the see of Paris, who had succeeded the holy

Germanus; and when we refused, Merovech began to raise a disturbance

and to say that we did not rightly suspend him from the communion

without the assent of our brethren. When he said this we examined

the case in the light of canon law, and with the consent of the

brother who was present he received the consecrated bread from us.

I was afraid that if I suspended one from communion I would become

a slayer of many. For he threatened to kill some of our people if

he did not receive the communion from us. The country of Tours has

sustained many disasters on this account. In these days Nicetius, my

niece’s husband, went with our deacon to king Chilperic on business

of his own, and he told the king of Merovech’s flight. On seeing them

queen Fredegunda said: “They are spies and have come to learn what

the king is doing, in order to know what to report to Merovech.” And

she at once ordered them to be spoiled and thrust off into exile,

from which they were released in the seventh month. Now Chilperic

sent messengers to us saying: “Cast that apostate out of the church.

If you don’t I will burn that whole country with fire.” And when we

wrote back that it was impossible that what had not happened in the

time of the heretics should now happen in Christian times, he set his

army in motion and sent it toward this country.

In the second year of king Childebert, when Merovech saw that his

father was set in this purpose, he proposed to take with him duke

Gunthram and go to Brunhilda, saying: “Far be it from me that the

church of the master Martin should submit to outrage on my account,

or his country be put into captivity for me.” And going into the

church and keeping watch he offered the things he had with him on

the tomb of the blessed Martin, praying to the saint to help him

and to grant him his favor so that he could take the kingdom. At

that time count Leudast after setting many traps for him out of love

for Fredegunda, at last craftily entrapped his slaves who had gone

out into the country and slew them with the sword, and he desired

to slay Merovech himself if he could find him in a suitable place.

But Merovech followed Gunthram’s advice and, desiring to avenge

himself, he ordered Marileif the chief physician to be seized as he

was returning from the king’s presence, and after beating him most

cruelly he took away the gold and silver and other valuables which he

had with him and left him naked, and would have killed him if he had

not escaped from the hands of those who were beating him and taken

refuge in the church. And later we clothed him and having obtained

his life sent him back to Poitiers. Now Merovech charged many crimes

to his father and stepmother. But although they were partly true it

was not acceptable to God I suppose that they should be made known

through a son. This I learned to be so later on. For one day I was

invited to dine with him and when we were sitting together he begged

urgently that something be read for the instruction of his soul. So I

opened the book of Solomon and took the first verse that came which

contained the following: “The eye of him who looketh at his father

askance, the ravens of the valleys shall pick it out.” Although he

did not understand it, I believed that this verse had been given by

the Lord. Then Gunthram sent a slave to a certain woman known to him

from the time of king Charibert, who had a familiar spirit, in order

that she should relate what was to happen. He asserted besides that

she had foretold to him the time, not only the year but also the

day and hour, at which king Charibert was to die. And she sent back

this answer by the slaves: “King Chilperic will die this year and

king Merovech will exclude his brothers and take the whole kingdom.

And you shall hold the office of duke over all his kingdom for five

years. But in the sixth year you shall win the honor of the bishop’s

office, with the consent of the people, in a city which lies on the

river Loire on its right bank,[CI] and you shall pass from this world

old and full of days.” And when the slaves had come back and reported

this to their master he was at once filled with vanity as if he were

already sitting in the chair of the church of Tours, and he reported

the words to me. But I laughed at his folly and said: “It is from

God that this should be sought; what the devil promises is not to be

believed.” He went off in confusion and I had a hearty laugh at the

man who thought such things credible.[CJ] At length one night, when

the watch was being kept in the church of the holy bishop and I had

lain down and fallen asleep on my bed, I saw an angel flying through

the air. And when he passed the holy church he cried in a loud voice:

“Alas. Alas. God has stricken Chilperic and all his sons and there

shall remain no one of those who came forth from his loins to rule

his kingdom forever.”[CK] He had at this time four sons by different

wives, not to speak of daughters. And when this was fulfilled later

on, then I saw clearly that what the soothsayers promised was false.

Now while these men were staying in the church of St. Martin, queen

Fredegunda who already favored Gunthram Boso secretly for the death

of Theodobert, sent to him saying: “If you can cast Merovech forth

from the church so that he will be killed you shall receive a great

gift from me.” And he thought the assassins were close at hand and

said to Merovech: “Why are we so spiritless and timid as to sit here

and hide sluggishly around the church? Let our horses be brought and

let us take hawks and hunt with dogs and enjoy the hunting[CL] and

the open views.” He was acting cunningly to get Merovech away from

the holy church. Now Gunthram otherwise was a very good man but he

was too ready for perjury, and he never took an oath to any of his

friends but that he broke it forthwith. They went out, as we have

said, from the church and went as far as the house of Jocundiacus

near the city; but Merovech was harmed by no one. And as Gunthram

was at that time wanted for the killing of Theodobert, as we have

said, king Chilperic sent a letter all written out to the tomb of

St. Martin which contained the request that the blessed Martin would

write back to him whether it was permissible to drag Gunthram from

his church or not. And the deacon Baudegisil, who brought the letter,

sent to the holy tomb a clean sheet of paper along with the one he

had brought. And after waiting three days and getting no answer

he returned to Chilperic. And he sent others to exact an oath of

Gunthram not to leave the church without his knowledge. Gunthram

took the oath eagerly and gave an altarcloth as pledge that he would

never go thence without the king’s command. Now Merovech did not

believe the sorcerers but placed three books on the saint’s tomb,

namely, Psalms, Kings and the Gospels, and keeping watch the whole

night he prayed the blessed confessor to reveal to him what was

coming and whether he could be king or not, in order that he might

know by evidence from the Lord. After this he continued three days in

fasting, watching and prayer, and going to the blessed grave a second

time he opened the book of Kings. And the first verse on the page

which he opened was this: “Because you have forsaken the Lord your

God and have gone after other gods and have not done right in his

sight, therefore the Lord your God has betrayed you into the hands of

your enemies.”

And this verse was found in the Psalms: “But thou hast brought evils

upon them because of their deceitfulness; thou hast hurled them down

when they were lifted up. How have they been brought to desolation?

They have suddenly failed and perished because of their iniquities.”

And in the Gospels this was found: “Ye know that after two days the

passover cometh and the Son of man is delivered up to be crucified.”

At these answers he was troubled and wept long at the tomb of the

blessed bishop, and then taking duke Gunthram with him he went off

with five hundred men or more. He left the holy church and while

marching through the territory of Auxerre he was captured by Erpo,

king Gunthram’s duke. And while he was being held by him he escaped

by some chance and entered the church of the holy Germanus. On

hearing this king Gunthram was angry and fined Erpo seven hundred

gold pieces and removed him from office, saying: “You held prisoner

one who my brother says is his enemy. Now if you intended to do this,

you should first have brought him to me; otherwise you should not

have touched him whom you pretended to hold prisoner.”

King Chilperic’s army came as far as Tours and plundered this region

and burned it and laid it waste, and did not spare St. Martin’s

property, but whatever he got his hands on he took without regard for

God or any fear. Merovech remained nearly two months in the church I

have mentioned and then fled and went to queen Brunhilda, but he was

not received by the Austrasians.[CM] And his father set his army in

motion against the people of Champagne, believing that he was hiding

there. He did no injury, but he could not find Merovech.

15. Inasmuch as Clothar and Sigibert had settled the Suevi and other

tribes on their land when Albin had gone to Italy, they who returned

in the time of Sigibert, namely the men who had been with Albin,

rose against them, wishing to thrust them out from that country

and destroy them. But they offered the Saxons a third of the land,

saying: “We can live together without interfering with one another.”

But the Saxons were angry at them because they had themselves held

this land before and they were by no means willing to be pacified.

Then the Suevi made them a second offer of a half and then of

two-thirds, leaving one-third for themselves. And when the Saxons

refused this, they offered all their flocks and herds with the land,

provided only they would refrain from attacking them. But they would

not agree even to this and demanded battle. And before the battle,

thinking that they had the Suevi already as good as slain, they

discussed among themselves how they should divide their wives and

what each should receive after their defeat. But God’s mercy which

does justice turned their thoughts another way. For when they fought

there were 26,000 Saxons of whom 20,000 fell and of the Suevi 6000 of

whom 480 only were laid low; and the remainder won the victory. The

Saxons who were left took oath[CN] that they would cut neither beard

nor hair until they had taken vengeance on their adversaries. But

when they fought again they were defeated with greater loss and so

the war was ended.

[16. Macliavus and Bodic, counts of the Bretons, are succeeded by

Theodoric and Waroc. 17. King Gunthram loses his two sons. Easter is

celebrated by some cities on March 21st, by others on April 18th.

Gunthram adopts his nephew Childebert and they order Chilperic to

restore what he had taken from them.]

[CO]18. After this Chilperic heard that Prætextatus, bishop of Rouen,

was giving presents to the people to his disadvantage, and ordered

him to appear before him. When he was examined he was found to have

property intrusted to him by queen Brunhilda. This was taken away

and he was ordered to be kept in exile until he should be heard

by the bishops. The council met and he was brought before it. The

bishops, who went to Paris, were in the church of the holy apostle

Peter. And the king said to him; “Why did you decide, bishop, to

unite in marriage my enemy Merovech, who ought to be my son, and his

aunt, that is, his uncle’s wife. Did you not know what the canons

have ordained for such a case? And not only is it proven that you

went too far in this matter but you actually gave gifts and urged

him to kill me. You have made a son an enemy of his father, you

have seduced the people with money so that no one of them would

keep faith with me and you wished to give my kingdom over into the

hands of another.” When he said this a multitude of Franks raised an

angry shout and wished to break through the church doors as if to

drag the bishop out and stone him; but the king prevented them. And

when the bishop Prætextatus denied that he had done what the king

charged him with, false witnesses came who showed some articles of

value saying: “These and these you gave on condition that we would

plight faith with Merovech.” Upon this he made answer; “You speak

the truth in saying you have often received gifts from me, but it

was not for the purpose of driving the king from the kingdom. For

when you furnished me with excellent horses and other things what

else could I do but repay you with equal value?” The king returned to

his lodging, and we being gathered together sat in the consistory of

the church of the blessed Peter. And while we were talking together

Ætius, archdeacon of the church of Paris, came suddenly and greeting

us said: “Hear me, bishops of God who are gathered together; at

this time you shall either exalt your name and shine with the grace

of good report or else no one will treat you hereafter as bishops

of God if you do not wisely assert yourselves or if you allow your

brother to perish.” When he said this no one of the bishops made him

any answer. For they feared the fury of the queen at whose instance

this was being done. As they continued thoughtful with finger on

lip, I said: “Most holy bishops, give your attention, I beg, to my

words, and especially you who seem to be on friendly terms with the

king; give him holy and priestly counsel not to burst out in fury at

God’s servant and perish by his anger and lose kingdom and fame.”

When I said this all were silent. And in this silence I added:

“Remember, my lord bishops, the word of the prophet when he says:

‘If the watchman sees the iniquity of a man and does not declare

it, he shall be guilty for a lost soul.’ Therefore do not be silent

but speak and place the king’s sins before his eyes, lest perchance

some evil may befall him and you be guilty for his soul. Do you not

know what happened lately? How Chlodomer seized Sigismund and thrust

him into prison, and Avitus, God’s priest, said to him: ‘Do not lay

violent hands on him and when you go to Burgundy you shall win the

victory.’ But he disregarded what was said to him by the priest and

went and killed him with his wife and sons. And then he marched to

Burgundy and was there defeated by the army and slain.[CP] What

of the emperor Maximus? When he forced the blessed Martin to give

communion to a certain bishop who was a homicide and Martin yielded

to the wicked king in order the more easily to free the condemned

from death, the judgment of the eternal King pursued him and Maximus

was driven from the imperial throne and condemned to the worst

death.” When I said this no one made any answer but all stared in

amazement. Still two flatterers from among them--it is painful to say

it of bishops--carried the report to the king, saying that he had no

greater foe to his purposes than I. At once one of the attendants at

court was sent in all haste to bring me before him. When I came the

king stood beside a bower made of branches and on his right bishop

Bertram stood and on his left Ragnemod--and there was before them

a bench covered with bread and different dishes. On seeing me the

king said: “Bishop, you are bound to give justice freely to all; and

behold I do not obtain justice from you; but, as I see, you consent

to iniquity and in you the proverb is fulfilled that crow does not

tear out the eye of crow.” To this I replied: “If any of us, O king,

desires to leave the path of justice, he can be corrected by you;

but if you leave it, who shall rebuke you? We speak to you; but you

listen only if you wish; and if you refuse to listen who will condemn

you except him who asserts that he is justice?” To this he answered,

being inflamed against me by his flatterers: “With all I have found

justice and with you only I cannot find it. But I know what I shall

do that you may be disgraced before the people and that it may be

evident to all that you are unjust. I will call together the people

of Tours and say to them ‘Cry against Gregory, for he is unjust and

renders justice to no man.’ And when they cry this out I will reply:

‘I who am king cannot find justice with him and shall you who are

less than I find it.’” At this I said: “You do not know that I am

unjust. But my conscience knows, to which the secrets of the heart

are revealed. And if the people cry aloud with false cries when you

attack me, it is nothing, because all know that this comes from you.

And therefore it is not I but rather you that shall be disgraced in

the outcries. But why speak further? You have the law and the canons;

you ought to search them diligently; and then you will know that the

judgment of God overhangs you if you do not observe their commands.”

But he tried to calm me, thinking that I did not understand that he

was acting craftily, and pointing to the broth which was set in front

of him he said: “It was for you I had this broth prepared; there is

nothing else in it but fowl and a few peas.” But I saw his flattery

and said to him: “Our food ought to be to do the will of God and not

to delight in these luxuries, in order by no means to neglect what

he commands. Now do you who find fault with others for injustice

promise first that you will not neglect the law and the canons; and

then we will believe that you follow justice.” Then he stretched out

his right hand and swore by all-powerful God that he would in no way

neglect the teaching of the law and the canons. Then I took bread and

drank wine and departed. But that night when the hymns for the night

had been sung I heard the door of my lodging struck with heavy blows,

and sending a slave I learned that messengers from queen Fredegunda

stood there. They were brought in and I received greetings from the

queen. Then the slaves entreated me not to take a stand opposed to

her. And at the same time they promised two hundred pounds of silver

if I would attack Prætextatus and bring about his ruin. For they

said: “We have already the promise of all the bishops; only don’t you

go against us.” But I answered: “If you give me a thousand pounds of

silver and gold what else can I do except what the Lord instructs

me to do? I promise only one thing, that I will follow the decision

that the rest arrive at in accordance with the canons.” They did not

understand what I meant but thanked me and went away. In the morning

some of the bishops came to me with a similar message; to which I

gave a similar answer.

We met in the morning in St. Peter’s church and the king was present

and said: “The authority of the canons declares that a bishop

detected in theft should be cast from the office of bishop.” When I

asked who was the bishop against whom the charge of theft was made

the king answered: “You saw the articles of value which he stole

from us.” The king had showed us three days before two cases full of

costly articles and ornaments of different sorts which were valued

at more than three thousand _solidi_; moreover a bag heavy with

coined gold, holding about two thousand pieces. The king said this

had been stolen from him by the bishop. And the bishop answered: “I

suppose you remember that when queen Brunhilda left Rouen I went

to you and said that I had her property in keeping, to wit, five

parcels, and that her slaves came to me frequently to take them back

but I was unwilling to give them without your advice. And you said

to me, O king: ‘Rid yourself of these things and let the woman have

her property back, lest enmity rise over this matter between me and

Childebert my nephew.’ I went back to the city and gave one case to

the slaves for they could not carry more. They returned a second time

and asked for the others. I again took counsel with your greatness.

And you gave me directions saying: ‘Get rid of these things, bishop,

get rid of them, for fear the matter may cause a scandal.’ I again

gave them two cases and two more remained with me. But why do you

calumniate me now and accuse me, when this case should not be put

in the class of theft but of safe-keeping.” Then the king said: “If

you had this property deposited in your possession for safe-keeping,

why did you open one of them and cut in pieces a girdle woven of

gold threads and give to men to drive me from the kingdom.” Bishop

Prætextatus answered: “I told you before that I had received their

gifts and as I had nothing at hand to give I therefore took this

and gave it in return for their gifts. I regarded as belonging to

me what belonged to my son Merovech whom I received from the font

of regeneration.” King Chilperic saw that he could not overcome

him by false charges, and being greatly astonished and thrown into

confusion by his conscience, he withdrew from us and called certain

of his flatterers and said: “I confess that I’ve been beaten by the

bishop’s replies and I know that what he says is true. What am I to

do now, that the queen’s will may be done on him?” And he said: “Go

and approach him and speak as if giving your own advice; ‘You know

that king Chilperic is pious and merciful and is quickly moved to

compassion; humble yourself before him and say that you are guilty of

the charges he has made. Then we will all throw ourselves at his feet

and prevail on him to pardon you.’” Bishop Prætextatus was deceived

and promised he would do this. In the morning we met at the usual

place and the king came and said to the bishop: “If you gave gifts

to these men in return for gifts, why did you ask for an oath that

they would keep faith with Merovech?” The bishop replied: “I confess

I did ask their friendship for him; and I would have asked not men

alone but, if it were right to say so, I would have called an angel

from heaven to be his helper; for he was my spiritual son from the

baptismal font, as I have often said.” And when the dispute grew

warmer, bishop Prætextatus threw himself on the ground and said: “I

have sinned against heaven and before thee, most merciful king: I am

a wicked homicide; I wished to kill you and raise your son to the

throne.” When he said this the king threw himself down at the feet of

the bishops and said: “Hear, most holy bishops, the accused confesses

his awful crime.” And when we had raised the king from the ground

with tears, he ordered Prætextatus to leave the church. He went

himself to his lodging, and sent the book of canons to which a new

quaternion had been added containing the canons called apostolic and

having the following: _Let a bishop detected in homicide, adultery

or perjury be cast out from his office_. This was read and while

Prætextatus stood in a daze, bishop Bertram spoke: “Hear, brother

and fellow-bishop; you have not the king’s favor; and therefore you

cannot enjoy our mercy before you win the indulgence of the king.”

After this the king demanded that his robe should be torn from him

and the hundred and eighth psalm which contains the curses against

Iscariot be read over his head and at the least, that the judgment be

entered against him to be excommunicated forever. Which proposals I

resisted according to the king’s promise that nothing be done outside

the canons. Then Prætextatus was taken from our sight and placed in

custody. And attempting to flee in the night he was grievously beaten

and was thrust off into exile in an island of the sea that lies near

the city of Coutances.

After this the report was that Merovech was a second time trying to

take refuge in the church of St. Martin. But Chilperic gave orders

to watch the church and close all entrances. And leaving one door

by which a few of the clergy were to go in for the services, guards

kept all the rest closed. Which caused great inconvenience to the

people. When we were staying in Paris signs appeared in the sky,

namely, twenty rays in the northern part which rose in the east and

sped to the west; and one of them was more extended and overtopped

the rest and when it had risen to a great height it soon passed away,

and likewise the remainder which followed disappeared. I suppose

they announced Merovech’s death. Now when Merovech was lurking in

Champagne near Rheims and did not trust himself to the Austrasians

openly, he was entrapped by the people of Therouanne, who said that

they would abandon his father Chilperic and serve him if he came to

them. And he took his bravest men and went to them swiftly. Then they

revealed the stratagem they had prepared and shut him up at a certain

village and surrounded him with armed men and sent messengers to his

father. And he listened to them and purposed to hasten thither. But

while Merovech was detained in a certain inn he began to fear that

he would pay many penalties to satisfy the vengeance of his enemies,

and called to him Galen his slave and said: “Up to the present we

have had one mind and purpose. I ask you not to allow me to fall into

the hands of my enemies, but to take your sword and rush upon me.”

And Galen did not hesitate but stabbed him with his dagger. The king

came and found him dead. There were some at the time who said that

Merovech’s words, which we have just reported, were an invention of

the queen, and that Merovech had been secretly killed at her command.

Galen was seized and his hands, feet, ears, and the end of his nose

were cut off, and he was subjected to many other tortures and met

a cruel death. Grindio they fastened to a wheel and raised aloft,

and Ciucilo, once count of king Sigibert’s palace, they executed by

beheading. Moreover they cruelly butchered by various forms of death

many others who had come with Merovech. Men said at that time that

bishop Egidius and Gunthram Boso were the leaders in the betrayal,

because Gunthram enjoyed the secret friendship of Fredegunda for the

killing of Theodobert, and Egidius had been her friend for a long

time.

[19. Tiberius Cæsar, his alms to the poor, and the treasures

miraculously discovered by him.]

20. An uproar arose against the bishops Salunius and Sagittarius.

They had been trained by the holy Nicetius,[57] bishop of Lyons,

and had attained the office of deacon; and in his time Salunius was

made bishop of Embrun and Sagittarius of Gap. Having reached the

office of bishop they became their own masters and in a mad way

began to seize property, wound, kill, commit adultery, and various

other crimes, and at one time when Victor, bishop of Saint-Paul

Trois-Châteaux was celebrating his birthday, they sent a band of men

to attack him with swords and arrows. They went and tore his robes,

wounded his servants, and carried off the dishes and everything

used at the dinner, leaving the bishop overwhelmed by abuse. When

king Gunthram learned of it he ordered a synod to meet in Lyons.

The bishops assembled with the patriarch, blessed Nicetius, and

after examining the case found that they were absolutely convicted

of the crimes charged to them, and they ordered that men guilty of

such acts should be removed from the office of bishop. But since

Salunius and Sagittarius knew that the king was still favorable to

them they went to him complaining that they were unjustly removed

and asking for permission to go to the pope of the city of Rome. The

king listened to their prayers and gave them letters and let them

go. They went to John the pope and told that they had been removed

without any good reason. And he sent letters to the king in which

he directed that they should be restored to their places. This the

king did without delay, first rebuking them at length. But, what

is worse, no improvement followed. However they did ask pardon of

bishop Victor and surrendered the men whom they had sent at the time

of the disturbance. But he remembered the Lord’s teaching that evil

should not be repaid one’s enemies for evil and did them no harm

but allowed them to go free. For this he was afterward suspended

from the communion, because after making a public accusation he had

secretly pardoned his enemies without the advice of the brethren to

whom he had made the charge. But by the king’s favor he was again

restored to communion. But these men daily engaged in greater crimes

and, as we have stated before, they armed themselves like laymen,

and killed many with their own hands in the battles which Mummolus

fought with the Lombards. And among their fellow-citizens they were

carried away by animosity and beat a number with clubs and let their

fury carry them as far as the shedding of blood. Because of this the

outcry of the people again reached the king. The king ordered them to

be summoned. On their arrival he refused to let them come into his

presence, thinking that their hearing should be held first and that

if they were found good men they would deserve an audience with the

king. But Sagittarius was transported with rage, taking the matter

hard, and being light and vain and ready with thoughtless speech,

he began to make many loud declarations about the king and to say

that his sons cannot inherit the kingdom because their mother had

been taken to the king’s bed from among the slaves of Magnachar; not

knowing that the families of the wives are now disregarded and they

are called the sons of a king who have been begotten by a king. On

hearing this the king was greatly aroused and took away from them

horses, slaves and whatever they had, and ordered them to be taken

and shut up in distant monasteries to do penance there, leaving not

more than a single clerk to each, and giving terrible warnings to

the judges of the places to guard them with armed men and leave no

opportunity open for any one to visit them. Now the king’s sons[CQ]

were living at this time, and the older of them began to be sick. And

the king’s friends went to him and said: “If the king would deign

to hear favorably the words of his servants they would speak in his

ears.” And he said; “Speak whatever you wish.” And they said: “Beware

lest perhaps these bishops be condemned to exile though innocent, and

the king’s sin be increased somewhat, and because of it the son of

our master perish.” And the king said; “Go with all speed and release

them and beg them to pray for our little ones.” They departed and the

bishops were released and leaving the monasteries they met and kissed

each other because they had not seen each other for a long time, and

returned to their cities and were so penitent that they apparently

never ceased from psalm-singing, fasting, almsgiving, reading the

book of the songs of David through the day and spending the night in

singing hymns and meditating on the readings. But this absolute piety

did not last long and they fell a second time and generally spent the

nights in feasting and drinking, so that when the clergy were singing

the matins in the church these were calling for cups and drinking

wine. There was no mention at all of God, no services were observed.

When morning came they arose from dinner and covered themselves with

soft coverings and buried in drunken sleep they would lie till the

third hour of the day. And there were women with whom they polluted

themselves. And then they would rise and bathe and lie down to eat;

in the evening they arose and later they devoted themselves greedily

to dinner until the dawn, as we have mentioned above. So they did

every day until God’s anger fell upon them, which we will tell of

later.

[21. Winnoc the Breton is made a priest. The miracle of the holy

water from the tomb of St. Martin. 22. Death of Chilperic’s young

son. 23. List of prodigies. 24. Chilperic takes Poitiers from

Childebert. 25. Duke Dracolen captures the deserter Dacco and

takes him to Chilperic. He commits suicide. Dracolen then meets

Gunthram Boso, fights him on horseback and is killed. Violent end

of Gunthram’s father-in-law. 26. Chilperic sends an army including

“the people of Tours” against the Bretons. Later he “orders[CR] fines

to be paid by the poor and the younger clergy of the church because

they had not served in the army” although “there was no custom for

these to perform any state service.” 27. Salunius and Sagittarius the

bishops are degraded.]

28. King Chilperic ordered new and heavy impositions to be made in

all his kingdom. For this reason many left these cities and abandoned

their properties and fled to other kingdoms, thinking it better to

be in exile elsewhere than to be subject to such danger. For it

had been decreed that each landowner should pay a measure of wine

per acre [_aripennis_].[CS] Moreover many other taxes were imposed

both on the remaining lands and on the slaves, which could not be

paid. When the people of Limoges saw that they were weighed down

by such burdens they assembled on the first of March and wished to

kill Marcus the referendary who had been ordered to collect these

dues, and they would have done so, had not bishop Ferreolus freed

him from the threatening danger. The assembled multitude seized the

tax books and burned them. At this the king was greatly disturbed

and sent officials from his court and fined the people huge sums and

frightened them with tortures and put them to death. They say, too,

that at that time abbots and priests were stretched on crosses and

subjected to various tortures, the royal messengers accusing them

falsely of having been accomplices in the burning of the books at the

rising of the people. And henceforth they imposed more grievous taxes.

[29. Fighting between Bretons and Franks goes on. 30. Tiberius

succeeds Justin as emperor. 31. The Bretons pillage the country about

Nantes and Rennes.]

32. At Paris a certain woman fell under reproach, many charging

that she had left her husband and was intimate with another. Then

her husband’s kinsmen went to her father saying: “Either make your

daughter behave properly or she shall surely die, lest her wantonness

lay a disgrace on our family.” “I know,” said the father, “that my

daughter is well-behaved and the word is not true that evil men

speak of her. Still, to keep the reproach from going further, I will

make her innocent by my oath.” And they replied: “If she is without

guilt declare it on oath upon the tomb here of the blessed Denis

the martyr.” “I will do so,” said the father. Then having made the

agreement they met at the church of the holy martyr and the father

raised his hands above the altar and swore that his daughter was not

guilty. On the other hand, others on the part of the husband declared

that he had committed perjury. They entered into a dispute, drew

their swords and rushed on one another, and killed one another before

the very altar. Now they were men advanced in years and leaders with

king Chilperic. Many received sword wounds, the holy church was

spattered with human blood, the doors were pierced with darts and

swords and godless missiles raged as far as the very tomb. When the

struggle had with difficulty been stopped, the church was put under

an interdict until the whole matter should come under the king’s

notice. They hastened to the presence of the prince but were not

received with favor. They were sent back to the bishop of the place

and the order was given that if they were not found guilty of this

crime they might rightly be admitted to communion. Then they atoned

for their evil conduct and were taken back to the communion of the

church by Ragnemod, bishop of Paris. Not many days later the woman on

being summoned to trial hanged herself.

[33. A long list of prodigies.]

34. A very grievous plague followed these prodigies. For while the

kings were quarreling and again preparing for civil war, dysentery

seized upon nearly the whole of the Gauls. The sufferers had a high

fever with vomiting and excessive pain in the kidneys; the head and

neck were heavy. Their expectorations were of a saffron color or at

least green. It was asserted by many that it was a secret poison. The

common people called it internal pimples and this is not incredible,

seeing that when cupping glasses were placed on the shoulders or legs

mattery places formed and broke and the corrupted blood ran out and

many were cured. Moreover herbs that are used to cure poisons were

drunk and helped a good many. This sickness began in the month of

August and seized upon the little ones[CT] and laid them on their

beds. We lost dear sweet children whom we nursed on our knees or

carried in our arms and nourished with attentive care, feeding them

with our own hand. But wiping away our tears we say with the blessed

Job: “The Lord has given; the Lord has taken away; the Lord’s will

has been done. Blessed be his name through the ages.”

In these days king Chilperic was very sick. When he got well his

younger son, who was not yet reborn of water and the Holy Spirit,

fell ill, and when they saw he was in danger they baptized him. He

was doing a little better when his older brother named Clodobert was

attacked by the same disease. Their mother Fredegunda saw they were

in danger of death and she repented too late, and said to the king:

“The divine goodness has long borne with our bad actions; it has

often rebuked us with fevers and other evils but repentance did not

follow and now we are losing our sons. It is the tears of the poor,

the outcries of widows and the sighs of orphans that are destroying

them. We have no hope left now in gathering wealth. We get riches and

we do not know for whom. Our treasures will be left without an owner,

full of violence and curses. Our storehouses are full of wine and our

barns of grain, and our treasuries are full of gold, silver, precious

stones, necklaces, and all the wealth of rulers. But we are losing

what we held more dear. Come, please, let us burn all the wicked tax

lists and let what sufficed for your father king Clothar, suffice

for your treasury.” So the queen spoke, beating her breast with her

fists, and she ordered the books to be brought out that had been

brought from her cities by Marcus, and when she had thrown them in

the fire she said to the king: “Why do you delay; do what you see me

do, so that if we have lost our dear children we may at least escape

eternal punishment.” Then the king repented and burned all the tax

books and when they were burned he sent men to stop future taxes.

After this the younger child wasted away in great pain and died. They

carried him with great grief from Braine to Paris and buried him in

the church of St. Denis. Clodobert they placed on a litter and took

him to St. Medard’s church in Soissons, and threw themselves down at

the holy tomb and made vows for him, but being already breathless and

weak he died at midnight. They buried him in the holy church of the

martyrs Crispin and Crispinian. There was much lamenting among all

the people; for men and women followed this funeral sadly wearing

the mourning clothes that are customary when a husband or wife dies.

After this king Chilperic was generous to cathedrals and churches and

the poor.

35. In these days Austrechild, wife of prince Gunthram, succumbed to

this disease, but before she breathed out her worthless life, seeing

she could not escape, she drew deep sighs and wished to have partners

in her death, intending that at her funeral there should be mourning

for others. It is said that she made a request of the king in

Herodian fashion saying: “I would still have had hopes of life if I

had not fallen into the hands of wicked physicians; for the draughts

they gave me have taken my life away perforce and have caused me

swiftly to lose the light of day. And therefore I beg you let my

death not go unavenged, and I conjure you with an oath to have them

slain by the sword as soon as I depart from the light; so that, just

as I cannot live longer, so they too shall not boast after my death,

and the grief of our friends and of theirs shall be one and the

same.” So speaking she gave up her unhappy soul. And the king after

the customary period of public mourning fulfilled her wicked order,

forced by the oath to his cruel wife. He ordered the two physicians

who had attended her to be slain[CU] with the sword, and the wisdom

of many believes that this was not done without sin.

[36. Nanthinus, count of Angoulême, dies of the plague. He had been a

bitter enemy of the bishops. 37. Death of Martin, bishop of Galicia.

38. The Arian queen of Spain, Gaisuenta, is enraged at her Catholic

daughter-in-law. “She seizes the girl by the hair of her head, dashes

her on the ground, kicks her for a long time and covers her with

blood and orders her to be stripped and ducked in the fish-pond.”

The girl however converts her husband but he is sent into exile. 39.

Fredegunda brings about the death of Clovis, Chilperic’s son. 40.

Elafius, bishop of Châlons, and Eonius, exiled bishop of Vannes, die.

41. Chilperic seizes legates sent by the king of Galicia to king

Gunthram. List of prodigies including a destructive wind of which

Gregory says; “Its space was about seven acres in width but one could

not estimate its length.”]

42. Maurilio, bishop of the city of Cahors, was seriously ill

of gout, but in addition to the pain which the humor caused, he

subjected himself to added tortures. For he often put white-hot iron

against his feet and legs in order to make his pain greater. While

many were candidates for his office he himself preferred Ursicinus

who had once been referendary to queen Vulthrogotha and he begged

that Ursicinus be ordained before his death, and then passed away

from the world. He was a very liberal almsgiver, very learned in the

church writings, so much so that he often repeated from memory the

succession of generations given in the books of the Old Testament

which many find it difficult to remember. He was also just in

judgments, and he defended the poor of his church from the hand of

the wicked according to the judgment of Job: “I delivered the poor

from the hand of the mighty and I helped the needy who had no helper.

The mouth of the widow blessed me, for I was an eye to the blind, a

foot to the lame, and a father to the weak.”

[43. Debate over the Trinity between Gregory and a Spanish legate.]

44. At the same time king Chilperic wrote a little treatise to the

effect that the holy Trinity should not be so called with reference

to distinct persons but should merely have the meaning of God, saying

that it was unseemly that God should be called a person like a man of

flesh; affirming also that the Father is the same as the Son and that

the Holy Spirit also is the same as the Father and the Son. “Such,”

said he, “was the view of the prophets and patriarchs and such is

the teaching the law itself has given.” When he had had this read to

me he said: “I want you and the other teachers of the church to hold

this view.” But I answered him: “Good king, abandon this belief; it

is your duty to follow the doctrine which the other teachers of the

church left to us after the time of the apostles, the teachings of

Hilarius and Eusebius[CV] which you professed at baptism.” Then the

king was angry and said: “It is plain that in this case Hilarius

and Eusebius are my bitter enemies.” And I answered him: “It is

better for you to be careful and not make enemies either of God or

his saints. Now let me tell you that as persons the Father, the Son

and the Holy Spirit are distinct. It was not the Father who took on

flesh, nor the Holy Spirit, but the Son, so that he who was Son of

God became the son of a virgin also for the redemption of man. It

was not the Father who suffered, nor the Holy Spirit, but the Son,

so that he who had taken on flesh in the world, was himself offered

for the world. And what you say about persons must be understood

not in a material but in a spiritual sense. In these three persons,

then, there is one glory, one eternity, one power.” But he became

excited and said: “I will explain these matters to wiser men than

you and they will agree with me.” I replied: “No wise man will

he be but a fool, who will consent to follow your proposals.” At

this he ground his teeth and said no more. A few days later bishop

Salvius of Albi visited him and he had this treatise read to him,

begging him to accept his views. But upon hearing them Salvius was

so revolted that if he could have laid hands on the paper containing

the writing he would have torn it into bits. And so the king gave

up the project. The king wrote also other books in verse following

Sedulius[CW] as a model. But those poor verses have no relation of

any sort with meter. He also added letters to our alphabet, namely ω

as the Greeks[CX] have it, _æ_, _the_, υυι, which are written by the

following characters: ω θ, _æ_ ψ, _the_ Ζ, υυι Δ. And he wrote to all

the cities of his kingdom that boys should be taught these letters

and that books written in previous times should be erased with pumice

and rewritten.

[45. Agricola, bishop of Chalon-sur-Sâone, dies. “He constructed many

buildings in that city, erecting houses, and building a church which

he supported with columns and adorned with varicolored marbles and

mosaics.”]

46. At that time also Dalmatius bishop of Rodez passed away, a man

distinguished for every kind of holiness, an abstainer from food

and the desires of the flesh, a great almsgiver and kind to all,

steadfast enough in prayer and watching. He built a church, but

frequently tore it down to build it better and left it unfinished.

After his death, as usual there were many candidates for his office.

And the priest Transobad, who at one time had been his archdeacon,

was making a great effort for it, relying on the fact that he had put

his son in care of Gogo who was then tutor to the king.[CY] Now the

bishop had made a will in which he indicated to the king who was to

receive this office after his death, adjuring him with terrible oaths

not to appoint a stranger in that church, nor a greedy man, nor one

entangled by marriage, but that one free from all these drawbacks

should be put in his place, who would spend his days in the praise of

the Lord and nothing else. Now the priest Transobad prepared a feast

for the clergy in the city. And while they were seated one of the

priests began to abuse shamelessly the bishop mentioned above, and he

went so far as to call him a madman and a fool. While he was speaking

the butler came to offer him a cup. He took it, but as he was

raising it to his mouth he began to tremble and the cup dropped from

his hand and he leaned his head on the man next him and gave up the

ghost. He was carried from the feast to the grave and covered with

earth. After this the bishop’s will was read in the presence of king

Childebert and his chief men, and Theodosius who was then archdeacon

in that city was ordained bishop.

47. Now Chilperic heard of all the harm Leudast was doing to the

churches of Tours and to all the people and he sent Ansoald thither.

He came at the festival of St. Martin and, giving us and the people

a choice, raised Eunomius to the office of count. Then Leudast

perceived that he had lost his place and went to Chilperic, saying:

“Most pious king, up to now I have guarded the city of Tours; but

now that I have been removed see how it will be guarded. For let me

tell you that bishop Gregory purposes to surrender it to Sigibert’s

son.” Upon hearing this the king said: “By no means, but you make

this charge only for the reason that you have been removed.” But he

answered: “There is more that the bishop says about you; for he says

that the queen committed adultery with bishop Bertram.” Then the king

was enraged and struck and kicked him and ordered him to be loaded

with chains and thrust into prison.

48. Now as this book should soon be finished I wish to tell something

of his actions; and first it seems best to describe in order his

family, his native place, and his character. There is an island

of Poitou called Gracina in which he was born to a slave (named

Leuchadius) belonging to a vine-dresser of the fisc. Thence he was

sent to service and assigned to the royal kitchen. But as his eyes

were bleared when he was young and the bitter smoke hurt them, he

was removed from the pestle and promoted to the basket, but he only

pretended to be happy among the fermented dough, and soon ran away

and left his service. And when he had been brought back twice or

three times and could not be prevented from running away, he was

punished by having one ear cut off. Then as he was not able by any

power to conceal the mark of disgrace on him, he fled to queen

Marcovefa, whom king Charibert loved greatly and had married in her

sister’s place. She received him gladly and appointed him keeper of

her best horses. Then he was filled with vanity and given over to

pride and began to intrigue for the office of count of the stables.

Getting this, he despised and disregarded all; he was puffed up with

vanity, softened with wantonness, inflamed with greed and he hastened

hither and thither in the service of his patroness. After her death,

being now rich with plunder, he made gifts to king Charibert and

began to hold a place with him. Then the sins of the people increased

and he was sent as count to Tours,[CZ] and here he was more uplifted

by the pride of his high office and here he showed himself to be a

greedy plunderer, a loud-mouthed disputer and a foul adulterer. And

here by sowing discord and bringing false charges he acquired no

small treasure. After Charibert’s death, when the city had fallen

to Sigibert’s share he went over to Chilperic and all that he had

wickedly accumulated was taken by the adherents of the king I have

named. Then king Chilperic took possession of Tours through his son

Theodobert, I having by this time come to Tours, and he was strongly

recommended to me by Theodobert to hold the office of count which he

had held before. He showed himself very humble and submissive to us,

swearing often by the tomb of the holy bishop that he would never go

against reason and that he would be loyal to me in his own causes as

well as in all needs of the church. For he was afraid that, as later

happened, king Sigibert would bring the city again under his rule.

When Sigibert died Chilperic succeeded him and Leudast again became

count. But when Merovech came to Tours he plundered all Leudast’s

property. Now during the two years that Sigibert held Tours, Leudast

lay hid among the Bretons. And when he took the office of count, as

we have said, he was so foolish as to enter the bishop’s house with

breastplate and coat of mail, girt with a quiver and carrying a lance

in his hand, and with a helmet on his head, being secure with no one

because he was an enemy to all. And if he sat at a trial with the

chief men of the clergy and laity and saw any one seeking justice, he

would at once be transported into a rage and would pour out abuse on

the citizens; he would order priests to be dragged away in fetters

and soldiers beaten with clubs, and he showed such cruelty as can

scarcely be described. And when Merovech, who had plundered his

property, went away, Leudast began to accuse me falsely, asserting

that Merovech had followed my advice in taking his property. But

after doing me damage he again repeated his oath and gave a cloth

from the tomb of the blessed Martin as security that he would never

oppose me.

49. But as it is a tedious thing to relate in order his perjuries

and other crimes, let us come to the story of how he wished by vile

and wicked calumnies to oust me from my place, and how the divine

vengeance fell upon him, so that the saying was fulfilled, “Every

supplanter shall be supplanted,” and again; “Whoso diggeth a pit

shall fall therein.” After the many wrongs he did to me and mine,

after many plunderings of the church property, he united to himself

the priest Riculf, as perverse and wicked as himself, and went so

far as to say that I had made a charge against queen Fredegunda,

asserting that if my archdeacon Plato or my friend Galien should be

subjected to torture they would certainly convict me of such words.

It was then that the king was angry, as I have stated above, and

after beating and kicking him ordered him to be loaded with chains

and thrust into prison. Now he said that he had Riculf, a cleric, on

whose authority he said this. But this Riculfus was a sub-deacon,

as unstable as Leudast, who a year before had entered into this

design with Leudast, and had looked for causes of offense in order,

forsooth, to go over to Leudast because I was angry, and he found

them and went to him, and for four months they prepared all their

tricks and laid their traps, and then he came back to me with Leudast

and begged me to pardon and take him back. I did it, I confess, and

publicly received a secret enemy into my household. And when Leudast

went away, Riculf threw himself at my feet and said: “Unless you come

quickly to my help I shall perish. Behold, at Leudast’s urging I have

said what I should not have. Now send me to another kingdom; if you

do not I shall be seized by the king’s men and suffer the punishment

of death.” And I said to him: “If you have said anything out of the

way your words shall be on your own head; for I will not send you

to another kingdom, lest I be held in suspicion by the king.” After

this Leudast became his accuser, saying that he had the words already

mentioned from Riculf, the subdeacon. And he was bound and put under

guard and Leudast was released. And Riculf said that Galien and the

archdeacon Plato were present on the same day when the bishop said

this. But the priest Riculf, who by this time had the promise of

the bishop’s office from Leudast, was so elated that he more than

equaled Simon in his pride. And he who had sworn to me three times

or more on the tomb of St. Martin, on the sixth day of Easter week

made at me so furiously with abuse and spittings that he all but laid

hands on me, confident, of course, in the trap he had prepared. On

the next day, that is, the day before Easter Sunday, Leudast came

to the city of Tours and pretending to have other business, seized

Plato the archdeacon and Galien, and bound them and ordered them led

to the queen, loaded with chains and without their robes. I heard of

this while I sat in the bishop’s house, and in sadness and worry I

went into the oratory and took the book of David’s song, that when

opened a verse might give some consolation. And this is what I found:

“He led them in hope and they did not fear, and the sea covered

their enemies.” Meantime they embarked on the river above the bridge

which was supported by two boats, and the boat which carried Leudast

sank, and if he had not escaped by swimming he would perhaps have

perished with his comrades. And the other boat which was in tow of

this one and carried the prisoners, was kept above water by God’s

help. So the prisoners were taken to the king and were immediately

accused in such terms that their punishment would be death. But

the king thought it over and freed them from chains and kept them

unharmed in free custody. Now at the city of Tours duke Berulf and

count Eunomius concocted a story that king Gunthram wished to take

the city of Tours and “therefore,” said they, “the city ought to be

guarded so that there would be no carelessness.” They craftily set

guards at the gates who pretended they were guarding the city but

were really watching me. They also sent persons to advise me to take

the valuables of the church and flee secretly to Clermont. But I

did not take the advice. Then the king summoned the bishops of his

kingdom and ordered the case carefully gone into. And when the clerk

Riculf was talking secretly as he often did, and was telling many

lies against me and my friends, Modestus, a carpenter, said to him,

“Ill-fated man, who talk so insubordinately against your bishop.

It would be better for you to be silent and to beg pardon from the

bishop and obtain his favor.” At this Riculf began to cry with a

loud voice and say: “Behold the man who orders me to be silent that

I may not make the truth public. Behold the queen’s enemy who does

not permit the charge against her to be looked into.” This was at

once reported to the queen. Modestus was seized, tortured, whipped,

put in chains, and kept under guard. And though he was between two

guards and held by chains to a pillar, the guards fell asleep and at

midnight he prayed to the Lord that his power should deign to visit

a wretched man and that an innocent prisoner should be freed by the

visitation of the bishops Martin and Medard. Then the chains were

broken, the pillar was shattered, the door opened, and he came to the

church of St. Medard where I was keeping watch by night.

The bishops assembled at Braine[DA] and were ordered to meet in a

house. Then the king came, and after greeting all and receiving

their blessing, he took his seat. Then Bertram, bishop of Bordeaux,

against whom and the queen this charge had been brought, explained

the case and questioned me, saying that the charge had been brought

against him and the queen by me. I denied in truth that I had said

these things, saying others might have heard them but I had not

invented them. Now outside the doors there was a great shouting among

the people, who said: “Why are these charges made against a bishop

of God? Why does the king prosecute such charges? The bishop could

not have said such things even about a slave. Alas, Alas! Lord God

help thy servant.” But the king said: “The charge against my wife

is an insult to me. If therefore it is your will that witnesses be

heard against the bishop behold here they are. But if it is your

decision that this should not be done, and the matter be left to the

honor of the bishop, speak. I will gladly hear your command.” All

wondered both at the king’s wisdom and his patience. Then all said:

“An inferior cannot be believed against a bishop,” and the case came

to this, that masses were said at three altars and I cleared myself

of these words by oath. And though it was contrary to the canons,

still it was done for the king’s sake. Moreover I cannot pass over

the fact that queen Riguntha sympathized[DB] with my grief and

fasted with all her household until the slave reported that I had

done all as was arranged. Then the bishops returned to the king and

said: “All that was required of the bishop has been done. What now

remains for you, O king, except to be excommunicated together with

Bertram, the accuser of his brother?” “O no,” said he, “I only told

what I had heard.” When they asked who had told this, he answered

that he had heard it from Leudast. But he had already fled, from

the weakness either of his resolution or of his cause. Then all the

bishops decided that the spreader of scandal, traducer of the queen,

accuser of a bishop, should be kept out of all churches because he

had withdrawn from their judgment. And they sent a letter with their

signatures to the bishops who were not present. And so each returned

to his own place. Leudast heard this and took refuge in the church of

St. Peter in Paris. But when he heard the king’s edict that he should

be received by no one in his kingdom, and especially because his son

whom he had left at home had died, he came to Tours secretly and

carried his valuables to Bourges. And when the king’s men pursued him

he escaped by flight. But his wife was captured and sent into exile

at a village of Tournai. But the clerk Riculf was sentenced to death.

But I managed to secure his life, although I could not free him from

torture. No material thing, no metal, could have endured such blows

as this wretch. For from the third hour he hung suspended from a tree

with his hands tied behind his back; at the ninth he was taken down,

stretched on a wheel, beaten with clubs, rods, and doubled thongs,

and not by one or two, but there were as many floggers as could reach

his miserable limbs. When he was in danger, he disclosed the truth

and made known the secret plot. He said that the charge had been made

against the queen for this reason, that she might be driven from the

kingdom and Clovis might kill his brothers and take the kingdom,

and make Leudast a duke, and that the priest Riculf, who had been

a friend of Clovis from the time of the blessed bishop Eufronius,

might get the bishopric of Tours, while this clerk Riculf would get

the archdeaconate. Returning to Tours by the grace of God we found

the church thrown into confusion by the priest Riculf. Now this

man had been raised from the poor under bishop Eufronius and made

archdeacon. Later he was raised to the priesthood and returned to his

own place. He was always lofty, inflated, and presumptuous. While I

was still with the king this man went shamelessly into the bishop’s

house as if already bishop, and made an inventory of the church

silver and brought the rest of the property under his control. To

the more important clergy he gave presents and distributed vineyards

and meadows; the lesser he beat with clubs and many blows even with

his own hand, saying: “Recognize your master, who has triumphed over

his enemies and by his determination has cleared Tours of the people

of Clermont.”[DC] The wretch did not know that with the exception

of five bishops all the other bishops of Tours are connected with

my family stock. He used often to say to his friends that a wise

man can be deceived only by perjuries. Now upon my return, when he

continued to despise me and did not come to greet me as the other

citizens did, but rather threatened to kill me, by the advice of

the provincials I had him removed to a monastery. And while he was

closely watched there, messengers from bishop Felix who had been a

supporter of the charge against me came; the abbot was deceived by

perjuries and Riculf escaped and went to bishop Felix. He received

him with respect though he should have cursed him. And Leudast

hastened to Bourges and took with him all the treasures which he had

got by spoiling the poor. Not long after, the people of Bourges with

the judge of the place attacked him and carried off all his gold and

silver and what he had brought with him, leaving nothing but what

he had on him, and they would have taken life itself if he had not

fled. Then he regained support and with some men of Tours attacked

his plunderers, and killing one, he recovered some of his property

and returned to the territory of Tours. Hearing this, duke Berulf

sent his men well armed to seize him. He perceived that he would soon

be taken and abandoned his property and fled to the church of St.

Hilary in Poitiers. Duke Berulf sent the captured property to the

king. Then Leudast left the church and attacked the houses of several

and took plunder without concealment. Moreover he was often caught

in adultery on the sacred porch itself. The queen was roused that a

place consecrated to God should be so polluted, and ordered him to be

cast from the holy church. And being cast out, he went a second time

to his friends in Bourges asking to be concealed.

50. Although I should have spoken before of my conversation with

the blessed bishop Salvius, it slipped my mind, and I suppose it is

not wicked if it is written later. When I had said good-by to the

king after the synod I mentioned, and was anxious to return home, I

decided not to go before kissing this man and taking leave of him.

And I found him in the entrance of the house of Braine. And I said

to him that I was about to return home. Then we withdrew a little

and speaking of this and that he said to me: “Do you see upon this

roof what I see?” I replied: “Why, I see the roof-covering which

the king lately gave orders to place there.” But he asked: “Don’t

you see anything else?” And I said: “Nothing else.” For I suspected

that he was making a joke. And I added: “Tell me what more you see.”

But he drew a deep sigh and said; “I see the sword of divine wrath

unsheathed and threatening this house.” The bishop’s words were not

wrong; for twenty days later there died the two sons of the king

whose deaths I have described before.

HERE ENDS THE FIFTH BOOK.

FOOTNOTES:

[55] _Cf._ _ad aratrum reducere_, to ravage thoroughly.

[56] Great-uncle of Gregory on his mother’s side.

[57] Gregory’s great uncle.

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE SIXTH BOOK

1. Childebert goes over to Chilperic; Mummulus flees.

2. Return of Chilperic’s legates from the East.

3. Childebert’s legates to Chilperic.

4. How Lupus was driven from Childebert’s kingdom.

5. Argument with a Jew.

6. The holy recluse Hospicius, his abstinence and miracles.

7. Passing away of Ferreolus, bishop of Uzès.

8. The recluse Ebarchius of Angoulême.

9. Domnolus, bishop of Mans.

10. St. Martin’s church is broken into.

11. Bishop Theodore and Dinamius.

12. An army marches against Bourges.

13. The killing of Lupus and Ambrosius, citizens of Tours.

14. The portents which appeared.

15. Death of bishop Felix.

16. Pappolenus recovers his wife.

17. Conversion of Jews by king Chilperic.

18. Return of king Chilperic’s legates from Spain.

19. King Chilperic’s men at the river Orge.

20. Death of duke Chrodinus.

21. Signs that appeared.

22. Bishop Cartherius.

23. A son is born to king Chilperic.

24. A second time about the plots against bishop Theodore and

about Gundovald.

25. Signs.

26. Gunthram and Mummolus.

27. King Chilperic enters Paris.

28. Marcus the referendary.

29. The nuns of Poitiers.

30. Death of the emperor Tiberius.

31. The many evil deeds that king Chilperic ordered to be done, or

did himself, in his brother’s cities.

32. Leudast’s death.

33. Locusts, plagues, and prodigies.

34. Death of Chilperic’s son named Theodoric.

35. Death of the prefect Mummulus and the women who were put to

death.

36. Bishop Etherius.

37. Killing of Lupentius, abbot of Javols.

38. Death of bishop Theodosius and his successor.

39. Death of bishop Remedius and his successor.

40. My argument with a heretic.

41. King Chilperic retires to Cambrai with his treasures.

42. Childebert goes to Italy.

43. The kings of Gallicia.

44. Various prodigies.

45. Marriage of Riguntha, Chilperic’s daughter.

46. King Chilperic’s death.

HERE END THE CHAPTERS, THANKS BE TO GOD

HERE BEGINS THE SIXTH BOOK, STARTING WITH THE SIXTH YEAR OF KING

CHILDEBERT

[1. Childebert allies himself with Chilperic instead of with

Gunthram; a synod meets at Lyons.]

2. Meantime king Chilperic’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 Marseilles

on account of the quarrels among the kings, they made for Agde[58]

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

broken to 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 Chilperic. The people of

Agde nevertheless kept much. At that time I had gone to the villa

of Nogent to see the king, and there he showed me a great basin

of fifty 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.

[3. The alliance between Chilperic and Childebert is confirmed and

they agree to take Gunthram’s kingdom away from him.]

4. Now Lupus, duke of Champagne, had long been continually harassed

and plundered by his enemies and especially by Ursio and Bertefred.

And at length they made an agreement to kill him and they marched

against him. But queen Brunhilda 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,

O 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.” Ursio answered 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 houses, 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

Gunthram, and being welcomed by him he remained in hiding, waiting

till Childebert should come of age.

5. While king Chilperic 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 good-by, 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: “O 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 any one to share his power, but he said by the

mouth of Moses: ‘See, see that I am the Lord and except me there is

no God. I shall kill and I shall make alive; I shall wound and I

shall heal.’”[59] … 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 conscience 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 draught 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.