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Title: History of the Franks

Author: Saint Bishop of Tours Gregory

Translator: Ernest Brehaut

Release date: December 20, 2024 [eBook #74955]

Language: English

Original publication: New York: Columbia University Press, 1916

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HISTORY OF
THE FRANKS ***

Records of Civilization
SOURCES AND STUDIES

edited by

JAMES T. SHOTWELL, Ph.D.
professor of history in columbia university

in collaboration with

FRANKLIN H. GIDDINGS, Ph.D., LL.D. JULIUS A. BEWER, Ph.D.
professor of sociology and the history of professor of old testament exegesis in union
civilization in columbia university theological seminary

MUNROE SMITH, J.U.D., LL.D. CARLTON H. HAYES, Ph.D.
professor of roman law and comparative associate professor of history in columbia
jurisprudence in columbia university university

WILLIAM R. SHEPHERD, Ph.D. ELLERY C. STOWELL, Ph.D.
professor of history in columbia university assistant professor of international law in
columbia university

GEORGE W. BOTSFORD, Ph.D. HAROLD H. TRYON, M.A., B.D.
professor of history in columbia university instructor in new testament and church
history in union theological seminary

New York
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS
1916

All rights reserved

RECORDS OF CIVILIZATION

SOURCES AND STUDIES

edited by

JAMES T. SHOTWELL

a comprehensive series consisting of

DOCUMENTS IN TRANSLATION
COMMENTARIES AND INTERPRETATIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL GUIDES

For titles of volumes, see list at end
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Records of Civilisation: Sources and Studies

HISTORY OF THE FRANKS
by

GREGORY BISHOP OF TOURS

selections, translated with notes
ernest brehaut, ph.d.

New York
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS
1916
All rights reserved

Copyright, 1916,
By COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS.

Set up and electrotyped. Published September, 1916.

Norwood Press
J. S. Cushing Co.—Berwick & Smith Co.
Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.

PREFACE
Among the narrative records of civilization inaccessible to those whose
reading is confined to English texts, few are of greater historical interest
than the History of the Franks by Gregory of Tours. The reason that it has
remained so long untranslated into English is clear, however, to any one
who has ever seriously considered the problem of which at least a partial
solution is offered here. In the first place, although part of Gregory’s
narrative deals with events and men of great importance, there are long
sections dealing with happenings which in themselves are not worth our
remembering. Yet, if one views the work as a source for the history of
society rather than merely as a narrative of the acts of kings, queens, or
saints, it is often these relatively unimportant events which are most
instructive and interesting; for Gregory’s picture of manners and customs is
given by way of a story of what real people actually did and said. It follows
from this, that, if our main interest in the History of the Franks is in its
picture of the life and customs of the times, we must find that picture in
what is often but a repetition of royal murders, social disorder, and turmoil,
lightened only by the equally persistent repetition of saintly virtue. The
editorial problem of how much or how little of such data to include is
naturally one of considerable difficulty. In the next place, the historical
value of the text varies, according as Gregory dealt with past or present; so
that, viewed as a narrative of fact, the later portions have a much greater
claim for preservation than the earlier. If one were attempting to show what
Gregory contributed to our knowledge, one would be obliged to
concentrate, therefore, upon these later sections, and even there the value
varies. But, viewing the History of the Franks as itself an exhibit of the age
which it records, we find ourselves often more interested in what Gregory
does not know of the past than in what he does know of the present. In the
very limitation of outlook, in the choice of incident and arrangement of
perspective, the narrative of distant events reveals the state of culture of
Merovingian Gaul in Gregory’s day. Hence, for the history of thought and

society, the poorest part of Gregory’s work ranks in importance with the
best.
It might be urged that the one solution for these editorial problems
would be to offer a translation of the whole of Gregory’s work. But this,
aside from the cost of publication, seems too great a bulk of text for all but
special students of the period, who should in any case go to the original.
The student of European history in its larger aspects, to whom one
Childebert is like another, demands an anthology; for he finds the text so
crowded with similar incidents that he is likely not only to lose the thread of
the narrative but also to fail to appreciate the sections most significant for
his own purpose. In the circumstances, a middle course has been taken. The
chapters omitted are summarized and in cases where they contain any items
of special interest sections of them have been quoted in the summary. This
work of excision and condensation has been made with the ever-present
sense of the protest sure to come from the medievalist when he sees the
work of desecration at last accomplished which Gregory himself so sadly
feared, and upon the authors of which he called down the wrath of Heaven
throughout all eternity, in the forceful words on page 247 of this translation.
It is only to be hoped that a new social value—​which anthropologists tell us
is the basis of the sacred—​may justify the sacrilege.
With reference to the text itself, the translator has attempted to follow
the original as faithfully as possible. It is difficult to render into another
language Gregory’s combination of literary qualities, the chief of which are
vigor, crudity, and a frequent affectation of literary style; but this, we
believe, Dr. Brehaut has succeeded in accomplishing in a marked degree.
There are chapters which have the charm of Froissart, swift in motion and
tinged with romance; but the most romantic figure of all is the bishop of
Tours himself, whose quaint but shrewd outlook penetrates the whole; and
this impression of subjectivity the present version seeks to convey.
In addition to the text of the History of the Franks, the volume contains
some extracts from Gregory’s Eight Books of Miracles and a short
apparatus of notes and aids for further study.
J. T. S.

CONTENTS
page

Introduction ix
History of the Franks—Selections:
Book I 1
Book II 19
Book III 51
Book IV 73
Book V 103
Book VI 143
Book VII 167
Book VIII 187
Book IX 203
Book X 225
Selections from the Eight Books of Miracles 249
Notes 263
Genealogies 276
Bibliography 279
Map facing 280
Index 281

INTRODUCTION
The History of the Franks by Gregory, bishop of Tours, is an historical
record of great importance. The events which it relates are details of the
perishing of the Roman Empire and the beginning of a great modern state
and for these events it is often the sole authority. However although
Gregory was relating history mainly contemporaneous or recent, we must
allow largely for error and prejudice in his statements of fact. It is rather as
an unconscious revelation that the work is of especial value. The language
and style, the intellectual attitude with which it was conceived and written,
and the vivid and realistic picture, unintentionally given, of a primitive
society, all combine to make the History of the Franks a landmark in
European culture. After reading it the intelligent modern will no longer
have pleasing illusions about sixth-century society.
Gregory’s life covers the years from 538 to 594. He was a product of
central Gaul, spending his whole life in the Loire basin except for brief
stays elsewhere.[1] The river Loire may be regarded as the southern limit of
Frankish colonization and Gregory therefore lived on the frontier of the
barbarians. He was born and grew up at Clermont in Auvergne, a city to
which an inexhaustibly fertile mountain valley is tributary. In this valley his
father owned an estate. Its wealth brought Clermont much trouble during
the disorderly period that followed the break-up of Roman rule, and
Gregory gives a hint of the eagerness which the Frankish kings felt to
possess this country.[2]
After 573 Gregory lived at Tours in the lower Loire valley. This city with
its pleasant climate and moderately productive territorial background had
more than a local importance in this age. It lay on the main thoroughfare
between Spain and Aquitania and the north. Five Roman roads centered in it
and the traffic of the Loire passed by it. The reader of Gregory’s history
judges that sooner or later it was visited by every one of importance at the

time. It was here that the Frankish influences of the north and the Roman
influences of the south had their chief contact.
However the natural advantages of Tours at this time were surpassed by
the supernatural ones. Thanks to the legend of St. Martin this conveniently
situated city had become “the religious metropolis” of Gaul. St. Martin had
made a great impression on his generation.[3] A Roman soldier, turned monk
and then bishop of Tours, he was a man of heroic character and force. He
had devoted himself chiefly to the task of Christianizing the pagani or rural
population of Gaul and had won a remarkable ascendancy over the minds of
a superstitious people, and this went on increasing for centuries after his
death. The center of his cult was his tomb in the great church built a century
before Gregory’s time just outside the walls of Tours. This was the chief
point of Christian pilgrimage in Gaul, a place of resort for the healing of the
sick and the driving out of demons, and a sanctuary to which many fled for
protection.[4] In a time of dense superstition and political and social disorder
this meant much in the way of securing peace, influence, and wealth, and it
was to the strategic advantage of the office of bishop of Tours as well as to
his own aggressive character that Gregory owed his position as the leading
prelate of Gaul.
Gregory does not neglect to tell us of his family connections and status
in society.[5] He belonged to the privileged classes. Of his father’s family he
tells us that “in the Gauls none could be found better born or nobler,” and of
his mother’s that it was “a great and leading family.” On both his father’s
and his mother’s side he was of senatorial rank, a distinction of the defunct
Roman empire which still retained much meaning in central and southern
Gaul. But the great distinction open at this time to a Gallo-Roman was the
powerful and envied office of bishop. Men of the most powerful families
struggled to attain this office and we can therefore judge of Gregory’s status
when he tells us proudly that of the bishops of Tours from the beginning all
but five were connected with him by ties of kinship. We hear much of
Gregory’s paternal uncle Gallus, bishop of Auvergne, under whom he
probably received his education and entered the clergy, and of his grand-
uncle Nicetius, bishop of Lyons, and of his great-grandfather Gregory,
bishop of Langres, in honor of whom Gregory discarded the name of
Georgius Florentinus which he had received from his father. Entering on a
clerical career with such powerful connections he was at the same time

gratifying his ambitions and obeying the most strongly felt impulse of his
time.
In spite of all these advantages, under the externals of Christianity
Gregory was almost as superstitious as a savage. His superstition came to
him straight from his father and mother and from his whole social
environment. He tells us that his father, when expecting in 534 to go as
hostage to king Theodobert’s court, went to “a certain bishop” and asked for
relics to protect him. These were furnished to him in the shape of dust or
“sacred ashes” and he put them in a little gold case the shape of a pea-pod
and wore them about his neck, although he never knew the names of the
saints whose relics they were. According to Gregory’s account the
miraculous assistance given to his father by these relics was a common
subject of family conversation. After his death the relics passed to
Gregory’s mother, who on one occasion extinguished by their help a great
fire that had got started in the straw stacks on the family estate near
Clermont. While on a horseback journey from Burgundy to Auvergne
Gregory himself happened to be wearing these same relics. A fearful
thunderstorm threatened the party, but Gregory “drew the beloved relics
from his breast and lifted them up against the cloud, which at once
separated into two parts and passed on the right and left, and after that did
no harm to them or any one else.” In spite of himself Gregory could not
help being somewhat elated at the incident and he hinted to his companions
that his own merit must have had something to do with it. “No sooner were
the words spoken than my horse shied suddenly and threw me heavily on
the ground; and I was so shaken that I could scarcely get up. I understood
that my vanity was the cause of it, and it was a lesson to me to be on my
guard against the spur of pride. And if thereafter I happened to have the
merit merely to behold miracles of the saints I would say distinctly that they
had been worked by God’s grace through faith in the saints.”[6]
The number of miracles at which Gregory “assisted” was great. A
picturesque and significant one is the following: “It happened once that I
was journeying to visit my aged mother in Burgundy. And when passing
through the woods on the other side of the river Bèbre we came upon
highwaymen. They cut us off from escape and were going to rob and kill us.
Then I resorted to my usual means of assistance and called on St. Martin for
help. And he came to my help at once and efficiently, and so terrified them

that they could do nothing against us. And instead of causing fear they were
afraid, and were beginning to flee as fast as they could. But I remembered
the apostle’s words that our enemies ought to be supplied with food and
drink, and told my people to offer them drink. They wouldn’t wait at all, but
fled at top speed. One would think that they were being clubbed along or
were being hurled along involuntarily faster than their horses could possibly
go.”[7]
The reality of this incident need not be doubted. The highwaymen were
as superstitious as Gregory, probably more so. When they found what they
had against them they fled in a panic. The peculiar wording of the last
sentence makes it seem likely that Gregory for his part thought that the
highwaymen had demons to help them and that these in their urgent flight
before the superior “virtue” of St. Martin were responsible for the
appearance he describes.

Of Gregory’s education and literary training we receive scanty details.
At the age of eight he was beginning to learn to read.[8] The books he read
were naturally the Scriptures and works of Christian writers and his contact
with pagan literature of the classical period must have been slight; he
appears to have read Virgil and Sallust’s Catiline but probably did not go
beyond these.[9] His attitude toward pagan literature was the conventional
one of his age,—​fear of the demonic influences embodied in it;[10] he
expresses it thus: “We ought not to relate their lying fables lest we fall
under sentence of eternal death.”[11] Among Christian writers Sulpicius
Severus, Prudentius, Sidonius Apollinaris, and Fortunatus were the only
ones to exercise a genuine influence on his style.
The question has been much discussed whether sixth-century education
in Gaul included a knowledge of the liberal arts. Gregory gives us no
definite information on the point. It is true that he is explicit as to his own
case. He says, “I was not trained in grammar or instructed in the finished
style of the heathen writers, but the influence of the blessed father Avitus,
bishop of Auvergne, turned me solely to the writings of the church.”[12]
Gregory does indeed mention Martianus Capella’s work on the seven liberal
arts and seems to have had some notion of the scope of each one,[13] but in
the face of his repeated confessions of ignorance of the most elementary of

them as well as the actual proof of ignorance which he constantly gives, the
conclusion must be that they were not included in his education. As to the
general situation the only evidence is furnished by Gregory’s famous
preface in which he declares that “liberal learning is declining or rather
perishing in the Gallic cities,” and no one could be found sufficiently versed
in the liberal arts to write the History of the Franks as it ought to be written.
We may feel certain that Gregory’s idea of the qualifications for historical
writing were not high; correct spelling, knowledge of the rules of grammar,
rhetoric, and dialectic as laid down in the text-books would be sufficient.
But, as he tells us, no person so qualified could be found to undertake the
task. Again we hear of bishops who were illiterate. It is plain that the trend
of the evidence is all in one direction, namely that in Gaul by this time the
liberal arts had disappeared from education.
Gregory’s Latin presents many problems. Its relation to sixth-century
linguistic development is not well understood although it has been closely
scrutinized. Gregory’s vocabulary does not show the decadence that might
be expected. It is extremely rich and varied and contains a moderate number
of Celtic, Germanic, and Hunnish additions. Old Latin words, however,
often have new and unexpected meanings. In the field of grammar the
situation is different. Judged by anything like a classical standard Gregory
is guilty of almost every conceivable barbarity. He spells incorrectly,
blunders in the use of the inflections, confuses genders, and often uses the
wrong case with the preposition. In addition he is very awkward in handling
the Latin verb: the different voices, tenses, and modes are apt to look alike
to him. His constructions, too, are frequently incorrect. In all this he seems
very erratic; he may use the correct form ten times and then give us
something entirely different. No method has so far been traced in his
vagaries.
Gregory’s literary style is as peculiar as his language. It is often vigorous
and direct, giving realistic and picturesque delineations of events. Within
his limitations he well understood the complexity of human motives and
actions, and now and then he shows a trace of humor. However, offending
elements often appear; sometimes his realism verges on a brutal plainness.
He is also by no means free from literary affectation; indeed by his choice
of expressions, his repetitions and unnatural arrangement of words, he is
almost always striving for effect. In his day the tradition of literary

workmanship was quite dead but it would seem as if its ghost tortured
Gregory. On the whole his literary style is uncouth, awkward, and full of
rude surprises.
There are well-marked variations in the style. At times we have the
conventionalized jargon of the church, in which Gregory was proficient and
which was always in the back of his mind ready to issue forth when other
inspiration failed. At the opposite extreme from this is the easy, clear
narrative in which the popular tales, both Frankish and Roman, are often
recited. It is believed that in some of these we have a version of epic recitals
of Frankish adventures. Then there are the passages, like the baptism of
Clovis[14] or the tale of the two lovers, which Gregory labored to make
striking. These do not offend; they are so naïvely overdone that they are
merely amusing.
In the light of these conclusions, objectively reached,[15] as to Gregory’s
language and style, how shall we interpret the confessions in regard to them
which he repeatedly makes? In these confessions there are two leading
notions: first, that he is without the qualifications to write in the literary
style; second, that the popular language can be more widely understood.
The inference is always therefore that Gregory writes in the language of the
day. This, however, cannot be so. A language spoken by the people would
have something organic about it, and it would not defy as Gregory’s does
the efforts of scholars to find its usages. It would be simpler than the
literary language and probably as uniform in its constructions. We must
decide then that Gregory’s self-analysis is a mistaken one, correct in the
first part but not in the second. He knew he could not write the literary
language but in spite of this he made the attempt, and the result is what we
have, a sort of hybrid, halfway between the popular speech and the formally
correct literary language.

In the Epilogue of the History of the Franks written in 594, the year of
Gregory’s death, he gives us a list of his works: “I have written ten books of
History, seven of Miracles, one on the Lives of the Fathers, a commentary
in one book on the Psalms, and one book on the Church Services.”[16]
These works represent two sides of Gregory’s experience,—​his profession,
and his relations with the Merovingian state.

In the former sphere the overshadowing interest was the miraculous. We
have eight books devoted to miracles and it may be said that as a
churchman Gregory never got very far away from them. It is idle to discuss
the question whether he believed in them or not. It is more to the point to
attempt to appreciate the part they played in the thought and life of the time.
They were considered as the most significant of phenomena. They seemed a
guarantee that the relations were right between the supernatural powers on
the one hand and on the other the men who possessed the “sanctity” to work
miracles and those who had the faith or merit to be cured or rescued by
them. Gregory’s eight books of Miracles were thus a register of the chief
interest of his day, with an eye of course to its promotion, and it is much
more remarkable that he wrote a History of the Franks than that he
compiled this usually wearisome array of impossibilities.
A brief glance at the practical situation that lay back of the four books
which Gregory devotes to the miracles wrought by St. Martin will be
enlightening. The cult of St. Martin was a great organized enterprise at the
head of which Gregory was placed. In the sixth century St. Martin’s tomb
was a center toward which the crippled, the sick, and those possessed by
demons flowed as if by gravity from a large territory around Tours. The
cures wrought there did much “to strengthen the faith.” They passed from
mouth to mouth and brought greater numbers to the shrine and it was to aid
this process that the four books of St. Martin’s miracles were written.
Gregory is here a promoter and advertiser. To get at the practical side of the
situation we have only to remember that St. Martin’s tomb was the chief
place of healing among the shrines of Gaul, and that the shrines of the sixth
century stood for the physicians, hospitals, drugs, patent medicines, and
other healing enterprises of the twentieth.
The History of the Franks is Gregory’s chief work. It was written in
three parts. The first, comprising books I-IV, begins with the creation, and
after a brief outline of events enters into more detail with the introduction of
Christianity into Gaul. Then follow the appearance of the Franks on the
scene of history, their conversion, the conquest of Gaul under Clovis, and
the detailed history of the Frankish kings down to the death of Sigibert in
575. At this date Gregory had been bishop of Tours two years. The second
part comprises books V and VI and closes with Chilperic’s death in 584.
During these years Chilperic held Tours and the relations between him and

Gregory were as a rule unfriendly. The most eloquent passage in the History
of the Franks is the closing chapter of book VI, in which Chilperic’s
character is unsympathetically summed up. The third part comprises books
VII-X. It comes down to the year 591 and the epilogue was written in 594,
the year of Gregory’s death. The earlier part of the work does not stand as it
was first written; Gregory revised it and added a number of chapters. It will
be noticed that from the middle of the third book on, Gregory was writing
of events within his own lifetime, and in the last six books, which are of
especial value, of those that took place after he became bishop. For the
earlier part of the work he depended on various chronicles, histories and
local annals,[17] and also on oral tradition.
For the task undertaken by Gregory in the History of the Franks no one
else was so well qualified. His family connections were such as to afford
him every opportunity of knowing the occurrences of central Gaul, while
his position as bishop of Tours with all that it entailed brought him into
touch with almost every person and matter of interest throughout the
country. His frequent journeys and wide acquaintance, his leadership among
the bishops, and his personal relations with four kings, Sigibert, Chilperic,
Gunthram, and Childebert and also with most of the leading Franks, gave
him unsurpassed opportunities for learning what was going on. Perhaps his
most realistic notions of the working of Frankish society were obtained in
dealing with the political refugees who sought refuge in St. Martin’s church.
Though these people must have always been interesting to talk with, they
were the cause of some of Gregory’s most harrowing and at the same time
informing experiences. This varied contact with the world about him made
Gregory what every reader feels him to be, a vivid and faithful delineator of
his time.
The History of the Franks must not be looked upon as a secular history.
The old title, Ecclesiastical History of the Franks, is a better one
descriptively. It is written not from the point of view of the Gallo-Roman or
the Frank, but solely from that of the churchman, almost that of the bishop.
Gregory does not take a tone of loyalty to the Frankish kings, much less of
inferiority. His attitude toward them is cold unless they are zealous
supporters of the church, and he speaks with the utmost disgust of their civil
wars, which seemed to him absolute madness in view of the greater war
between the good and evil supernatural powers.[18] On the other hand his

loyalty to his worthy fellow-bishops is often proved. No doubt the words he
quotes from Paulinus expressed his own feelings: “Whatever evils there
may be in the world, you will doubtless see the worthiest men as guardians
of all faith and religion.”[19] Everywhere we can read in the lines and
between the lines Gregory’s single-minded devotion to the church and
above all to the cult of St. Martin.

The great value of Gregory’s writings is that we get in them an intimate
view of sixth-century ideas. At first sight, perhaps, we seem to have
incongruous elements which from the modern viewpoint we cannot bring
into harmony with one another. Credulity and hard-headed judgment appear
side by side. How could Gregory be so shrewd and worldly-minded in his
struggle with Chilperic and at the same time show such an appetite for the
miraculous? How could he find it necessary to preface his history, as no
other historian has done, with an exact statement of his creed? And how
could he relate Clovis’s atrocities and then go on to say, “Every day God
kept laying his enemies low before him and enlarging his kingdom because
he walked with right heart before him and did what was pleasing in his
eyes”? These apparently glaring incongruities must have some explanation.
The reason why they have usually passed as incongruities is perhaps that
it is difficult for us to take an unprejudiced view of religious and moral
phenomena that are in the direct line of our cultural descent. If we could
regard the Franks and Gallo-Romans as if they were alien to us, living, let
us say, on an island of the southern Pacific, and believing and practising a
religion adapted to their general situation, the task of understanding the
History of the Franks would become easier. It is really a primitive society
with a primitive interpretation of life and the universe with which we have
to deal.
Look at the conception of religion held by Gregory. It seems most
explicable, not by the creed he thrusts at us or by any traditional elements
interpreted in a traditional sense, but by the living attitude toward the
supernatural which he held. Two words are always recurring in his writings;
sanctus and virtus,[20] the first meaning sacred or holy, and the second the
mystic potency emanating from the person or thing that is sacred. These
words have in themselves no ethical meaning and no humane implications

whatever. They are the key-words of a religious technique and their content
is wholly supernatural. In a practical way the second word is the more
important. It describes the uncanny, mysterious power emanating from the
supernatural and affecting the natural. The manifestation of this power may
be thought of as a contact between the natural and the supernatural in which
the former, being an inferior reality, of course yielded. These points of
contact and yielding are the miracles we continually hear of. The quality of
sacredness and the mystic potency belong to spirits, in varying degrees to
the faithful, and to inanimate objects. They are possessed by spirits,
acquired by the faithful, and transmitted to objects.
There was also a false mystic potency. It emanated from spirits who
were conceived of as alien and hostile, and, while it was not strong as the
true “virtue,” natural phenomena yielded before it and it had its own
miracles, which however were always deceitful and malignant in purpose.
This “virtue” is associated with the devil, demons, soothsayers, magicians,
pagans and pagan gods, and heretics, and through them is continually
engaged in aggressive warfare on the true “virtue.”[21]
For the attainment of the true mystic potency asceticism was the method.
This was not a withdrawal from lower activities of life to gain more power
for higher activities, but it was undertaken in contempt of life, and in the
more thoroughgoing cases the only restraint was the desire to avoid self-
destruction, which was forbidden. Almost every known method of self-
denial and self-mortification was practised. Humility of mind was insisted
on as an always necessary element. Fasting was part of the prescribed
method. The strength of the motive behind asceticism may be judged from
the practice of immuring,[22] several specimens of which are related by
Gregory. In this the ascetic was shut in a cell and the door walled up and
only a narrow opening left to hand in a scanty supply of food. Here he was
to remain until he died. Such men were regarded as having the true “virtue”
in the highest degree. In reality their life must have made them distinctly
inferior in all the ordinary virtues of a natural existence.[23]
As asceticism was the method by which mystic potency was attained, so
miracles were the product, and the proof that it had been acquired. Of
course in theory the main object of the mystic was to assimilate himself to
the supernatural and not expressly to work miracles. Still to society in

general the miracles were the important thing. In the first place they served
the immediate purpose for which a miracle might be needed, healing the
sick or driving out a demon or something of the sort; in the second place
they encouraged society by evidencing the fact that things in general were
right and that their spiritual leaders had the right “medicine.” Incredulity is
not to be expected in such a situation. The miracle played an integral part in
the life-theory of the time. It was the proof of religion and it did not need to
be proved itself. Furthermore many miracles were real; for example, the
cessation of a pain or natural recovery from a sickness would be regarded as
a miracle.
Some mention should be made of the transmissibility of the mystic
potency. The case of St. Martin is a good example. During his lifetime he
acquired this power in a large degree. When he died on November 8, 397, at
a village half-way between Tours and Poitiers, the inhabitants of these cities
were all ready to fight for his body, when the people of Tours managed to
secure it by stealth. This was because of the sanctity and mystic “virtue”
inherent in it. It was carried to Tours and buried there and proved the
greatest asset of the city. The mystic potency resided in the tomb and the
area about it, and was transmitted to the dust accumulated on it, the wine
and oil placed on it for the purpose, and was carried in these portable forms
to all parts of Gaul. Gregory himself, for example, carried relics of St.
Martin on his journeys and records that they kept his boat from sinking in
the river Rhine.
The system of superstition just outlined is the greater and more real part
of Gregory’s religion. There was the right mystery and the wrong mystery;
and both were of a low order; men had to deal with capricious saints and
malignant demons. It was a real, live, local religion comparable with that of
savages. By the side of this and intertwined with it the elements of
traditional Christianity in a more or less formalized and ritualized shape
were retained. Here the great stress was laid on the creed, not, however, that
it amounted to anything in Gregory’s mind as a creed. He was no
theologian. His acceptance of it and insistence on it was ritualistic.
However, although he accepted it as he tells us with pura credulitas,[24] that
is, without a critical thought, it was not mere formality. He felt, no doubt,
that it was a sort of mystic formula, especially the Trinitarian part of it,—​for

putting men into the right relation with the supernatural. If they believed in
the creed they had the right “medicine”; if they did not, they had not.
This system of superstition was not calculated to nourish delicate moral
sensibilities. Life had gone too far back to the primitive. The word applied
to the adept in this religion was sanctus, and it indicated not moral
excellence at all but a purely mystic quality. The “virtue” which this person
possessed was mystic potency, which was not moral but a supernatural
force. The orthodox of course called the saint good, but this was merely
because they were on the same side, just as Cicero for example six centuries
before called the members of his political party the boni. Gregory’s moral
praise or blame is distributed in the same way. When he praises a man we
must look for the service done by this man to the church, and when he
blames one we must look in like manner for the opposite. Outside of the
interests of the orthodox group Gregory is not morally thin-skinned; he
shared in the brutality of his contemporaries, as we can see in many recitals.
His portrait of Clovis throws no false light back on Gregory. Clovis was a
champion and favorite of the right supernatural powers in their fight with
the wrong ones, and any occasional atrocities he committed in the struggle
were not only pardonable but praiseworthy.[25]

Secular activities and the state of mind just indicated could not coexist in
the same society. We have noticed already how education was
desecularized. It is of interest to note also what had happened to the secular
professions of medicine and law.
The profession of medicine had almost completely disappeared. It is true
indeed that we hear of a few physicians. For example when Austrechild,
king Gunthram’s wife, was dying, she accused her two physicians of having
given her “potions” that were proving fatal, and asked the king to take an
oath to have them executed. He did so and kept his word and Gregory
remarks with what seems excessive moderation, “Many wise men think that
this was not done without sin.”[26] Again we hear of Gregory’s own illness,
when he sent for a physician. He soon decided that “secular means could
not help the perishing,” and sent for some dust from St. Martin’s tomb
which he put in water and drank, and was soon cured.[27] Such tales indicate
the status of the medical profession.

The truth was that the condition of the people’s minds made the
profession an impossibility. Disease was looked upon as supernatural. The
sick man thought he had a better chance if he called the priest rather than
the doctor. Gregory tells us of Vulfilaic, who was suddenly covered from
head to foot with angry pimples; he rubbed himself with oil consecrated at
St. Martin’s tomb, and they speedily disappeared. He reasoned that if they
had been driven away by St. Martin, they had plainly been sent by the devil.
[28]
This meant to him that the whole thing was supernatural and that the
true mystic power had driven out the false which had caused the trouble.
Perhaps this was not the reasoning in every case, but at any rate the
people went to the shrines and churches to be healed. In some cases the
diagnosis was quite clear as with a patient at Limoges. The priest put holy
oil on his head and “the demon went down into his finger-nail; seeing this
the priest poured oil on the finger and soon the skin burst, blood flowed
from the place, and the demon thus took his departure.”[29]
Such practices were not isolated or unusual, but typical. Mystical healing
was adjusted to an everyday basis as many “cases” cited by Gregory
indicate. Many like the following are found: “Charigisil, king Clothar’s
secretary, whose hands and feet were made helpless by a humor, came to
the holy church, and devoting himself to prayer for two or three months,
was visited by the blessed bishop[30] and had the merit to obtain health in
his crippled limbs. He was later domesticus of the king I have mentioned,
and did many kindnesses to the people of Tours and the officials of the holy
church.” An analysis of this record reveals the typical elements, with the
exception of fasting which is usually mentioned. The miraculous properties
of St. Martin were thus reënforced by change of scene, prolonged treatment,
and a rigorous mental and physical regimen.
With such a state of mind prevailing no rivals of the clergy in the healing
art were to be found except among those healers who used a “virtue” of
another kind—​the false virtue of the magicians and demons; the few
physicians who remained were not real competitors.
The administration of justice was also affected by the same causes which
brought about the disappearance of medicine. There was little inducement
to look for evidence when an appeal could be made to superstitious fear.
Hence the importance of the oath. Gregory himself, when he was charged

with slandering queen Fredegunda, had to take oath to his innocence on
three altars. We have also other appeals to the supernatural in the trial by
combat and the ordeal. Another interference in the domain of law was a
peculiar one; holy men seemed to have a particular desire to set prisoners
free. Gregory himself begs them off. We hear of one dead bishop whose
body sank like lead on the street before the jail and could not be moved
until all in the jail were let loose.[31] Another holy man tried to secure the
pardon of a notorious criminal, and failing, brought him back to life after he
was executed.
In the History of the Franks attention is given from time to time to
natural phenomena. With few exceptions these passages deal with
prodigies. Gregory tells for example of the prodigies of the year 587. Most
of them are given from his own personal observation.[32] Mysterious marks
which could not be deleted in any way appeared on dishes; vines made a
new growth and bore deformed fruit in the month of October after the
vintage; at the same time fresh leaves and fruits appeared on fruit trees; rays
of light were seen in the north. In addition Gregory mentions from hearsay
that snakes had fallen from the clouds, and that a village with its inhabitants
and dwellings had disappeared entirely. He goes on to say, “Many other
signs appeared such as usually announce a king’s death or the destruction of
a country.” In the same way he tells us of the signs preceding plagues.
Sometimes he relates the prodigies without giving any sequel to them. In
one case he says, “I do not know what these prodigies foretold.” It is
evident that the idea which Gregory had of the phenomena of nature was
such as to prevent his giving any intelligent attention to them. The
supernatural came between him and objective realities in such a way as to
prevent the latter from having a natural effect upon his mind.
The inhibiting and paralyzing force of superstitious beliefs penetrated to
every department of life, and the most primary and elementary activities of
society were influenced. War, for example, was not a simple matter of a test
of strength and courage, but supernatural matters had to be taken carefully
into consideration. When Clovis said of the Goths in southern Gaul, “I take
it hard that these Arians should hold a part of the Gauls; let us go with
God’s aid and conquer them and bring the land under our dominion,”[33] he
was not speaking in a hypocritical or arrogant manner but in real
accordance with the religious sentiment of the time. What he meant was

that the Goths, being heretics, were at once enemies of the true God and
inferior to the orthodox Franks in their supernatural backing.
Considerations of duty, strategy, and self-interest all reënforced one another
in Clovis’s mind. However, it was not always the orthodox side that won.
We hear of a battle fought a few years before Gregory became bishop of
Tours between king Sigibert and the Huns,[34] in which the Huns “by the
use of magic arts caused various false appearances to arise before their
enemies and overcame them decisively.” It is very plain that one
exceedingly important function of the leader of a sixth-century army was to
keep in the right relation with the supernatural powers. Clovis is
represented as heeding this necessity more than any other Frankish king.[35]
It is clear that in the sixth-century state of mind in Gaul nothing was
purely secular. As far as possible all secular elements had been expelled.
Men did not meet the objective realities of society and of nature as they
were; there was a superstitious interpretation for everything. The hope in
such a condition of things lay only in unconscious developments which
might break through the closed system of thought before the latter realized
that it was on the defensive.
The most promising element in the situation was the Frankish state.
Apparently the Frankish kingship was not to any large extent a magico-
religious institution, but simply a recent development arising out of the
conquest. As an institution it was not grounded in the superstitious past, and
the cold hostility of the bishops kept it from the development usual in a
benighted society. To this chance we may perhaps attribute a momentous
result; in it lay the possibility and promise of a secular state.
In the case of King Chilperic we apparently have a premature
development in this direction. We must read between the lines when
Gregory speaks of him. Gregory calls him “the Nero and Herod of our
time,” and loads him with abuse. He ridicules his poems, and according to
his own story overwhelms him with an avalanche of contempt when he
ventures to state some new opinions on the Trinity. The significant thing
about Chilperic was this, that he had at this time the independence of mind
to make such a criticism, as well as the hard temper necessary to fight the
bishops successfully. “In his reign,” Gregory tells us, “very few of the
clergy reached the office of bishop.” Chilperic used often to say: “Behold
our treasury has remained poor, our wealth has been transferred to the

churches; there is no king but the bishops; my office has perished and
passed over to the bishops of the cities.”[36] Chilperic was thus the
forerunner of the secular state in France.
E. B.

FOOTNOTES:
[1] Besides Clermont and Tours in which cities Gregory spent most of
his life we hear of stays at Poitiers, Saintes, Bordeaux, Riez, Cavaillon,
Vienne, Lyons, Chalon-sur-Saône, Châlons-sur-Marne, Rheims,
Soissons, Metz, Coblentz, Braine, Paris, Orleans. Monod, Sources de
l’histoire Mérovingienne, p. 37.
[2] Childebert the elder is represented as saying: Velim unquam
Arvernam Lemanem quae tantae jocunditatis gratia refulgere dicitur,
oculis cernere. H. F. III, 9.
[3] In France, including Alsace and Lorraine, there are at the present
time three thousand six hundred and seventy-five churches dedicated to
St. Martin, and four hundred and twenty-five villages or hamlets are
named after him. C. Bayet, in Lavisse, Histoire de France, 21 p. 16.
[4] C. Bayet, in Lavisse, Histoire de France, 21, pp. 13 ff.
[5] Monod, op. cit. pp. 25 ff. See pp. 13, 84, 109, 140.
[6] Gloria Martyrum, c. 83.
[7] De Virtut. S. Mart. I, 36.
[8] Vitæ Patrum, VIII, 3.
[9] Bonnet, Le Latin de Gregoire de Tours, pp. 48-76.
[10] Speaking of Jupiter, Mercury, Minerva, Venus, a character in the
Vitæ Patrum, XVII, 5, says, Nolite, o viri, nolite eos invocare, non sunt
enim dii isti sed dæmones.
[11] Gloria Martyrum, Pref.
[12] Vitæ Patrum, II, Pref.
[13] See p. 240.
[14] See p. 40.
[15] They are substantially the conclusions of Bonnet in Le Latin de
Gregoire de Tours, Paris, 1890.
[16] See p. 247. In the Arndt and Brusch edition in the Monumenta
Germaniæ Historica we have all these titles included. The commentary
on the Psalms however is in a fragmentary condition, and the Lives of
the Fathers appears as one of eight books of Miracles. The book on

Church Services is there entitled Account of the Movements of the Stars
as they ought to be observed in performing the Services. It is really a
brief astronomical treatise the purpose of which was in the absence of
clocks to guide the church services at night.
[17] The list as given by Manitius is as follows: Chronicles of Jerome,
Victor, Sulpicius Severus; history of Orosius; church history of
Eusebius-Rufinus; life of St. Martin by Sulpicius Severus; letters of
Sidonius Apollinaris and Ferreolus; writings of Avitus; histories of
Renatus Profuturus Frigeridus and Sulpicius Alexander (not elsewhere
known); annals of Arles, Angers, Burgundy. Geschichte der Lateinischen
Litteratur des Mittelalters, p. 220.
[18] III, Pref. and IV, Pref.
[19] H. F., II, 13. Cf. V, 11. p. 113.
[20] Nunc autem cognovi quod magna est virtus eius beati Martini. Nam
ingrediente me atrium domus, vidi virum senem exhibentem arborem in
manu sua, quae mox extensis ramis omne atrium texit. Ex ea enim unus
me adtigit ramus, de cuius ictu turbatus corrui. VII, 42.
[21] See pp. 38, 162, 185, 205.
[22] For an objective account of immuring as the climax of religious
practice see vol. II, chap. 1, Sven Hedin’s Trans-Himalaya, 1909. The
following is his account of an immured monk who was brought out from
his cell after a long time. “He was all bent up together and as small as a
child and his body was nothing but a light-gray parchment-like skin and
bones. His eyes had lost their color, were quite bright and blind. His hair
hung round his head in uncombed matted locks and was pure white. His
body was covered only by a rag for time had eaten away his clothing and
he had received no new garments. He had a thin unkempt beard, and had
never washed himself all the time or cut his nails.”
[23] pp. 147-150, 158, 198-199.
[24] H. F., I, Pref.
[25] See pp. 47-50.
[26] p. 130.
[27] De Virtut. S. Martin., II, 1.
[28] p. 196.
[29] Glor. Conf., c. 9.
[30] St. Martin.
[31] De Virtut. S. Martin., I, 21, 25.
[32] IX, 5.
[33] See p. 45.
[34] H. F., IV, 29.
[35] pp. 36-38, 40, 45, 53-54.

[36] See p. 166.

HISTORY OF THE FRANKS
By GREGORY BISHOP OF TOURS

HERE BEGINS GREGORY’S FIRST PREFACE

With liberal culture on the wane, or rather perishing in the Gallic cities,
there were many deeds being done both good and evil: the heathen were
raging fiercely; kings were growing more cruel; the church, attacked by
heretics, was defended by Catholics; while the Christian faith was in
general devoutly cherished, among some it was growing cold; the churches
also were enriched by the faithful or plundered by traitors—​and no
grammarian skilled in the dialectic art could be found to describe these
matters either in prose or verse; and many were lamenting and saying:
“Woe to our day, since the pursuit of letters has perished from among us
and no one can be found among the people who can set forth the deeds of
the present on the written page.” Hearing continually these complaints and
others like them I [have undertaken] to commemorate the past, in order that
it may come to the knowledge of the future; and although my speech is
rude, I have been unable to be silent as to the struggles between the wicked
and the upright; and I have been especially encouraged because, to my
surprise, it has often been said by men of our day, that few understand the
learned words of the rhetorician but many the rude language of the common
people. [A]I have decided also that for the reckoning of the years the first
book shall begin with the very beginning of the world, and I have given its
chapters below.

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE FIRST BOOK

1. Adam and Eve.
2. Cain and Abel.
3. Enoch the Just.
4. The flood.
5. Cush, inventor of idols.
6. Babylonia.
7. Abraham and Ninus.
8. Isaac, Esau, Job and Jacob.
9. Joseph in Egypt.
10. Crossing of the Red Sea.
11. The people in the desert and Joshua.
12. The captivity of the people of Israel and the generations to David.
13. Solomon and the building of the Temple.
14. The division of the kingdom of Israel.
15. The captivity in Babylonia.
16. Birth of Christ.
17. The various kingdoms of the nations.
18. When Lyons was founded.
19. The gifts of the magi and the slaughter of the infants.
20. The miracles and suffering of Christ.
21. Joseph who buried Him.
22. James the apostle.
23. The day of the Lord’s resurrection.
24. The ascension of the Lord and the death of Pilate and Herod.
25. The suffering of the Apostles and Nero.
26. James, Mark and John the evangelist.
27. The persecution under Trajan.
28. Hadrian and the heretics’ lies and the martyrdom of Saint Polycarp
and Justin.
29. Saints Photinus, Irenæus and the rest of the martyrs of Lyons.
30. The seven men sent into the Gauls to preach.
31. The church of Bourges.

32. Chrocus and the shrine in Auvergne.
33. The martyrs who suffered in Auvergne.
34. The holy martyr, Privatus.
35. Quirinus, bishop and martyr.
36. Birth of St. Martin and the finding of the cross.
37. James, bishop of Nisibis.
38. Death of the monk Antony.
39. The coming of St. Martin.
40. The matron Melania.
41. Death of the emperor Valens.
42. Imperial rule of Theodosius.
43. Death of the tyrant Maximus.
44. Urbicus, bishop of Auvergne.
45. The holy bishop Hillidius.
46. The bishops Nepotian and Arthemius.
47. The chastity of the lovers.
48. St. Martin’s death.

IN CHRIST’S NAME HERE END THE CHAPTERS OF THE FIRST
BOOK

IN CHRIST’S NAME

HERE BEGINS THE FIRST BOOK OF THE HISTORIES

[B]
As I am about to describe the struggles of kings with the heathen
enemy, of martyrs with pagans, of churches with heretics, I desire first of all
to declare my faith so that my reader may have no doubt that I am Catholic.
I have also decided, on account of those who are losing hope of the
approaching end of the world, to collect the total of past years from
chronicles and histories and set forth clearly how many years there are from
the beginning of the world. But I first beg pardon of my readers if either in
letter or in syllable I transgress the rules of the grammatic art in which I
have not been fully instructed, since I have been eager only for this, to hold
fast, without any subterfuge or irresolution of heart, to that which we are
bidden in the church to believe, because I know that he who is liable to
punishment for his sin can obtain pardon from God by untainted faith.
I believe, then, in God the Father omnipotent. I believe in Jesus Christ
his only Son, our Lord God, born of the Father, not created. [I believe] that
he has always been with the Father, not only since time began but before all
time. For the Father could not have been so named unless he had a son; and
there could be no son without a father. But as for those who say: “There
was a time when he was not,”[37] reject them with curses, and call men to
witness that they are separated from the church. I believe that the word of
the Father by which all things were made was Christ. I believe that this
word was made flesh and by its suffering the world was redeemed, and I
believe that humanity, not deity, was subject to the suffering. I believe that
he rose again on the third day, that he freed sinful man, that he ascended to
heaven, that he sits on the right hand of the Father, that he will come to
judge the living and the dead. I believe that the holy Spirit proceeded from
the Father and the Son, that it is not inferior and is not of later origin, but is
God, equal and always co-eternal with the Father and the Son,

consubstantial in its nature, equal in omnipotence, equally eternal in its
essence, and that it has never existed apart from the Father and the Son and
is not inferior to the Father and the Son. I believe that this holy Trinity
exists with separation of persons, and one person is that of the Father,
another that of the Son, another that of the Holy Spirit. And in this Trinity I
confess that there is one Deity, one power, one essence. I believe that the
blessed Mary was a virgin after the birth as she was a virgin before. I
believe that the soul is immortal but that nevertheless it has no part in deity.
And I faithfully believe all things that were established at Nicæa by the
three hundred and eighteen bishops. But as to the end of the world I hold
beliefs which I learned from our forefathers, that Antichrist will come first.
And Antichrist will first propose circumcision, asserting that he is Christ;
next he will place his statue in the temple at Jerusalem to be worshiped, just
as we read that the Lord said: “You shall see the abomination of desolation
standing in the holy place.” But the Lord himself declared that that day is
hidden from all men, saying: “But of that day and that hour knoweth no one
not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father alone.”
Moreover we shall here make answer to the heretics[38] who attack us,
asserting that the Son is inferior to the Father since he is ignorant of this
day. Let them learn then that Son here is the name applied to the Christian
people, of whom God says: “I shall be to them a father and they shall be to
me for sons.” For if he had spoken these words of the only-begotten Son he
would never have given the angels first place. For he uses these words:
“Not even the angels in heaven nor the Son,” showing that he spoke these
words not of the only-begotten but of the people of adoption. But our end is
Christ himself, who will graciously bestow eternal life on us if we turn to
him.
[C]
As to the reckoning of this world, the chronicles of Eusebius, bishop
of Cæsarea, and of Jerome the priest, speak clearly, and they reveal the plan
of the whole succession of years. Orosius too, searching into these matters
very carefully, collects the whole number of years from the beginning of the
world down to his own time. Victor also examined into this in connection
with the time of the Easter festival. And so we follow the works of the
writers mentioned above and desire to reckon the complete series of years
from the creation of the first man down to our own time, if the Lord shall

deign to lend his aid. And this we shall more easily accomplish if we begin
with Adam himself.
1. In the beginning the Lord shaped the heaven and the earth in his
Christ, who is the beginning of all things, that is, in his son; and after
creating the elements of the whole universe, taking a frail clod he formed
man after his own image and likeness, and breathed upon his face the breath
of life and he was made into a living soul. And while he slept a rib was
taken from him and the woman, Eve, was created. There is no doubt that
this first man Adam before he sinned typified the Redeemer. For as the
Redeemer slept in the stupor of suffering and caused water and blood to
issue from his side, he brought into existence the virgin and unspotted
church, redeemed by blood, purified by water, having no spot or wrinkle,
that is, washed with water to avoid a spot, stretched on the cross to avoid a
wrinkle. These first human beings, who were living happily amid the
pleasant scenes of Paradise, were tempted by the craft of the serpent. They
transgressed the divine precepts and were cast out from the abode of angels
and condemned to the labors of the world.
2. Through intercourse with her companion the woman conceived and
bore two sons. But when God received the sacrifice of the one with honor,
the other was inflamed with envy; he rushed on his brother, overcame and
killed him, becoming the first parricide by shedding a brother’s blood.
3. Then the whole race rushed into accursed crime, except the just
Enoch, who walked in the ways of God and was taken up from the midst by
the Lord himself on account of his uprightness, and freed from a sinful
people. For we read: “Enoch walked with the Lord, and he did not appear
for God took him.”
4. And so the Lord, being angered against the iniquities of the people
who did not walk in his ways, sent a flood, and by its waters destroyed
every living soul from the face of the earth; only Noah, who was most
faithful and especially belonged to him and bore the stamp of his image, he
saved in the ark, with his wife and those of his three sons, that they might
restore posterity. Here the heretics upbraid us because the holy Scripture
says that the Lord was angry. Let them know therefore that our God is not
angry like a man; for he is aroused in order to inspire fear; he drives away
to summon back; he is angry in order to amend. Furthermore I have no

doubt that the ark typified the mother church. For passing amidst the waves
and rocks of this world it protects us in its motherly arms from threatening
ills, and guards us with its holy embrace and protection.
Now from Adam to Noah are ten generations, namely: Adam, Seth,
Enos, Cainan, Malalehel, Jareth, Enoch, Mattusalam, Lamech, Noah. In
these ten generations 2242 years are included. The book Joshua clearly
indicates that Adam was buried in the land of Enacim, which before was
called Hebron.
5. Noah had after the flood three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. From
Japheth issued nations, and likewise from Ham and from Shem. And, as
ancient history says, from these the human race was scattered under the
whole heaven. The first-born of Ham was Cush. He was the first inventor of
the whole art of magic and of idolatry, being instructed by the devil. He was
the first to set up an idol to be worshipped, at the instigation of the devil,
and by his false power he showed to men stars and fire falling from heaven.
He passed over to the Persians. The Persians called him Zoroaster, that is,
living star. They were trained by him to worship fire, and they reverence as
a god the man who was himself consumed by the divine fire.
6. Since men had multiplied and were spreading over all the earth they
passed out from the East and found the grassy plain of Senachar. There they
built a city and strove to raise a tower which should reach the heavens. And
God brought confusion both to their vain enterprise and their language, and
scattered them over the wide world, and the city was called Babyl, that is,
confusion, because there God had confused their tongues. This is
Babylonia, built by the giant Nebron, son of Cush. As the history of Orosius
tells, it is laid out foursquare on a very level plain. Its wall, made of baked
brick cemented with pitch, is fifty cubits wide, two hundred high, and four
hundred and seventy stades[D] in circumference. A stade contains five
agripennes.[E] Twenty-five gates are situated on each side, which make in
all one hundred. The doors of these gates, which are of wonderful size, are
cast in bronze. The same historian tells many other tales of this city, and
says: “Although such was the glory of its building still it was conquered and
destroyed.”
[7. Abraham, who is described as “the beginning of our faith.”

8. Isaac, Esau, Jacob, Job. 9. The twelve patriarchs, the story of Joseph,
and the coming out of Egypt to the crossing of the Red Sea.][39]
10. Since many authorities have made varying statements about this
crossing of the sea I have decided to give here some information concerning
the situation of the place and the crossing itself. The Nile flows through
Egypt, as you very well know, and waters it by its flood, from which the
inhabitants of Egypt are named Nilicolæ. And many travellers say its shores
are filled at the present time with holy monasteries. And on its bank is
situated, not the Babylonia of which we spoke above, but the city of
Babylonia in which Joseph built wonderful granaries of squared stone and
rubble.[40] They are wide at the base and narrow at the top in order that the
wheat might be cast into them through a tiny opening, and these granaries
are to be seen at the present day. From this city the king set out in pursuit of
the Hebrews with armies of chariots and a great infantry force. Now the
stream mentioned above coming from the east passes in a westerly direction
towards the Red Sea; and from the west a lake or arm of the Red Sea juts
out and stretches to the east, being about fifty miles long and eighteen wide.
[41]
And at the head of this lake the city of Clysma is built, not on account of
the fertility of the soil, since there is nothing more barren, but because of
the harbor, since ships coming from the Indias lie there for the convenience
of the harbor; and the wares purchased there are carried through all Egypt.
Toward this arm the Hebrews hastened through the wilderness, and they
came to the sea itself and encamped, finding fresh water. It was in this
place, shut in by the wilderness as well as by the sea, that they encamped,
as it is written: “Pharaoh, hearing that the sea and the wilderness shut them
in and that they had no way by which they could go, set out in pursuit of
them.” And when they were close upon them and the people cried to Moses,
he stretched out his wand over the sea, according to the command of the
Deity, and it was divided, and they walked on dry ground, and, as the
Scripture says, they crossed unharmed under Moses’ leadership, a wall of
water on either hand, to that shore which is before Mount Sinai, while the
Egyptians were drowned. And many tales are told of this crossing, as I have
said. But we desire to insert in this account what we have learned as true
from the wise, and especially from those who have visited the place.
[F]
They actually say that the furrows which the wheels of the chariots made
remain to the present time and are seen in the deep water as far as the eye

can trace them. And if the roughness of the sea obliterates them in a slight
degree, when the sea is calm they are divinely renewed again as they were.
Others say that they returned to the very bank where they had entered,
making a small circuit through the sea. And others assert that all entered by
one way; and a good many, that a separate way opened to each tribe, giving
this evidence from the Psalms: “Who divided the Red Sea in parts.”[42] But
these parts ought to be understood according to the spirit and not according
to the letter. For there are many parts in this world, which is figuratively
called a sea. For all cannot pass to life equally or by one way. Some pass in
the first hour, that is those who are born anew by baptism and are able to
endure to the departure from this life unspotted by any defilement, of the
flesh. Others in the third hour, plainly those who are converted later in life;
others in the sixth hour, being those who hold in check the heat of wanton
living. And in each of these hours, as the evangelist relates, they are hired
for the work of the Lord’s vineyard, each according to his faith. These are
the parts in which the passage is made across this sea. As to the opinion that
upon entering the sea they kept close to the shore and returned, these are the
words which the Lord said to Moses: “Let them turn back and encamp
before Phiahiroth which is between Magdalum and the sea before
Belsephon.” There is no doubt that this passage of the sea and the pillar of
cloud typified our baptism, according to the words of the blessed Paul the
apostle: “I would not, brethren, have you ignorant that our fathers were all
under the cloud and all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.”
And the pillar of fire typified the holy Spirit. Now from the birth of
Abraham to the going forth of the children of Israel from Egypt and the
crossing of the Red Sea, which was in the eightieth year of Moses, there are
reckoned four hundred and sixty-two years.
[G]
[11. The Israelites spend forty years in the wilderness. 12. From the
crossing of the Jordan to David. 13. Solomon. 14. Division of the kingdom
into Judæa and Israel. 15. The captivity. 16. From the captivity to the birth
of Christ.]
17. In order not to seem to have knowledge of the Hebrew race alone[43]
we shall tell what the remaining kingdoms were in the time of the Israelites.
In the time of Abraham Ninus ruled over the Assyrians; Eorops over the
Sitiones; among the Egyptians it was the sixteenth government, which they
call in their own tongue dynasty. In Moses’ time lived Trophas, seventh

king of the Argives; Cecrops, first in Attica; Cencris, who was
overwhelmed in the Red Sea, twelfth among the Egyptians; Agatadis,
sixteenth among the Assyrians; Maratis was ruler of the Sicionii….[44]
[18. Beginning of the Roman empire; founding of Lyons, a city
afterwards ennobled by the blood of martyrs. 19. Birth of Christ. 20.
Christ’s crucifixion. 21. Joseph is imprisoned and escapes miraculously. 22.
James fasts from the death of the Lord to the resurrection. 23. The day of
the Lord’s resurrection is the first, not the seventh. 24. Pilate transmits an
account of Christ to Tiberius. The end of Pilate and of Herod. 25. Peter and
Paul are executed at Rome by order of Nero, who later kills himself. 26.
The martyrs, Stephen, James and Mark; burning of Jerusalem by Vespasian;
death of John. 27. Persecution under Trajan. 28. The rise of heresy. Further
persecutions. 29. The martyrs of Lyons. Irenæus, second bishop, converts
the whole city. His death and that of “vast numbers,” of whom Gregory
knows of forty-eight.]
30. Under the emperor Decius many persecutions arose against the name
of Christ, and there was such a slaughter of believers that they could not be
numbered. Babillas, bishop of Antioch, with his three little sons, Urban,
Prilidan and Epolon, and Xystus, bishop of Rome, Laurentius, an
archdeacon, and Hyppolitus, were made perfect by martyrdom because they
confessed the name of the Lord. Valentinian and Novatian were then the
chief heretics and were active against our faith, the enemy urging them on.
At this time seven men were ordained as bishops and sent into the Gauls to
preach, as the history of the martyrdom of the holy martyr Saturninus
relates. [H]For it says: “In the consulship of Decius and Gratus, as faithful
memory recalls, the city of Toulouse received the holy Saturninus as its first
and greatest bishop.” These bishops were sent: bishop Catianus to Tours;
bishop Trophimus to Arles; bishop Paul to Narbonne; bishop Saturninus to
Toulouse; bishop Dionisius to Paris; bishop Stremonius to Clermont; bishop
Martial to Limoges.
[I]
And of these the blessed Dionisius, bishop of Paris, after suffering
divers pains in Christ’s name, ended the present life by the threatening
sword. And Saturninus, already certain of martyrdom, said to his two
priests: “Behold, I am now to be offered as a victim and the time of my
death draws near. I ask you not to leave me at all before I come to the end.”

But when he was seized and was being dragged to the capitol he was
abandoned by them and was dragged alone. And so when he saw that he
was abandoned he is said to have made this prayer; “Lord Jesus Christ,
grant my request from holy heaven, that this church may never in all time
have the merit to receive a bishop from among its citizens.” And we know
that to the present it has been so in this city. And he was tied to the feet of a
mad bull, and being sent headlong from the capitol he ended his life.
Catianus, Trophimus, Stremonius, Paul and Marcial lived in the greatest
sanctity, winning people to the church and spreading the faith of Christ
among all, and died in peace, confessing the faith. And thus the former by
martyrdom, as well as the latter by confession, left the earth and were
united in the heavens.
31. One of their disciples went to the city of Bourges and carried to the
people the news of Christ the lord as the saviour of all. A few of them
believed and were ordained priests and learned the ritual of psalm-singing,
and were instructed how to build a church and how they ought to observe
the worship of the omnipotent God. But as they had small means for
building as yet, the citizens asked for the house of a certain man to use for a
church. But the senators and the rest of the better class of the place were at
that time devoted to the heathen religion and the believers were of the poor,
according to the word of the Lord with which he reproached the Jews
saying; “Harlots and publicans go into the kingdom of God before you.”
And they did not obtain the house from the person from whom they asked
it, but they found a certain Leocadius,[45] the first senator of the Gauls, who
was of the family of Vectius Epagatus, who, we have said above, suffered in
Lyons in Christ’s name. And when they had made known to him at the same
time their petition and their faith he answered, “If my own house in the city
of Bourges were worthy of this work I would not refuse to offer it.” And
when they heard this they fell at his feet and offered three hundred gold
pieces on a silver dish and said the house was very worthy of this mystery.
And he accepted three gold pieces from them for a blessing and kindly
returned the rest, although he was yet entangled in the error of idolatry, and
he became a Christian and made his house a church. This is now the first
church in the city of Bourges, built with marvelous skill and made
illustrious by the relics of Stephen, the first martyr.

32. Valerian and Gallienus received the Roman imperial power in the
twenty-seventh place, and set on foot a cruel persecution of the Christians.
At that time Cornelius brought fame to Rome by his happy death, and
Cyprian to Carthage. In their time also Chrocus the famous king of the
Alemanni raised an army and overran the Gauls. This Chrocus is said to
have been very arrogant. And when he had committed a great many crimes
he gathered the tribe of the Alemanni, as we have stated,—​by the advice, it
is said, of his wicked mother,—​and overran the whole of the Gauls, and
destroyed from their foundations all the temples which had been built in
ancient times. And coming to Clermont he set on fire, overthrew and
destroyed that shrine[J] which they call Vasso Galatæ in the Gallic tongue. It
had been built and made strong with wonderful skill. And its wall was
double, for on the inside it was built of small stone and on the outside of
squared blocks. The wall had a thickness of thirty feet. It was adorned on
the inside with marble and mosaics. The pavement of the temple was also of
marble and its roof above was of lead.
[33. Martyrs of Clermont. 34. The bishop of Gévaudan is maltreated by
the Alemanni.]
35. Under Diocletian, who was emperor of Rome in the thirty-third
place, a cruel persecution of the Christians was kept up for four years, at
one time in the course of which great numbers of Christians were put to
death, on the sacred day of Easter, for worshiping the true God. At that time
Quirinus, bishop of the church of Sissek,[46] endured glorious martyrdom in
Christ’s name. The cruel pagans cast him into a river with a millstone tied
to his neck, and when he had fallen into the waters he was long supported
on the surface by a divine miracle, and the waters did not suck him down
since the weight of crime did not press upon him. And a multitude of people
standing around wondered at the thing, and despising the rage of the
heathen they hastened to free the bishop. He saw this and did not permit
himself to be deprived of martyrdom, and raising his eyes to heaven he
said: “Jesus lord, who sittest in glory at the right hand of the Father, suffer
me not to be taken from this course, but receive my soul and deign to unite
me with thy martyrs in eternal peace.” With these words he gave up the
ghost, and his body was taken up by the Christians and reverently buried.
36. Constantine was the thirty-fourth emperor of the Romans, and he
reigned prosperously for thirty years. In the eleventh year of his reign, when

peace had been granted to the churches after the death of Diocletian, our
blessed patron Martin was born at Sabaria, a city of Pannonia, of heathen
parents, who still were not of the lowest station. This Constantine in the
twentieth year of his reign caused the death of his son Crispus by poison,
and of his wife Fausta by means of a hot bath, because they had plotted to
betray his rule. In his time the venerated wood of the Lord’s cross was
found, through the zeal of his mother Helen on the information of Judas, a
Hebrew who was called Quiriacus after baptism. [K]The historian Eusebius
comes down to this period in his chronicle. The priest Jerome continues it
from the twenty-first year of Constantine’s reign. He informs us that the
priest Juvencus wrote the gospels in verse at the request of the emperor
named above.
[37. James of Nisibis and Maximin of Trèves. 38. Hilarius bishop of
Poitiers.]
39. At that time our light arose and Gaul was traversed by the rays of a
new lamp, that is, the most blessed Martin then began to preach in the
Gauls, and he overcame the unbelief of the heathen, showing among the
people by many miracles that Christ the Son of God was the true God. He
destroyed heathen shrines, crushed heresy, built churches, and while he was
glorious for many other miracles, he completed his title to fame by restoring
three dead men to life. At Poitiers, in the fourth year of Valentinian and
Valens, Saint Hilarius passed to heaven full of sanctity and faith, a priest of
many miracles; for he too is said to have raised the dead.
[40. Melania’s journey to Jerusalem.]
41. After the death of Valentinian, Valens, who succeeded to the
undivided empire, gave orders that the monks be compelled to serve in the
army, and commanded that those who refused should be beaten with clubs.
After this the Romans fought a very fierce battle in Thrace, in which there
was such slaughter that the Romans fled on foot after losing their horses,
and when they were being cut to pieces by the Goths, and Valens was
fleeing with an arrow wound, he entered a small hut, the enemy closely
pursuing, and the little dwelling was burned over him. And he was deprived
of the burial he desired. And thus the divine vengeance finally came for
shedding the blood of the saints. Thus far Jerome; from this period the
priest Orosius wrote at greater length.

[42. The pious emperor Theodosius. 43. The emperor Maximus with
capital at Trèves. 44. Urbicus, second bishop of Clermont, and his wife. 45.
Hillidius, third bishop of Clermont, and his miracles. 46. Nepotian and
Arthemius, fourth and fifth bishops of Clermont. 47. Legend of the two
lovers of Clermont.]
48. In the second year of the reign of Arcadius and Honorius, Saint
Martin, bishop of Tours, departed this life at Candes, a village of his
diocese, and passed happily to Christ in the eighty-first year of his life and
the twenty-sixth of his episcopate, a man full of miracles and holiness,
doing many services to the infirm. [L]He passed away at midnight of the
Lord’s day, in the consulship of Atticus and Cæsarius. Many heard at his
passing away the sound of psalm-singing in heaven, which I have spoken of
at greater length in the first book of his Miracles. Now as soon as the saint
of God fell sick at the village of Candes, as we have related, the people of
Poitiers came to be present at his death, as did also the people of Tours. And
when he died, a great dispute arose between the two peoples. For the people
of Poitiers said: “As a monk, he is ours; as an abbot, he belonged to us; we
demand that he be given to us. Let it be enough for you that when he was a
bishop on earth you enjoyed his conversation, ate with him, were
strengthened by his blessings and cheered by his miracles. Let all that be
enough for you. Let us be permitted to carry away his dead body.” To this
the people of Tours replied: “If you say that the working of his miracles is
enough for us, let us tell you that while he was placed among you he
worked more miracles than he did here. For, to pass over most of them, he
raised two dead men for you, and one for us; and as he used often to say
himself, there was more virtue in him before he was bishop than after. And
so it is necessary that he complete for us after death what he did not finish
in his lifetime. For he was taken away from you and given to us by God. If
a custom long established is kept, a man shall have his tomb by God’s
command in the city in which he was ordained. And if you desire to claim
him because of the right of the monastery, let us tell you that his first
monastery was at Milan.” While they were arguing in this way the sun sank
and night closed in. And the body was placed in the midst, and the doors
were barred and the body was guarded by both peoples, and it was going to
be carried off by violence by the people of Poitiers in the morning. But
omnipotent God was unwilling that the city of Tours should be deprived of
its protector. Finally at midnight the whole band from Poitiers were

overwhelmed with sleep and no one remained out of this multitude to keep
watch. Then when the people of Tours saw that they had fallen asleep they
seized on the clay of the holy body and some thrust it out the window[M]
and others received it outside, and placing it in a boat they went down the
river Vienne with all their people and entered the channel of the Loire, and
made their way to the city of Tours with great praises and plentiful psalm-
singing, and the people of Poitiers were waked by their voices, and having
no treasure to guard they returned to their own place greatly crestfallen.
And if any one asks why there was only one bishop, that is, Litorius, after
the death of bishop Gatianus to the time of Saint Martin, let him know that
for a long time the city of Tours was without the blessing of a bishop, owing
to the resistance of the heathen. For they who lived as Christians at that
time celebrated the divine office secretly and in hiding. For if any
Christians were found by the heathen they were punished with stripes or
slain by the sword.
Now from the suffering of the Lord to the passing of Saint Martin, 412
years are included.

Here Ends the First Book Containing 5597 Years which are Reckoned
from the Beginning of the World to the Death of the Holy Bishop
Martin.

FOOTNOTES:
[37] A leading belief of Arian Christology.
[38] The Arians.
[39] The square brackets indicate where less significant sections of the
text have been summarized.
[40] The Pyramids, apparently.
[41] Gregory’s geography is mixed.
[42] Psalms cxxxv. 13.
[43] Gregory’s purpose is not realized.
[44] Jerome’s Chronicle was the source for the history summarized here.
It is clear that Gregory had not much sense of the historical perspective

in spite of a list of names which might impress his audience. He passes
directly from “Servius the sixth king of Rome” to Julius Caesar the
founder of the empire.
[45] Gregory’s paternal grandmother was Leocadia, who traced her
descent from Vectius Epagatus. See Historia Francorum ed. Arndt,
Introd. p. 4, in Monumenta Germaniae Historica. The story related
above was from Gregory’s family tradition.
[46] In Hungary.

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE SECOND BOOK

1. The episcopate of Bricius.
2. The Vandals and the persecution of the Christians under them.
3. Cyrola the heretics’ bishop and the holy martyrs.
4. The persecution under Athanaric.
5. Bishop Aravatius and the Huns.
6. St. Stephen’s church in the city of Metz.
7. The wife of Ætius.
8. What the historians have written about Ætius.
9. What the same say of the Franks.
10. What the prophets of the Lord write about the images of the nations.
11. The emperor Avitus.
12. King Childeric and Egidius.
13. The episcopate of Venerandus and of Rusticus in Auvergne.
14. The episcopate of Eustochius at Tours and of Perpetuus; St. Martin’s
church.
15. The church of St. Simphorianus.
16. Bishop Namatius and the church at Clermont.
17. His wife and St. Stephen’s church.
18. How Childeric went to Orleans and Odoacer to Angers.
19. War between the Saxons and Romans.
20. Duke Victor.
21. Bishop Eparchius.
22. Bishop Sidonius.
23. The holiness of bishop Sidonius and the visitation of the divine
vengeance for the wrongs done to him.
24. The famine in Burgundy and Ecdicius.
25. The persecutor Euvarege.
26. Death of the holy Perpetuus and the episcopates of Volusianus and
Virus.
27. Clovis becomes king.
28. Clovis marries Clotilda.
29. Death of their first son in his baptismal garments.

30. War with the Alamanni.
31. Clovis’s baptism.
32. War with Gundobad.
33. Killing of Godegisel.
34. How Gundobad wished to be converted.
35. Clovis and Alaric have an interview.
36. Bishop Quintian.
37. War with Alaric.
38. King Clovis is made patrician.
39. Bishop Licinius.
40. Killing of Sigibert the elder and his son.
41. Killing of Chararic and his son.
42. Killing of Ragnachar and his brothers.
43. Death of Clovis.

HERE END THE CHAPTERS

HERE BEGINS THE SECOND BOOK

Following the order of time we shall mingle together in our tale the
miraculous doings of the saints and the slaughters of the nations. I do not
think that we shall be condemned thoughtlessly if we tell of the happy lives
of the blessed together with the deaths of the wretched, since it is not the
skill of the writer but the succession of times that has furnished the
arrangement. The attentive reader, if he seeks diligently, will find in the
famous histories of the kings of the Israelites that under the just Samuel the
wicked Phineas perished, and that under David, whom they called
Stronghand, the stranger Goliath was destroyed. Let him remember also in
the time of the great prophet Elias, who prevented rains when he wished
and when he pleased poured them on the parched ground, who enriched the
poverty of the widow by his prayer, what slaughters of the people there
were, what famine and what thirst oppressed the wretched earth. Let him
remember what evil Jerusalem endured in the time of Hezekiah, to whom
God granted fifteen additional years of life. Moreover under the prophet
Elisha, who restored the dead to life and did many other miracles among the
peoples, what butcheries, what miseries crushed the very people of Israel.
So too Eusebius, Severus and Jerome in their chronicles, and Orosius also,
interwove the wars of kings and the miracles of the martyrs. We have
written in this way also, because it is thus easier to perceive in their entirety
the order of the centuries and the system of the years down to our day. And
so, leaving the histories of the writers who have been mentioned above,[N]
we shall describe at God’s bidding what was done in the later time.
[O]
1. After the death of the blessed Martin, bishop of Tours, a very great
and incomparable man, whose miracles fill great volumes in our possession,
Bricius succeeded to the bishopric. Now this Bricius, when he was a young
man and the saint was yet living in the body, used to lay many traps for
him, because he was often accused by Saint Martin of following the easy
way. And one day when a sick man was looking for the blessed Martin in
order to get medicine from him he met Bricius, at this time a deacon, in the

square, and he said to him in a simple fashion: “Behold I am seeking the
blessed man, and I don’t know where he is or what he is doing.” And
Bricius said: “If you are seeking for that crazy person look in the distance;
there he is, staring at the sky in his usual fashion, as if he were daft.” And
when the poor man had seen him and got what he wanted, the blessed
Martin said to the deacon: “Well, Bricius, I seem to you crazy, do I?” And
when the latter, in confusion at this, denied he had said so, the saint replied:
“Were not my ears at your lips when you said this at a distance? Verily I say
unto you that I have prevailed upon God that you shall succeed to the
bishop’s office after me, but let me tell you that you will suffer many
misfortunes in your tenure of the office.” Bricius on hearing this laughed
and said: “Did I not speak the truth that he uttered crazy words?”
Furthermore, when he had attained to the rank of priest, he often attacked
the blessed man with abuse. But when he had become bishop by the choice
of the citizens, he devoted himself to prayer. And although he was proud
and vain he was nevertheless considered chaste in his body. But in the
thirty-third year after his ordination there arose against him a lamentable
ground for accusation. For a woman to whom his servants used to give his
garments to be washed, one who had changed her garb on the pretext of
religion, conceived and bore a child. Because of this the whole population
of Tours arose in wrath and laid the whole blame on the bishop, wishing
with one accord to stone him. For they said: “The piety of a holy man has
too long been a cover for your wantonness. But God does not any longer
allow us to be polluted by kissing your unworthy hands.” But he denied the
charge forcibly. “Bring the infant to me,” said he. And when the infant,
which was thirty days old, was brought, the bishop said to it: “I adjure you
in the name of Jesus Christ, son of omnipotent God, to declare publicly to
all if I begot you.” And the child said: “It is not you who are my father.”
When the people asked him to inquire who was the father, the bishop said:
“That is not my affair. I was troubled in so far as the matter concerned me;
inquire for yourselves whatever you want.” Then they asserted that this had
been done by magic arts, and arose against him in a conspiracy, and
dragged him along, saying: “You shall not rule us any longer under the false
name of a shepherd.” And to satisfy the people he placed red-hot coals in
his cloak and drawing it close to him he walked as far as the tomb of the
blessed Martin along with throngs of the people. And when the coals were
cast down before the tomb his robe was seen to be unburned. And he said:

“Just as you see this robe uninjured by the fire, so too my body is undefiled
by union with a woman.” And when they did not believe but denied it, he
was dragged, abused, and cast out, in order that the words of the saint might
be fulfilled: “Let me tell you that you will suffer many misfortunes in your
episcopate.” When he was cast out they appointed Justinian to the office of
bishop. Finally Bricius went to see the pope of the city of Rome, weeping
and wailing and saying: “Rightly do I suffer this because I sinned against a
saint of God and often called him crazy and daft; and when I saw his
miracles I did not believe.” And after his departure the people of Tours said
to their bishop: “Go after him and attend to your own interest, for if you do
not attack him, you shall be humiliated by the contempt of us all.” And
Justinian went forth from Tours and came to Vercelli, a city of Italy, and
was smitten by a judgment of God and died in a strange country. The people
of Tours heard of his death, and persisting in their evil course, they
appointed Armentius in his place. But bishop Bricius went to Rome and
related to the pope all that he had endured. And while he remained at the
apostolic see he often celebrated the solemn ceremony of the mass, weeping
for the wrong he had done to the saint of God. In the seventh year he left
Rome and by the authority of that pope purposed to return to Tours. And
when he came to the village called Mont-Louis at the sixth mile-stone from
the city, he resided there. Now Armentius was seized with a fever and died
at midnight. This was at once revealed to bishop Bricius in a vision, and he
said to his people: “Rise quickly, so that we may go to bury our brother, the
bishop of Tours.” And when they came and entered one gate of the city,
behold they were carrying his dead body out by another. And when he was
buried, Bricius returned to the bishop’s chair and lived happily seven years
after. And when he died in the forty-seventh year of his episcopate, Saint
Eustochius, a man of magnificent holiness, succeeded him.
2. After this the Vandals left their own country and burst into the Gauls
under king Gunderic.[P] And when the Gauls had been thoroughly laid
waste they made for the Spains. The Suebi, that is, Alamanni, following
them, seized Gallicia.[Q] Not long after, a quarrel arose between the two
peoples, since they were neighbors. And when they had gone armed to the
battle, and were already at the point of fighting, the king of the Alemanni
said: “Why are all the people involved in war? Let our people, I pray, not
kill one another in battle, but let two of our warriors go to the field in arms

and fight with one another. Then he whose champion wins shall hold the
region without strife.” To this all the people agreed, that the whole
multitude might not rush on the edge of the sword. In these days king
Gunderic had died and in his place Thrasamund held the kingdom. And in
the conflict of the champions the side of the Vandals was overcome, and,
his champion being slain, Thrasamund promised to depart, and so, when he
had made the necessary preparations for the journey, he removed from the
territories of Spain.
About the same time Thrasamund persecuted the Christians, and by
torture and different sorts of death tried to force all Spain to consent to the
perfidy of the Arian sect. And it so happened that a certain maiden bound by
religious vows was brought to trial. She was very rich and of the senatorial
nobility according to the ranking of the world, and what is nobler than all
this, strong in the catholic faith and a blameless servant of Almighty God.
And when she was brought before the eyes of the king he first began to
coax her with kind words to be baptized again. And when she repelled his
venomous shaft by the armor of the faith, the king commanded that wealth
be taken from her who already in her heart possessed the kingdom of
paradise, and later that she should be tortured without hope of this life. Why
make a long story? After long examinations, after losing the treasure of
earthly riches, when she could not be forced to attack the blessed Trinity
she was led against her will to be re-baptized. And when she was being
forcibly immersed in that filthy bath and was crying loudly; “I believe that
the Father and the holy Spirit are of one substance with the Son,” when she
said this she stained the water with a worthy ointment,[47] that is, she
defiled it with excrement. Then she was taken to the examination according
to the law, and after the needle, flame and claw, she was beheaded for
Christ the lord. After this the Vandals crossed the sea, the Alemanni
following as far as Tangier, and were dispersed throughout all Africa and
Mauretania.
[3. Persecutions of Catholics by Arians under the Vandal king Honeric of
Africa. 4. The same, under the Gothic king Athanaric of Spain. 5. Journey
of Bishop Aravatius of Tongres to Rome that he might avert by prayer the
threatened invasion of the Huns. But there he learns that “it was sanctioned
in the council of the Lord that the Huns must come into the Gauls and
ravage them.” He returns to Tongres and dies.]

6. Now the Huns left Pannonia and, as certain say, on the very watch-
night of holy Easter arrived at the city of Metz, after devastating the
country, and gave the city over to burning, slaying the people with the edge
of the sword and killing the very priests of the Lord before the holy altars.
And there remained in the city no place unburned except the oratory of the
blessed Stephen, the deacon and first martyr. And I do not hesitate to tell
what I have heard from certain persons about this oratory. For they say that
before these enemies came, a man of the faith saw in a vision the blessed
levite Stephen as if conferring with the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and
speaking as follows about this disaster: “I beg you, my lords, to prevent by
your intercession the burning of the city of Metz by the enemy, because
there is a place in it in which the relics of my life on earth are preserved;
rather let the people learn that I have some influence with God. But if the
wickedness of the people has grown too great, so that nothing else can be
done except deliver the city to burning, at least let this oratory not be
consumed.” And they replied to him: “Go in peace, beloved brother, your
oratory alone the fire shall not burn. But as for the city, we shall not prevail,
because the sentence of the will of the Lord has already gone out over it.
For the sin of the people has grown great, and the outcry of their
wickedness ascends to the presence of God; therefore this city shall be
burned with fire.” [R]Whence it is certain that it was by the intercession of
these that when the city was burned the oratory remained unharmed.
7. And Attila king of the Huns went forth from Metz and when he had
crushed many cities of the Gauls he attacked Orleans and strove to take it
by the mighty hammering of battering rams. Now at that time the most
blessed Annianus was bishop in the city just mentioned, a man of unequaled
wisdom and praiseworthy holiness, whose miracles are faithfully
remembered among us. And when the people, on being shut in, cried to
their bishop, and asked what they were to do, trusting in God he advised all
to prostrate themselves in prayer, and with tears to implore the ever present
aid of God in their necessities. Then when they prayed as he had directed,
the bishop said: “Look from the wall of the city to see whether God’s mercy
yet comes to your aid.” For he hoped that by God’s mercy Ætius was
coming, to whom he had recourse before at Arles when he was anxious
about the future. But when they looked from the wall, they saw no one. And
he said: “Pray faithfully, for God will free you this day.” When they had
prayed he said: “Look again.” And when they looked they saw no one to

bring aid. He said to them a third time: “If you pray faithfully, God comes
swiftly.” And they besought God’s mercy with weeping and loud cries.
When this prayer also was finished they looked from the wall a third time at
the old man’s command, and saw afar off a cloud as it were arising from the
earth. When they reported this the bishop said: “It is the aid of the Lord.”
Meanwhile, when the walls were now trembling from the hammering of the
rams and were just about to fall, behold, Ætius came, and Theodore, king of
the Goths and Thorismodus his son hastened to the city with their armies,
and drove the enemy forth and defeated him. And so the city was freed by
the intercession of the blessed bishop, and they put Attila to flight. And he
went to the plain of Moirey and got ready for battle. And hearing this, they
made manful preparations to meet him….
Ætius with the Goths and Franks fought against Attila. And the latter
saw that his army was being destroyed, and escaped by flight. And
Theodore, king of the Goths, was slain in the battle. Now let no one doubt
that the army of Huns was put to flight by the intercession of the bishop
mentioned above. And so Ætius the patrician, along with Thorismodus, won
the victory and destroyed the enemy. And when the battle was finished,
Ætius said to Thorismodus: “Make haste and return swiftly to your native
land, for fear you lose your father’s kingdom because of your brother.” The
latter, on hearing this, departed speedily with the intention of anticipating
his brother, and seizing his father’s throne first. At the same time Ætius by a
stratagem caused the king of the Franks to flee. When they had gone, Ætius
took the spoils of the battle and returned victoriously to his country with
much booty. And Attila retreated with a few men. Not long after Aquileia
was captured by the Huns and burned and altogether destroyed. Italy was
overrun and plundered. Thorismodus, whom we have mentioned above,
overcame the Alans in battle, and was himself defeated later on by his
brothers, after many quarrels and battles, and put to death.
[8. The history of Renatus Frigeridus is quoted for the character of Ætius
and an account of his death.]
[S]
9. The question who was the first of the kings of the Franks is
disregarded by many writers. Though the history of Sulpicius Alexander
tells much of them, still it does not name their first king, but says that they
had dukes. However, it is well to relate what he says of them. For when he
tells that Maximus, losing all hope of empire, remained within Aquileia,

almost beside himself, he adds: “At that time the Franks burst into the
province of Germany under Genobaud, Marcomer, and Sunno, their dukes,
and having broken through the boundary wall they slew most of the people
and laid waste the fertile districts especially, and aroused fear even in
Cologne. And when word was carried to Trèves, Nanninus and Quintinus,
the military officers to whom Maximus had intrusted his infant son and the
defense of the Gauls, assembled an army and met at Cologne. Now the
enemy, laden with plunder after devastating the richest parts of the
provinces, had crossed the Rhine, leaving a good many of their men on
Roman soil all ready to renew their ravages. An attack upon these turned to
the advantage of the Romans, and many Franks perished by the sword near
Carbonnière. And when the Romans were consulting after their success
whether they ought to cross into Francia, Nanninus said no, because he
knew the Franks would not be unprepared and would doubtless be stronger
in their own land. And since this displeased Quintinus and the remainder of
the officers, Nanninus returned to Mayence, and Quintinus crossed the
Rhine with his army near the stronghold of Neuss, and at his second camp
from the river he found dwellings abandoned by their occupants and great
villages deserted. For the Franks pretended to be afraid and retired into the
more remote tracts, where they built an abattis on the edge of the woods.
And so the cowardly soldiers burned all the dwellings, thinking that to rage
against them was the winning of victory, and they passed a wakeful night
under the burden of their arms. At the first glimmer of dawn they entered
the wooded country under Quintinus as commander of the battle, and
wandered in safety till nearly mid-day, entangling themselves in the
winding paths. At last, when they found everything solidly shut up by great
fences, they struggled to make their exit into the marshy fields which were
adjacent to the woods, and the enemy appeared here and there, and
sheltered by trunks of trees or standing on the abattis as if on the summit of
towers, they sent as if from engines a shower of arrows poisoned by the
juices of herbs, so that sure death followed even superficial wounds
inflicted in places that were not mortal. Later the army was surrounded by
the enemy in greater number, and it eagerly rushed into the open places
which the Franks had left unoccupied. And the horsemen were the first to
plunge into the morasses, and the bodies of men and animals fell
indiscriminately together, and they were overwhelmed by their own
confusion. The foot soldiers also who had escaped the hoofs of the horses

were impeded by the mud, and extricated themselves with difficulty, and
hid again in panic in the woods from which they had struggled a little
before. And so the ranks were thrown into disorder and the legions cut in
pieces. Heraclius, tribune of the Jovinians, and nearly all the officers were
slain, when night and the lurking places of the woods offered a safe escape
to a few.” This he narrated in the third book of his History.
And in the fourth book, when he tells of the killing of Victor, son of
Maximus, the tyrant, he says: “At that time Carietto and Sirus who had been
appointed in place of Nanninus, were absent in the province of Germany
with the army opposed to the Franks.” And a little later when the Franks
had taken booty from Germany, he added: “Arbogastes, wishing no further
delay, warned Cæsar that the punishment due must be exacted from the
Franks, unless they speedily restored all the plunder they had taken the
previous year when the legions were destroyed, and delivered up the
instigators of the war to be punished for their treachery in breaking the
peace.” He related that this had been done under the leadership of dukes
and says further: “A few days later he held a hasty conference with
Marcomer and Sunno, princes[48] of the Franks and required hostages of
them as usual, and then retired to Trèves to spend the winter.” But when he
calls them princes, we do not know whether they were kings or held in the
place of kings. Still the same writer, when he told of the hard straits of the
emperor Valentinian, added this: “While events of various sorts were taking
place in the East throughout Thrace, the public order was disturbed in Gaul.
Valentinian the emperor was shut up in Vienne in the palace, and reduced
almost below the position of a private person, and the military command
was given over to the Frankish allies, and even the civil offices fell under
the control of Arbogast’s faction, and no one of all the oath-bound soldiery
was found to dare to heed the familiar speech or obey the command of the
emperor.” Then he says: “In the same year Arbogast pursued with
heathenish hate the princes of the Franks, Sunno and Marcomer, and
hastened to Cologne in the depth of winter, since he knew that all the
retreats of Francia could be safely penetrated and ravaged with fire when
the woods, left bare and dry by the fall of the leaves, could not conceal men
lying in ambush. And so he gathered an army and crossed the Rhine, and
devastated the country of the Brictori, near the bank, and also the district
which the Chamavi inhabit, and no one met him anywhere, except that a
few of the Ampsivarii and Chatti appeared with Marcomer as duke on the

ridges of distant hills.” At another time this writer, no longer mentioning
dukes and princes, openly asserts that the Franks had a king, and without
mentioning his name he says: “Then the tyrant Eugenius undertook a
military expedition, and hastened to the Rhine to renew in the customary
way the old alliances with the kings of the Alemanni and the Franks and to
threaten the barbarian nations at that time with a great army.” So much the
historian mentioned above wrote about the Franks.
Renatus Profuturus Frigeridus, whom we have already mentioned, in his
story of the capture and destruction of Rome by the Goths, says: “Meantime
when Goare had gone over to the Romans, Respendial, king of the
Alamanni, turned the army of his people from the Rhine, since the Vandals
were getting the worse of the war with the Franks, having lost their king
Godegisil, and about 20,000 of the army, and all the Vandals would have
been exterminated if the army of the Alamanni[49] had not come to their aid
in time.” It is surprising to us that when he names the kings of the other
nations he does not name the king of the Franks as well. However, when he
says that Constantine, after seizing imperial power, commanded his son
Constantius to come to him from the Spains, he speaks as follows: “The
tyrant Constantine summoned from the Spains his son Constans, also a
tyrant, in order to consult with him about their general policy; and so
Constans left at Saragossa his court and his wife, and gave Gerontius charge
over all in the Spains, and hastened to his father without breaking his
journey. And when they met, many days passed and there was no danger
from Italy, and Constantine gave himself up to gluttony and urged his son to
return to Spain. And while Constans was sending his troops forward, being
still with his father, news came from Spain that Maximus, one of his clients,
had been given imperial authority by Gerontius, and was securing a
following of the barbarians. Alarmed at this, they sent Edobeccus forward
to the German tribes, and Constans and Decimus Rusticus, now a prefect,—​
he had been master of the offices,—​hastened to the Gauls, with the
intention of presently returning to Constantine with the Franks and
Alamanni and all the soldiers.”
Again, when he writes that Constantine was being besieged, he uses
these words: “The fourth month of the siege of Constantine was scarcely
yet under way, when news came suddenly from farther Gaul that Iovinus
had assumed royal state, and was threatening the besiegers with the

Burgundians, Alamanni, Franks, Alans, and all his army. So the attack on
the walls was hastened, the city opened its gates, and Constantine
surrendered. He was sent hastily into Italy, and was slain at the river Mincio
by assassins sent to meet him by the emperor.” And a little later the same
writer says: “At the same time Decimus Rusticus, prefect of the tyrants,
Agrœtius, one of the chief secretaries of Jovinus, and many nobles, were
captured in Auvergne by the commanders of Honorius and cruelly put to
death. The city of Trèves was plundered and burnt in a second inroad of the
Franks.” And when Asterius had been made a patrician by an imperial letter,
he adds this: “At the same time Castinus, count of the body-guard,
undertook an expedition against the Franks and was sent into the Gauls.”
This is what these have told of the Franks. And the historian Horosius says
in the seventh book of his work: “Stilico gathered the nations, crushed the
Franks, crossed the Rhine, wandered through the Gauls, and made his way
as far as the Pyrenees.”
This is the evidence that the historians who have been named have left
us about the Franks, and they have not mentioned kings. Many relate that
they came from Pannonia and all dwelt at first on the bank of the Rhine,
and then crossing the Rhine they passed into Thuringia, and there among
the villages and cities appointed long-haired kings over them from their first
or, so to speak, noblest family. This title Clovis’ victories afterwards made a
lasting one, as we shall see later on. [T]We read in the Fasti Consulares that
Theodomer, king of the Franks, son of Richimer, and Ascyla his mother,
were once on a time slain by the sword. They say also that Chlogio, a man
of ability and high rank among his people, was king of the Franks then, and
he dwelt at the stronghold of Dispargum which is within the borders of the
Thuringians. And in these parts, that is, towards the south, the Romans
dwelt as far as the Loire. But beyond the Loire the Goths were in control;
the Burgundians also, who belonged to the sect of the Arians, dwelt across
the Rhone in the district which is adjacent to the city of Lyons. And Chlogio
sent spies to the city of Cambrai, and they went everywhere, and he himself
followed and overcame the Romans and seized the city, in which he dwelt
for a short time, and he seized the land as far as the river Somme. Certain
authorities assert that king Merovech, whose son was Childeric, was of the
family of Chlogio.

10. Now this people seems to have always been addicted to heathen
worship, and they did not know God, but made themselves images of the
woods and the waters, of birds and beasts, and of the other elements as well.
They were wont to worship these as God and to offer sacrifice to them. O!
would that that terrible voice had touched the fibers of their hearts which
spoke through Moses to the people saying, “Thou shalt have no other gods
before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image nor worship
any likeness of anything that is in heaven or on earth or in the water; thou
shalt not make them and shalt not worship them.”…
And in Isaiah he speaks a second time: “I am the first, and I am the last,
and besides me there is no god and creator whom I do not know. They that
fashion a graven image are all of them vanity, and the things that they
delight in shall not profit them. They are themselves witnesses of what they
are, that they do not see nor have understanding, and they are confounded in
them. Behold all his fellows shall be put to shame, for the workmen are of
men. On the coals and with hammers did he form it, and he worked it with
his strong arm. In like manner, too, the carpenter fashioned it with
compasses, and made the likeness of a man as if of a comely man dwelling
in a house. He hewed down the wood, he worked and made a graven image,
and worshiped it as a god, he fastened it with nails and hammers so that it
should not fall to pieces. They are carried because they cannot walk; and the
remainder of the wood is prepared by men for the hearth and they are
warmed. And from another he made a god, and a graven image for himself.
He bends before it and worships it and prays, saying: ‘Deliver me, for thou
art my god. I burned half of it with fire; and baked bread upon its coals; I
baked flesh and ate, and from the residue I shall make an idol, I shall
worship before a wooden trunk; part of it is ashes.’ The foolish heart
worshiped it, and did not deliver his soul. And he does not say: ‘Perhaps
there is a lie in my right hand?’” The nation of the Franks did not
understand at first; but it understood later, as the following history relates.
[11. Avitus, citizen of Clermont, emperor of Rome, and bishop of
Placentia.]
12. Childeric was excessively wanton and being king of the Franks he
began to dishonor their daughters. And they were angry with him on this
account and took his kingdom from him. And when he learned that they
wished also to kill him he hastened to Thuringia, leaving there a man who

was dear to him to calm their furious tempers; he arranged also for a sign
when he should be able to return to his country, that is, they divided a gold
piece between them and Childeric took one half and his friend kept the
other part, saying: “Whenever I send you this part and the joined parts make
one coin, then you shall return securely to your native place.” Accordingly
Childeric went off to Thuringia and remained in hiding with king Basinus
and Basina his wife. The Franks, after he was driven out, with one accord
selected as king Egidius, whom we have mentioned before as the
commander of the troops sent by the republic. And when he was in the
eighth year of his reign over them that faithful friend secretly won the good
will of the Franks and sent messengers to Childeric with the part of the
divided coin which he had kept, and Childeric learned by this sure sign that
he was wanted by the Franks, and returned from Thuringia at their request
and was restored to his kingdom. Now when these princes were reigning at
the same time, the Basina whom we have mentioned above left her husband
and came to Childeric. And when he asked anxiously for what reason she
had come so far to see him it is said that she answered: “I know your
worth,” said she, “and that you are very strong, and therefore I have come
to live with you. For let me tell you that if I had known of any one more
worthy than you in parts beyond the sea I should certainly have sought to
live with him.” And he was glad and united her to him in marriage. And she
conceived and bore a son and called his name Clovis. He was a great and
distinguished warrior.
[13. Artemius, bishop of Clermont, is succeeded by Venerandus, and he
by Rusticus.]
[U]
14. In the city of Tours after the death of bishop Eustochius in the
17th year of his episcopate, Perpetuus was ordained fifth bishop after the
blessed Martin. And when he saw that miracles were being worked
continually at Saint Martin’s tomb, and that the chapel which had been built
over it was a tiny one, he judged it unworthy of such miracles, and moving
it away he built there a great church which remains to the present day,
situated 550 paces from the city. It is 160 feet long and 60 wide and 45 high
to the vault; it has 32 windows in the part around the altar, 20 in the nave;
41 columns; in the whole building 52 windows; 120 columns; 8 doors, three
in the part around the altar and five in the nave. The feast of the church is
given sanctity by a triple virtue; that is, the dedication of the temple, the

transfer of the body of the saint, and his ordination as bishop. This feast you
shall observe four days before the Nones of July, and remember that his
burial is the third day before the Ides of November. And if you celebrate
these faithfully, you will merit the protection of the blessed bishop both in
the present life and that to come. And since the ceiling of the former chapel
was of choice workmanship the bishop thought it unworthy that this work
should perish, and he built another church in honor of the blessed apostles
Peter and Paul in which he placed the ceiling. He built many other churches
which remain to the present time in Christ’s name.
[15. Eufronius, bishop of Autun, who “piously sent the block of marble
which is placed above the holy tomb of the blessed Martin.”]
16. Now after the death of the bishop Rusticus, saint Namatius became
the eighth bishop of Clermont. He undertook the task of building the older
church which is still standing and is contained within the walls of the city,
one hundred and fifty feet in length, sixty in width,—​that is, the nave,—​
fifty in height to the vault, with a round apse in front and on each side aisles
finely built; the whole building is laid out in the form of a cross; it has
forty-two windows, seventy columns, eight doors. The fear of God is in it
and a great brightness is seen, and in the spring a very pleasant fragrance as
if of spices is perceived there by the devout. It has near the altar walls of
variegated work adorned with many kinds of marble. The blessed bishop on
finishing the building in the twelfth year, sent priests to Bologna in Italy, to
procure relics of saints Agricola and Vitalis, who we know very certainly
were crucified in the name of Christ our God.
17. His wife built the church of Saint Stephen in the outskirts of the city.
And wishing to adorn it with colors she used to carry a book in her bosom,
reading the histories of ancient times and describing to the painters what
they were to represent on the walls. It happened one day that while she sat
in the church and read, a certain poor man came to pray, and seeing her in
black clothing, already an old woman, he thought she was one of the needy,
and he took out part of a loaf and put it in her lap and went off. But she did
not disdain the gift of the poor man who did not know her, but took it and
thanked him and put it away, and setting it before her at meals used it as
holy bread until it was used up.

18. Now Childeric fought at Orleans and Odoacer came with the Saxons
to Angers. At that time a great plague destroyed the people. Egidius died
and left a son, Syagrius by name. On his death Odoacer received hostages
from Angers and other places. The Britanni were driven from Bourges by
the Goths, and many were slain at the village of Déols. Count Paul with the
Romans and Franks made war on the Goths and took booty. When Odoacer
came to Angers, king Childeric came on the following day, and slew count
Paul, and took the city. In a great fire on that day the house of the bishop
was burned.
19. After this war was waged between the Saxons and the Romans; but
the Saxons fled and left many of their people to be slain, the Romans
pursuing. Their islands were captured and ravaged by the Franks, and many
were slain. In the ninth month of that year, there was an earthquake.
Odoacer made an alliance with Childeric, and they subdued the Alamanni,
who had overrun part of Italy.
20. Euric, king of the Goths, in the 14th year of his reign, placed duke
Victorius in command of seven cities. And he went at once to Clermont, and
desired to add it to the others, and writings concerning this exist to the
present. He gave orders to set up at the church of Saint Julian the columns
which are placed there. He gave orders to build the church of Saint
Laurentius and saint Germanus at the village of Licaniacus. He was at
Clermont nine years. He brought charges against Euchirius, a senator,
whom he ordered to be put in prison and taken out at night, and after having
him bound beside an old wall he ordered the wall to be pushed over upon
him. As for himself, since he was over-wanton in his love for women, and
was afraid of being killed by the people of Auvergne, he fled to Rome, and
there was stoned to death because he wished to practise a similar
wantonness. Euric reigned four years after Victorius’s death, and died in the
twenty-seventh year of his reign. There was also at that time a great
earthquake.
[21. Bishop Eparchius of Clermont finds his church at night full of
demons.]
[V]
22. The holy Sidonius was so eloquent that he generally improvised
what he wished to say without any hesitation and in the clearest manner.
And it happened one day that he went by invitation to a fête at the church of

the monastery which we have mentioned before, and when his book, by
which he had been wont to celebrate the holy services, was maliciously
taken away, he went through the whole service of the fête improvising with
such readiness that he was admired by all, and it was believed by the
bystanders that it was not a man who had spoken there but an angel. And
this we have set forth more fully in the preface of the book which we have
composed about the masses written by him. Being a man of wonderful
holiness and, as we have said, one of the first of the senators, he often
carried silver dishes away from home, unknown to his wife, and gave them
to poor people. And whenever she learned of it, she was scandalized at him,
and then he used to give the value to the poor and restore the dishes to the
house.
[23. Terrible fate of priests who rebelled against their bishop. 24. In time
of famine in Burgundy Ecdicius feeds more than four thousand persons. 25.
The Gothic king Evatrix persecutes the Christians in southwestern Gaul. 26.
A bishop being “suspected by the Goths” is carried a captive into Spain.]
[W]
27. After these events Childeric died and Clovis his son reigned in his
stead. In the fifth year of his reign Siagrius, king of the Romans, son of
Egidius, had his seat in the city of Soissons which Egidius, who has been
mentioned before, once held. And Clovis came against him with Ragnachar,
his kinsman, because he used to possess the kingdom, and demanded that
they make ready a battle-field. And Siagrius did not delay nor was he afraid
to resist. And so they fought against each other and Siagrius, seeing his
army crushed, turned his back and fled swiftly to king Alaric at Toulouse.
And Clovis sent to Alaric to send him back, otherwise he was to know that
Clovis would make war on him for his refusal. And Alaric was afraid that
he would incur the anger of the Franks on account of Siagrius, seeing it is
the fashion of the Goths to be terrified, and he surrendered him in chains to
Clovis’ envoys. And Clovis took him and gave orders to put him under
guard, and when he had got his kingdom he directed that he be executed
secretly. At that time many churches were despoiled by Clovis’ army, since
he was as yet involved in heathen error. Now the army had taken from a
certain church a vase of wonderful size and beauty, along with the
remainder of the utensils for the service of the church. And the bishop of the
church sent messengers to the king asking that the vase at least be returned,
if he could not get back any more of the sacred dishes. On hearing this the

king said to the messenger: “Follow us as far as Soissons, because all that
has been taken is to be divided there and when the lot assigns me that dish I
will do what the father[50] asks.” Then when he came to Soissons and all the
booty was set in their midst, the king said: “I ask of you, brave warriors, not
to refuse to grant me in addition to my share, yonder dish,” that is, he was
speaking of the vase just mentioned. In answer to the speech of the king
those of more sense replied: “Glorious king, all that we see is yours, and we
ourselves are subject to your rule. Now do what seems well-pleasing to you;
for no one is able to resist your power.” When they said this a foolish,
envious and excitable fellow lifted his battle-ax and struck the vase, and
cried in a loud voice: “You shall get nothing here except what the lot fairly
bestows on you.” At this all were stupefied, but the king endured the insult
with the gentleness of patience, and taking the vase he handed it over to the
messenger of the church, nursing the wound deep in his heart. And at the
end of the year he ordered the whole army to come with their equipment of
armor, to show the brightness of their arms on the field of March.[X] And
when he was reviewing them all carefully, he came to the man who struck
the vase, and said to him: “No one has brought armor so carelessly kept as
you; for neither your spear nor sword nor ax is in serviceable condition.”
And seizing his ax he cast it to the earth, and when the other had bent over
somewhat to pick it up, the king raised his hands and drove his own ax into
the man’s head. “This,” said he, “is what you did at Soissons to the vase.”
Upon the death of this man, he ordered the rest to depart, raising great dread
of himself by this action. He made many wars and gained many victories. In
the tenth year of his reign he made war on the Thuringi and brought them
under his dominion.
28. Now the king of the Burgundians was Gundevech, of the family of
king Athanaric the persecutor, whom we have mentioned before. He had
four sons; Gundobad, Godegisel, Chilperic and Godomar. Gundobad killed
his brother Chilperic with the sword, and sank his wife in water with a stone
tied to her neck. His two daughters he condemned to exile; the older of
these, who became a nun, was called Chrona, and the younger Clotilda. And
as Clovis often sent embassies to Burgundy, the maiden Clotilda was found
by his envoys. And when they saw that she was of good bearing and wise,
and learned that she was of the family of the king, they reported this to
King Clovis, and he sent an embassy to Gundobad without delay asking her

in marriage. And Gundobad was afraid to refuse, and surrendered her to the
men, and they took the girl and brought her swiftly to the king. The king
was very glad when he saw her, and married her, having already by a
concubine a son named Theodoric.
29. He had a first-born son by queen Clotilda, and as his wife wished to
consecrate him in baptism, she tried unceasingly to persuade her husband,
saying: “The gods you worship are nothing, and they will be unable to help
themselves or any one else. For they are graven out of stone or wood or
some metal. And the names you have given them are names of men and not
of gods, as Saturn, who is declared to have fled in fear of being banished
from his kingdom by his son; as Jove himself, the foul perpetrator of all
shameful crimes, committing incest with men, mocking at his kinswomen,
not able to refrain from intercourse with his own sister as she herself says:
Jovisque et soror et conjunx. What could Mars or Mercury do? They are
endowed rather with the magic arts than with the power of the divine name.
But he ought rather to be worshipped who created by his word heaven and
earth, the sea and all that in them is out of a state of nothingness, who made
the sun shine, and adorned the heavens with stars, who filled the waters
with creeping things, the earth with living things and the air with creatures
that fly, at whose nod the earth is decked with growing crops, the trees with
fruit, the vines with grapes, by whose hand mankind was created, by whose
generosity all that creation serves and helps man whom he created as his
own.” But though the queen said this the spirit of the king was by no means
moved to belief, and he said: “It was at the command of our gods that all
things were created and came forth, and it is plain that your God has no
power and, what is more, he is proven not to belong to the family of the
gods.” Meantime the faithful queen made her son ready for baptism; she
gave command to adorn the church with hangings and curtains, in order that
he who could not be moved by persuasion might be urged to belief by this
mystery. The boy, whom they named Ingomer, died after being baptized,
still wearing the white garments in which he became regenerate. At this the
king was violently angry, and reproached the queen harshly, saying: “If the
boy had been dedicated in the name of my gods he would certainly have
lived; but as it is, since he was baptized in the name of your God, he could
not live at all.” To this the queen said: “I give thanks to the omnipotent
God, creator of all, who has judged me not wholly unworthy, that he should
deign to take to his kingdom one born from my womb. My soul is not

stricken with grief for his sake, because I know that, summoned from this
world as he was in his baptismal garments, he will be fed by the vision of
God.”
After this she bore another son, whom she named Chlodomer at baptism;
and when he fell sick, the king said: “It is impossible that anything else
should happen to him than happened to his brother, namely, that being
baptized in the name of your Christ, he should die at once.” But through the
prayers of his mother, and the Lord’s command, he became well.
30. The queen did not cease to urge him to recognize the true God and
cease worshiping idols. But he could not be influenced in any way to this
belief, until at last a war arose with the Alamanni, in which he was driven
by necessity to confess what before he had of his free will denied. It came
about that as the two armies were fighting fiercely, there was much
slaughter, and Clovis’s army began to be in danger of destruction. He saw it
and raised his eyes to heaven, and with remorse in his heart he burst into
tears and cried: “Jesus Christ, whom Clotilda asserts to be the son of the
living God, who art said to give aid to those in distress, and to bestow
victory on those who hope in thee, I beseech the glory of thy aid, with the
vow that if thou wilt grant me victory over these enemies, and I shall know
that power which she says that people dedicated in thy name have had from
thee, I will believe in thee and be baptized in thy name. For I have invoked
my own gods, but, as I find, they have withdrawn from aiding me; and
therefore I believe that they possess no power, since they do not help those
who obey them. I now call upon thee, I desire to believe thee, only let me
be rescued from my adversaries.” And when he said this, the Alamanni
turned their backs, and began to disperse in flight. And when they saw that
their king was killed, they submitted to the dominion of Clovis, saying:
“Let not the people perish further, we pray; we are yours now.” And he
stopped the fighting, and after encouraging his men, retired in peace and
told the queen how he had had merit to win the victory by calling on the
name of Christ. This happened in the fifteenth year of his reign.
31. Then the queen asked saint Remi, bishop of Rheims, to summon
Clovis secretly, urging him to introduce the king to the word of salvation.
And the bishop sent for him secretly and began to urge him to believe in the
true God, maker of heaven and earth, and to cease worshiping idols, which
could help neither themselves nor any one else. But the king said: “I gladly

hear you, most holy father; but there remains one thing: the people who
follow me cannot endure to abandon their gods; but I shall go and speak to
them according to your words.” He met with his followers, but before he
could speak the power of God anticipated him, and all the people cried out
together: “O pious king, we reject our mortal gods, and we are ready to
follow the immortal God whom Remi preaches.” This was reported to the
bishop, who was greatly rejoiced, and bade them get ready the baptismal
font. The squares were shaded with tapestried canopies, the churches
adorned with white curtains, the baptistery set in order, the aroma of
incense spread, candles of fragrant odor burned brightly, and the whole
shrine of the baptistery was filled with a divine fragrance: and the Lord
gave such grace to those who stood by that they thought they were placed
amid the odors of paradise. And the king was the first to ask to be baptized
by the bishop. Another Constantine advanced to the baptismal font, to
terminate the disease of ancient leprosy and wash away with fresh water the
foul spots that had long been borne. And when he entered to be baptized,
the saint of God began with ready speech: “Gently bend your neck,
Sigamber;[Y] worship what you burned; burn what you worshipped.” The
holy bishop Remi was a man of excellent wisdom and especially trained in
rhetorical studies, and of such surpassing holiness that he equalled the
miracles of Silvester. For there is extant a book of his life which tells that he
raised a dead man. And so the king confessed all-powerful God in the
Trinity, and was baptized in the name of the Father, Son and holy Spirit, and
was anointed with the holy ointment with the sign of the cross of Christ.
And of his army more than 3000 were baptized.[Z] His sister also, Albofled,
was baptized, who not long after passed to the Lord. And when the king
was in mourning for her, the holy Remi sent a letter of consolation which
began in this way: “The reason of your mourning pains me, and pains me
greatly, that Albofled your sister, of good memory, has passed away. But I
can give you this comfort, that her departure from the world was such that
she ought to be envied rather than mourned.” Another sister also was
converted, Lanthechild by name, who had fallen into the heresy of the
Arians, and she confessed that the Son and the holy Spirit were equal to the
Father, and was anointed.
32. At that time the brothers Gundobad and Godegisel were kings of the
country about the Rhone and the Saône together with the province of

Marseilles. And they, as well as their people, belonged to the Arian sect.
And since they were fighting with each other, Godegisel, hearing of the
victories of King Clovis, sent an embassy to him secretly, saying: “If you
will give me aid in attacking my brother, so that I may be able to kill him in
battle or drive him from the country, I will pay you every year whatever
tribute you yourself wish to impose.” Clovis accepted this offer gladly, and
promised aid whenever need should ask. And at a time agreed upon he
marched his army against Gundobad. On hearing of this, Gundobad, who
did not know of his brother’s treachery, sent to him, saying: “Come to my
assistance, since the Franks are in motion against us and are coming to our
country to take it. Therefore let us be united against a nation hostile to us,
lest because of division we suffer in turn what other peoples have suffered.”
And the other said: “I will come with my army, and will give you aid.” And
these three, namely, Clovis against Gundobad and Godegisel, were
marching their armies to the same point, and they came with all their
warlike equipment to the stronghold named Dijon. And they fought on the
river Ouche, and Godegisel joined Clovis, and both armies crushed the
people of Gundobad. And he perceived the treachery of his brother, whom
he had not suspected, and turned his back and began to flee, hastening along
the banks of the Rhone, and he came to the city of Avignon. And Godegisel
having won the victory, promised to Clovis a part of his kingdom, and
departed quietly and entered Vienne in triumph, as if he now held the whole
kingdom. King Clovis increased his army further, and set off after
Gundobad to drag him from his city and slay him. He heard it, and was
terrified, and feared that sudden death would come to him. However he had
with him Aridius, a man famed for energy and wisdom, and he sent for him
and said: “Difficulties wall me in on every side, and I do not know what to
do, because these barbarians have come upon us to slay us and destroy the
whole country.” To this Aridius answered: “You must soften the fierceness
of this man in order not to perish. Now if it is pleasing in your eyes, I will
pretend to flee from you and to pass over to his side, and when I come to
him, I shall prevent his harming either you or this country. Only be willing
to do what he demands of you by my advice, until the Lord in his goodness
deigns to make your cause successful.” And Gundobad said: “I will do
whatever you direct.” When he said this, Aridius bade him good-by and
departed, and going to King Clovis he said: “Behold I am your humble
servant, most pious king, I come to your protection, leaving the wretched

Gundobad. And if your goodness condescends to receive me, both you and
your children shall have in me a true and faithful servant.” Clovis received
him very readily, and kept him by him, for he was entertaining in story-
telling, ready in counsel, just in judgment, and faithful in what was put in
his charge. Then when Clovis with all his army sat around the walls of the
city, Aridius said: “O King, if the glory of your loftiness should kindly
consent to hear the few words of my lowliness, though you do not need
counsel, yet I would utter them with entire faithfulness, and they will be
advantageous to you and to the cities through which you purpose to go.
Why,” said he, “do you keep your army here, when your enemy sits in a
very strong place? If you ravage the fields, lay waste the meadows, cut
down the vineyards, lay low the olive-yards, and destroy all the produce of
the country, you do not, however, succeed in doing him any harm. Send an
embassy rather and impose tribute to be paid you every year, so that the
country may be safe and you may rule forever over a tributary. And if he
refuses, then do whatever pleases you.” The king took this advice, and
commanded his army to return home. Then he sent an embassy to
Gundobad, and ordered him to pay him every year a tribute. And he paid it
at once and promised that he would pay it for the future.
33. Later he regained his power, and now contemptuously refused to pay
the promised tribute to king Clovis, and set his army in motion against his
brother Godegisel, and shut him up in the city of Vienne and besieged him.
And when food began to be lacking for the common people, Godegisel was
afraid that the famine would extend to himself, and gave orders that the
common people be expelled from the city. When this was done, there was
driven out, among the rest, the artisan who had charge of the aqueduct. And
he was indignant that he had been cast out from the city with the rest, and
went to Gundobad in a rage to inform him how to burst into the city and
take vengeance on his brother. Under his guidance an army was led through
the aqueduct, and many with iron crowbars went in front, for there was a
vent in the aqueduct closed with a great stone, and when this had been
pushed away with crowbars, by direction of the artisan, they entered the
city, and surprised from the rear the defenders who were shooting arrows
from the wall. The trumpet was sounded in the midst of the city, and the
besiegers seized the gates, and opened them and entered at the same time,
and when the people between these two battle lines were being slain by
each army, Godegisel sought refuge in the church of the heretics, and was

slain there along with the Arian bishop. Finally the Franks who were with
Godegisel gathered in a tower. But Gundobad ordered that no harm should
be done to a single one of them, but seized them and sent them in exile to
king Alaric at Toulouse, and he slew the Burgundian senators who had
conspired with Godegisel. He restored to his own dominion all the region
which is now called Burgundy. He established milder laws[AA] for the
Burgundians lest they should oppress the Romans.
[34. King Gundobad is converted to the doctrine of the Trinity but will
not confess it in public. The writings of bishop Avitus are described.]
35. Now when Alaric, king of the Goths, saw Clovis conquering nations
steadily, he sent envoys to him saying: “If my brother consents, it is the
desire of my heart that with God’s favor we have a meeting.” Clovis did not
spurn this proposal but went to meet him. They met in an island of the Loire
which is near the village of Amboise in the territory of Tours, and they
talked and ate and drank together, and plighted friendship and departed in
peace. Even at that time many in the Gauls desired greatly to have the
Franks as masters.
36. Whence it happened that Quintian, bishop of Rodez, was driven from
his city through ill-will on this account. For they said: “It is your desire that
the rule of the Franks be extended over this land.” A few days later a quarrel
arose between him and the citizens, and the Goths who dwelt in the city
became suspicious when the citizens charged that he wished to submit
himself to the control of the Franks; they took counsel and decided to slay
him with the sword. When this was reported to the man of God he rose in
the night and left the city of Rodez with his most faithful servants and went
to Clermont. There he was received kindly by the holy bishop Eufrasius,
who had succeeded Aprunculus of Dijon, and he kept Quintian with him,
giving him houses as well as fields and vineyards, and saying: “The wealth
of this church is enough to keep us both; only let the charity which the
blessed apostle preaches endure among the bishops of God.” Moreover the
bishop of Lyons bestowed upon him some of the possessions of the church
which he had in Auvergne. And the rest about the holy Quintian, both the
plottings which he endured and the miracles which the Lord deigned to
work through him, are written in the book of his life.

[AB]
37. Now Clovis the king said to his people: “I take it very hard that
these Arians hold part of the Gauls. Let us go with God’s help and conquer
them and bring the land under our control.” Since these words pleased all,
he set his army in motion and made for Poitiers where Alaric was at that
time. But since part of the host was passing through Touraine, he issued an
edict out of respect to the blessed Martin that no one should take anything
from that country except grass for fodder, and water. But one from the army
found a poor man’s hay and said: “Did not the king order grass only to be
taken, nothing else? And this,” said he, “is grass. We shall not be
transgressing his command if we take it.” And when he had done violence
to the poor man and taken his hay by force, the deed came to the king. And
quicker than speech the offender was slain by the sword, and the king said:
“And where shall our hope of victory be if we offend the blessed Martin? It
would be better for the army to take nothing else from this country.” The
king himself sent envoys to the blessed church saying: “Go, and perhaps
you will receive some omen of victory from the holy temple.” Then giving
them gifts to set up in the holy place, he said: “If thou, O Lord, art my
helper, and hast determined to surrender this unbelieving nation, always
striving against thee, into my hands, consent to reveal it propitiously at the
entrance to the church of St. Martin, so that I may know that thou wilt deign
to be favorable to thy servant.” Clovis’ servants went on their way
according to the king’s command, and drew near to the place, and when
they were about to enter the holy church, the first singer, without any
prearrangement, sang this response: “Thou hast girded me, O Lord, with
strength unto the battle; thou hast subdued under me those that rose up
against me, and hast made mine enemies turn their backs unto me, and thou
hast utterly destroyed them that hated me.” On hearing this singing they
thanked the Lord, and paying their vow to the blessed confessor they
joyfully made their report to the king. Moreover, when he came to the river
Vienne with his army, he did not know where he ought to cross. For the
river had swollen from the rains. When he had prayed to the Lord in the
night to show him a ford where he could cross, in the morning by God’s
will a hind of wonderful size entered the river before them, and when it
passed over the people saw where they could cross. When the king came to
the neighborhood of Poitiers and was encamped some distance off, he saw a
ball of fire come out of the church of Saint Hilarius and pass, as it were,
over him, to show that, aided by the light of the blessed confessor Hilarius,

he should more boldly conquer the heretic armies, against which the same
bishop had often fought for the faith. And he made it known to all the army
that neither there nor on the way should they spoil any one or take any one’s
property.
There was in these days a man of praiseworthy holiness, the abbot
Maxentius, who had become a recluse in his own monastery in Poitou
because of his fear of God. We have not put the name of the monastery in
this account because the place is called to the present day Cellula sancti
Maxentii. And when his monks saw a division of the host approaching the
monastery, they prayed to the abbot to come forth from his cell to consult
with them. And as he stayed, they were panic-stricken and opened the door
and dragged him from his cell. And he hastened boldly to meet the enemy
to ask for peace. And one of them drew out his sword to launch a stroke at
his head, and when he had raised his hand to his ear it became rigid and the
sword fell. And he threw himself at the feet of the blessed man, asking
pardon. And the rest of them seeing this returned in great fear to the army,
afraid that they should all perish together. The man’s arm the holy confessor
rubbed with consecrated oil, and made over it the sign of the cross and
restored it to soundness. And owing to his protection the monastery
remained uninjured. He worked many other miracles also, and if any one
diligently seeks for them he will find them all in reading the book of his
Life. In the twenty-fifth year of Clovis.
Meantime king Clovis met with Alaric, king of the Goths, in the plain of
Vouillé[AC] at the tenth mile-stone from Poitiers, and while the one army
was for fighting at a distance the other tried to come to close combat. And
when the Goths had fled as was their custom, king Clovis won the victory
by God’s aid. He had to help him the son of Sigibert the lame, named
Chloderic. This Sigibert was lame from a wound in the leg, received in a
battle with the Alemanni near the town of Zülpich. Now when the king had
put the Goths to flight and slain king Alaric, two of the enemy suddenly
appeared and struck at him with their lances, one on each side. But he was
saved from death by the help of his coat of mail, as well as by his fast horse.
At that time there perished a very great number of the people of Auvergne,
who had come with Apollinaris and the leading senators. From this battle
Amalaric, son of Alaric, fled to Spain and wisely seized his father’s
kingdom. Clovis sent his son Theodoric to Clermont by way of Albi and

Rodez. He went, and brought under his father’s dominion the cities from the
boundaries of the Goths to the limit of the Burgundians. Alaric reigned
twenty-two years. When Clovis had spent the winter in Bordeaux and taken
all the treasures of Alaric at Toulouse, he went to Angoulême. And the Lord
gave him such grace that the walls fell down of their own accord when he
gazed at them. Then he drove the Goths out and brought the city under his
own dominion. Thereupon after completing his victory he returned to Tours,
bringing many gifts to the holy church of the blessed Martin.
38. Clovis received an appointment to the consulship from the emperor
Anastasius, and in the church of the blessed Martin he clad himself in the
purple tunic and chlamys, and placed a diadem on his head. Then he
mounted his horse, and in the most generous manner he gave gold and
silver as he passed along the way which is between the gate of the entrance
[of the church of St. Martin] and the church of the city, scattering it among
the people who were there with his own hand, and from that day he was
called consul or Augustus.[AD] Leaving Tours he went to Paris and there he
established the seat of his kingdom. There also Theodoric came to him.
[39. Licinius was bishop of Tours at the time of Clovis’ visit. His
travels.]
40. When King Clovis was dwelling at Paris he sent secretly to the son
of Sigibert saying: “Behold your father has become an old man and limps in
his weak foot. If he should die,” said he, “of due right his kingdom would
be yours together with our friendship.” Led on by greed the son plotted to
kill his father. And when his father went out from the city of Cologne and
crossed the Rhine and was intending to journey through the wood Buchaw,
as he slept at midday in his tent his son sent assassins in against him, and
killed him there, in the idea that he would get his kingdom. But by God’s
judgment he walked into the pit that he had cruelly dug for his father. He
sent messengers to king Clovis to tell about his father’s death, and to say:
“My father is dead, and I have his treasures in my possession, and also his
kingdom. Send men to me, and I shall gladly transmit to you from his
treasures whatever pleases you.” And Clovis replied: “I thank you for your
good will, and I ask that you show the treasures to my men who come, and
after that you shall possess all yourself.” When they came, he showed his
father’s treasures. And when they were looking at the different things he
said: “It was in this little chest that my father used to put his gold coins.”

“Thrust in your hand,” said they, “to the bottom, and uncover the whole.”
When he did so, and was much bent over, one of them lifted his hand and
dashed his battle-ax against his head, and so in a shameful manner he
incurred the death which he had brought on his father. Clovis heard that
Sigibert and his son had been slain, and came to the place and summoned
all the people, saying: “Hear what has happened. When I,” said he, “was
sailing down the river Scheldt Cloderic, son of my kinsman, was in pursuit
of his own father, asserting that I wished him killed. And when his father
was fleeing through the forest of Buchaw, he set highwaymen upon him,
and gave him over to death, and slew him. And when he was opening the
treasures, he was slain himself by some one or other. Now I know nothing
at all of these matters. For I cannot shed the blood of my own kinsmen,
which it is a crime to do. But since this has happened, I give you my advice,
if it seems acceptable; turn to me, that you may be under my protection.”
They listened to this, and giving applause with both shields and voices, they
raised him on a shield, and made him king over them. He received
Sigibert’s kingdom with his treasures, and placed the people, too, under his
rule. For God was laying his enemies low every day under his hand, and
was increasing his kingdom, because he walked with an upright heart
before him, and did what was pleasing in his eyes.
41. After this he turned to Chararic. When he had fought with Siagrius
this Chararic had been summoned to help Clovis, but stood at a distance,
aiding neither side, but awaiting the outcome, in order to form a league of
friendship with him to whom victory came. For this reason Clovis was
angry, and went out against him. He entrapped and captured him and his
son also, and kept them in prison, and gave them the tonsure; he gave
orders to ordain Chararic priest and his son deacon. And when Chararic
complained of his degradation and wept, it is said that his son remarked: “It
was on green wood,” said he, “that these twigs were cut, and they are not
altogether withered. They will shoot out quickly, and be able to grow; may
he perish as swiftly who has done this.” This utterance was reported to the
ears of Clovis, namely, that they were threatening to let their hair grow, and
kill him. And he ordered them both to be put to death. When they were
dead, he took their kingdom with the treasures and people.
42. Ragnachar was then king at Cambrai, a man so unrestrained in his
wantonness that he scarcely had mercy for his own near relatives. He had a

counsellor Farro, who defiled himself with a like vileness. And it was said
that when food, or a gift, or anything whatever was brought to the king, he
was wont to say that it was enough for him and his Farro. And at this thing
the Franks were in a great rage. And so it happened that Clovis gave golden
armlets and belts, but all only made to resemble gold—​for it was bronze
gilded so as to deceive—​these he gave to Ragnachar’s leudes to be invited
to attack him. [AE]Moreover, when Clovis had set his army in motion
against him, and Ragnachar was continually sending spies to get
information, on the return of his messengers he used to ask how strong the
force was. And they would answer: “It is a great sufficiency for you and
your Farro.” Clovis came and made war on him, and he saw that his army
was beaten and prepared to slip away in flight, but was seized by his army,
and with his hands tied behind his back, he was taken with Ricchar his
brother before Clovis. And Clovis said to him: “Why have you humiliated
our family in permitting yourself to be bound? It would have been better for
you to die.” And raising his ax he dashed it against his head, and he turned
to his brother and said: “If you had aided your brother, he would not have
been bound.” And in the same way he smote him with his ax and killed him.
After their death their betrayers perceived that the gold which they had
received from the king was false. When they told the king of this, it is said
that he answered: “Rightly,” said he, “does he receive this kind of gold,
who of his own will brings his own master to death;” it ought to suffice
them that they were alive, and were not put to death, to mourn amid
torments the wicked betrayal of their masters. When they heard this, they
prayed for mercy, saying it was enough for them if they were allowed to
live. The kings named above were kinsmen of Clovis, and their brother,
Rignomer by name, was slain by Clovis’ order at the city of Mans. When
they were dead Clovis received all their kingdom and treasures. And having
killed many other kings and his nearest relatives, of whom he was jealous
lest they take the kingdom from him, he extended his rule over all the
Gauls. However he gathered his people together at one time, it is said, and
spoke of the kinsmen whom he had himself destroyed. “Woe to me, who
have remained as a stranger among foreigners, and have none of my
kinsmen to give me aid if adversity comes.” But he said this not because of
grief at their death but by way of a ruse, if perchance he should be able to
find some one still to kill.

43. After all this he died at Paris, and was buried in the church of the
holy apostles, which he himself had built together with his queen Clotilda.
He passed away in the fifth year after the battle of Vouillé, and all the days
of his reign were thirty years, and his age was forty-five. From the death of
St. Martin to the death of king Clovis, which happened in the eleventh year
of the episcopate of Licinius, bishop of Tours, one hundred and twelve
years are reckoned. Queen Clotilda came to Tours after the death of her
husband and served there in the church of St. Martin, and dwelt in the place
with the greatest chastity and kindness all the days of her life, rarely visiting
Paris.

HERE ENDS THE SECOND BOOK

FOOTNOTES:
[47] For aqua sanguine cuncta infecit read digne aquas unguine infecit.
See Bonnet, Le Latin de Gregoire de Tours, p. 457.
[48] Regalibus.
[49] Alamanni for Alani.
[50] papa. The word was used in the early Middle Ages in unrestricted,
informal sense, and applied widely to bishops. Cf. Du Cange,
Glossarium.

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE THIRD BOOK

1. The sons of Clovis.
2. Episcopates of Dinifius, Apollinaris and Quintian.
3. The Danes make an attack on the Gauls.
4. The kings of the Thuringi.
5. Sigimund kills his own son.
6. Death of Chlodomer.
7. War with the Thuringi.
8. Hermenfled’s death.
9. Childebert visits Auvergne.
10. Amalaric’s death.
11. Childebert and Clothar go to the Burgundies, Theodoric to Auvergne.
12. Devastation of Auvergne.
13. Lovolautrum and Chastel-Marlhac.
14. Munderic’s death.
15. Captivity of Attalus.
16. Sigivald.
17. The bishops of Tours.
18. Death of Chlodomer’s sons.
19. The holy Gregory and the site of Dijon.
20. Theodobert is betrothed to Visigard.
21. Theodobert departs for Provence.
22. He later marries Deoteria.
23. Sigivald’s death.
24. Childebert makes gifts to Theodobert.
25. Theodobert’s goodness.
26. Death of Deoteria’s daughter.
27. Theodobert marries Visigard.
28. Childebert and Theodobert march against Clothar.
29. Childebert and Clothar march into the Spains.
30. The Spanish kings.
31. The daughter of Theodoric, king of Italy.
32. Theodobert marches into Italy.

33. Asteriolus and Secundinus.
34. Theodobert’s gift to the citizens of Verdun.
35. Sirivald’s death.
36. Theodobert’s death and the slaying of Parthenius.
37. A severe winter.

HERE ENDS THE LIST OF CHAPTERS

IN CHRIST’S NAME HERE BEGINS THE THIRD BOOK

I wish, if it is agreeable, to make a brief comparison of the successes that
have come to Christians who confess the blessed Trinity and the ruin which
has come to heretics who have tried to destroy the same. And let us omit
how Abraham worshipped the Trinity at the oak,[51] and Jacob preached it
in his blessing, and Moses recognized it in the bush, and the people
followed it in the cloud and dreaded the same in the mountain, and how
Aaron carried it on his breastplate, or how David made it known in the
Psalms, praying to be made new by a right spirit and that the holy spirit
should not be taken from him and that he be comforted by the chief spirit.
And, for my part, I consider this a great mystery, namely that the voice of
the prophet proclaimed as the chief spirit that which the heretics assert to be
the lesser. But passing over these, as we have said, let us return to our times.
For Arius, who was the first wicked inventor of this wicked sect, was
subjected to infernal fires after he had lost his entrails in a privy. But
Hilarius, the blessed defender of the undivided Trinity, though sent into
exile for its sake, was restored both to his native land and to Paradise. King
Clovis confessed it, and crushed the heretics by its aid and extended his
kingdom over all the Gauls; Alaric, on the other hand, who denied it, was
deprived of kingdom and people, and what is more, of eternal life itself.
And to true believers, even if through the plots of the enemy they lose
something, the Lord restores it a hundred fold, but heretics do not gain any
advantage, but what they seem to have is taken from them. This is proved
by the deaths of Godegisel, Gundobad,[AF] and Godomar, who at the same
time lost their country and their souls. But we confess one God, invisible,
[52]
infinite, incomprehensible, glorious, always the same, and everlasting,
one in Trinity in respect to the number of persons, that is, the Father, the
Son and the Holy Spirit; we confess him also triple in unity in respect to
equality of substance, deity, omnipotence or power, the one greatest
omnipotent God ruling for eternal centuries.

[AG]
1. Now on the death of king Clovis, his four sons, namely,
Theodoric, Chlodomer, Childebert and Chlothar, received his kingdom and
divided it among them in equal parts. Theodoric had already at that time a
handsome and valiant son named Theodobert. And since they were very
brave and had abundant strength in their army, Amalaric, son of Alaric, king
of Spain, asked for their sister in marriage, and they kindly granted his
request, and sent her into the Spanish country with a great quantity of
beautiful things.
[2. Quintianus, ex-bishop of Rodez, is rewarded for his faithfulness to
the Franks by being made bishop of Clermont. 3. The Danes plunder the
coast of Theodoric’s kingdom. 4. Hermenfred becomes sole king of the
Thuringi by Theodoric’s help.]
5. Now on Gundobad’s death his son Sygismund held his kingdom, and
he built with great skill the monastery of St. Maurice, with its dwellings and
churches. And losing his first wife, the daughter of Theodoric,[AH] king of
Italy, he married another, and she began to malign his son bitterly and make
charges against him as is the custom of stepmothers. From this it came
about that on a day of ceremonial when the boy recognized his mother’s
dress on her, he was filled with anger, and said to her: “You are not worthy
to have on your back those garments which are known to have belonged to
your mistress, that is, my mother.” And she was set on fire with rage and
she stirred her husband up with crafty words, saying: “The wicked boy
wishes to possess your kingdom, and he plans when you are killed to extend
it as far as Italy, forsooth, that he may possess the kingdom which his
grandfather Theodoric held in Italy. For he knows that while you live he
cannot accomplish this; and unless you fall he will not rise.” Sygismund
was aroused by these words, and taking the advice of his wicked wife he
became a wicked parricide. For when his son had been made drowsy by
wine he bade him sleep in the afternoon; and while he slept a napkin was
placed under his neck and tied under his chin, and he was strangled by two
servants who drew in opposite directions. When it was done the father
repented too late, and falling on the lifeless corpse began to weep most
bitterly. And a certain old man is reported to have spoken to him in these
words: “Henceforth wail for yourself,” said he, “that you have become a
most cruel parricide through base counsel. For there is no need to wail for
this innocent boy who has been strangled.” Nevertheless he went off to the

holy Saint Maurice and spending many days in weeping and fasting he
prayed for pardon. After establishing there a perpetual service of song he
returned to Lyons, the divine vengeance attending on his footsteps. King
Theodoric had married his daughter.
[AI]
6. Queen Clotilda spoke to Chlodomer and her other sons, saying:
“Let me not repent, dearest sons, that I have nursed you lovingly; be angry,
I beg you, at the insult to me, and avenge with a wise zeal the death of my
father and mother.” They heeded this; and they hastened to the Burgundies
and marched against Sygismund and his brother Godomar. Their army was
completely routed and Godomar fled. But Sygismund was taken by
Chlodomer when he was endeavoring to make his escape to the holy St.
Maurice, and led away captive with his wife and sons, and was placed
under guard and kept prisoner in the territory of the city of Orleans. When
the kings departed Godomar recovered his courage and gathered the
Burgundians and gained his kingdom back. And Chlodomer was making
preparations to march against him a second time and determined to kill
Sygismund. And the blessed abbot Avitus, a great priest of that time, said to
him: “If,” said he, “you would look to God and amend your counsel so as
not to allow these men to be killed, God will be with you and you shall go
and win the victory; but if you kill them you shall be surrendered yourself
into the hands of your enemies and shall perish in the same way. And what
you do to Sygismund and his wife and children shall be done to you and
your wife and sons.” But he despised listening to this counsel, and said: “I
think it is foolish advice to leave enemies at home and march against the
rest, and when the former rise up in the rear and the latter in front I shall fall
between two armies. The victory will be won better and more easily if one
is separated from the other; if one is slain it will be possible to doom the
others to death easily.” He gave orders to slay Sygismund at once, with his
wife and children, by casting them into a well in the village Columna, of the
city Orleans, and hastened to the Burgundies, summoning to his aid king
Theodoric. And the latter promised to go, not caring to avenge the wrong
done to his father-in-law. And when they met near Visorontia, a place of the
city of Vienne, they fought with Godomar. And when Godomar had fled
with his army and Chlodomer was pursuing and was separated a
considerable distance from his men, the others, imitating his rallying cry,
called to him saying: “This way, come this way, we are your men.” And he
believed it and went, and fell into the midst of his enemies, and cutting off

his head and setting it on a pike they raised it aloft. The Franks saw this and
perceived that Chlodomer was dead, and rallying, they put Godomar to
flight and crushed the Burgundians and reduced their country to subjection,
and Clothar immediately married his brother’s wife, Guntheuca by name.
And queen Clotilda, after the period of mourning was past, took his sons
and kept them; and one of these was called Theodoald, a second, Gunther, a
third, Chlodovald. Godomar recovered his kingdom a second time.
7. Afterward Theodoric, remembering the wrongs done by Hermenfred,
king of the Thuringi,[AJ] called his brother Clothar to his aid and prepared to
march against him, promising that a share of the plunder should be given to
king Clothar, if by God’s help the gift of victory should come to them. So
he called the Franks together and said to them: “Be angry, I beg of you,
both because of my wrong and because of the death of your kinsmen, and
recollect that the Thuringi once made a violent attack upon our kinsmen and
inflicted much harm on them. And they gave hostages and were willing to
conclude peace with them, but the Thuringi slew the hostages with various
tortures, and made an attack upon our kinsmen, took away all their property,
and hung youths by the sinews of their thighs to trees, and cruelly killed
more than two hundred maidens, tying them by their arms to the necks of
horses, which were then headed in opposite directions, and being started by
a very sharp goad tore the maidens to pieces. And others were stretched out
upon the city streets and stakes were planted in the ground, and they caused
loaded wagons to pass over them, and having broken their bones they gave
them to dogs and birds for food. And now Hermenfred has deceived me in
what he promised, and refuses to perform it at all. [AK]Behold, we have a
plain word. Let us go with God’s aid against them.” They heard this and
were angry at such a wrong, and with heart and mind they attacked
Thuringia. And Theodoric took his brother Clothar and his son Theodobert
to help him and went with his army. And the Thuringi prepared stratagems
against the coming of the Franks. For they dug pits in the plain where the
fight was to take place, and covering the openings with thick turf they made
it seem a level plain. So when they began to fight, many of the Frankish
horsemen fell into these pits and it was a great obstacle to them, but when
this stratagem was perceived they began to be on their guard. When finally
the Thuringi saw that they were being fiercely cut to pieces and when their
king Hermenfred had taken to flight, they turned their backs and came to

the stream Unstrut. And there such a slaughter of the Thuringi took place
that the bed of the stream was filled with heaps of corpses, and the Franks
crossed upon them as if on a bridge to the further shore. The victory being
won they took possession of that country and brought it under their control.
And Clothar went back, taking with him as a captive Radegunda, daughter
of king Berthar, and he married her, and her brother he afterwards killed
unjustly by the hands of wicked men. She also turned to God, changing her
garments, and built a monastery for herself in the city of Poitiers. And being
remarkable for prayer, fasting and charity, she attained such fame that she
was considered great by the people. And when the kings who have been
mentioned were still in Thuringia, Theodoric wished to kill his own brother
Clothar, and preparing armed men secretly, he summoned him on the
pretext that he wished to consult him privately. And stretching a tent-cloth
in one part of the house from one wall to the other, he ordered the armed
men to stand behind it. And since the cloth was somewhat short the feet of
the armed men were in full sight. Clothar learned of this, and came into the
house with his men armed also. And Theodoric perceived that he had
learned of these things and he made a pretence, and talked of one thing after
another. Finally, not knowing how to put a good appearance on his
stratagem, he gave him as a favor a great silver dish. And Clothar said
good-by and thanked him for the gift and returned to his place of
encampment. But Theodoric complained to his people that he had lost his
dish for no evident reason, and he said to his son Theodobert; “Go to your
uncle and ask him to give you of his own free will the gift I gave him.” He
went, and got what he asked for. In such stratagems Theodoric was very
skilful.
8. He returned to his own country and urged Hermenfred to come to him
boldly, pledging his faith, and he enriched him with honorable gifts. It
happened, however, when they were talking one day on the walls of the city
of Tolbiac that Hermenfred was pushed by some one or other, and fell from
the height of the wall to the ground and there died. But we do not know
who cast him down from there; many however assert that a stratagem of
Theodoric was plainly revealed in this.
[9. King Childebert takes possession of Auvergne on a false report of
Theodoric’s death. 10. He leaves Auvergne and makes an expedition into
Spain to avenge the ill-treatment of his sister Chlotchild by her husband

Amalaric. 11-13. King Theodoric takes vengeance on the people of
Auvergne for receiving Childebert.]
14. Now Munderic, who asserted that he was a kinsman of the king, was
puffed up with pride and said: “What have I to do with king Theodoric. For
the throne of the kingdom is as much my due as his. I shall go out and
gather my people, and exact an oath from them, that Theodoric may know
that I am king just as much as he.” And he went out, and began to lead the
people astray, saying: “I am a chief, follow me, and it will be well with
you.” A multitude of country people followed him, as one might expect
from the frailty of mankind, taking the oath of fidelity and honoring him as
a king. And when Theodoric found this out he sent a command to him,
saying: “Come to see me, and if any share of my kingdom is due you, take
it.” Now Theodoric said this deceitfully, thinking that he would kill him
when he came. But the other was unwilling and said: “Go, bear back word
to your king that I am king just as he is.” Then the king gave orders to set
his army in motion, in order to crush him by force and punish him. And he
learned this, and not being strong enough to defend himself, he hastened to
the walls of the stronghold of Vitry,[AL] and strove to fortify himself in it
with all his property, gathering together those whom he had led astray. Now
the army got under way, and surrounded the stronghold, and besieged it for
seven days. And Munderic resisted with his people, saying: “Let us make a
brave stand, and fight together even to death, and not submit to the enemy.”
And when the army kept hurling javelins against them on every side, and
accomplished nothing, they reported this to the king. And he sent for a
certain one of his people, named Aregyselus, and said to him: “You see,”
said he, “what this traitor is able to do in his arrogance. Go and swear an
oath to him that he shall go forth safe. And when he has come forth, kill
him, and blot out his memory from our kingdom.” He went away and did as
he had been ordered. He had however first given a sign to the people,
saying: “When I speak words thus and so, rush upon him immediately and
kill him.” Now Aregyselus went in and said to Munderic: “How long will
you sit here like one without sense? You will not be able to resist the king
long, will you? Behold, your food has been cut off. When hunger
overcomes you, you will come forth whether or no, and surrender yourself
into the hands of the enemy, and you will die like a dog. Listen rather to my
advice, and submit to the king, that you may be able to live, you and your
sons.” Then the other, disheartened by these words, said: “If I go out, I shall

be seized by the king and slain, both I and my sons and all my friends who
are gathered with me.” And Aregyselus said to him: “Do not be afraid, but
if you decide to go forth, receive my oath as to your crime, and stand
securely before the king. Do not be afraid. You shall be on the same terms
with him as you were before.” To this Munderic answered: “I wish I were
sure I should not be killed.” Then Aregyselus put his hands on the holy
altar, and swore to him that he should go out safely. So when the oath had
been taken, Munderic went out from the gate of the stronghold, holding
Aregyselus’ hand, and the people gazed at him from a distance. Then as a
sign Aregyselus said: “Why do you gaze so intently, O people? Did you
never see Munderic before?” And at once the people rushed upon him. But
he understood and said: “I see very plainly that by these words you gave a
sign to the people to kill me, but I tell you who have deceived me by
perjury, no one shall ever see you alive again.” And he drove his lance into
his back, and thrust it through him and he fell and died. Then Munderic
unsheathed his sword, and with his followers made great slaughter of the
people, and until he died did not shrink back from any one he could reach.
And after he had been slain his property was added to the treasury.
[AM]
15. Theodoric and Childebert made a treaty, and swearing to each
other that neither would attack the other, they took hostages from each
other, in order that their agreement might be more secure. Many sons of
senators were given as hostages on that occasion, but a quarrel arose later
between the kings, and they were given over to servitude and those who had
taken them to guard now made slaves of them. Many of them however
escaped by flight, and returned to their native place, but a good many were
kept in slavery. Among these was Attalus, nephew of the blessed Gregory,
bishop of Langres, who became a slave and was appointed keeper of horses.
He was in servitude to a certain barbarian[AN] in the territory of Trèves.
Now the blessed Gregory sent servants to inquire for him, who found him,
and offered presents to the man, but he rejected them contemptuously,
saying: “This fellow, belonging to such a family, ought to be ransomed with
ten pounds of gold.” And when they had returned, a certain Leo, belonging
to the kitchen of his master, said: “I wish you would give me permission,
and perhaps I might be able to bring him back from captivity.” His master
was glad of the offer, and he went straight to the place, and desired to carry
the youth away secretly, but could not. Then bargaining with a certain man

he said: “Come with me, and sell me in the house of that barbarian, and take
the profit of my price, only let me have a freer opportunity of doing what I
have decided.” After taking an oath, the man went and sold him for twelve
gold pieces, and departed. The purchaser asked the new slave what work he
could do, and he answered: “I am very skilled in preparing all the things
that ought to be eaten at the tables of masters, and I am not afraid that my
equal in skill can be found. For I tell you that even if you desire to make
ready a feast for the king, I can prepare kingly viands, and no one better
than I.” And he said: “The day of the sun is near,”—​for thus the Lord’s day
is usually named in the barbarian fashion—​“on this day my neighbors and
kinsmen shall be invited to my house. I ask you to make me such a feast as
to make them wonder and say ‘we have not seen better in the king’s
palace.’” And the other said: “Let my master order a great number of fowls,
and I will do what you command.” Accordingly the preparations which the
slave had asked for were made, and the Lord’s day dawned, and he made a
great feast full of delicacies. And when all had feasted and praised the
viands, the master’s kinsmen went away. The master thanked this slave, and
gave him authority over the food that he had ready for use, and he loved
him greatly, and the slave used to serve food to all who were with his
master. After the space of a year, when his master was now certain of him,
Leo went out into a meadow which was near the house, with the slave
Attalus, the keeper of the horses, and lying on the ground with him a long
distance off, with their backs turned so they would not be recognized as
together, he said to the youth: “It is time that we ought to be thinking of our
native place. Therefore I advise you not to allow yourself to go to sleep to-
night when you bring the horses to be shut in, but as soon as I call you,
come, and let us undertake the journey.” Now the barbarian had invited
many of his kinsmen to a feast, and among them was his son-in-law, who
had married his daughter. And at midnight they rose from the banquet and
retired to rest, and Leo attended his master’s son-in-law to the place
assigned and offered him drink. The man said to him: “Tell me, if you can,
trusted servant of my father-in-law, when will you decide to take his horses
and go to your own country.” He said this in a joking way. In the same way
the other jokingly gave the truthful answer: “To-night, I think, if it is God’s
will.” And he said: “I hope my attendants will be on the watch that you take
nothing of mine.” They parted laughingly. And when all were asleep, Leo
called Attalus, and when the horses were saddled, he asked him if he had a

sword. He answered: “I do not need one, I have only a small lance.” But the
other went into his master’s house, and took his shield and spear. And when
he asked who it was, and what he wanted, he answered: “I am Leo, your
slave, and I am waking Attalus, so that he may rise quickly and take the
horses to pasture; for he is sleeping as soundly as if he were drunk.” And he
said: “Do as you please.” And saying this he fell asleep. The other went out
of doors and armed the youth, and found unbarred, by divine help, the gates
of the yard, which at nightfall he had barred with wedges driven by a
hammer, to keep the horses safe; thanking God they took the remaining
horses and went off, taking also a roll of garments. They came to the river
Moselle[AO] in order to cross it, and being detained by certain persons they
left their horses and clothes and swam over the river, supported on a shield,
and climbing the further bank they hid themselves in the woods amid the
darkness of the night. The third night was come since they had been on their
way without tasting food. Then by God’s will they found a tree full of the
fruit which is commonly called plums, and ate and were strengthened
somewhat, and began the journey through Champagne. And as they
hastened, they heard the tramping of horses going at a rapid gait, and they
said: “Let us throw ourselves down on the ground, so as not to be seen by
the men who are coming.” And behold they suddenly came upon a great
bramble bush, and they passed behind and threw themselves on the ground
with their swords unsheathed, in order to defend themselves quickly from
wicked men if they should be noticed. And when the others had come to the
thorn-bush they stopped; and one of them said, while their horses were
making water: “Woe is me that these accursed wretches are escaped and
cannot be found; but by my salvation, if they are found I command one to
be condemned to the gallows, and the other to be cut to fragments by
strokes of the sword.” Now the barbarian who said this was their master
who was coming from the city of Rheims seeking for them, and he would
certainly have found them on the way if night had not prevented. Then
starting their horses, they went off. The fugitives reached the city on this
very night, and going in, they found a man of whom they made inquiries,
and he told them where the house of the priest Paulellus was. And while
they were passing through the square, the bell was rung for matins—​for it
was the Lord’s day—​and knocking at the priest’s door, they went in, and
Leo told about his master. And the priest said to him: “It was a true vision I
had. For last night I saw two doves fly toward me and settle on my hand,

and one of them was white, and the other black.” And Leo said to the priest:
“May the Lord be kind as the day is holy. For we ask you to give us some
food; for the fourth day is dawning since we have tasted bread and meat.”
He hid the slaves, and gave them bread soaked in wine, and went away to
matins. The barbarian followed them, asking for the boys a second time, but
he was deceived by the priest, and he went back. For the priest had an old
friendship with the blessed Gregory. Then the youths, after refreshing their
strength with food, and remaining two days in the home of the priest,
departed, and thus they came to the holy Gregory. The bishop rejoiced at
seeing them, and wept on the neck of Attalus his nephew; he set Leo free
from the yoke of slavery with all his family, and gave him land of his own,
on which he lived a free man with his wife and children all the days of his
life.
[16. Sigivald, duke of Auvergne, is miraculously punished for taking
church property. 17. Seven successive bishops of Tours are mentioned, one
of them, Leo, being “a man of energy and skill in the building of wooden
structures.”]
18. While queen Clotilda was staying at Paris, Childebert saw that his
mother loved with especial affection the sons of Chlodomer, whom we have
mentioned above, and being envious and fearful that they would have a
share in the kingdom through the favor of the queen, he sent secretly to his
brother king Clothar, saying: “Our mother keeps our brother’s sons with
her, and wishes them to be kings. You must come swiftly to Paris, where we
will take counsel together and discuss what ought to be done about them,
whether their hair shall be cut and they be treated like the rest of the
common people, or whether we shall kill them and divide our brother’s
kingdom between ourselves equally.” And Clothar was very glad at these
words, and came to Paris. Now Childebert had spread the report among the
people that the kings were meeting for the purpose of raising the little ones
to the throne. And when they met, they sent to the queen, who was then
dwelling in the city, saying: “Send the little ones to us, that they may be
raised to the throne.” And she rejoiced, not knowing their treachery, and
giving the boys food and drink, she sent them saying: “I shall not think that
I have lost my son, if I see you occupy his place in the kingdom.” And they
went, and were seized at once, and were separated from their servants and
tutors, and they were guarded separately, in one place the servants, in

another these little ones. Then Childebert and Clothar sent Arcadius, whom
we have mentioned before, to the queen, with a pair of scissors and a naked
sword. And coming he showed both to the queen, and said: “Most glorious
queen, your sons, our masters, ask your decision as to what you think ought
to be done with the boys, whether you give command for them to live with
shorn hair,[AP] or for both to be put to death.” She was terrified by the news
and at the same time enraged, especially when she saw the naked sword and
the scissors, and being overcome with bitterness, and not knowing in her
grief what she was saying, she said imprudently: “It is better for me to see
them dead rather than shorn, if they are not raised to the kingship.” But he
wondered little at her grief, and did not think what she would say later in
less haste, but went swiftly, taking the news and saying: “Finish the task
you have begun with the queen’s favor; for she wishes your design to be
accomplished.” There was no delay. Clothar seized the older boy by the
arm, and dashed him to the earth, and plunging his hunting knife into his
side, he killed him pitilessly. And while the child was screaming, his brother
threw himself at Childebert’s feet and seized his knees and said: “Help me,
kind father, lest I perish like my brother.” Then Childebert, his face covered
with tears, said: “Dearest brother, I ask you to grant his life to me in your
generosity, and let me pay for his life what you wish, only let him not be
killed.” But the other attacked him with abuse, and said: “Cast him from
you, or you shall surely die in his place. It is you,” said he, “that are the
guilty instigator[53] of this matter. Do you so easily break faith?” Childebert
heeded this and cast the boy away from him to the other, who seized him
and plunged his knife into his side and slew him as he had his brother
before: then they killed the servants and the tutors. When they were killed
Clothar mounted his horse and went off, making a small matter of the
killing of his nephews. And Childebert retired to the outskirts of the city.
And the queen placed their little bodies on a bier and followed them to the
church of St. Peter with loud singing and unbounded grief, and buried them
side by side. One was ten years old, the other seven. But the third,
Clodoald, they were unable to seize, since he was freed by the aid of brave
men. He gave up his earthly kingdom and passed to the Lord’s service, and
cutting his hair with his own hand he became a clerk, busied with good
works, and as a priest passed from this life. The two kings divided equally
between them the kingdom of Chlodomer. And queen Clotilda showed
herself such that she was honored by all; she was always diligent in alms,

able to endure the whole night in watching, unstained in chastity and
uprightness; with a generous and ready good-will she bestowed estates on
churches, monasteries, and holy places wherever she saw there was need, so
that she was believed to serve God diligently, not as a queen but as his own
handmaid, and neither her royal sons, nor worldly ambition, nor wealth,
raised her up for destruction, but her humility exalted her to grace.
19. There lived at that time in the city of Langres the blessed Gregory, a
great bishop of God, renowned for his signs and miracles. And since we
have spoken of this bishop, I think it not unpleasing to insert in this place an
account of the site of Dijon, where he was especially active. It is a
stronghold with very solid walls, built in the midst of a plain, a very
pleasant place, the lands rich and fruitful, so that when the fields are
ploughed once the seed is sown and a great wealth of produce comes in due
season. On the south it has the Ouche, a river very rich in fish, and from the
north comes another little stream, which runs in at the gate and flows under
a bridge and again passes out by another gate, flowing around the whole
fortified place with its quiet waters, and turning with wonderful speed the
mills before the gate. The four gates face the four regions of the universe,
and thirty-three towers adorn the whole structure, and the wall is thirty feet
high and fifteen feet thick, built of squared stones up to twenty feet, and
above of small stone. And why it is not called a city I do not know. It has all
around it abundant springs, and on the west are hills, very fertile and full of
vineyards, which produce for the inhabitants such a noble Falernian that
they disdain wine of Ascalon. The ancients say this place was built by the
emperor Aurelian.
[20. Betrothal of Theodoric’s son Theodobert to Visigard. 21. The Franks
retake some of the cities taken by Clovis from the Goths. 22. Theodobert
falls in love with Deoteria.]
23. In those days Theodoric killed his kinsman Sigivald with the sword,
sending secretly to Theodobert that he should slay Sigivald’s son Sigivald
whom he had with him. But he was unwilling to destroy him, because he
had taken him from the sacred font.[AQ] But he gave him the letter to read
which his father had sent, saying: “Flee from here, because I have received
my father’s command to kill you; and if he dies and you hear that I am
reigning, then return to me safely.” On hearing this Sigivald thanked him,
said good-by, and departed. Now at that time the Goths had taken

possession of the city of Arles,[AR] from which Theodobert still had
hostages. To it Sigivald fled. But he saw that he was not safe there, and
went to Latium, and remained hidden there. While this was going on, word
was brought to Theodobert that his father was seriously ill, and that if he
did not hasten swiftly to him so as to find him alive, he would be excluded
by his uncles, and would never be allowed to return. And he postponed
everything on hearing this, and hastened thither, leaving Deoteria with her
daughter at Clermont. And not many days after he had gone, Theodoric
died, in the twenty-third year of his reign. And Childebert and Clothar rose
against Theodobert and wished to take the kingdom from him, but he was
defended by his leudes, after they had received gifts from him, and was
established in his kingdom. He sent later to Clermont and summoned
Deoteria thence, and married her.
24. Childebert saw that he was not able to prevail, and sent an embassy
to him, and bade him come to him, saying: “I have no sons, I wish to treat
you as a son.” And when he came he bestowed such rich gifts upon him that
all wondered. For he presented him with three pairs of all the articles of
armor, vestments, and other equipments that it becomes a king to have, and
likewise with horses and chains. Sigivald heard this, namely, that
Theodobert had received his father’s kingdom, and returned to him from
Italy. And Theodobert rejoiced, and kissed him, and bestowed upon him a
third part of the gifts which he had received from his uncle, and he gave
orders that all that his father had seized of the property of Sigivald’s father,
should be returned to him.
25. And he was established in his kingdom, and showed himself great,
and distinguished by every goodness. For he ruled his kingdom with justice,
respecting the bishops, making gifts to the churches, relieving the poor, and
doing kindnesses to many persons with a pious and generous heart. He
kindly remitted all the tribute which was payable to his treasury from the
churches situated in Auvergne.
26. Now Deoteria saw that her daughter was quite grown up, and was
afraid that the king would desire and take her. She placed her in a litter to
which wild oxen were yoked, and sent her headlong over a bridge; and she
lost her life in the river. This happened in the city of Verdun.

27. As it was now the seventh year since Theodobert and Visigard had
been betrothed, and he was unwilling to take her on account of Deoteria, the
Franks, when they met, were greatly scandalized at him because he had
abandoned his betrothed. Then he was alarmed, and abandoning Deoteria,
by whom he had a little son named Theodobald, he married Visigard. And
when she died not long after, he took another wife. But he did not have
Deoteria after that.
[28. Childebert and Theodobert march against Chlothar but are turned
back by a miraculous hailstorm sent by St. Martin.]
29. Later king Childebert set out for Spain. And entering the country
with Clothar, they surrounded the city of Saragossa with their army, and
besieged it. But the besieged turned to God in such humility that they put on
haircloth, abstained from food and drink, and made the round of the walls
of the city with psalm-singing, carrying the tunic of the blessed Vincent, the
martyr; the women, too, followed wailing, clothed in black robes, with their
hair hanging loose and ashes upon it, so that one would think they were
attending the funerals of their husbands. And to such a degree did that city
place its whole hope in God’s mercy that it was said they were celebrating
the fast of the Ninevites[AS] there, and there was no idea of any other
possibility than that the divine mercy might be won by prayers. But the
besiegers did not know what was going on, and when they saw them go
around the wall in such a way they supposed they were engaged in some
sorcery. Then seizing one of the common people of the place, they asked
him what it was they were doing. And he said: “They are carrying the
blessed Vincent’s tunic, and at the same time they are praying the Lord to
pity them.” And they were afraid at this, and went away from that city.
However, they acquired a very large part of Spain, and returned to the Gauls
with great spoils.
30. After Amalaric, Theoda was ordained king in the Spains. But when
he was slain they raised Theodegisil to the throne. When he was dining with
his friends and was very cheerful, suddenly the lights were put out in the
dining hall and he was slain by his enemies, being thrust through with a
sword. After him Agila became king. For the Goths had formed the
detestable habit of attacking with the sword any one of their kings who did
not please them, and they would appoint as king any one that took their
fancy.

31. Theodoric of Italy having married a sister of king Clovis, died, and
left his wife and a little daughter. When this girl was grown, because of her
fickle temper she refused the counsel of her mother, who was looking out
for a king’s son for her, and took her slave named Traguilanis, and fled with
him to a city where she hoped to defend herself. And when her mother
raged at her furiously, and begged her not to disgrace further a noble family,
and said it was her duty to send the slave off and take one of equal rank
with herself from a royal family, whom her mother had provided, she was
by no means willing to agree to it. Then her mother, still raging at her, set
an army in motion. And they came upon them, and killed Traguilanis with
the sword, chastised the girl herself, and took her to her mother’s house.
Now they belonged to the Arian sect, and as it is their custom that of those
going to the altar the kings receive one cup and the lesser people another,
she put poison in the cup from which her mother was going to receive the
communion. And she drank it and died forthwith. There is no doubt that
such harm is from the devil. What shall the wretched heretics answer to this
charge that the enemy dwells in their holy place? But as for us who confess
the Trinity in one similar equality and omnipotence, even if we should drink
a deadly draught in the name of the Father, Son and holy Spirit, the true and
incorruptible God, it would not do us any harm. The Italians were indignant
at this woman, and they invited Theodad, king of Tuscia, and made him
king over them. When he learned what the harlot had been guilty of, how
she had slain her mother on account of a slave whom she had taken, he gave
orders that a bath be raised to a great heat, and that she be shut in the same
with one maid. And when she entered the hot vapors she fell at once on the
pavement, and died, and was consumed. And when the kings Childebert and
Chlothar, her cousins, as well as Theodobert, learned this, namely, that she
had been put to death in so shameful a manner, they sent an embassy to
Theodad, blaming him for her death, and saying: “If you do not make an
arrangement with us for what you have done, we will take your kingdom
from you, and condemn you to a like punishment.” Then he was afraid, and
sent to them fifty thousand gold pieces. And Childebert, being as ever
envious of king Clothar, and deceitful, joined with Theodobert his nephew,
and they divided the gold between them, and refused to give any of it to
king Clothar. But he made an attack upon the treasures of Chlodomer, and
took much more from them than that of which they had defrauded him.

32. Theodobert went to Italy, and there made great gains. But as those
places according to report are full of diseases, his army was attacked by
various fevers, and many of them died there. Seeing this, Theodobert
returned from the country and brought much spoil, himself and his men. It
is related that at that time he went as far as the city of Pavia to which he
again sent Buccelenus. And he captured lesser Italy and brought it under the
sway of the king who has been mentioned, and attacked greater Italy; here
he fought against Belsuarius many times and won the victory. And when the
emperor saw that Belsuarius was being beaten more frequently he removed
him, and put Narses in his place, and, as a humiliation, he made Belsuarius
count of the stable, a place he had held before. But Buccelenus fought great
battles against Narses: capturing all Italy he extended his boundaries to the
sea, and he sent great treasures from Italy to Theodobert. When Narses
made this known to the emperor, the emperor hired nations and sent aid to
Narses, and in the battle later he was defeated. Then Buccelenus seized
Sicily and exacting tribute from it he sent it to the king. He enjoyed great
prosperity in these matters.
[33. Feud between Asteriolus and Secundinus, advisers of King
Theodobert.]
[AT]
34. Desideratus, bishop of Verdun, to whom king Theodoric had
done many wrongs, was restored to liberty at the Lord’s command, after
many losses and reverses and griefs, and received the office of bishop, as
we have said, at the city of Verdun, and seeing its inhabitants very poor and
destitute he grieved for them, and since he was left without his own
property because of Theodoric, and had nothing of his own with which to
relieve them, knowing the goodness and kindness to all of king Theodobert,
he sent an embassy to him saying: “The fame of your goodness is spread
over all the earth, since your generosity is such that you give aid even to
those who do not seek it. I beg of your kindness if you have any money, that
you lend it to us that we may be able to relieve our fellow-citizens; and
when those in charge of business secure a return in our city such as the rest
have, we will repay your money with lawful interest.” Then Theodobert
was stirred with pity and furnished seven thousand gold pieces, which the
bishop received and paid out among his fellow-citizens. And they who were
engaged in business were made rich through this and are considered great to
the present day. And when the bishop who has been just mentioned offered

the money which was due to the king, the king answered: “I have no need
to take this; it is enough for me if the poor men who were suffering want
have been relieved by your care because of your suggestion and my
generosity.” And he whom we have mentioned made the citizens rich
without demanding anything.
[35. Syagrius avenges wrongs done to his father by killing Syrivald.]
[AU]
36. After this king Theodobert began to be sick. And the physicians
gave him much care; but he did not get well because the Lord was already
bidding him be summoned. And so after a very long illness he died of his
infirmity. And as the Franks hated Parthenius intensely, because he had
subjected them to tribute in the time of the king just mentioned, they began
to attack him. He saw that he was in danger, and fled from the city, and
humbly begged two bishops to conduct him to the city of Trèves, and check
the sedition of the frenzied people by their preaching. While they were on
their way he was lying on his bed at night, and suddenly he made a loud cry
in his sleep, saying: “Ho! Ho! Help, you who are here, and assist one who is
perishing.” By this shouting those who were there were awakened, and they
asked him what the matter was. He answered: “Ausanius, my friend, and
my wife Papianella, whom I slew long ago, were summoning me to
judgment, saying: ‘Come to defend yourself, since you are going to plead
with us in the presence of the Lord.’” Now he had slain his innocent wife
and his friend some years before, under the influence of jealousy.
Accordingly, the bishops approached the city just mentioned, and since they
could not calm the sedition among the rebellious people, they wished to
hide him in the church, placing him in a chest, and strewing above him
vestments which were used in the church. The people came in, and after
searching every corner of the church, went out in a rage when they found
nothing. Then one said suspiciously: “Behold a chest in which our enemy
has not been sought for.” And when the guards said that there was nothing
in it except that it contained furniture of the church, they demanded the key,
saying: “Unless you quickly unlock it we will break it open ourselves.”
Finally the chest was unlocked, the linen cloths were removed, and they
found him and dragged him out, rejoicing and saying: “God has delivered
our enemy into our hands.” Then they struck him with their fists, and spat
on him, and tying his hands behind his back, they stoned him to death
beside a column. He was very voracious in eating, and what he ate he

digested speedily, taking aloes in order to be made hungry soon again….
And so he perished, meeting this kind of end.
37. In that year the winter was a grievous one and more severe than
usual, so that the streams were held in the chains of frost and furnished a
path for the people like dry ground. Birds, too, were affected by the cold
and hunger, and were caught in the hand without any snare when the snow
was deep.
Now from the death of Clovis to the death of Theodobert there are
reckoned thirty-seven years. When Theodobert died in the fourteenth year
of his reign, Theodoald his son reigned in his stead.

Here ends the Third Book.

FOOTNOTES:
[51] ad ilicem. Not in the Vulgate. Gregory probably used in part a rude
popular version of the Scriptures. See Bonnet, p. 61.
[52] Reading invisibilem for indivisibilem.
[53] Reading for incestator, instecator. Bonnet, Le Latin de Gregoire de
Tours, p. 454, 5.

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE FOURTH BOOK

1. Queen Clotilda’s death.
2. King Clothar attempts to take a third of the revenues of the churches.
3. His wives and children.
4. The counts of the Bretons.
5. The holy bishop Gallus.
6. The priest Cato.
7. The episcopate of Cautinus.
8. The kings of the Spaniards.
9. Theodovald’s death.
10. Rebellion of the Saxons.
11. The people of Tours at the bidding of the king invite Cato to be their
bishop.
12. The priest Anastasius.
13. Chramnus’s frivolity and wickedness and about Cautinus and Firmin.
14. Clothar makes a second expedition against the Saxons.
15. Episcopate of the holy Eufronius.
16. Chramnus and his followers and the crimes he committed and how he
went to Dijon.
17. How Chramnus deserted to Childebert.
18. Duke Austrapius.
19. Death of the holy bishop Medard.
20. Death of Childebert and killing of Chramnus.
21. King Clothar’s death.
22. Division of the kingdom among his sons.
23. Sigibert marches against the Huns and Chilperic seizes his cities.
24. The patrician Celsus.
25. Gunthram’s wives.
26. Charibert’s wives.
27. Sigibert marries Brunhilda.
28. Chilperic’s wives.
29. Sigibert’s second war with the Huns.
30. The people of Auvergne at King Sigibert’s bidding go to take Arles.

31. About the town of Tauredunum and other marvels.
32. The monk Julian.
33. The abbot Sunniulf.
34. The monk of Bordeaux.
35. The episcopate of Avitus in Auvergne.
36. The holy Nicetius of Lyons.
37. The holy recluse Fiard.
38. The Spanish kings.
39. Death of Palladius at Clermont.
40. Emperor Justinus.
41. Albin and the Lombards settle in Italy.
42. Wars between them and Mummulus.
43. The archdeacon of Marseilles.
44. The Lombards and Mummulus.
45. Mummulus goes to Tours.
46. The killing of Andarchius.
47. Theodobert takes possession of the cities.
48. The monastery of Latta.
49. Sigibert goes to Paris.
50. Chilperic enters into a treaty with Gunthram; death of Theodobert his
son.
51. Death of king Sigibert.

HERE END THE CHAPTERS

HERE BEGINS THE FOURTH BOOK WITH HAPPY AUSPICES

[1. Queen Clotilda dies at Tours and is buried at Paris.]
[AV]
2. King Clothar had ordered all the churches of his kingdom to pay
into his treasury a third of their revenues. But when all the other bishops,
though grudgingly, had agreed to this and signed their names, the blessed
Injuriosus scorned the command and manfully refused to sign, saying, “If
you attempt to take the things of God the Lord will take away your
kingdom speedily because it is wrong for your storehouses to be filled with
the contributions of the poor whom you yourself ought to feed.” He was
irritated with the king and left his presence without saying farewell. Then
the king was alarmed and being afraid of the power of the blessed Martin he
sent after him with gifts, praying for pardon and admitting the wrongfulness
of what he had done, and asking also that the bishop avert from him by
prayer the power of the blessed Martin.
3. The king had seven sons by several wives; namely, by Ingunda,
Gunthar, Childeric, Charibert, Gunthram, Sigibert, and a daughter
Chlotsinda; by Aregunda, sister of Ingunda, Chilperic; and by Chunsina he
had Chramnus. I will tell why it was he married his wife’s sister. When he
was already married to Ingunda and loved her alone, he received a hint
from her saying: “My Lord has done with his handmaid what he pleased
and has taken me to his couch. Now let my lord the king hear what his
servant would suggest to make his favor complete. I beg that you consent to
find a husband for my sister, a man who will be of advantage to your
servant and possess wealth, so that I shall not be humiliated but rather
exalted and shall be able to serve you more faithfully.” To this request he
gave heed and being of a wanton nature he fell in love with Aregunda and
went to the estate on which she was living and married her himself. Having
done this he returned to Ingunda and said: “I have tried to do the favor
which your sweet self asked of me. I sought for a man of riches and wisdom
to unite to your sister but I found no one better than myself. And so allow
me to tell you that I have married her, which I think will not displease you.”

And she replied; “Let my Lord do what seems good in his eyes; only let his
handmaid live in favor with the king.”
Now Gunthar, Chramnus and Childeric died in their father’s lifetime. Of
the death of Chramnus I shall write later. And Albin, king of the Lombards,
married Chlotsinda, his daughter. Injuriosus, bishop of Tours, died in the
seventeenth year of his episcopate and Baudinus, a former official of king
Clothar, succeeded him, the sixteenth after the death of the blessed Martin.
4. Chanao, count of the Bretons, killed three of his brothers. He wished
to kill Macliavus also, and seized him and kept him in prison loaded with
chains. But he was freed from death by Felix, bishop of Nantes. After this
he swore that he would be faithful to his brother, but from some reason or
other he became inclined to break his oath. Chanao was aware of this and
began to attack him again and when Macliavus saw that he could not
escape, he fled to another count of that district, Chonomor by name. When
Chonomor learned that Macliavus’ pursuers were near at hand, he hid him
in a box underground and heaped a mound over it in the regular way
leaving a small airhole so that he could breathe. And when his pursuers
came, they said: “Behold here lies Macliavus dead and buried.” On hearing
this they were glad and drank on his tomb and reported to his brother that
he was dead. And his brother took the whole of his kingdom. For since
Clovis’s death the Bretons have always been under the dominion of the
Franks and their rulers[AW] have been called counts, not kings. Macliavus
rose from underground and went to the city of Vannes and there received
the tonsure and was ordained bishop. But when Chanao died he left the
priesthood, let his hair grow long, and took back not only his brother’s
kingdom but also the wife whom he had abandoned when he became a
priest. However he was excommunicated by the bishops. What his end was
I shall describe later. Now bishop Baudinus died in the sixth year of his
episcopate, and the abbot Gunthar was appointed in his place, the
seventeenth after the passing of the blessed Martin.
[5. How St. Gall, bishop of Clermont, averted the plague from his
people.]
And when Saint Gall had departed from this world and his body had
been washed and carried to the church, Cato the priest immediately
received the congratulations of the clergy on becoming bishop. And as if he

were already bishop he took under his control all the church property,
removed the superintendents and cast the lesser officials out and regulated
everything himself.
[AX]
6. The bishops who came to St. Gall’s funeral said to Cato the priest
after the funeral: “We see that you are the choice of by far the largest part of
the people; come then, join us, and we will bless and ordain you as bishop.
The king is very young and if any fault is found with you, we will take you
under our protection and deal with the leading men of Theodovald’s
kingdom so that no wrong shall be done you. Trust us faithfully, since we
promise that even if some loss shall come to you, we will make it all good
from our own properties.” But he was puffed up with the pride of vainglory
and said: “You know from widespread report that from the beginning of my
life I have always lived religiously, that I have fasted, delighted in
almsgiving, often kept watch without ceasing and have frequently
continued the singing of psalms without a break the whole night through.
The Lord God to whom I have paid such service will not allow me to be
deprived of this office. For I attained all the grades of the clergy as directed
in the canons. I was reader ten years, I performed the duties of sub-deacon
five years, I have been priest now for twenty years. What more is left for
me except to receive the office of bishop which my faithful service
deserves. You then return to your cities and busy yourselves with whatever
tends to your advantage. For I intend to gain this office in the manner
prescribed by the canons.” The bishops heard this and departed cursing his
empty boasting.
7. He was accordingly designated to be bishop by the choice of the
clergy, and when he had taken charge of everything though he was not yet
ordained, he began to make various threats against the archdeacon
Cautinus, saying: “I will cast you out, I will degrade you, I will cause many
sorts of violent death to threaten you.” And he answered: “I wish to have
your favor, pious master; and if I win it, there is one kindness I can do.
Without any trouble on your part and without any deceit I will go to the
king and obtain the office of bishop for you, asking no reward except to win
your favor.” But the other was suspicious that he meant to make a mock of
him and rejected the offer with great disdain. And when Cautinus perceived
that he was in disgrace and was the object of ill report he pretended
sickness, and left the city by night, going to king Theodovald and reporting

the death of Saint Gall. And when he and his court were informed of it they
assembled the bishops at the city of Metz, and Cautinus the archdeacon was
ordained bishop. And on the arrival of the messengers of the priest Cato he
was already bishop. Then by the king’s order these clerks were delivered
over to him and all that they had brought from the property of the church,
and bishops and officials of the treasury were appointed to accompany him,
and they sent him on his way to Clermont. And he was gladly received by
the clergy and citizens and was thus made bishop of Clermont. But later
enmity arose between him and Cato the priest because no one was ever able
to influence Cato to submit to his bishop. A division of the clergy appeared
and some followed the bishop Cautinus and others the priest Cato. This was
a great drawback to them. And Cautinus saw that Cato could not be forced
in any way to submit to him and took all church property from him and his
friends and whoever took his part, and left them weak and empty. But
whoever of them returned to him, again received what he had lost.
[8. King Agila of Spain loses cities to the emperor which his successor
Athanagild recovers.]
9. When Theodovald[AY] had grown up he married Vuldetrada. This
Theodovald, they say, had a bad disposition so that when he was angry with
any one whom he suspected of taking his property he would make up a
fable, saying: “A snake found a jar full of wine. He went in by its neck and
greedily drained what was inside. But being puffed out by the wine he could
not go out by the opening by which he had entered. And the owner of the
wine came, and when the snake tried to get out but could not, he said to
him: ‘First vomit out what you have swallowed and then you will be able to
go free.’” This fable made him greatly feared and hated. Under him
Buccelenus after bringing all Italy under the rule of the Franks was slain by
Narses, and Italy was taken by the emperor’s party and there was no one to
recover it later. In his time we saw grapes grow on the tree we call saucum
[elder-tree] without having any vine on it, and the blossoms of the same
trees, which as you know usually produce black seeds, yielded the seeds of
grapes. At that time a star coming from the opposite direction was seen to
enter the disk of the fifth moon. I suppose these signs announced the death
of the king. He became very sick and could not move from the waist down.
He gradually grew worse and died in the seventh year of his reign, and king
Clothar took his kingdom, taking Vuldetrada his wife to his bed. But being

rebuked by the bishops he left her, giving her to duke Garivald and sending
his son Chramnus to Clermont.
[10. King Clothar destroys the greater part of the rebellious Saxons and
lays Thuringia waste.]
11. Bishop Gunthar died at Tours, and at a suggestion, it is said, of
bishop Cautinus the priest Cato was requested to undertake the government
of the church at Tours. And the clergy accompanied by Leubastes, keeper of
the relics and abbot, went in great state to Clermont. And when they had
declared the king’s will to Cato he would not answer them for a few days.
But they wished to return and said: “Declare your will to us so that we may
know what we ought to do; otherwise we will return home. For it was not of
our own will that we came to you but at the command of the king.” And
Cato in his greed for vainglory got together a crowd of poor men and
instructed them to shout as follows: “Good father, why do you abandon us
your children, whom you taught until now? Who will strengthen us with
food and drink if you go away? We beg you not to leave us whom you are
wont to support.” Then he turned to the clergy of Tours and said: “You see
now, beloved brothers, how this multitude of the poor loves me; I cannot
leave them to go with you.” They received this answer and returned to
Tours. Now Cato had made friends with Chramnus and got a promise from
him that if king Clothar should die at that time, Cautinus was to be cast out
at once from the bishop’s office and Cato was to be given control of the
church. But he who despised the chair of the blessed Martin did not get
what he desired, and in this was fulfilled that which David sang, saying:
“He refused the blessing and it shall be kept far from him.” He was puffed
up with vanity thinking that no one was superior to him in holiness. Once
he hired a woman to cry aloud in the church as if possessed and say that he
was holy and great and beloved by God, but Cautinus the bishop was guilty
of every crime and unworthy to hold the office of bishop.
12. Now Cautinus on taking up the duties of bishop became greatly
addicted to wine, and proved to be of such a character that he was loathed
by all. He was often so befuddled by drink that four men could hardly take
him away after dinner. Because of this habit he became an epileptic later on
—​a disease which frequently showed itself in public. He was also so
avaricious that if he could not get some part of the possessions of those
whose boundaries touched him he thought it was ruin for him. He took from

the stronger with quarrels and abuse, and violently plundered the weaker.
And as our Sollius[54] says, he would not pay the price because he despised
doing so, and would not accept deeds because he thought them useless.
There was at that time a priest Anastasius, of free birth, who held some
property secured by deeds of queen Clotilda of glorious memory. Usually
when he met him the bishop would entreat him to give him the deeds of the
queen mentioned above, and place the property under his charge. And when
Anastasius postponed complying with the will of his bishop, the latter
would try now to coax him with kind words and now to terrify him with
threats. When he continued unwilling to the end, he ordered him to be
brought to the city and there shamelessly detained, and unless he
surrendered the deeds, he was to be loaded with insults and starved to death.
But the other made a spirited resistance and never surrendered the deeds,
saying it was better for him to waste away with hunger for a time than to
leave his children in misery. Then by the bishop’s command he was given
over to the guards with instructions to starve him to death if he did not
surrender these documents. Now there was in the church of St. Cassius the
martyr a very old and remote crypt, in which was a great tomb of Parian
marble wherein it seems the body of a certain man of long ago had been
placed. In this tomb upon the dead body the living priest was placed and the
tomb was covered with the stone with which it had been covered before,
and guards were placed at the entrance. But the faithful guards seeing that
he was shut in by a stone as it was winter lit a fire and under the influence
of hot wine fell asleep. But the priest like a new Jonah prayed insistently to
the Lord to pity him from the interior of the tomb as from the belly of hell,
and the tomb being large, as we have said, he was able to extend his hands
freely wherever he wished although he could not turn his whole body. There
came from the bones of the dead, as he used to relate, a killing stench,
which made him shudder not only outwardly but in his inward parts as well.
While he held his robe tightly against his nose and could hold his breath his
feelings were not the worst, but when he thought that he was suffocating
and held the robe a little away from his face he drank in the deadly smell
not merely through mouth and nose but even, so to speak, through his very
ears. Why make too long a story! When he had suffered, as I suppose, like
the Divine Nature, he stretched out his right hand to the side of the
sarcophagus and found a crowbar which had been left between the cover
and the edge of the tomb when the cover sank into place. Moving this by

degrees he found that with God’s help the stone could be moved, and when
it had been moved so far that the priest could get his head out he made a
larger opening with greater ease and so came out bodily. Meanwhile the
darkness of night was overspreading the day though it had not spread
everywhere as yet. So he hastened to another entrance to the crypt. This was
closed with the strongest bars and bolts, but was not so smoothly fitted that
a man could not see between the planks. The priest placed his head close to
this entrance and saw a man go by. He called to him in a low voice. The
other heard, and having an ax in his hand he at once cut the wooden pieces
by which the bars were held and opened the way for the priest. And he went
off in the darkness and hastened home after vigorously urging the man to
say nothing of the matter to any one. He entered his home and finding the
deeds which the queen mentioned before had given him took them to king
Clothar, informing him at the same time how he had been committed to a
living burial by his own bishop. All were amazed and said that never had
Nero or Herod done such a deed as to place a live man in the grave. Then
bishop Cautinus appeared before king Clothar but upon the priest’s
accusation he retreated in defeat and confusion. The priest, according to
directions received from the king, maintained his property as he pleased and
kept possession of it and left it to his children. In Cautinus[AZ] there was no
holiness, no quality to be esteemed. He was absolutely without knowledge
of letters both ecclesiastical and secular. He was a great friend of the Jews
and subservient to them, not for their salvation, as ought to be the anxious
care of a shepherd, but in order to purchase their wares which they sold to
him at a higher price than they were worth, since he tried to please them
and they very plainly flattered him.
[BA]
13. At this time Chramnus lived at Clermont.[BB] He did many things
contrary to reason and for this his departure from the world was hastened;
and he was bitterly reviled by the people. He made friends with no one from
whom he could get good and useful counsel, but he gathered together young
men of low character and no stability and made friends of them only,
listening to their advice and at their suggestion he even directed them to
carry off daughters of senators by force. He offered serious insults to Firmin
and drove him out of his office as count of the city, and placed Salust son of
Euvodius in his place. Firmin with his mother-in-law took refuge in the
church. It was Lent and bishop Cautinus had made preparations to go in

procession singing psalms to the parish of Brioude, according to the custom
established by St. Gall as we described above. And so the bishop went forth
from the city with loud weeping, afraid that he would meet some danger on
the way. For king[BC] Chramnus had been uttering threats against him. And
while he was on the way the king sent Innachar and Scaphthar his chief
adherents, saying: “Go and drag Firmin and Cæsaria his mother-in-law
away from the church by force.” So when the bishop had departed with
psalm singing, as I have said before, the men sent by Chramnus entered the
church and strove to calm the suspicions of Firmin and Cæsaria with many
deceitful words. And when they had talked over one thing after another for
a long time, walking to and fro in the church, and the fugitives had their
attention fixed on what was being said, they drew near to the doors of the
sacred temple which were then open. Then Innachar seized Firmin in his
arms and Scaphthar Cæsaria, and cast them out from the church, where
their slaves were ready to lay hold of them. And they sent them into exile at
once. But on the second day their guards were overcome with sleep and
they saw that they were free and hastened to the church of the blessed
Julian, and so escaped from exile. However their property was confiscated.
Now Cautinus had suspected that he himself would be subjected to outrage,
and as he walked along on the journey I have told of, he kept near by a
saddled horse, and looking back he saw men coming on horseback to
overtake him and he cried: “Woe is me, for here are the men sent by
Chramnus to seize me.” And he mounted his horse and gave up his psalm
singing and plying his steed with both heels arrived all alone and half dead
at the entrance of Saint Julian’s church. As I tell this tale I am reminded of
Sallust’s[BD] saying which he uttered with reference to the critics of
historians. He says: “It seems difficult to write history; first because deeds
must be exactly represented in words and second because most men think
that the condemnation of wrong-doing is due to ill will and envy.” However
let us continue.
14. Now when Clothar after Theodovald’s death had received the
kingdom of Francia and was making a progress through it,[BE] he heard
from his people that the Saxons were engaged in a second mad outburst and
were rebelling against him and contemptuously refusing to pay the tribute
which they had been accustomed to pay every year. Aroused by the reports
he hastened toward their country, and when he was near their boundary the

Saxons sent legates to him saying: “We are not treating you
contemptuously, and we do not refuse to pay what we have usually paid to
your brothers and nephews, and we will grant even more if you ask for it.
We ask for only one thing, that there be peace so that your army and our
people shall not come into conflict.” King Clothar heard this and said to his
followers: “These men speak well. Let us not go against them for fear that
we sin against God.” But they said: “We know that they are deceitful and
will not do at all what they have promised. Let us go against them.” Again
the Saxons offered half of their property in their desire for peace. And
Clothar said to his men: “Give over, I beg you, from these men, lest the
anger of God be kindled against us.” But they would not agree to it. Again
the Saxons brought garments, cattle and every kind of property, saying:
“Take all this together with half of our land, only let our wives and little
ones remain free and let war not arise between us.” But the Franks were
unwilling to agree even to this. And king Clothar said to them: “Give over, I
beseech you, give over from this purpose; for we have not the right word;
do not go to war in which we may be destroyed. If you decide to go of your
own will I will not follow.” Then they were enraged at king Clothar and
rushed upon him and tore his tent in pieces and overwhelmed him with
abuse and dragged him about violently and wished to kill him if he would
not go with them. Upon this Clothar went with them though unwillingly.
And they began the battle and were slaughtered in great numbers by their
adversaries and so great a multitude from both armies perished that it was
impossible to estimate or count them. Then Clothar in great confusion asked
for peace, saying that it was not of his own will that he had come against
them. And having obtained peace he returned home.
15. The people of Tours heard that the king had returned from the battle
with the Saxons and making choice of the priest Eufronius they hastened to
him. When their suggestion had been made the king replied: “I had given
directions for Cato the priest to be ordained there; why has my command
been slighted?” They answered: “We invited him but he refused to come.”
And while they were speaking Cato the priest suddenly appeared to request
the king to expel Cautinus and command that he himself be appointed in
Clermont. When the king laughed at him he made a second request, that he
should be ordained at Tours which he had contemptuously refused before.
And the king said to him: “I at first gave directions that they should ordain
you bishop of Tours, but as I hear, you looked down on that church;

therefore you shall be kept from becoming master of it.” And so he went off
in confusion. When the king asked about the holy Eufronius they told him
that he was grandson of the blessed Gregory, whom I have mentioned
before. The king answered:[BF] “It is a great and leading family. Let the will
of God and the blessed Martin be done; let the choice be confirmed.” And
according to his command the holy Eufronius was ordained bishop, the
eighteenth after the blessed Martin.
[16. Chramnus, king Clothar’s son, opposes bishop Cautinus at
Clermont. He goes to Poitiers and enters into an agreement with his uncle
Childebert against Clothar. He assumes authority over part of Clothar’s
realm and Clothar sends two other sons, Charibert and Gunthram, against
him. When they are ready to fight Chramnus causes a report of Clothar’s
death to be circulated and Charibert and Gunthram hasten off; Chramnus
marches to Dijon where he consults the Bible as to his future. King Clothar
meanwhile fights the Saxons. 17. Chramnus joins Childebert in Paris.
Childebert ravages Clothar’s territory as far as Rheims. 18. Duke Austrapius
takes refuge in St. Martin’s church in fear of Chramnus. Chramnus orders
him to be starved in the church. But he obtains drink miraculously and is
saved. He later becomes a priest. 19. Medard bishop of Soissons dies.]
20. King Childebert fell ill and after being bedridden for a long time died
at Paris. He was buried in the church of the blessed Vincent which he had
built. King Clothar took his kingdom and treasures and sent into exile
Vulthrogotha and her two daughters. Chramnus presented himself before
his father, but later he proved disloyal. And when he saw he could not
escape punishment he fled to Brittany and there with his wife and daughters
lived in concealment with Chonoober count of the Bretons. And Wilichar,
his father-in-law, fled to the church of Saint Martin.[BG] Then because of
Wilichar and his wife the holy church was burned for the sins of the people
and the mockeries which occurred in it. This we relate not without a heavy
sigh. Moreover the city of Tours had been burned the year before and all the
churches built in it were deserted. Then by order of king Clothar the church
of the blessed Martin was roofed with tin and restored in its former beauty.
Then two hosts of locusts appeared which passed through Auvergne and
Limousin and, they say, came to the plain of Romagnac where a battle took
place between them and there was great destruction. Now king Clothar was
raging against Chramnus and marched with his army into Brittany against

him. Nor was Chramnus afraid to come out against his father. And when
both armies were gathered and encamped on the same plain and Chramnus
with the Bretons had marshaled his line against his father, night fell and
they refrained from fighting. During the night Chonoober, count of the
Bretons, said to Chramnus: “I think it wrong for you to fight against your
father; allow me to-night to rush upon him and destroy him with all his
army.” But Chramnus would not allow this to be done, being held back I
think by the power of God. When morning came they set their armies in
motion and hastened to the conflict. And king Clothar was marching like a
new David to fight against Absalom his son, crying aloud and saying:
“Look down, Lord, from heaven and judge my cause since I suffer wicked
outrage from my son; look down, Lord, and judge justly, and give that
judgment that thou once gavest between Absalom and his father.” When
they were fighting on equal terms the count of the Bretons fled and was
slain. Then Chramnus started in flight, having ships in readiness at the
shore; but in his wish to take his wife and daughters he was overwhelmed
by his father’s soldiers and was captured and bound fast. This news was
taken to king Clothar and he gave orders to burn Chramnus with fire
together with his wife and daughters. They were shut up in a hut belonging
to a poor man and Chramnus was stretched on a bench and strangled with a
towel; and later the hut was burned over them and he perished with his wife
and daughters.
21. In the fifty-first year of his reign king Clothar set out for the door of
the blessed Martin with many gifts and coming to the tomb of the bishop
just mentioned at Tours, and repeating all the deeds he had perhaps done
heedlessly, and praying with loud groaning that the blessed confessor of
God would obtain God’s forgiveness for his faults and by his intercession
blot out what he had done contrary to reason, he then returned, and in the
fifty-first year of his reign, while hunting in the forest of Cuise, he was
seized with a fever and returned thence to a villa in Compiègne. There he
was painfully harassed by the fever and said: “Alas![BH] What do you think
the king of heaven is like when he kills such great kings in this way?”
Laboring under this pain he breathed his last, and his four sons carried him
with great honor to Soissons and buried him in the church of St. Medard.
He died the next day in the revolving year after Chramnus had been slain.

[22. The four sons of Clothar make “a lawful division” of his kingdom.
To Charibert is assigned Paris for his capital, to Gunthram, Orleans, to
Chilperic, Soissons, to Sigibert, Rheims. 23. The Huns attack Sigibert and
Chilperic takes the opportunity to seize some of his cities. Sigibert recovers
them.]
24. When king Gunthram had taken his part of the realm like his
brothers, he removed the patrician[BI] Agricola and gave the office of
patrician to Celsus, a man of tall stature, strong shoulders, strong arms and
boastful words, ready in retort and skilled in the law. And then such a greed
for possessing came upon him that he often took the property of the
churches and made it his own. Once when he heard a passage from the
prophet Isaiah being read in the church, which says: “Woe to those who join
house to house and unite field to field even to the boundaries of the place,”
he is said to have exclaimed: “It is out of place to say; woe to me and my
sons.” But he left a son who died without children and left the greater part
of his property to the churches which his father had plundered.
25. The good king Gunthram first took a concubine Veneranda, a slave
belonging to one of his people, by whom he had a son Gundobad. Later he
married Marcatrude, daughter of Magnar, and sent his son Gundobad to
Orleans. But after she had a son Marcatrude was jealous, and proceeded to
bring about Gundobad’s death. She sent poison, they say, and poisoned his
drink. And upon his death, by God’s judgment she lost the son she had and
incurred the hate of the king, was dismissed by him, and died not long after.
After her he took Austerchild, also named Bobilla. He had by her two sons,
of whom the older was called Clothar and the younger Chlodomer.
26. Moreover king Charibert married Ingoberga, by whom he had a
daughter who afterwards married a husband in Kent and was taken there. At
that time Ingoberga had in her service two daughters of a certain poor man,
of whom the first was called Marcovefa, who wore the robe of a nun, and
the other was Merofled. The king was very much in love with them. They
were, as I have said, the daughters of a worker in wool. Ingoberga was
jealous that they were loved by the king and secretly gave the father work
to do, thinking that when the king saw this he would dislike his daughters.
While he was working she called the king. He expected to see something
strange, but only saw this man at a distance weaving the king’s wool. Upon
this he was angry and left Ingoberga and married Merofled. He also had

another, a daughter of a shepherd, named Theodogild, by whom he is said
to have had a son who when he came from the womb was carried at once to
the grave. In this king’s time Leontius gathered the bishops of his province
at the city of Saintes and deposed Emeri from the bishopric, saying that this
honor had not been given him in accordance with the canons. For he had
had a decree of king Clothar that he should be ordained without the consent
of the metropolitan who was not present. When he had been expelled from
his office they made choice of Heraclius, then a priest of the church of
Bordeaux, and they sent word of these doings in their own handwriting by
the priest just named to king Charibert. He came to Tours and related to the
blessed Eufronius what had been done, begging him to consent to subscribe
to this choice. But the man of God flatly refused to do so. Now after the
priest had come to the gates of the city of Paris and approached the king’s
presence he said: “Hail, glorious king. The apostolic see sends to your
eminence the most abundant greetings.” But the king replied: “You haven’t
been at Rome, have you, to bring us the greeting of the pope?” “It is your
father Leontius” the priest went on, “who, together with the bishops of his
province, sends you greeting and informs you that Cymulus—​this was what
they used to call Emeri as a child—​has been expelled from the episcopate
because he neglected the sacred authority of the canons and sought actively
for the office of bishop in the city of Saintes. And so they have sent you
their choice in order that his place may be filled, so that when men who
violate the canons are condemned according to rule, the authority of your
kingdom will be extended into distant ages.” When he said this the king
gnashed his teeth and ordered him to be dragged from his sight, and placed
on a wagon covered with thorns and thrust off into exile, saying: “Do you
think that there is no one left of the sons of king Clothar to uphold his
father’s acts, since these men have cast out without our consent the bishop
whom he chose?” And he at once sent men of religion and restored the
bishop to his place, sending also certain of his officers of the treasury who
exacted from bishop Leontius 1000 gold pieces and fined the other bishops
up to the limit of their power of payment. And so the insult to the prince
was avenged. After this he married Marcovefa, sister of Merofled. For
which reason they were both excommunicated by the holy bishop
Germanus. But since the king did not wish to leave her, she was struck by a
judgment of God and died. Not long after the king himself died. And after
his death, Theodogild, one of his queens, sent messengers to king Gunthram

offering herself in marriage to him. To which the king sent back this
answer: “Let her not be slow to come to me with her treasures. For I will
take her and make her great among the people, so that she will surely have
greater honor with me than with my brother who has just died.” And she
was glad and gathered all together and set out to him. And the king seeing
this said: “It is better for these treasures to be in my control than in the
hands of this woman who has unworthily gone to my brother’s bed.” Then
he took away much and left little, and sent her to a convent at Arles. But she
took it very hard to be subject to fasts and watches, and made proposals to a
Goth by secret messengers, promising that if he would take her to Spain and
marry her she would leave the monastery with her treasures and follow him
willingly. This promise he made without hesitation, but when she had got
her things together and packed and was ready to go from the convent, the
diligence of the abbess frustrated her purpose, and the wicked project was
detected, and orders were given to beat her severely and put her under
guard. And she continued in confinement to the end of her life on earth,
consumed with no slight passions.
27. Now when king Sigibert saw that his brothers were taking wives
unworthy of them, and to their disgrace were actually marrying slave
women, he sent an embassy into Spain and with many gifts asked for
Brunhilda, daughter of king Athanagild. She was a maiden beautiful in her
person, lovely to look at, virtuous and well-behaved, with good sense and a
pleasant address. Her father did not refuse, but sent her to the king I have
named with great treasures. And the king collected his chief men, made
ready a feast, and took her as his wife amid great joy and mirth. And though
she was a follower of the Arian law she was converted by the preaching of
the bishops and the admonition of the king himself, and she confessed the
blessed Trinity in unity, and believed and was baptized. And she still
remains catholic in Christ’s name.
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.
6. There was at this time in the city of Nice a recluse Hospicius who was
very abstemious. He wore iron chains next his body and over these a hair
shirt and ate nothing but plain bread with a few dates. And during Lent he
lived on roots of Egyptian herbs such as the hermits use, which were
brought to him by traders. First he would drink the soup in which they were
cooked and eat the roots next day. The Lord did not disdain to work great
miracles through him. For at one time the Holy Spirit revealed to him the
coming of the Lombards into the Gauls and he foretold it as follows: “The
Lombards,” said he, “will come into the Gauls and will lay waste seven
cities because their wickedness has grown in the sight of God, since no one
understands, no one seeks God, no one does good to appease the anger of
God. For all the people are unfaithful, given up to perjury, addicted to
thievery, ready to kill, and from them comes no fruit of justice at all. Tithes
are not paid, the poor are not fed, the naked are not clothed, strangers are
not received with hospitality or satisfied with food. Therefore this affliction
has come. And now I say to you: ‘Gather all your substance within the
inclosure of the walls that the Lombards may not take it, and fortify
yourselves in the strongest places.’” At these words all stood gaping and
they said good-by and returned home with great admiration. He also said to
the monks: “You, too, depart from the place and take with you what you
have. For behold, the people I have named draw near.” But when they
replied: “We will not leave you, most holy father,” he said to them: “Don’t
fear for me; for they will offer me insults but they will not harm me unto
death.” The monks went away and that people came and laying waste all
they found, they came to the place where the holy recluse of God was. And
he showed himself to them at the window of the tower. They went all round
the tower but could find no entrance by which they could come to him.[DD]
Then two climbed up and pulled the roof off, and seeing him bound with
chains and clad in a hair shirt they said: “Here is a malefactor who has
killed a man and therefore is kept bound in these fetters.” They called an
interpreter and asked him what crime he had committed to be so confined in
punishment. And he confessed that he was a homicide and guilty of all
crime. Then one of them drew his sword to strike at his head, but his lifted
right arm stiffened in the very act of striking and he could not draw it back
to him. He let go the sword and let it fall on the ground. Seeing this, his

comrades raised a shout to heaven begging the saint to declare to them
kindly what they were to do. And he made the sign of salvation and restored
the arm to health. The man was converted on the spot and received the
tonsure and is now reckoned a most faithful monk. And two dukes who
listened to him returned safe to their native place but those who despised his
command perished wretchedly in the province. Many of them were seized
with demons and cried: “Why, holy and blessed one, do you so torture and
burn us?” And he laid his hand on them and cured them. After this there
was a man of Angers who in a severe fever had lost both speech and
hearing, and when he got better of the fever he continued deaf and dumb.
Now a deacon was sent from that province to Rome to obtain relics of the
blessed apostles and other saints who protect that city. And when he came
to this infirm person’s relatives they begged him to take him as a
companion on the journey, believing that if he reached the tombs of the
blessed apostles he would forthwith be cured. They went on their way and
came to the place where the blessed Hospicius lived. After greeting and
kissing him, the deacon told the purpose of his journey and said he was
starting for Rome and asked the holy man to recommend him to ship-
captains who were friends of his. And while he was still staying there the
blessed man felt that power was in him through the spirit of the Lord. And
he said to the deacon: “I beg you to bring to my sight the infirm person who
is the companion of your journey.” The deacon made no delay but went
swiftly to his lodging and found the infirm person full of fever, and he
indicated by signs that there was a humming in his ears. The deacon seized
him and led him to the saint of God. The holy man took hold of his hair and
drew his head into the window, and taking oil that had been blessed, he took
hold of his tongue with his left hand and poured the oil in his mouth and on
the top of his head, saying: “In the name of my lord Jesus Christ let your
ears be opened and let that power which once drove a wicked demon from a
deaf and dumb man open your lips.” Having said this, he asked him his
name, and he answered in a clear voice: “I am called so-and-so.” When the
deacon saw this he said: “I give thee endless thanks, Jesus Christ, who
deignest to work such miracles by thy servant. I was seeking Peter, I was
seeking Paul and Laurence and the others who made Rome glorious with
their blood; here I have found them all, I have discovered every one.” As he
was saying this with loud weeping and great admiration the man of God,
wholly intent on avoiding vanity, said: “Be silent, beloved brother, it is not I

who do this, but he who created the universe out of nothing, who took on
man for our sake, and gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to
the dumb; who bestowed on lepers the skin they had before, on the dead
life, and on all the infirm abundant healing.” Then the deacon said farewell
and departed rejoicing with his comrades. When they had gone a certain
Dominic—​this was the man’s name—​who had been blind from birth, came
to prove his miraculous power, and when he had dwelt in the monastery two
or three months praying and fasting, at length the man of God called him to
him and said: “Do you wish to recover your sight?” And he replied: “I wish
to know a thing unknown. For I do not know what the light is. Only one
thing I know, that it is praised by men. But I have not deserved to see from
the beginning of my life until now.” Then he made the holy cross over his
eyes with oil that had been blessed and said: “In the name of Jesus Christ
our redeemer let your eyes be opened.” And at once his eyes were opened
and he wondered and contemplated the great works of God which he saw in
this world. Then a certain woman who, as she herself asserted, had three
demons, was brought to him. And he blessed her with a sacred touch and
made the cross in holy oil on her forehead and the demons were driven out
and she departed cleansed. Moreover he cured by his blessing a girl who
was vexed with an unclean spirit. And when the day of his death was
drawing nigh he summoned the prior of the monastery and said: “Bring iron
tools to open the wall and send messengers to the bishop of the city to come
and bury me. For on the third day I shall depart from this world and go to
the appointed rest which the Lord has promised me.” Upon this the prior
sent messengers to the bishop of Nice to carry this word. After this one
Crescens went to his window and seeing him bound with chains and full of
worms[DE] he said: “O my master, how can you bear such tortures so
bravely?” And he replied: “He comforts me in whose name I suffer this. For
I tell you that I am now freed from these bonds and am going to my rest.”
When the third day came he laid aside the chains by which he was bound
and prostrated himself in prayer, and after he had prayed and wept a long
time he lay down on a bench and stretched out his feet and raised his hands
to heaven and thanked God and died. And immediately all the worms that
were boring through his holy limbs disappeared. And bishop Austadius
came and most carefully placed the blessed body in the grave. All these
things I learned from the lips of the very deaf and dumb man who as I
related above was healed by him. He told me many other miracles of his but

I have been kept from describing them by the fact that I have been told that
his life has been written by many persons.
[7. The bishops of Uzès.]
8. Ebarchius died also, a recluse of Angoulême, a man of great holiness
through whom God did many miracles, and leaving out most of them I will
tell briefly of a few. He was a native of Perigueux, but after his conversion
he entered the clergy and went to Angoulême and built a cell for himself.
There he gathered a few monks and prayed continually, and if any gold or
silver was offered to him he would pay it out for the necessities of the poor
or to ransom captives. No bread was baked in that cell while he lived but
was brought in by the devout when it was needed. He ransomed a great
number of people from the offerings of the devout. He often cured the
poison of malignant pimples by the sign of the cross and by prayer drove
demons out from the bodies that they possessed and with his charming
manner often rather ordered than requested judges to spare the guilty. For
he was so attractive in his address that they could not deny him when he
asked a favor. On one occasion a prisoner who was vehemently accused by
the inhabitants of many crimes, both thefts and homicides, was to be
hanged for theft, and when this was reported to Ebarchius he sent his monk
to entreat the judge to grant life to the guilty man. But since the throng
insulted the judge and cried loudly that if he were let go it would be good
neither for the country nor the judge, the prisoner could not be let go.
Meanwhile he was stretched on the wheel, beaten with rods and clubs and
condemned to the gallows. And when the monk sadly brought the news to
the abbot he said: “Go, wait at a distance, for, be assured, the Lord will
grant us of his own gift what man has refused. When you see him fall, take
him and bring him at once to the monastery.” The monk went about his
bidding and Ebarchius threw himself down in prayer and wept and poured
forth prayers to God until, the bar and chains being broken, the hanged man
should be placed on the ground. Then the monk took him and brought him
safe and well to the abbot. And he thanked God and ordered the count
summoned and said to him: “You were always used to hear me kindly,
beloved son, and why did you harden yourself to-day and refuse to let the
man go whose life I asked for?” He replied: “I would willingly heed you,
sacred priest, but the people rose and I could do nothing else for fear of a
rebellion.” The recluse answered: “You did not heed me, but God deigned

to heed me, and he restored to life the one whom you gave to death.
Behold,” said he, “he stands alive before you.” As he said this the man
threw himself at the feet of the count who was astonished that he saw living
one whom he left dead. This I heard from the lips of the count himself.
Moreover he did many other miracles which I have thought it tedious to
relate. After forty-four years as a recluse he contracted a fever and died. He
was taken forth from his cell and buried. And a great assembly of those he
had ransomed, as we have said, followed his funeral.
9. Domnolos, bishop of Mans, began to sicken. In the time of king
Clothar he had been in charge of the monks at the church of St. Laurence in
Paris. But as he had always been faithful to king Clothar while the older
Childebert was still living and often concealed his messengers when sent to
spy, the king was awaiting an opportunity to make him bishop. When the
bishop of Avignon passed away he had purposed to appoint him there. But
the blessed Domnolus heard of this and came to the church of St. Martin
where king Clothar had then come for prayer, and after spending a whole
night in watching, he sent a hint to the king through the leading men who
were there not to remove him far from the king’s sight like a captive and not
to permit a man of his straightforward character to be worn out among
sophistical senators and philosophizing judges,[DF] saying this was a place
of humiliation for him rather than of honor. To this the king assented, and
when Innocentius bishop of Mans died he appointed him as bishop of that
church. When he had reached this honor he conducted himself so that he
rose to the summit of holiness and restored the power of walking to a lame
man and sight to one who was blind. After twenty-two years in his
episcopate he perceived that he was greatly worn out with the king’s evil
and gout and he selected the abbot Theodulf for his place. The king
assented to his desire but not long after changed his mind, and the election
was given to Batechisil the king’s major domo.[DG] He received the tonsure,
went through the grades of the clergy in forty days, and when the bishop
passed away he succeeded him.
10. In these days thieves broke into St. Martin’s church. They placed a
railing which was on the tomb of a dead man at a window of the apse and
climbing up by it they broke the glass and entered; and taking a great
quantity of gold and silver and silken cloths they went off, not fearing to set
foot on the holy tomb where we scarcely dare to touch our lips. But the

saint’s power made this foolhardy deed known by a terrible judgment. For
after committing the crime they went to the city of Bordeaux and a quarrel
arose and one killed the other; and thus their deed was found out and their
theft was revealed, and the broken silver and the cloths were taken from
their lodging. When this was reported to king Chilperic he ordered them to
be bound and brought into his presence. Then I was afraid that men would
die because of him who in his lifetime in the body often prayed for the lives
of the lost, and sent the king a letter of entreaty not to put these men to
death since we to whom prosecution belonged did not accuse them. And he
received my request with kindness and restored them to life. And the
valuable articles which had been scattered he collected very carefully and
ordered them sent back to the holy place.
[11. Dinamius, governor of Provence, and Theodore, bishop of
Marseilles, quarrel. Childebert supports Theodore and Gunthram Dinamius.
12. Chilperic takes advantage of the quarrel and seizes Perigueux, Agen,
and a number of other cities belonging to Gunthram.]
13. Lupus, a citizen of Tours, having lost wife and children, desired to
enter the clergy but was prevented by his brother Ambrose who was afraid
that he would leave his property to the church of God if he were joined to it.
Ambrose, persuading him to his harm, provided him with another wife and
appointed the day to meet to give the betrothal gifts. Then they went
together to the town of Chinon where they had a dwelling. But Ambrose’s
wife being an adulteress and loving another with the love of a lewd woman
and hating her husband, made a plot for him. And when these brothers had
feasted together and had drunk wine in the night until they were intoxicated,
they lay down on the same bed. Then the adulterer came in the night when
all were sleeping heavily because of the wine and setting fire to the straw in
order to see what he was doing, he drew his sword and struck Ambrose on
the head so that the sword went in at his eyes and cut the pillow in two
beneath his head. Lupus was aroused by the blow and finding himself
wallowing in blood, he called in a loud voice saying: “Alas, alas! Help; my
brother is killed.” But the adulterer who had committed the deed and was
now going off, heard this and returned to the bed and attacked Lupus.
Although he resisted he was wounded many times, and overwhelmed and
given a mortal stroke and left half dead. But no one of the household knew
of it. In the morning all were amazed at such a crime. Lupus however was

found to be still alive and after telling the story as it occurred, he died. But
the harlot did not take a long time to mourn. In a few days she joined her
adulterer and departed.
14. In king Childebert’s seventh year, which was the twenty-first of
Chilperic and Gunthram, in the month of January there were rains and
heavy thunder and lightning; blossoms appeared on the trees. The star
which I called above the comet,[DH] appeared in such a way that there was a
great blackness all around it and it was placed as it were in a hole and
gleamed in the darkness, sparkling and scattering rays of light. And a ray of
wonderful size extended from it which appeared like the smoke of a great
fire a long way off. It appeared in the west in the first hour of the night. At
Soissons on the day of holy Easter the heavens were seen to be on fire, and
there appeared to be two fires, one greater and the other less. And after the
space of two hours they united and formed a great flame and vanished. In
the territory of Paris real blood fell from the clouds and dropped on the
garments of many men and so defiled them with gore that they shuddered at
their own clothes and put them away from them. This prodigy appeared in
three places in the territory of that city. In the territory of Senlis a certain
man’s house when he rose in the morning appeared to have been sprinkled
with blood from within. There was a great plague that year among the
people. The sickness took various forms and was severe with pimples and
tumors which brought death to many. Still many who were careful escaped.
We heard that at Narbonne in that year the bubonic plague was very fatal,
so that when a man was seized by it he had no time to live.
15. Felix, bishop of Nantes, was stricken by this plague and began to be
seriously sick. Then he called the neighboring bishops to him and begged
them to give the influence of their signatures to the choice which he had
made of his nephew Burgundio. Then they sent him to me. At that time
Burgundio was about twenty-five years old. He came and asked that I
would consent to go to Nantes and give him the tonsure and consecrate him
bishop in place of his uncle who was still living. This I refused to do since I
knew it was not in accordance with the canons. Still I gave him advice
saying: “We have it written in the canons, my son, that no one can rise to
the office of bishop unless he first passes through the grades of the clergy in
regular order. You then, dearly beloved, must return thither and request him
who has made choice of you, to give you the tonsure; and when you reach

the office of priest, be regular in attendance at church; and when God wills
that he pass away, then you will readily attain to the office of bishop.” He
returned and pretended to take my advice, since the bishop Felix seemed to
be recovering from his illness. But after the fever departed his legs burst out
in pimples from the humor. Then he put on too strong a poultice of
cantharides and his legs putrefied and he died in the thirty-third year of his
episcopate and in the seventieth of his life. And Nonnichius his cousin
succeeded him by the king’s order.
[16. Felix’s niece had been married to Pappolenus but Felix brought
about their separation. Pappolenus now recovered his wife from a nunnery.]
17. King Chilperic ordered many Jews to be baptized that year and
received a number of them from the sacred font. Some of them however
were purified in body only, not in heart, and lying to God they returned to
their former perfidy so that they could be seen to observe the Sabbath as
well as honor the Lord’s day. But Priscus could not be influenced in any
way to recognize the truth. The king was angry at him and ordered him to
be put into prison, in the idea that if he did not wish to believe of his own
accord he would force him to hear and believe. But Priscus offered gifts and
asked for time until his son should marry a Hebrew girl at Marseilles; he
promised deceitfully that he would then do what the king required.
Meantime a quarrel arose between him and Phatir, one of the Jewish
converts who was now a godson to the king. And when on the Sabbath
Priscus clad in an orary and carrying nothing of iron in his hand, was
retiring to a secret place to fulfill the law of Moses, suddenly Phatir came
upon him and slew him with the sword together with the companions who
accompanied him. When they were slain Phatir fled with his men to the
church of St. Julian which was on a neighboring street. While they were
there they heard that the king had granted to the master his life but ordered
the men to be dragged like malefactors from the church and put to death.
Then, their master being already gone, one of them drew his sword and
killed his comrades and then left the church armed with his sword, but the
people rushed upon him and he was cruelly killed. Phatir obtained
permission and returned to Gunthram’s kingdom whence he had come. But
soon after he was killed by Priscus’s kinsmen.
[18. Legates returning from Spain report that king Leuvigild admits that
Christ is the equal of God but denies that the Holy Spirit is God at all. 19.

Gunthram’s men cross the river Orge and do damage in Chilperic’s
territory.]
20. In that year Chrodinus died, a man of magnificent goodness and
piety, a great almsgiver and helper of the poor, a lavish enricher of churches
and supporter of the clergy. For he often started at the beginning and cleared
estates, laying out vineyards, building houses, making fields. And he would
then invite bishops who were poor and give them a feast and generously
distribute among them houses with fields and men to till them and silver
and bedding and utensils and officers and slaves saying: “Let these
properties be given to the church, that when poor men are supported upon
them they may obtain pardon for me before God.” I have heard many other
good things of this man which it would take too long to tell. He died in his
seventieth year.
[21. List of prodigies.]
22. King Chilperic having seized cities belonging to his brother,
appointed new counts and ordered that all the tribute of the cities be paid to
him. And we know that this was done. In these days two men were seized
by Nunnichius, count of Limoges, who were carrying letters in the name of
Charterius, bishop of Perigueux, which contained many insults against the
king; and among the rest it was put as if the bishop were complaining that
he had gone down from paradise to hell, because forsooth he had been
transferred from Gunthram’s rule to the dominion of Chilperic. The count
just named sent these letters and these men to the king under strict guard.
The king patiently sent for the bishop to come to his presence to tell
whether the charges against him were true or not. The bishop came and the
king confronted him with the men and the letters. He asked the bishop if
they had been sent by him. He said they had not. The men then were asked
from whom they had received them. They said it was Frontonius the
deacon. The bishop was asked about the deacon. He replied that he was his
greatest enemy and there could be no doubt that this was his wickedness
since he had often set wicked plots going against him. The deacon was
brought at once and questioned by the king. He testified against the bishop
saying: “It was I who wrote this letter at the bishop’s order.” But the bishop
cried out and said that this man had often devised clever tricks to cast him
out from his office, and the king was moved with pity and commending his
cause to God he let them both go, interceding with the bishop for the

deacon and begging the bishop to pray for him. And thus the bishop was
sent back with honor to the city. But after two months count Nunnichius
who started this scandal died from an apoplectic stroke and as he was
without children his property was granted to several persons by the king.
[23. On account of the birth of a son king Chilperic releases prisoners
and remits taxes. 24. Gundovald, who claims to be a son of Clothar, returns
to Gaul from Constantinople and is received by bishop Theodore of
Marseilles who is thereupon seized and held prisoner by king Gunthram.
25. Prodigies. 26. Gunthram Boso is charged with bringing Gundovald to
Gaul; he says that Mummolus is guilty of this and promises to bring him to
king Gunthram.]
26. … Now duke Gunthram took with him the men of Clermont and Le
Velay and went off to Avignon. But by a stratagem of Mummolus rotten
boats were ready for them at the Rhone. They embarked on them without
suspicion and when they came to the middle of the river the boats filled and
sank. Then being in danger, some escaped by swimming and a number tore
planks from the boats and reached the shore. But a good many who had less
presence of mind were drowned in the river. Duke Gunthram however
reached Avignon. Now Mummolus on entering the city had seen to it that as
only a small part was left which was not guarded by the Rhone, the whole
place should be protected by a channel into which he led water from the
river. Here he had dug holes of great depth and running water concealed the
traps he had made. Then upon the coming of Gunthram Mummolus cried
from the wall: “Since we are men of good faith, let him come to one bank
and I to the other, and let him say what he wants.” When they had come
Gunthram said from the other side—​it was this arm of the river that was
between them—​“If you please I will cross, because there are some things to
speak of in secret.” Mummolus answered: “Come, don’t be afraid.”
Thereupon he entered the water with one of his friends—​he was wearing a
heavy coat of mail—​and immediately when they reached the hole in the
river the friend sank under the water and did not reappear. But while
Gunthram was under water and being carried along by the swift current one
of the bystanders stretched out a spear to his hand and brought him ashore.
And then he and Mummolus abused one another before leaving the place.
While Gunthram was besieging this city with king Gunthram’s army the
news was taken to Childebert. He was angry because Gunthram was doing

this without being ordered and sent Gundulf[DI] whom I have mentioned
before to the place. He put an end to the siege and took Mummolus to
Clermont. But after a few days he returned to Avignon.
27. Chilperic went to Paris the day before Easter was celebrated, and to
avoid the curses contained in the compact between him and his brothers[DJ]
that no one of them should enter Paris without the consent of the others, the
relics of many saints were carried before him as he entered the city, and he
spent Easter amid great mirth, and gave his son to be baptized, and
Ragnemod, bishop of the city, received him from the holy font. Chilperic
directed them to call him Theodoric.
[28. Marcus the referendary dies, first receiving the tonsure. 29. The
piety of the nuns of Poitiers is described. As the result of a vision one of
them acted as follows:]
When the maiden had had this vision she was contrite in heart and after a
few days she asked the abbess to get ready a cell in which she could be
shut. The abbess got it ready quickly and said: “Here is the cell. What more
do you wish?” The maiden asked to be permitted to be shut in it. This was
granted, and the nuns gathered with loud psalm-singing and the lamps were
lighted and she was conducted to the place, the blessed Radegunda holding
her hand. And so she said farewell to all and kissed each one and became a
recluse. And the entrance by which she went in was walled up and she is
there now spending her time in prayer and reading.
[30. The emperor Tiberius dies and Mauritius succeeds him.]
31. King Chilperic received legates from his nephew Childebert and
among them the leader was Egidius, bishop of Rheims. On being brought
before the king they presented their letter and said: “Our master your
nephew begs you to keep with especial care the peace you have made with
him since he cannot have peace with your brother, who took away his share
of Marseilles[DK] after his father’s death and retains fugitives and is not
willing to send them back. Therefore your nephew Childebert wishes to
preserve unbroken the friendship which he now has with you.” Chilperic
replied: “My brother has proven guilty in many particulars. For if my son
Childebert would seek the path of reason, he would know at once that it was
by my brother’s connivance that his father was killed.”[DL] Upon this bishop

Egidius said: “If you would join with your nephew and he with you and
take the field, due vengeance would be speedily visited on him.” When they
had sworn to this agreement and exchanged hostages, they departed. Then
relying on these promises Chilperic set the army of his kingdom in motion
and went to Paris. And on encamping there he brought great expense to the
inhabitants. And duke Berulf went with the people of Tours, Poitiers,
Angers, and Nantes to the boundary of Bourges. And Desiderius and
Bladast with all the army of their province hemmed in the territory of
Bourges on the other side, completely devastating the country through
which they came.[DM] And Chilperic ordered the army which had come to
him to pass through the territory of Paris. And when they passed through, he
passed also and went to the town of Melun, burning and wasting all. And
although his nephew’s army did not come to him, still his dukes and legates
were with him. Then he sent messengers to the dukes just mentioned and
said: “Enter the territory of Bourges and go right to the city and demand the
oath of fidelity in my name.” But the people of Bourges gathered at the
town of Châteaumeillant to the number of fifteen thousand and there fought
duke Desiderius, and there was great slaughter there so that more than
seven thousand from each army fell. And the dukes went to the city with the
people who were left, plundering and devastating all. And such marauding
was done there as was never heard of in old times, so that no house nor
vineyard nor tree was left, but they cut, burned, and subdued all. Moreover
they carried the sacred utensils from the churches and burned the churches
with fire. But king Gunthram went with an army against his brother, placing
all his hope in the judgment of God. And one evening he sent his army and
destroyed a great part of his brother’s army. In the morning legates went to
and fro and they made peace, promising one another that each would pay
for what he had done beyond the limit of the law whatever the bishops and
leaders of the people should decide. And so they parted peaceably. And
when king Chilperic could not keep his army from plundering he slew the
count of Rouen with the sword and thus returned to Paris, leaving all the
booty and giving up the captives. And the besiegers of Bourges, on
receiving orders to return home, took with them so much plunder that all
the district they left was believed to be emptied of men and domestic
animals. The army of Desiderius and Bladast went through the land of
Tours and burned, plundered, and slew, as is the custom with enemies, and
they took captives, the most of whom they spoiled and afterwards let go.

There followed upon this disaster a disease among domestic animals so that
scarcely enough remained to make a start with, and it was strange if any one
saw an ox or heifer. While this went on king Childebert remained with his
army in one place. And one night the army mutinied and the lesser people
raised a great murmur against bishop Egidius and the king’s dukes, and
began to cry aloud and shout in public, saying: “Let those be thrust from the
presence of the king who sell his kingdom, give over his cities to the
dominion of another, and betray his people to the rule of another prince.”
While they continued shouting such things the morning came, and they
seized their armor and hastened to the king’s tent in order to seize the
bishop and leaders and crush them by force and beat and wound them. On
learning of this the bishop fled on horseback and hastened to his own city.
And the people pursued him hurling stones and shouting abuse. And he was
saved by the fact that they had no horses ready. The bishop outstripped his
companions’ horses and hastened on alone so terrified that when one shoe
dropped off he did not stop to put it on. And so he arrived at his city and
shut himself within the walls of Rheims.
32. A few months earlier Leudast had come to Tours with the king’s
command to take his wife back and dwell there. Moreover he brought me a
letter signed by the bishops directing that he be admitted to the communion
again. But since I saw no letter from the queen, on whose account
especially he had been excommunicated, I put off admitting him and said:
“When I receive the queen’s command then I will not delay to admit him.”
Meantime I sent to her and she wrote back saying: “I was urged by many
and could not help letting him go. But now I ask you not to be reconciled to
him nor give him the holy bread from your hand until I consider more fully
what I ought to do.” But when I read this letter over I was afraid he would
be killed, and sending for his brother-in-law I made it known to him and
asked that Leudast be careful until the queen should relent. But he received
with suspicion the advice which I gave frankly in God’s sight, and since he
was my enemy he refused to do what I ordered, and the proverb was
fulfilled which I once heard an old man mention: “Always give good advice
to friend and foe because the friend takes it and the foe despises it.” And so
he despised this advice and went to the king, who was then at Melun with
his army, and he entreated the people to beg the king to see him. So when
all made entreaty the king gave him a hearing. Leudast threw himself at his
feet and begged for pardon, and the king replied to him: “Be on guard yet

for a little while until I see the queen and make arrangement as to how you
are to return into favor with her.” But he was reckless and foolish and was
confident because he had had a hearing before the king, and when the king
returned to Paris he threw himself at the queen’s feet in the holy church on
the Lord’s day and asked for pardon. But she was furious and cursed the
sight of him and drove him away and said, bursting into tears: “I have no
sons living to avenge the slander against me and I leave it to you, Lord
Jesus, to avenge.” And she threw herself at the king’s feet and added: “Woe
is me that I see my enemy and do not prevail over him.” Then Leudast was
driven from the holy place and the mass was celebrated. The king and
queen returned from the holy church and Leudast went to the square having
no idea what was going to happen to him; he went around the traders’
houses, examined their costly wares, tested the weight of the silver articles
and looked at various ornaments, saying: “I’ll buy this and this because I
still have much gold and silver.” As he was saying this the queen’s servants
came suddenly and wished to bind him with chains. But he drew his sword
and struck one of them. Then in a rage they seized their swords and shields
and rushed at him. And one of them dealt a stroke that took hair and skin off
a great part of his head. And as he fled across the city bridge his foot
slipped between two planks of the bridge and his leg was broken and he
was taken. His hands were tied behind his back and he was put in prison.
The king ordered the physicians to attend him in order that when cured of
his wounds he might be executed with prolonged torture. He was taken to
one of the estates of the fisc but his wounds putrefied and he was dying
when the queen ordered him to be laid on the ground on his back. Then a
great bar of iron was placed under his neck and they struck his throat with
another. And so after living an always perfidious life he died a just death.
[33. List of prodigies. 34. Death of Chilperic’s infant son Theodoric.]
35. In the meantime the queen was told that the boy who had died had
been taken away by evil arts and enchantments, and that Mummolus the
prefect,[DN] whom the queen had long hated, had a share in the death of her
son Theodoric. And it happened that while Mummolus was dining at home
one from the king’s court complained that a boy whom he loved had been
attacked by dysentery. And the prefect said to him: “I have an herb at hand a
draught of which will soon cure a sufferer from dysentery no matter how
desperate the case.” This was reported to the queen and she was the more

enraged. Meantime she apprehended some women of Paris and plied them
with tortures and strove to force them by blows to confess what they knew.
And they admitted that they practised magic and testified that they had
caused many to die, adding what I do not allow any one to believe: “We
gave your son, O Queen, in exchange for Mummolus the prefect’s
life.”[DO] Then the queen used severer torture on the women and caused
some to be drowned and delivered others over to fire, and tied others to
wheels where their bones were broken. And then she retired with the king to
the villa of Compiègne and there disclosed to him what she had heard of the
prefect. The king sent his men and ordered him summoned, and after
examining him they loaded him with chains and subjected him to torture.
He was hung to a beam with his hands tied behind his back and there asked
what he knew of the evil arts, but he confessed nothing of what we have
told above. Nevertheless he told how he had often received from these
women ointments and potions to secure for him the favor of the king and
queen. Now when released from torture, he called a reader and said to him:
“Tell my master the king that I feel no ill effect of the tortures inflicted on
me.” Hearing this the king said: “Is it not true that he practises evil arts if he
has not been harmed by these tortures?” Then he was stretched on the wheel
and beaten with triple thongs until his torturers were wearied out. Then they
put splinters under his finger and toe nails. And when it had come to this,
that the sword hung over him to cut his head off, the queen obtained his life;
but a disgrace not less than death followed. Everything was taken from him
and he was put on a rough wagon and sent to his birthplace, the city of
Bordeaux. But on the way he had a stroke of apoplexy and was scarcely
able to reach his destination. And not long after he died.
Then the queen took all the boy had owned, both garments and costly
articles, whether of silk or wool, all she could find, and burned them. They
say there were four wagon-loads. She had the things of gold and silver
melted in a furnace that nothing might remain as it was to recall the sad
memory of her son.
[36. Difficulties of Ætherius, bishop of Lisieux, with a dissolute priest
and how he finally triumphed. 37. Abbot Lupentius is falsely accused,
tortured, and murdered by Count Innocent. 38. Count Innocent becomes
bishop of Rodez. 39. Sulpicius becomes bishop of Bourges. 40. Theological
argument between Gregory and a Spanish legate. 41. Chilperic retires to

Cambrai. 42. Childebert receives money from the emperor to drive the
Lombards out of Italy but fails to do so. 43. Events in Spain. 44. List of
prodigies.]
45. Meantime the first of September came and a great embassy of Goths
came to king Chilperic.[DP] He had now returned to Paris. He ordered many
households of slaves to be taken from his estates and placed on the wagons;
many too who wept and refused to go he ordered to be put under guard, in
order to send them more easily with his daughter. They say that many in
their grief hanged themselves, fearing they would be taken from their
kinsmen. Son was separated from father, mother from daughter, and they
departed with loud outcries and curses. There was such a wailing in the city
of Paris that it was compared with the wailing of Egypt. Many of the older
men who were forced to go made their wills and left their property to the
churches, and requested that when the girl had entered the Spains the wills
should be opened at once as if they were already buried.
Meantime legates came to Paris from king Childebert and warned king
Chilperic not to take anything from the cities he held that belonged to the
realm of Childebert’s father, [or present his daughter with the treasures in
any of them] or dare to touch the slaves or horses or yokes of oxen or
anything in them. They say that one of these legates was secretly killed, but
it was not known by whom; still suspicion turned to the king. King
Chilperic promised that he would touch nothing from these cities, and
invited the Frankish nobles and the rest who had sworn fealty and
celebrated his daughter’s marriage. She was given over to the legates of the
Goths and he gave her great treasures. Moreover her mother presented her
with a great quantity of gold and silver and garments, so that when the king
saw it he thought he had nothing left. The queen noticed he was provoked
and she turned to the Franks and said: “Do not think, men, that I have
anything here from the treasures of previous kings; for all that you see is
taken from my own property, since the most glorious king has given me
much and I have gathered a good deal by my own labor, and I have made
great gains from houses granted to me, both from the revenues and the
tribute. Moreover you have often enriched me with your gifts, and from
these sources comes all that you see before you, for there is nothing here
from the public treasures.” And thus the king’s mind was deceived.

There was such a multitude of things that it took fifty wagons to carry
the gold and silver and other ornaments. The Franks offered many gifts,[DQ]
some gold, others silver, many horses or garments; each gave such a gift as
he could. Finally the girl said farewell after tears and kisses and when she
was going out of the gate a wagon axle broke and all said: “Mala hora,”
which was taken by some as an augury. So she went forth from Paris and
ordered the tents pitched at the eighth milestone from the city. And fifty
men rose in the night and took a hundred of the best horses with golden
bridles and two great chains and fled to king Childebert. Moreover along
the whole way when any one could escape, he fled, taking whatever he
could lay hands on. Abundant supplies at the expense of the different cities
were gathered along the way; in this the king ordered that nothing should be
taken from his own treasury but all from the contributions of the poor. And
as the king was suspicious that his brother or nephew would prepare some
ambush against the girl on the way, he directed that she should be guarded
by an army. Great warriors were with her, duke Bobo, Mummolinus’s son,
with his wife as attendant on the bride, Domigisel and Ansovald and the
major-domo Waddo who had once been count of Saintes, and also about
four thousand common soldiers. The rest of the dukes and chamberlains
who started with her turned back at Poitiers. The others journeyed on as
they could. And on this journey such spoils and booty were taken as can
scarcely be described. For they robbed the huts of the poor, wasted the
vineyards, cutting off the vines and carrying them away grapes and all,
taking domestic animals and whatever they could come upon and leaving
nothing along their road, and the words that were spoken through Joel the
prophet were fulfilled: “That which the locust hath left hath the
cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left, hath the
caterpillar eaten; and that which the caterpillar hath left, hath the
palmerworm eaten.” This is what happened on this occasion. What was left
by frost the storm destroyed, what was left by the storm the drought
destroyed, and what was left by the drought the host carried away.
46. While they continued on their way with this plunder, Chilperic, the
Nero and Herod of our time, went to his villa of Chelles about one hundred
stades distant from Paris and there hunted. One day, returning from the hunt
in the dusk, when he was dismounting from his horse and had one hand on
a slave’s shoulder a certain one came and stabbed him with a dagger under
the armpit and repeating the blow pierced his belly. A flood of blood issued

at once from his mouth and the open wounds and put his wicked soul to
flight. The narrative before this shows how iniquitous he was. For he
frequently laid great districts waste and burned them over, and experienced
no pain in this but rather joy, like Nero before him when he recited
tragedies as the palace burned. He often punished men unjustly because of
their wealth. Very few clerics in his time reached the office of bishop. He
was given over to gluttony and his belly was his god. He used to say that no
one was wiser than he. He wrote two books on the model of Sedulius,[DR]
but their feeble little verses can’t stand on their feet at all, since for lack of
understanding he put short syllables for long ones and long for short. He
wrote pamphlets also and hymns and masses which can in no wise be
received. He hated the causes of the poor. He was always blaspheming the
bishops of the Lord, and when he was in retirement he belittled and
ridiculed no one more than the bishops of the churches. He called this one
lightheaded, that one vain, another lavish, another wanton, another
conceited, another pompous. He hated nothing more than churches. For he
often used to say: “Behold our treasury has remained poor, behold our
wealth has gone to the churches, no one reigns if not the bishops; our office
will perish and be transferred to the bishops of the cities.” Going on in this
way he would always break wills that were made in favor of churches and
he trampled under foot the last directions of his own father, thinking that
there was no one left to require the execution of his will. As to lust and
wantonness nothing can be found in thought that he did not realize in deed.
And he was always looking for new devices to injure the people and of late
years if he found any one guilty he would order his eyes torn out. And in the
directions he sent to his judges to secure his own advantages he would add
this: “If any one disregards our orders let him be punished by having his
eyes torn out.” He never loved any one sincerely and was loved by no one,
and therefore when he died all his people deserted him. But Mallulf bishop
of Senlis, who had been sitting in his tent three days and had been unable to
see him, came when he heard he was killed, and washed him and put on
better garments, and spent the night singing hymns, and took him in a boat
and buried him in the church of St. Vincent which is at Paris, leaving queen
Fredegunda in the cathedral.

Here Ends in Christ’s Name the Sixth Book of the Histories. Thanks
be to God. Amen.

FOOTNOTES:
[58] West of Marseilles in Septimania.
[59] The argument is continued at length along this line between the Jew
on the one hand and Chilperic and Gregory on the other.

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE SEVENTH BOOK

1. Death of the holy bishop Salvius.
2. Fighting between men of Chartres and of Orleans.
3. Killing of Vidast, named also Avus.
4. Fredegunda takes refuge in a church; her treasures that were taken to
Childebert.
5. King Gunthram goes to Paris.
6. The same king takes control of Charibert’s kingdom.
7. Childebert’s legates demand Fredegunda.
8. The king requests the people not to kill him as [they had] his brothers.
9. Riguntha’s treasures are taken away and she is held prisoner by
Desiderius.
10. Gundovald is made king; about Riguntha, king Chilperic’s daughter.
11. The signs which appeared.
12. The burning of the country about Tours and St. Martin’s miracle.
13. The burning and plundering of Poitiers.
14. King Childebert’s legates are sent to prince Gunthram.
15. Fredegunda’s wickedness.
16. Bishop Prætextatus’s return.
17. Bishop Promotus.
18. What was said to the king to put him on his guard against being
killed.
19. The queen is ordered to retire to a villa.
20. How she sent a man to assassinate Brunhilda.
21. Eberulf’s flight and how he was watched.
22. His wickedness.
23. A Jew with his attendants is killed.
24. The plundering of Poitiers.
25. The despoiling of Marileif.
26. Gundovald goes the round of his cities.
27. The wrong done to bishop Magnulf.
28. Advance of the army.
29. Killing of Eberulf.

30. Gundovald’s legates.
31. The relics of the holy martyr Sergius.
32. Other legates of Gundovald.
33. Childebert visits his uncle Gunthram.
34. Gundovald retires to Comminges.
35. The church of St. Vincent the martyr at Agen is plundered.
36. The conversation between Gundovald and the soldiers.
37. The attack on the city.
38. The killing of Gundovald.
39. The killing of bishop Sagittarius and Mummolus.
40. Mummolus’s treasures.
41. A giant.
42. A miracle of St. Martin.
43. Desiderius and Waddo.
44. The woman with a spirit of divination.
45. The famine in this year.
46. Death of Christofor.
47. Civil war among the citizens of Tours.

HERE END THE CHAPTERS

HERE BEGINS THE SEVENTH BOOK

1. Though it is my desire to continue the history which the previous
books have left untold, still affection requires me first to tell somewhat
concerning the death of the blessed Salvius, who, as is well known, died in
this year.[60] As he himself was wont to relate he continued for a long time
in the secular garb and with secular judges devoted himself to worldly
cases, but yet he never entangled himself in the passions in which the mind
of the young is usually involved. And finally when the odor of the divine
breath had touched his inward parts, he left the warfare of the world and
sought a monastery, and being even then devoted to godliness he
understood that it was better to be poor with the fear of God than to pursue
the gains of the perishing world. In this monastery he continued a long time
under the rule established by the fathers. And when he had reached a more
mature strength both of understanding and of life, the abbot who was over
this monastery died and he took up the task of feeding the flock; and
whereas he should have shown himself more commonly among his brethren
for their correction, after he had attained this honor he was more retiring;
and so he sought for himself a more secluded cell; now in the former, as he
himself told, he had changed the skin of his body more than nine times,
from scourging himself with too great determination. Then after receiving
the office, while he devoted himself to prayer and reading, contented with
this abstinence, he kept considering whether it was better for him to be
hidden among the monks or to take the name of abbot among the people.
Why say more? He said farewell to his brethren and they to him, and was
immured. While thus immured he continued in all abstinence more than
before;[DS] and in his love of charity he sought when any strangers came to
bestow his prayers on them and administer the grace of the blessed
bread[DT] abundantly, which brought sound health to many who were
infirm. And once he lay panting on his bed worn out by a high fever, and
behold his cell was suddenly brightened by a great light and quivered. And
he lifted his hands to heaven and breathed out his spirit while giving thanks.
With mingled cries of mourning the monks and his mother took the dead

man’s body out [of the cell], washed and clothed it and placed it on a bier
and spent the night in weeping and singing psalms. In the morning while
preparations for the funeral went on the body began to move on the bier.
And behold his cheeks regained color and, as if roused from a deep sleep,
he stirred and opened his eyes and lifted his hands and said: “Merciful God,
why hast Thou allowed me to return to this gloomy place of life on earth,
since Thy mercy in heaven would be better for me than vile life in this
world.” His people were wonderstruck and asked what such a prodigy could
mean, but he made no answer to their questions. He rose from the bier,
feeling no harm from the painful experience he had suffered, and continued
for three days without the support of food or drink. On the third day he
called the monks and his mother and said: “Listen, dear ones, and
understand that what you look upon in this world is nothing but it is like the
prophet Solomon’s song, ‘All is vanity.’ Happy is he who can live in the
world so as to deserve to see the glory of God in heaven.” Having said this
he began to doubt whether to say more or be silent. When he said no more
he was beset by the entreaties of his brethren to tell what he had seen, and
he went on: “Four days ago when my cell quivered and you saw me lifeless,
I was seized by two angels and carried up to the high heavens, so that I
thought I had under my feet not only this filthy world but the sun also, and
the moon, the clouds and the stars. Then I was taken through a door brighter
than this light into that dwelling in which all the pavement was like shining
gold and silver, a brightness and spaciousness beyond description, and such
a multitude of both sexes was there that the length and breadth of the throng
could not be seen. A way was made for me through the press by the angels
who guided me, and we came to a place which I had already seen from a
distance; a cloud hung over it brighter than any light, in which no sun or
moon or star could be seen, but excelling all these it gleamed more brightly
than the light of nature, and a voice came out of the cloud like a voice of
many waters. Then I, a sinner, was humbly greeted by men in priestly and
worldly dress who, my guides told me, were martyrs and confessors whom
we worship here with the greatest reverence. I stood where I was bidden
and a very sweet odor enveloped me so that I was refreshed by this
sweetness and up to the present have wanted no food or drink. And I heard
a voice saying: ‘Let him return to the world since he is necessary to our
churches.’ It was only the voice that was heard, for it could not be seen who
spoke. And I threw myself on the pavement and said with loud weeping:

‘Alas, Alas, Lord, why didst Thou show me this if I was to be deprived of it.
Behold to-day Thou wilt cast me out from Thy face to return to the sinful
world and never be able to return here again. I beseech Thee, Lord, not to
take Thy mercy from me but permit me to stay here and not fall thither and
perish.’ And the voice which spoke to me said: ‘Go in peace, for I am your
keeper until I bring you back to this place.’ Then I was left alone by my
companions and departed weeping by the gate by which I entered and
returned here.” When he had said this and all present were wonderstruck,
God’s saint began to weep and say: “Woe is me who have dared to reveal
such a mystery. For the pleasant odor which I brought from the holy place,
by which I have been supported the last three days without eating or
drinking, has gone. My tongue too is covered with grievous sores and
swollen so that it seems to fill the whole of my mouth. And I know that it
was not well pleasing to my Lord God to make these secrets known. But
Thou knowest, Lord, that I did this in simplicity of heart, not in
boastfulness. I beg Thee, be kind and do not abandon me, according to Thy
promise.” After this he said no more and took food and drink. Now as I
write this I am afraid that some reader may not believe it, according to what
Sallust[DU] the historian says: “When you speak of the virtue and fame of
good men each calmly believes what he thinks it easy for himself to do;
beyond that he considers it falsely invented.” For I call all-powerful God to
witness that I learned from his own lips all that I have told. A long time
after, the blessed man was taken from his cell, chosen bishop, and ordained
against his will. And when he was, I think, in his tenth year as bishop, the
plague grew worse in Albi, and the greatest part of the people had now died
and few of the citizens remained, but the blessed man, like a good shepherd,
never consented to leave the place, but he continually urged those who were
left to devote themselves to prayer and to keep watch continually and to be
engaged always in good works and profitable thought, saying: “Do this so
that if God wishes you to go from this world you can enter not into
judgment but into rest.” And when by God’s revelation, as I suppose, he
recognized the time of his calling, he made himself a tomb and washed his
body and clothed it; and thus always intent upon heaven he breathed out his
blessed spirit. He was a man of great holiness and not greedy at all; he
never wished to possess gold. If he took it under compulsion he at once paid
it out to the poor. In his time when Mummolus the patrician took many
captives from that city he followed him and ransomed them all. And the

Lord gave him such favor with that people that the very men who took the
captives made him concessions in the price and also gave him gifts. And so
he restored the captives taken from his country to their former liberty. I
have heard many good things about this man, but as I desire to return to the
history I have undertaken I pass them over for the most part.
2. Now when Chilperic had died and had found the death he had long
been looking for, the men of Orleans united with those of Blois made an
attack on the people of Châteaudun and defeated them, taking them off their
guard; they burned their houses and crops and whatever they could not
carry away conveniently, and they plundered flocks and herds and carried
off all that was not fast. Upon their departure the men of Châteaudun with
the rest of the men of Chartres pursued them closely and treated them in the
same way as they were treated, leaving nothing in their houses or outside
their houses or of their houses. And while they were still abusing one
another and raging, and the men of Orleans were ready to fight the men of
Chartres, the counts intervened and at a hearing before them peace was
made, on condition that on the day when court was to be held the side
which had flamed out wrongfully against the other should make payment
according to justice. And thus the war was ended.
[3. Vidast is slain in a quarrel with the Saxon Childeric, who settles for it
by a payment to Vidast’s sons. 4. Fredegunda takes refuge in a church.
Childebert gets some of her treasures. 5. Fredegunda invites Gunthram to
take Chilperic’s kingdom and become guardian to her son. He goes to Paris.
Childebert also approaches the city.]
6. When the people of Paris refused to admit Childebert he sent legates
to king Gunthram, saying: “I know, most righteous father, that it is not
unknown to your goodness how up to the present time the enemy has
defrauded us both so that neither of us could find justice for what was due
him. Therefore I humbly beg you now to keep the agreement that was made
between us after my father’s death.”[DV] Then king Gunthram said to the
legates: “O wretches, always faithless, you have no truth in you and you do
not stick to your promises; behold, you failed in all your promises to me
and entered into a new compact with king Chilperic to drive me from my
kingdom and divide my cities between you. Here is your compact; here are
your very signatures by which you connived together. With what face do
you now ask me to receive my nephew Childebert whom you wished to

make my enemy by your perversity?” To which the legates said: “If you are
so possessed with anger as not to keep your promises to your nephew, at
least cease taking what is due to him from Charibert’s kingdom.” But he
replied: “Here is the agreement entered into with my brothers that whoever
entered Paris without his brother’s consent should lose his part, and
Polioctus the martyr and Hilarius and Martin the confessors were to be his
judges and punishers. After this my brother Sigibert entered, who died by
the judgment of God and lost his part. So did Chilperic. Now they lost their
parts by these wrongdoings. Therefore since they have died by the judgment
of God in accordance with the curses in the compact, I will subject all
Charibert’s kingdom with its treasures to my rule by right of law, nor will I
grant anything to any one from it except of my own free will. Away with
you then, you everlasting liars and traitors, and take this word to your
king.”
7. They departed, but legates came again from Childebert to the king I
have mentioned, demanding queen Fredegunda, and saying: “Give up that
murderess who strangled my aunt[61] and killed my father and uncle and
also slew my cousins with the sword.” But he answered: “In the court
which we hold we decide everything and consider what ought to be done.”
For he was supporting Fredegunda and used often to invite her to dinner,
promising that he would be her strongest defender. And one day when they
were dining together the queen rose and said farewell but was detained by
the king, who said: “Eat something more.” But she replied: “Pardon me,
pray, my lord, for according to the custom of women I must rise because of
having conceived.” Upon hearing this he was amazed, knowing that it was
the fourth month since she had borne a son, but he permitted her to rise.
Now the leading men of Chilperic’s kingdom, like Ansoald and the rest,
gathered about his son, who, as we have stated, was four months old and
was named Clothar, and they exacted oaths in the cities that formerly
looked to Chilperic to be faithful to king Gunthram and his nephew Clothar.
And king Gunthram by process of justice restored all that king Chilperic’s
followers had wrongfully taken from various sources, and he himself gave
much to the churches, and he gave effect to the wills of the dead which had
contained bequests to churches and had been broken by Chilperic, and he
was generous to many and gave much to the poor.

8. But inasmuch as he had no trust in the men among whom he had
come, he guarded himself with armed men, and never went to church or to
the other places he took pleasure in visiting without a strong guard. And so
one Lord’s day, when the deacon had called for silence among the people
for the hearing of the mass, the king rose and addressed the people: “I
adjure you, men and women who are present, to think it worth while to
keep unbroken faith with me, and not to kill me as you lately did my
brothers, and to allow me for three years at least to help my nephews who
have become my adopted sons. For it may perchance happen if I die while
they are little that you will perish at the same time—​may the eternal Deity
not allow it—​since there will be no one of our family strong enough to
protect you.” When he said this all the people poured forth prayers to the
Lord for the king.
9. While this was going on, Riguntha, king Chilperic’s daughter, arrived
at Toulouse with the treasures described above. And seeing she was now
near the Gothic boundary she began to contrive excuses for delay, and her
people told her also that she ought to remain there for a time since they
were wearied with the journey and their clothing was rough, their shoes
torn, and the harness and carriages which had been brought on wagons were
not yet put together. They ought first to make all these preparations with
care and then set out on the journey and be received in all elegance by her
betrothed, and not be laughed at by the Goths if they appeared among them
in a rough condition. While they were delaying for these reasons,
Chilperic’s death was reported to duke Desiderius.[DW] And he gathered his
bravest men and entered Toulouse and finding the treasures took them from
the queen’s control and put them in a certain house sealed up and under the
guard of brave men, and he allowed the queen a scanty living until she
should return to the city.
[10. Gundovald is proclaimed king. 11. A list of prodigies pointing to
Gundovald’s death. 12. Tours is forced to become subject to Gunthram. 13.
Poitiers also comes under Gunthram’s control.]
[DY]
14. Now when court was held, bishop Egidius, Gunthram Boso,
Sigivald, and many others were sent by king Childebert to king Gunthram,
and they went in to him and the bishop said: “Most righteous king, we
thank the all-powerful God that he has restored you after many toils to your
own land and kingdom.” And the king said to him: “Yes, it is to the King of

kings and Lord of lords who in his mercy thought it right to accomplish
this, that due thanks should be given. For it is certainly not to you, by
whose treacherous counsel and perjuries my land was burned over a year
ago; you never kept good faith with any man; your crooked dealing appears
everywhere;[DX] it is not a bishop but an enemy of my kingdom that you
show yourself to be.” At these words the bishop, though enraged, was
silent. But one of the legates spoke: “Your nephew Childebert begs you to
order the cities which his father held to be given back to him.” At this he
replied: “I told you before that our compacts give them to me and therefore
I refuse to restore them.” Another of the legates said: “Your nephew asks
you to order the sorceress Fredegunda, through whom many kings have
been killed, to be surrendered to him, so that he can avenge the death of his
father, uncle and cousins.” “She shall not be given into his power,” said
Gunthram, “because she has a son who is king. Besides I do not believe that
what you say against her is true.” Then Gunthram Boso approached the
king as if he were going to make some request. But since it had been
certainly reported that he had raised Gundovald up as king, Gunthram
spoke before him and said: “You enemy of my country and kingdom, who
went a few years ago to the East for the express purpose of bringing
Ballomer”[DZ]—​so he used to call Gundovald—​“into my kingdom, you
who are always treacherous and never perform what you promise.”
Gunthram Boso replied: “You are lord and king and sit on a royal throne
and no one ventures to make answer to what you say. Now I say that I am
innocent of this charge. And if there is any one of my rank who secretly
makes this charge against me, let him come now openly and make it. Then,
most righteous king, I will leave it to the judgment of God to decide when
he sees us fighting on a level field.” At this all were silent and the king
added: “All ought to be eager to drive from our territories an adventurer
whose father was a miller; and to tell the truth his father was in charge of
the combs and wove wool.” And although it is possible for one man to be
master of two trades, still one of them answered in ridicule of the king:
“Therefore, as you say, this man had two fathers at the same time, one a
worker in wool, the other a miller. Fie on you, king, to say such an
outlandish thing. For it is an unheard of thing that one man should have two
fathers at the same time except in a spiritual sense.” Then they laughed
without restraint and another legate said: “We bid you good-by, O king.
Although you have refused to restore your nephew’s cities we know that the

ax is still safe that was driven into your brothers’ heads. It will soon strike
yours.” Thus they went off in a quarrelsome spirit. Then the king, inflamed
at their insults, ordered his men to throw on their heads as they went rotted
horse-dung, chips, hay and straw covered with filth, and the stinking refuse
from the city. And they were badly fouled and went off amid unmeasured
insult and abuse.
15. While queen Fredegunda was living in the church at Paris, Leonard,
formerly an officer of the household, who then came from Toulouse, went
to her and began to tell her of the abuse and insults offered to her daughter,
saying: “At your command I went with queen Riguntha and I saw her
humiliation and how she was plundered of her treasures and everything.
And I escaped by flight and have come to report to my mistress what has
happened.” On hearing this she was enraged and ordered him despoiled[EA]
in the very church and she took away his garments and the belt which he
had as a gift from king Chilperic and ordered him out of her presence. The
cooks and bakers, too, and whoever she learned of as returning from this
journey, she left beaten, plundered, and maimed. She tried to ruin by
wicked accusations to the king, Nectar, brother of bishop Baudegysil, and
she said he had taken much from the treasury of the dead king. Moreover
she said he had taken from the storehouses sides of meat and a great deal of
wine, and she requested that he should be bound and thrust into prison
darkness. But the king’s patience and his brother’s help prevented this. She
did many foolish things and did not fear God in whose church she was
taking refuge. She had with her at the time a judge, Audo, who had assisted
in many wrongdoings in the time of the king. For together with Mummolus
the prefect he subjected to the state tax many Franks who in the time of
king Childebert the elder were free born. After the king’s death he was
despoiled by them and stripped, so that he had nothing left except what he
could carry away. For they burned his house and would have taken his life
if he had not fled to the church with the queen.
[16. Prætextatus returns to the bishopric of Rouen.]
17. Promotus had been made bishop in Châteaudun by order of king
Sigibert and had been removed after that king’s death on the ground that the
town was a parish of Chartres—​and judgment had been given against him
to the effect that he should perform only the functions of a priest. He now
came to the king and begged to receive again his ordination as bishop in the

town mentioned. But Pappalus, bishop of Chartres, opposed him and said:
“It is my parish,” pointing especially to the decision of the bishops, and
Promotus could obtain nothing more from the king than permission to take
again his own property which he had within the territory of the town, on
which he lived with his mother who was still living.
[18. King Gunthram fears assassination. 19. Fredegunda is ordered to
retire to her villa at Reuil. 20. She sends a clerk to assassinate Brunhilda.
When he returns without success she has his feet and hands cut off.]
21. After this when king Gunthram returned to Chalon and endeavored
to inquire into his brother’s death and the queen had put the blame on the
chamberlain Eberulf—​for she had invited him to reside with her after the
king’s death but could not prevail upon him to do so—​this enmity
accordingly broke out and the queen said that the king had been killed by
him and that he had taken much from the treasures and so gone off to Tours;
and therefore if the king wished to avenge his brother’s death he might
know that Eberulf was the leader in the matter. Then the king swore to all
his nobles that he would destroy not only Eberulf himself but also all his
kinsmen[EB] to the ninth degree, in order that by their death the wicked
custom of killing kings might be ended. On learning this, Eberulf fled to the
church of St. Martin, whose property he had often seized. Then upon the
pretext of watching him the men of Orleans and Blois came in turn to keep
guard, and at the end of fifteen days returned with great booty, taking
horses, flocks and herds, and whatever they could carry off. But the men
who took away the blessed Martin’s horses got into a quarrel and pierced
one another with lances. Two, who were taking mules, went to a house near
by and asked for a drink. And when the man said he had none they raised
their lances to attack him, but he drew his sword and thrust them both
through and they fell dead; Saint Martin’s horses were returned. Such evils
were done at that time by the men of Orleans that they cannot be described.
22. While this was going on Eberulf’s property was being granted to
different persons; his gold and silver and other valuables that he had with
him he offered for sale.[EC] What he held in trust was confiscated. The herds
of horses, swine, and pack-animals were taken. His house within the walls
which he had taken from the possession of the church and which was full of
grain, wine, sides of meat, and many other things, was completely cleaned
out and nothing but the bare walls remained. Because of this he regarded

me with great suspicion although I was running faithfully on his errands,
and he kept promising that if he ever regained the king’s favor he would
take vengeance on me for what he suffered. But God, to whom the secrets
of the heart are revealed, knows that I helped him disinterestedly as far as I
could. And although in former times he had laid many traps for me in order
to get St. Martin’s property, still there was a reason why I should forget
them, namely because I had taken his son from the holy font. But I believe
it was the greatest drawback to the unlucky man that he showed no respect
for the holy bishop. For he often engaged in violence within the very
portico that is close to the saint’s feet, and was continually occupied with
drunkenness and vanities; and when a priest refused to give him wine, since
he was plainly drunk already, he crushed him down on a bench and beat
him with his fists and with other blows, so that he seemed to be almost
dying; and perhaps he would have died if the cupping-glasses of the
physicians had not helped him. Now because of his fear of the king he had
his lodging in the audience chamber of the holy church. And when the
priest who kept the door keys had closed the other doors and gone, girls
went in with the rest of his attendants by the door of the audience chamber
and looked at the paintings on the walls and fingered the ornaments of the
holy tomb, which was a wicked crime in the eyes of the religious. And
when the priest learned of this he drove nails in the door and fitted bars
within. And after dinner when he was drunk he noticed this, and as we were
singing in the church on account of the service at nightfall, he entered in a
rage and began to attack me with abuse and curses, reviling me, among
other things, because I wished to keep him away from the holy bishops’
tomb cover. But I was amazed that such madness should possess the man
and tried to calm him with soothing words. But as I could not overcome his
rage by gentle words I decided to be silent. And finding that I would say
nothing he turned to the priest and overwhelmed him with abuse. For he
assailed both him and me with vile language and various insults. But when
we saw that he was so to speak possessed by a demon, we went out of the
holy church and ended the disgraceful scene and the service at the same
time, being especially indignant that he had become so abusive before the
very tomb, without respect for the holy bishop.
In these days I saw a vision which I told him in the holy church, saying:
“I thought that I was celebrating mass in this holy church and when the altar
with the offerings was now covered with a silk cloth, I suddenly saw king

Gunthram entering and he said in a loud voice, ‘Drag out the enemy of my
family, tear the murderer away from God’s sacred altar.’ And when I heard
him I turned to you and said: ‘Wretch, take hold of the altar-cloth with
which the holy gifts are covered, lest you be cast out of here.’ And although
you laid hold of it you held it with a loose hand and not manfully. But I
stretched out my hands and opposed my breast against the king’s breast,
saying: ‘Do not cast this man out of the holy church lest you incur danger to
your life, lest the holy bishop destroy you by his power. Do not kill yourself
with your own weapon because if you do this you will lose the present life
and the eternal one.’ But when the king opposed me you let go the cloth and
came behind me. And I was very much annoyed at you. And when you
returned to the altar you took hold of the cloth, but again let go. And while
you held it without spirit and I manfully resisted the king I woke up in
terror, not knowing what the dream meant.” Now when I had told it to him
he said: “It is a true dream that you saw because it strongly agrees with my
purpose.” And I said to him: “And what is your purpose?” He replied: “I
have determined that if the king orders me to be dragged from this place I
will hold to the altar-cloth with one hand and with the other draw my sword
and first kill you and then as many clerks as I can reach. And after this it
would not be a misfortune for me to die, if I first took vengeance on this
saint’s clerks.” I heard this and was amazed, and wondered why it was that
the devil spoke by his mouth. For he never had any fear of God. For while
he was at liberty his horses and flocks were let go among the crops and
vineyards of the poor. And if they were driven away by the men whose
labor they were destroying these were at once beaten by his men. In this
trouble in which he was he often told how many of the blessed bishop’s
possessions he had taken unjustly. In fact the year before he had urged on a
certain foolish citizen and caused him to summon the bailiffs of the church.
Then, without regard for justice, he had taken property which the church
formerly possessed under pretense of having bought it, giving the man the
gold ornament on his belt. Moreover he acted perversely in many other
things to the end of his life, which we shall tell of later.
23. In this year Armentarius, a Jew, with one attendant of his own sect
and two Christians, came to Tours to demand payment of the bonds which
Injuriosus, ex-vicar, and Eunomius, ex-count,[ED] had given to him on
account of the tribute. And calling on the men, he received a promise to pay
the sum with interest, and they said to him besides: “If you will come to our

house we will pay what we owe and honor you with presents also, as is
right.” He went and was received by Injuriosus and placed at dinner, and
when the feast was over and night came, they arose and passed from one
place to another. Then, as they say, the Jews and the two Christians also
were killed by Injuriosus’s men, and thrown into a well which was near his
house. Their kinsmen heard what had been done and came to Tours and
information was given by certain men and they found the well and took the
bodies out, while Injuriosus vigorously denied that he had been involved in
this matter. After this it came to trial, but as he denied it with vigor, as I
have said, and they had no means of proving him guilty, it was decided that
he should take oath that he was innocent. But they were not satisfied with
this and they set the trial before king Childebert. However neither the
money nor the bonds of the dead Jew were found. Many said at the time
that Medard the tribune was involved in this crime, because he too had
borrowed money from the Jew. However Injuriosus went to the trial before
king Childebert and waited for three days until sunset. But as they did not
come and he was not examined on the case by any one, he returned home.
[24. The territory of Poitiers is devastated and its people are forced to
declare their allegiance to Gunthram a second time.]
25. Marileif, who had been regarded as the chief physician in king
Chilperic’s household, they attacked most eagerly. And although he had
been well plundered already by duke Gararic he was a second time stripped
bare by these, so that he had no substance left. They took away his horses,
gold, silver, and other valuables alike, and subjected him to the control of
the church. For his father’s service had been to attend to the mills of the
church, and his brothers and cousins and other relatives were attached to the
kitchens and mills of their masters.
[26. Gundovald goes about among the southern cities exacting the oath
of allegiance. 27. He enters Toulouse and exiles bishop Magnulf. 28.
Gunthram’s army marches south from Poitiers. [EE]29. Eberulf is slain by
Claudius. 30. A legate of Gundovald is captured by Gunthram. 31.
Gundovald obtains a piece of the finger bone of the martyr Sergius, hearing
that an Oriental king had defeated his enemy by the help of one of Sergius’
finger bones. 32. Two legates of Gundovald are taken and tortured. 33.
Friendship is reëstablished between Gunthram and Childebert. 34.
Gundovald takes refuge in Comminges. 35. March of Gunthram’s army to

Comminges. 36. Gunthram’s men outside the wall abuse Gundovald and he
answers with an account of his life.]
37. The fifteenth day of this siege had dawned when Leudeghisel began
to make ready new engines to destroy the city, wagons carrying battering
rams covered with woven branches, and planks under which the army was
to move forward to tear down the walls. But when they came near they
were so overwhelmed with stones that all who got near the wall perished.
They threw upon them pots of burning pitch and fat and hurled jars full of
stones down on them. And when night ended the contest the army returned
to the camp. Now Gundovald had on his side Chariulf, a very rich and
powerful man, with whose store-rooms the city was very full, and it was on
his substance that they were chiefly supported. And Bladast saw what was
being done and was afraid that Leudeghisel would win the victory and put
them to death, so he set fire to the bishop’s house, and when the people shut
in the city ran to put the fire out he slipped away and departed. In the
morning the army rose again for battle and they made bundles of rods as if
to fill the deep trench which lay on the east; but here the engine could do no
harm. And Sagittarius the bishop went frequently around the walls in arms
and from the wall hurled stones with his own hand at the enemy.
38. Finally when those attacking the city saw that they could accomplish
nothing, they sent secret messages to Mummolus saying: “Recognize your
lord and finally give up your perversity. What madness possesses you to
become a follower of an unknown man? For your wife and your daughters
have been captured and your sons have been already slain. What end are
you coming to? What do you expect except to perish?” He received their
message and replied: “Already, as I see, our kingdom has reached its end
and its power fails. One thing is left; if I learn that I have security of life, I
can relieve you of great trouble.” When the messengers left, bishop
Sagittarius with Mummolus, Chariulf and Waddo hastened to the church
and there they swore to one another that if they should be assured of life
they would give up their friendship for Gundovald and betray him to the
enemy. The messengers returned and promised them security of life. And
Mummolus said: “Let this be done; I will betray him into your hand and I
will recognize my master the king and hasten to his presence.” Then they
promised that if he did this they would receive him to their friendship, and
if they could not secure his pardon from the king they would place him in a

church that he might avoid the punishment of death. This they promised
with an oath and then departed. And Mummolus went to Gundovald with
bishop Sagittarius and Waddo and said: “You were present and know what
oaths of faithfulness we took to you. But now accept wholesome counsel
and go down from this city and present yourself to your brother as you have
often desired to do. For we have spoken with these men and they have told
us that the king does not wish to lose your support because too few remain
of your family.” But he understood their treachery and bursting into tears
said: “It was at your invitation I came to these Gauls, and of my treasures
comprising a great amount of silver and gold and various articles of value,
some have been kept in Avignon and some have been taken by Gunthram
Boso. And next to God’s help I placed all my hope in you, and to you
intrusted my counsels and by your help always wished to reign. Now let
your settlement be with God if you have lied to me. For he will judge my
cause.” To this Mummolus replied: “We are not speaking deceitfully to you;
and lo! brave men are standing at the gate awaiting your coming. Now lay
down my gilded belt that you are wearing that you may not seem to go forth
boastingly and gird on your sword and give me mine back.” He answered:
“There is a double meaning in what you say since you are taking away the
things of yours that I have used as a token of affection.” But Mummolus
swore that no harm should be done him. Accordingly they went out of the
gate and he was received by Ollo, count of Bourges, and by Boso. And
Mummolus returned into the city with his followers and barred the gate
very securely. And when Gundovald saw that he was betrayed into the
hands of his enemies he raised his hands and eyes to heaven and said:
“Eternal judge, true avenger of the innocent, God from whom all justice
comes, whom lying displeases, in whom is no craft or wicked cunning, to
Thee I commend my cause, praying that Thou mayst be a swift avenger
upon those who have betrayed an innocent man into the hands of his
enemies.” Having said this he crossed himself and went off with the men I
have mentioned. And when they had gone some distance from the gate, as
the whole valley around the city is precipitous he was given a push by Ollo
and fell, Ollo calling out: “There is your Ballomer, who says he is brother
and son of a king.” And he threw his lance and wished to pierce him but it
was checked by the links of Gundovald’s coat[EF] of mail, and did him no
injury. Then when he rose and attempted to climb the mountain Boso threw
a stone and struck his head. And he fell and died. And the whole throng

came and thrust their lances into him and tied his feet with a rope and
dragged him through all the camp of the armies, and they tore out his hair
and beard and left him unburied in the place where he was killed. The next
night the leaders secretly carried off all the treasures they could find in the
city, together with the church utensils. And in the morning they opened the
gates and admitted the army and gave over all the common folk inside to
the edge of the sword, butchering also the bishops of the Lord with their
attendants at the very altars of the churches. And after they had killed all so
that not one remained, they burned the whole city, both churches and other
buildings, and left nothing but bare ground.
39. Now Leudeghisel, on his return to the camp with Mummolus,
Sagittarius, Chariulf and Waddo, sent messengers secretly to the king to ask
what he wished done with them. And he gave orders to put them to death.
But Waddo and Chariulf by that time had left their sons as hostages and
gone off. When the word about their death had come and Mummolus heard
of it, he put on his armor and went to Leudeghisel’s hut. And Leudeghisel
saw him and said to him: “Why do you come thus as if ready to flee?” And
he answered: “The word that was given is not to be kept, I see; for I know
that I am close to death.” But Leudeghisel replied: “I will go out and settle
everything.” He went out and immediately by his command the house was
surrounded in order that Mummolus might be killed. But he made a long
resistance against his assailants and at last came to the door and as he
stepped out two with lances struck him on each side, and so he fell and
died. On seeing this the bishop was overwhelmed with fear and one of the
bystanders said to him: “Behold with your own eyes, bishop, what is being
done. Cover your head to escape recognition and make for the woods and
hide for a little time, and when their anger passes you can escape.” He took
the advice, but while he was trying to get away with his head covered, a
certain man drew his sword and cut off his head, hood and all. Then each
and all returned home, plundering and killing along the way. In these days
Fredegunda sent Chuppan to Toulouse to bring her daughter thence as best
he could. Now many said that he was sent in case he found Gundovald alive
to entice him with many promises and bring him to her. But since Chuppan
could not do this he took Rigunda and brought her back from that place
amid great scorn and contempt.

[40. Mummolus’s treasures, amounting to two hundred and fifty-two
talents of silver and a greater value in gold, are taken. 41. A giant “two or
three feet taller than the tallest men” is taken to king Gunthram. 42. The
count of Bourges attempts to fine “St. Martin’s men” for not taking part in
the expedition against Gundovald. 43. Desiderius, Waddo, and Chariulf
escape.]
44. There was at this time a woman who had a spirit of divination and
won great gain for her owners by prophesying, and she won such favor
from them that she was set free and left to her own devices. And if any one
suffered from theft or any wrongdoing she would at once tell where the
thief had gone, to whom he had given the property, or what he had done
with it. She gathered together gold and silver every day and went forth in
rich clothing, so that she was thought among the people to be something
divine. But when this was reported to Ageric, bishop of Verdun, he sent to
arrest her. When she was arrested and brought to him he perceived,
according to that which we read in the Acts of the Apostles, that there was
in her an unclean spirit of divination. And when he said a formula of
exorcism over her and anointed her forehead with holy oil, the demon cried
out and revealed to the bishop what it was. But since he could not drive it
from the woman she was allowed to go. And the woman saw that she could
not dwell in the place and she went off to queen Fredegunda and remained
hid.
45. In this year a severe famine oppressed almost all of the Gauls. Many
dried and ground into powder grape seeds and oat chaff and fern roots and
mixed a little flour with it and made bread; many cut straw and did the
same. Many who had no flour ate different herbs which they gathered, and
in consequence swelled up and died. Many too wasted away and died of
starvation. At that time the traders plundered the people greatly, selling
scarcely a peck of grain or half measure of wine for the third of a gold
piece. They subjected the poor to slavery in return for a little food.
[46. Christofer, a trader, is killed by his Saxon slaves, one of whom is
caught and executed. [EG]47. Quarrel between two citizens of Tours.]

Here Ends the Seventh Book

FOOTNOTES:
[60] Salvius died Sept. 10, 584. Chilperic’s death which closes Book VI
occurred in 584.
[61] Galsuenta. See p. 90.

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE EIGHTH BOOK

1. Visit of the king at Orleans.
2. How the bishops were presented to him and how he made ready a
feast.
3. The singers and Mummolus’s silver.
4. Praise of king Childebert.
5. The visions of Chilperic which the king and I saw.
6. Those whom I presented.
7. How bishop Palladius said mass.
8. Prodigies.
9. The oath given in behalf of Chilperic’s son.
10. The bodies of Merovech and Clovis.
11. The doorkeepers and the killing of Boantus.
12. Bishop Theodore and the plague that visited Ratharius.
13. The embassy sent by Gunthram to Childebert.
14. Danger on the river.
15. Conversion of deacon Vulfilaic.
16. What he related of St. Martin’s miracles.
17. The signs which appeared.
18. Childebert sends an army into Italy; the dukes and counts who are
appointed or removed.
19. Killing of the abbot Daulfus.
20. Acts of the synod at Mâcon.
21. The court at Beslingen and the violation of sepulcher.
22. Death of the bishops and of Wandalinus.
23. Floods.
24. The islands of the sea.
25. The island in which blood appeared.
26. The former duke Berulf.
27. Desiderius returns to the king.
28. Hermengild and Ingunda and the Spanish legates secretly sent to
Fredegunda.
29. Fredegunda sends persons to kill Childebert.

30. The army makes an expedition against Septimania.
31. The killing of bishop Prætextatus.
32. Killing of Domnola, Nectarius’s wife.
33. Burning of Paris.
34. Temptations of recluses.
35. Spanish legates.
36. Killing of Magnovald.
37. A son is born to Childebert.
38. The Spaniards burst into the Gauls.
39. Death of the bishops.
40. Pelagius of Tours.
41. The slayers of Prætextatus.
42. Beppolenus is appointed duke.
43. Nicecius is appointed governor of Provence; doings of Antestius.
44. The man who wished to kill king Gunthram.
45. Death of duke Desiderius.
46. Death of king Leuvigild.

HERE END THE CHAPTERS OF THE EIGHTH BOOK. THANKS BE
TO GOD. AMEN.

IN CHRIST’S NAME HERE BEGINS BOOK EIGHT

[EH]
1. Now king Gunthram in the twenty-fourth year of his reign started
from Chalon and went to the city of Nevers. For he was going to Paris by
invitation to receive from the holy font of regeneration Chilperic’s son,
whom they were already calling Clothar. And he left the territory of Nevers
and came to the city of Orleans and at that time appeared much among the
citizens.[EI] For on receiving invitations he went to their homes and partook
of the repasts offered him. He received many gifts from them and bestowed
many gifts on them in a very generous way. And when he came to the city
of Orleans the day was the festival of the blessed Martin, namely the fourth
before the Nones of the fifth month [July 4]. And a huge throng of people
came to meet him with standards and banners, singing praises. And here the
Syrian language, there that of the Latins, and again that even of the Jews,
sounded together strangely in varied praises, saying: “Long live the king;
may his reign over the people last unnumbered years.” And the Jews who
were to be seen taking part in these praises said: “May all the nations honor
you and bend the knee and be subject to you.” And so it happened that
when the king was seated at dinner after mass he said: “Woe to the Jewish
tribe, wicked, treacherous, and always living by cunning.[EJ] Here’s what
they were after,” said he, “when they cried out their flattering praises to-
day, that all the nations were to honor me as master. [They wish me] to
order their synagogue, long ago torn down by the Christians, to be built at
the public cost; but by the Lord’s command I will never do it.” O King
glorious for wonderful wisdom. He so understood the craft of the heretics
that they entirely failed to get from him what they were going to propose
later. At the dinner the king said to the bishops who were present: “I beg
you to give me your blessing to-morrow in my house and bring me
salvation by your coming, so that I may be saved when in my humility I
receive your words of blessing.” When he said this all thanked him, and as
dinner was finished we rose.

2. In the morning while the king was visiting the holy places to offer
prayer he came to my lodging. It was the church of Saint Avitus the abbot,
whom I mention in my book of the miracles. I rose gladly, I admit, to go to
meet him, and after giving him my blessing begged him to accept St.
Martin’s holy bread at my lodging. He did not refuse but courteously came
in, drank a cup, invited me to the dinner and went away in good humor.
At that time Bertram, bishop of Bordeaux, and Palladius of Saintes were
in great disfavor with the king because of their support of Gundovald of
which we have told above. Moreover bishop Palladius had especially
offended the king because he had repeatedly deceived him. Now they had
recently been under examination before the remaining bishops and the
nobles as to why they had supported Gundovald and why they had foolishly
ordained Faustian bishop of Ax at his command. But bishop Palladius took
the blame for the ordination from his metropolitan Bertram and took it on
his own shoulders, saying: “My metropolitan was suffering greatly from
sore eyes and I was plundered and treated with indignity and dragged to the
place against my will. I could do nothing else than obey one who said he
had received complete control of the Gauls.” When this was told the king he
was greatly irritated so that he could scarcely be prevailed upon to invite to
the dinner these bishops whom he had previously refused to see. So when
Bertram came in the king asked: “Who is he?” For it had been a long time
since he had seen him. And they said: “This is Bertram bishop of
Bordeaux.” And the king said to him: “We thank you for keeping faith as
you have with your own family. For I would have you know, beloved father,
that you are my kinsman on my mother’s side and you should not have
brought a plague from abroad on your own people.” When Bertram had
been told this and more, the king turned to Palladius and said: “You do not
deserve much gratitude either, bishop Palladius. For you perjured yourself
to me three times—​a hard thing to say of a bishop—​sending me
information full of treachery. You excused yourself to me by letter and at
the same time you were inviting my brother in other letters.[EK] God will
judge my cause since I have always tried to treat you as fathers of the
church and you have always been treacherous.” And he said to the bishops
Nicasius and Antidius: “Most holy fathers, tell me what you have done for
the advantage of your country or the security of my kingdom.” They made
no reply and the king washed his hands and after receiving a blessing from

the bishops sat at table with a glad countenance and a cheerful behavior as
if he had said nothing about the wrongs done him.
3. Meantime when the dinner was now half over the king asked me to
request my deacon who had sung the responsory at the mass the day before,
to sing. When he had sung he next asked me to request all the bishops who,
at my instance, had come prepared, to appoint each a single clerk from his
service to sing before the king. And so I made the request at the king’s
command, and they sang, each to the best of his ability, a psalm before the
king. And when the courses were being changed the king said: “All the
silver you see belonged to that perjurer Mummolus, but now by the help of
God’s grace it has been transferred to my ownership. I have already had
fifteen of his dishes like the larger one you see yonder melted down, and I
have kept only this one and one other of a hundred and seventy pounds.
Why [keep] more than enough for daily use? It is too bad, but I have no
other son than Childebert, and he has enough treasures which his father left
him beside what I had sent to him from the property of this wretch which
was found at Avignon. The rest must be given for the necessities of the poor
and the churches.
4. “There is only one thing that I ask of you, my lord bishops, namely, to
pray God’s mercy for my son Childebert. For he is a man of sense and
ability so that one so cautious and energetic as he could scarcely be found in
many years. And if God would deign to grant him to these Gauls perhaps
there would be hope that by him our race, greatly weakened though it is,
can rise again. And I have confidence that this will happen through His
mercy because the indications at the boy’s birth were of this sort. For it was
the holy day of Easter and my brother Sigibert was standing in the church
and the deacon was walking in procession with the holy book of the
Gospels, and a messenger came to the king, and the words of the deacon as
he read from the Gospels and of the messenger were the same, saying: ‘To
thee a son has been born.’ And when they both spoke together all the people
cried out: ‘Glory to all-powerful God.’ Moreover he was baptized on the
holy day of Pentecost and was made king also on the holy day of the Lord’s
birth. And so if your prayers attend him, God willing he will be able to
rule.” So the king spoke and all prayed the Lord in His mercy to keep both
kings safe. The king added: “It is true that his mother Brunhilda threatens

my life, but I have no misgiving on this account. For the Lord who has
saved me from the hands of my enemies will save me from her plots too.”
5. Then he said much against bishop Theodore, protesting that if he
came to the synod he would thrust him off again into exile and saying: “I
know it was for the sake of these people[62] that he caused my brother
Chilperic to be killed. In fact I ought not to be called a man if I cannot
avenge his death this year.” But I made answer: “And what killed Chilperic,
unless it was his own wickedness and your prayers? For he laid many plots
for you contrary to justice and they brought death to him. And, so to speak,
it was just this that I saw in a dream when I beheld him with tonsured head
being ordained bishop, apparently, and then I saw him placed on a plain
chair hung only with black and carried along with shining lamps and
torches going before him.” When I told this the king said: “And I saw
another vision which foretold his death. He was brought into my presence
loaded with chains by three bishops, of whom one was Tetricus, the second
Agricola, and the third Nicecius of Lyons. And two of them said: ‘Set him
free, we entreat you, give him a beating and let him go.’ But bishop Tetricus
answered harshly, ‘It shall not be so, but he shall be burned with fire for his
crimes.’ And when they had carried on this discussion for a long time, as if
quarreling, I saw at a distance a caldron set on a fire and boiling furiously.
Then I wept and they seized unhappy Chilperic and broke his limbs and
threw him in the caldron. And he was immediately so melted and dissolved
amid the steam from the water that no trace of him at all remained.” The
king told this story and we wondered at it, and the feast being finished we
rose.
6. Next day the king went hunting. When he returned I brought into his
presence Garachar, count of Bordeaux, and Bladast, who, as I have told you
before, had taken refuge in the church of Saint Martin because they had
been followers of Gundovald. I had previously made intercession for them
but had failed, and so at this later time I said: “Hear me, powerful king.
Behold I have been sent to you on an embassy by my master. What answer
shall I give to him who sent me when you refuse to give me any answer?”
And he said in amazement: “And who is your master who sent you?” I
smiled and answered: “The blessed Martin.” Then he ordered me to bring
the men before him. And when they entered his presence he reproached
them with many treacheries and perjuries, calling them again and again

tricky foxes, but he restored them to his favor, giving back what he had
taken from them.
7. When the Lord’s day came the king went to church to hear mass. And
the brethren and fellow-bishops who were there yielded to bishop Palladius
the honor of celebrating it. When he began to read the prophecy the king
inquired who he was. And when they told him that it was the bishop
Palladius he was angry at once and said: “Is he now to preach the sacred
word before me who has always been faithless to me and perjured. I will
leave this church immediately and will not hear my enemy preach.” So
saying he started to leave the church. Then the bishops were troubled by the
humiliation of their brother and said to the king: “We saw him present at the
feast you gave and we saw you receive a blessing at his hand and why does
the king despise him now? If we had known that he was hateful to you we
would have resorted to another to celebrate mass. But now if you permit it
let him continue the ceremony which he has begun; to-morrow if you bring
any charge against him let it be judged in accordance with the holy canons.”
By this time bishop Palladius had retired to the sacristy in great humiliation.
Then the king bade him be recalled and he finished the ceremony which he
had begun. Moreover when Palladius and Bertram were again summoned to
the king’s table they became angry at one another and reproached one
another with many adulteries and fornications and with a good many
perjuries as well. At these matters many laughed, but a number who were
keener of perception lamented that the weeds of the devil should so flourish
among the bishops of the Lord. And so they left the king’s presence, giving
bonds and security to appear at the synod on the tenth day before the
kalends of the ninth month.
[8. List of prodigies. 9. Queen Fredegunda, three bishops and three
hundred nobles swear to Gunthram that the young Clothar is Chilperic’s
son. 10. Gunthram discovers the bodies of Chilperic’s sons, Merovech and
Clovis, and gives them due burial. 11. Gunthram’s life is in danger. 12.
Bishop Theodore of Marseilles is forced to appear before Gunthram. 13.
Gunthram sends an embassy to Childebert. 14. Gregory nearly loses his life
in crossing the Rhine but is saved by relics of St. Martin.]
15. We started on the journey and came to the town of Yvois and there
were met by deacon Vulfilaic and taken to his monastery, where we
received a very kind welcome. This monastery is situated on a mountain top

about eight miles from the town I have mentioned. On this mountain
Vulfilaic built a great church and made it famous for its relics of the blessed
Martin and other saints. While staying there I began to ask him to tell me
something of the blessing of his conversion and how he had entered the
clergy, for he was a Lombard by race. But he would not speak of these
matters since he was quite determined to avoid vain-glory. But I urged him
with terrible oaths, first promising that I would disclose to no one what he
told and I began to ask him to conceal from me none of the matters of
which I would ask. After resisting a long time he was overcome at length by
my entreaties and protestations and told the following tale: “When I was a
small boy,” said he, “I heard the name of the blessed Martin, though I did
not know yet whether he was martyr or confessor or what good he had done
in the world, or what region had the merit of receiving his blessed limbs in
the tomb; and I was already keeping vigils in his honor, and if any money
came into my hands I would give alms. As I grew older I was eager to learn
and I was able to write before I knew the order of the written letters [before
I could read]. Then I joined the abbot Aridius and was taught by him and
visited the church of Saint Martin. Returning with him he took a little of the
dust of the holy tomb for a blessing. This he placed in a little case and hung
it on my neck. Coming to his monastery in the territory of Limoges he took
the little case to place it in his oratory and the dust had increased so much
that it not only filled the whole case but burst out at the joints wherever it
could find an exit. In the light of this miracle my mind was the more on fire
to place all my hope in his power. Then I came to the territory of Trèves and
on the mountain where you are now built with my own hands the dwelling
you see. I found here an image of Diana which the unbelieving people
worshiped as a god. I also built a column on which I stood in my bare feet
with great pain. And when the winter had come as usual I was so nipped by
the icy cold that the power of the cold often caused my toe-nails to fall off
and frozen moisture hung from my beard like candles. For this country is
said to have a very cold winter.” And when I asked him urgently what food
or drink he had and how he destroyed the images on the mountain, he said:
“My food and drink were a little bread and vegetables and a small quantity
of water. And when a multitude began to flock to me from the neighboring
villages I preached always that Diana was nothing, that her images and the
worship which they thought it well to observe were nothing; and that the
songs which they sang at their cups and wild debauches were disgraceful;

but it was right to offer the sacrifice of praise to all-powerful God who
made heaven and earth. I often prayed that the Lord would deign to hurl
down the image and free the people from this error. And the Lord’s mercy
turned the rustic mind to listen to my words and to follow the Lord,
abandoning their idols. Then I gathered some of them together so that by
their help I could hurl down the huge image which I could not budge with
my own strength, for I had already broken the rest of the small images,
which was an easier task. When many had gathered at this statue of Diana
ropes were fastened and they began to pull but their toil could accomplish
nothing. Then I hastened to the church and threw myself on the ground and
weeping begged the divine mercy that the power of God should destroy that
which human energy could not overturn. After praying I went out to the
workmen and took hold of the rope, and as soon as I began to pull at once
the image fell to the ground where I broke it with iron hammers and
reduced it to dust. But at this very hour when I was going to take food my
whole body was so covered with malignant pimples from sole to crown that
no space could be found that a single finger might touch. I went alone into
the church and stripped myself before the holy altar. Now I had there a jar
full of oil which I had brought from Saint Martin’s church. With this I oiled
all my body with my own hands and soon lay down to sleep. I awoke about
midnight and rose to perform the service and found my whole body cured
as if no sore had appeared on me. And I perceived that these sores were sent
not otherwise than by the hate of the enemy. And inasmuch as he enviously
seeks to injure those who seek God, the bishops, who should have urged me
the more to continue wisely the work I had begun, came and said: ‘This
way which you follow is not the right one, and a base-born man like you
cannot be compared with Simon of Antioch who lived on a column.
Moreover the situation of the place does not allow you to endure the
hardship. Come down rather and dwell with the brethren you have
gathered.’ At their words I came down, since not to obey the bishops is
called a crime. And I walked and ate with them. And one day the bishop
summoned me to a village at a distance and sent workmen with crowbars
and hammers and axes and destroyed the column I was accustomed to stand
on. I returned the next day and found it all gone. I wept bitterly but could
not build again what they had torn down for fear of being called disobedient
to the bishop’s orders. And since then I am content to dwell with the
brothers just as I do now.”

16. And when I asked him to tell somewhat of the miracles which the
blessed Martin worked in that place, he related the following: “The son of a
certain Frank of the highest rank among his people was deaf and dumb; he
was brought by his kinsmen to this church and I had him sleep on a couch
in the holy temple with my deacon and another attendant. And by day he
devoted himself to prayer and at night he slept in the church as I have said.
And when God pitied him the blessed Martin appeared to me in a vision
saying, ‘Send the lamb out of the church for he is now cured.’ In the
morning I was thinking what this dream meant when the boy came to me
and spoke and began to thank God, and turning to me said: ‘I thank all-
powerful God who has restored to me speech and hearing.’ After this he was
cured and returned home.”…
[17. Peculiar appearances in the heavens from which Gregory expected
that “some plague would be sent upon them from the heavens.” 18.
Childebert’s invasion of Italy and the appointment of various dukes and
counts. 19. The abbot Dagulfus is taken in adultery. 20. A synod meets at
Mâcon. 21. Childebert hears a charge of grave robbery against Gunthram
Boso. 22. Various items of the year 585. 23-25. Prodigies. 26. Eberulf,
former duke of Tours and Poitiers, loses his property. 27. Desiderius is
restored to favor with Gunthram. 28. Relations with the Spanish king. 29.
The plot to assassinate Childebert and its failure. 30. Gunthram sends two
armies to attack Septimania. They plunder his own territories and turn back
without success. 31. Quarrel between Fredegunda and Prætextatus, bishop
of Rouen. 32. Dispute about vineyards between one of Fredegunda’s
officials and Domnola.]
33. Now there was in these days in the city of Paris a woman who said to
the inhabitants: “O flee from the city and know that it must be burned with
fire.” And when she was ridiculed by many for saying this on the evidence
of lots[EL] and because of some idle dream or at the urging of a mid-day
demon, she replied: “It is not as you say, for I say truly that I saw in a vision
a man all illumined coming from the church of St. Vincent, holding a torch
in his hand and setting fire to the houses of the merchants one after
another.” Then the third night after the woman made this prophecy, at
twilight a certain citizen took a light and went into his store-house and took
oil and other necessary things and went out, leaving the light close by the
cask of oil. This was the house next the gate which is towards the south.

From this light the house caught fire and burned, and from it others began
to catch. Then the fire threatened the prisoners, but the blessed Germanus
appeared to them and broke the posts and chains by which they were bound
and opened the prison door and allowed all the prisoners to go safe. They
went forth and took refuge in the church of St. Vincent in which is the
blessed bishop’s tomb. Now when the flame was carried hither and thither
through the whole city by the high wind and the fire had the complete
mastery, it began to approach another gate where there was an oratory of the
blessed Martin which had been placed there because he had there cured a
case of leprosy with a kiss. The man who had built it of interwoven
branches, trusting in God and confident of the blessed Martin’s power, took
refuge within its walls with his property saying: “I believe and have faith
that he who has so often mastered fire and at this place by a kiss made a
leper’s skin clean, will keep the fire from here.” When the fire came near
great masses of flame swept along but when they touched the wall of the
oratory they were extinguished at once. But the people kept calling to the
man and woman: “Run if you wish to save yourselves. For a mass of fire is
rushing on you; see, ashes and coals are falling around you like a heavy
rain. Leave the oratory or you will be burned in the fire.” But they kept on
praying and were never moved by these words. And the woman, who was
armed with the strongest faith in the power of the blessed bishop, never
moved from the window through which the flames sometimes entered. And
so great was the power of the blessed bishop that he not only saved this
oratory together with his follower’s house but he did not permit the flames
to injure the other houses which were around. There the fire ceased which
had broken out on one side of the bridge. And on the other side it burned all
so completely that only the river stopped it. However, the churches with the
houses attached to them were not burned. It was said that this city had been
as it were consecrated in ancient times[EM] so that not only fire could not
prevail there but snakes and mice could not appear. But lately when a
channel under the bridge had been cleaned and the mud which filled it had
been taken out they found a snake and a mouse of bronze. They were
removed and after that mice without number and snakes appeared, and fires
began to take place.
34. Inasmuch as the prince of darkness has a thousand arts of doing
injury, I will relate what lately happened to recluses vowed to God. Vennoc,
a Breton, who had become a priest as we have told in another book, was so

given up to abstinence that he wore only garments made of skins and ate
wild herbs in the raw state and merely touched the wine to his lips so that
one would think he was kissing it rather than drinking. But as the devout in
their generosity often gave him vessels of this liquor, sad to say he learned
to drink immoderately and to be so given up to it as to be generally seen
drunk. And so as his drunkenness grew worse and time went on, he was
seized by a demon and so violently harassed that he would seize a knife or
any kind of weapon or stone or club that he could lay hands on and run after
men in an insane rage. And it became necessary to bind him with chains and
imprison him in a cell. After raging under this punishment for two years he
died.
There was also Antholius of Bordeaux. When a boy of twelve years old,
it is said, the servant of a merchant, he asked to be allowed to become a
recluse. His master opposed him a long time, thinking he would grow
lukewarm and that at his age he could not attain to what he wished, but he
was at length overcome by his servant’s entreaties and permitted him to
fulfil his desire. Now there was an old crypt vaulted and very finely built,
and in the corner of it was a little cell built of squared stones in which there
was hardly room for one man standing. The boy entered this cell and
remained in it eight years or more, satisfied with very little food and drink
and devoting himself to watching and prayer. After this he was seized with
a great fear and began to shout that he was being tortured internally. So it
happened, by the aid, as I suppose, of the devil’s soldiers, that he tore away
the stones that shut him in, dashed the wall to the ground and cried,
wringing his hands, that the saints of God were causing him frightful
torture. And when he had continued in this madness a long time and often
mentioned the name of Saint Martin and said he caused him more torture
than the other saints, he was brought to Tours. But the evil spirit, because, I
suppose, of the virtue and greatness of the saint, did not tear the man. He
remained in Tours for the space of a year and as he suffered no more he
returned, but later on he suffered from the trouble that he had been free
from here.
[35. An embassy from Spain to king Gunthram.]
36. By order of king Childebert Magnovald was killed in his presence,
for reasons not given, in the following manner: the king was staying in his
palace in the city of Metz and was attending a sport in which an animal was

surrounded by a pack of dogs and worried, when Magnovald was
summoned. He came and not knowing what was to happen he began to look
at the animal and laugh heartily with the rest. But a man who had received
his orders seeing him intent on the spectacle raised his axe and dashed it
against his head. He fell and died and was thrown out by the window and
buried by his own people. His property was taken at once, as much as was
found, and carried to the public treasury. Certain persons said that it was
because he had beaten his wife to death after his brother died and had
married his brother’s wife, that he was killed.
[37. Birth of a son to Childebert. 38. Spanish expedition into Gaul. 39.
Death of several bishops.]
40. There was in the city of Tours a certain Pelagius who was practiced
in every villainy and was not afraid of any judge, because he had under his
control the keepers of the horses belonging to the fisc. Because of this he
never ceased either on land or on the rivers to thieve, dispossess, plunder,
murder, and commit every sort of crime. I often sent for him and both by
threats and by gentle words tried to make him desist from his wickedness.
But it was hatred rather than any reward of justice I got from him,
according to Solomon’s proverb: Reprove not a fool lest he hate thee.
The wretch so hated me that he often plundered and beat and left half-
dead the men of the holy church, and was always looking for pretexts to
harm the cathedral or the church of Saint Martin. And so it happened that
once when our men were coming and bringing sea-urchins in vessels, he
beat them and trampled on them and took the vessels. When I learned of
this I excommunicated him, not to avenge my wrong but to correct him
more easily of this insanity. But he chose twelve men and came to clear
himself of this crime by perjury. Though I was unwilling to receive any oath
I was compelled by him and my fellow-citizens, and so I sent the rest away
and received his oath only, and ordered that he be taken back into
communion. It was then the first month. When the fifth month[63] came
when the meadows are usually cut, he entered a meadow adjoining his own
that belonged to the monks. But as soon as he put sickle to it he was seized
with fever and died on the third day. He had had a tomb made for him in
Saint Martin’s church in the village of Candes, but when it was uncovered
his people found it broken to bits. He was afterwards buried in the portico
of the church. The vessels for which he had perjured himself were brought

by his storekeeper after his death. Here the power of the blessed Mary is
evident, in whose church the wretch had taken a false oath.
[41. Fredegunda is accused of the killing of Prætextatus. 42. Beppolenus
leaves Fredegunda and is made a duke by Gunthram. 43. Palladius, bishop
of Saintes, is forced to appear before Gunthram. 44. Fredegunda attempts to
have Gunthram assassinated. 45. Death of Duke Desiderius. 46. Richared
succeeds Leuvigild of Spain.]

Here ends the Eighth Book.

FOOTNOTES:
[62] Gundovald and his followers.
[63] July.

HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE NINTH BOOK

1. Richared and his legates.
2. The blessed Radegunda’s death.
3. The man who came to king Gunthram with a knife.
4. Another son is born to Childebert.
5. Prodigies.
6. They who lead astray and soothsayers.
7. Removal from office of duke Ennodius; the Gascons.
8. The appearance at court of Gunthram Boso.
9. Rauching’s death.
10. Gunthram Boso’s death.
11. Meeting of the kings.
12. Death of Ursio and of Bertefred.
13. Baddo who had been kept prisoner when on an embassy and long
after was set free; dysentery.
14. Reconciliation between bishop Egidius and duke Lupus.
15. Richared’s conversion.
16. His embassy to our kings.
17. A hard year.
18. The Bretons and the death of bishop Namatius.
19. Killing of Sichar a citizen of Tours.
20. I am sent to king Gunthram on an embassy to maintain the peace.
21. The charities and goodness of the king.
22. The plague at Marseilles.
23. Death of bishop Ageric and his successor.
24. Episcopate of Fronimius.
25. Childebert’s army goes into Italy.
26. Death of queen Ingoberga.
27. Amalo’s death.
28. The beautiful things which queen Brunhilda sent.
29. The Lombards ask peace of king Childebert.
30. Assessors at Poitiers and Tours.
31. King Gunthram sends an army to Septimania.

32. Enmity between Childebert and Gunthram.
33. The nun Ingytrude goes to Childebert to make charges against her
daughter.
34. Quarrels between Fredegunda and her daughter.
35. Killing of Waddo.
36. King Childebert sends Theodobert his son to Soissons.
37. Bishop Droctigisil.
38. What some wished to do to queen Brunhilda.
39. The scandal which arose in the convent of Poitiers through
Chrodechild and Basina.
40. The first beginning of the scandal.
41. The fight in St. Hilarius’s church.
42. Copy of the letter which the holy Radegunda sent to the bishops.
43. The priest Theuther comes to end this scandal.
44. The weather.

HERE THE CHAPTERS END

IN CHRIST’S NAME HERE BEGINS BOOK NINE IN THE TWELFTH
YEAR OF KING CHILDEBERT

[1. Richared, the new king of Spain, sends legates to Gunthram and
Childebert; they are not received by Gunthram. 2. Death of Radegunda.]
3. Meantime the festival of Saint Marcellus came, which is celebrated in
the seventh month in the city of Chalon, and king Gunthram was present.
And when the ceremony was over and he had approached the holy altar for
the communion, a certain man came as if to say something. And as he
hastened to the king a knife fell from his hand; he was seized at once and
they found another knife unsheathed in his hand. He was immediately led
from the holy church and put in fetters and subjected to torture, and he
confessed that he had been sent to kill the king, saying, “This was the
purpose of the man who sent me.” Since the king knew that the hatred of
many men was united on him and he feared that he would be stabbed, he
had given orders to his men to guard him well and no opportunity could be
found to get at him with swords unless he was attacked in the church, where
he was known to stand without care or fear. Now the men who had been
named were seized and many were executed, but he let this man go alive,
though severely beaten, because he thought it a crime that a man should be
led out of church and beheaded.
[4. A second son, Theodoric, is born to Childebert. 5. Prodigies. Among
others a village with cottages and men disappeared suddenly.]
6. There was in that year in the city of Tours a man named Desiderius
who claimed to be great and said he could do many miracles. He boasted
too that messengers were kept busy going to and fro between him and the
apostles Peter and Paul. And as I was not at home, the common folk
thronged to him bringing the blind and lame but he did not attempt to cure
them by holiness but to fool them with the delusion of necromancy.[EN] For
he ordered paralytics and other cripples to be vigorously stretched as if he
were going to cure by taking pains those whose limbs he could not

straighten by the blessing of the divine virtue. And so his attendants would
lay hold of a man’s hands and others his feet, and pull in opposite directions
so that one would think their sinews would be broken, and when they were
not cured they would be sent off half-dead. And the result was that many
died under this torture. And the wretch was so presumptuous that he said he
was blessed Martin the younger and put himself on a par with the apostles.
And it is no wonder that he compared himself with the apostles when that
author of wickedness from whom such things proceed is going to assert
toward the end of the world that he is Christ. Now it was known from the
following fact that he was versed in the wicked art of necromancy as we
have said above, because, as they say who observed him, when any one said
any evil of him far away and secretly he would rebuke them publicly and
say: “You said so and so about me and it was not right to say such things of
a holy man like me.” Now how else could he have learned of it except that
demons were his messengers? He wore a hood and a goat’s-hair shirt and in
public he was abstemious in eating and drinking, but in secret when he had
come to his lodgings he would stuff his mouth so that his servant could not
carry food to him as fast as he asked for it. But his trickery was exposed and
stopped by our people and he was cast out from the territory of the city. We
did not know then where he went, but he said he was a citizen of Bordeaux.
Now seven years before there had been another great impostor who
deceived many by his tricks. He wore a sleeveless shirt and over it a robe of
fine stuff and carried a cross from which hung little bottles which contained
as he said holy oil. He said that he came from the Spains and was bringing
relics of the blessed martyrs Vincent the deacon and Felix. He arrived at
Tours at the church of Saint Martin in the evening when we were sitting at
dinner, and sent an order saying: “Let them come to see the holy relics.” As
the hour was late I replied: “Let the blessed relics rest on the altar and we
will go to see them in the morning.” But he arose at the first break of day
and without waiting for me came with his cross and appeared in my cell. I
was amazed and wondered at his hardihood and asked what this meant. He
answered in a proud and haughty voice: “You should have given me a better
welcome; I’ll carry this to the ears of king Chilperic; he will avenge this
contemptuous treatment of me.” He paid no more attention to me but went
into the oratory[EO] and said a verse, then a second and a third, began the
prayer and finished it, all by himself, then took up his cross again and went
off. He had a rude style of speech and was free with disgusting and obscene

terms and not a sensible word came from him. He went on to Paris. In those
days the public prayers were being held that are usually held before the holy
day of the Lord’s ascension. And as bishop Ragnemod was walking in
procession with his people and making the round of the holy places, this
person came with his cross and appearing among the people with his
unusual clothing, he gathered the prostitutes and women of the lower class
and formed a band of his own and made an attempt to walk in procession to
the holy places with his multitude. The bishop saw this and sent his
archdeacon to say: “If you have relics of the saints to show, place them for a
little in the church and celebrate the holydays with us, and when the rites
are finished you shall go on your way.” But he paid little attention to what
the archdeacon said but began to abuse and revile the bishop. The bishop
saw that he was an impostor and ordered him shut up in a cell. And
examining all he had, he found a great bag full of roots of different herbs
and also there were moles’ teeth, the bones of mice, the claws and fat of
bears. He knew that these were the means of sorcery and ordered them all
thrown into the river; he took his cross away and ordered him to be driven
from the territory of Paris. But he made himself a second cross and began to
do what he had done before, but was captured and put in chains by the
archdeacon and kept in custody. In these days I had come to Paris and had
my lodging at the church of the blessed martyr Julian. The following night
the wretch broke out of prison and hastened to Saint Julian’s church just
mentioned, wearing the chains with which he was bound, and fell on the
pavement where I had been accustomed to stand and, overwhelmed with
drowsiness and wine, he fell asleep. Unaware of this I rose at midnight to
return thanks to God and found him sleeping. And such a stench came from
him that that stench surpassed the stenches of all sewers and privies. I was
unable to go into the church because of the stench. And one of the clergy
came holding his nose and tried to wake him but could not; for the wretch
was so intoxicated. Then four of the clergy came and lifted him and threw
him into one corner of the church, and they brought water and washed the
pavement and scattered sweet-smelling herbs on it and so I went in to offer
the regular prayers. But he could not be wakened even when we sang the
psalms until with the coming of day the sun’s torch climbed higher. Then I
surrendered him to the bishop with a request for his pardon. When the
bishops assembled at Paris I told this at dinner and bade him be brought to
receive correction. And when he stood by, Amelius, bishop of Tarbes,

looked at him and recognized him as his slave who had run away. He
secured his pardon and so took him back to his native place. There are
many who practise these impostures and continually lead the common
people into error. It is of these I think that the Lord says in the Gospel that
in the latest times false Christs and false prophets shall arise who shall do
signs and wonders and lead the very elect into error. Let this suffice for this
subject; let us rather return to our task.
[7. Ennodius, duke of Tours and Poitiers, is removed from office. The
Gascons make an inroad on Frankish territory, and also the Goths. 8.
Childebert desires to punish Gunthram Boso for the insults he had offered
to Brunhilda during Childebert’s minority. 9. Rauchingus, Ursio, and
Bertefred, enemies of Brunhilda, plot Childebert’s death. Rauchingus is
trapped and brutally killed. Ursio and Bertefred take refuge in a
stronghold.]
10. While this was going on king Gunthram sent a second time to his
nephew Childebert saying: “Let there be no delay; come, that I may see
you. For it is surely necessary for your own life as well as for the public
welfare that we see one another.” Hearing this he took his mother, sister,
and wife and hastened to meet his uncle. Bishop Magneric of the city of
Trèves was present also, and Gunthram Boso came, whom bishop Ageric of
Verdun had received in custody. But the bishop who had pledged his faith
for him was not present, because the agreement was that he should appear
before the king without any defender so that if the king decided that he
must die he was not to be begged off by the bishop; and if the king granted
him life he would go free. Now the kings met and he was judged guilty on
various grounds and was ordered to be put to death. When he learned it he
flew to Magneric’s lodging and shutting the doors and sending the clerks
and attendants away he said: “Most blessed bishop, I know that you have
great honor with the kings. And now I flee to you to be rescued. Behold, the
executioners are at the door, whence you may plainly know that if you do
not save me I shall kill you and go outside and die. Let me tell you plainly
that either one death overtakes us or an equal life shall protect us. O holy
bishop, I know that you share with the king the place of father to his son[64]
and I am sure that whatever you ask you will obtain from him; he will not
be able to deny your holiness anything you demand. Therefore either obtain
my pardon or we shall die together.” He said this with his sword

unsheathed. The bishop was alarmed at what he heard and said: “And how
can I do it if I am kept here by you. Let me go to beg the king’s mercy and
perhaps he will pity you.” But he replied: “By no means, but send abbots
and men you trust to carry the message I propose.” However, these matters
were not reported as they were to the king, but they said that he was being
protected by the bishop. And so the king was angry and said: “If the bishop
refuses to come out let him die together with that doer of wickedness.” The
bishop when he was told this sent messengers to the king. And when they
had told their story king Gunthram said: “Set fire to the house and if the
bishop cannot come out let them be burned together.” The clerks on hearing
this burst open the door by force and got the bishop out. Then when the
wretch saw that he was hemmed in by great flames on every side he
approached the door with his sword. But as soon as he left the threshold and
set foot outside at once one of the people threw a lance and struck his
forehead. He was confused by this stroke and lost his head and tried to
throw his sword but he was wounded by the bystanders with such a
multitude of lances[EP] that with the heads sticking in his body and the
shafts supporting him he was unable to fall to the earth. A few who were
with him were killed and exposed on the field at the same time. And
permission to bury them was obtained from the princes only with difficulty.
This man was faithless, headlong in avarice, greedy for other men’s
property beyond limit, swearing to all and fulfilling his promises to none.
His wife and sons were sent into exile and his property confiscated. A great
quantity of gold and silver and of valuables of different sorts was found in
his stores. Moreover what he had concealed underground from a
consciousness of wrongdoing did not remain hidden. He often made use of
soothsayers and lots, desiring to learn the future from them, but was always
deceived.
[11. Gunthram and Childebert settle their differences amicably. 12. Ursio
and Bertefred are dislodged from their stronghold and slain. 13. Baddo is
allowed to go free. Dysentery is severe in Metz. Wiliulf’s wife marries a
third time. 14. Bishop Egidius of Rheims makes his peace with Childebert.]
[EQ]
15. Now at that time in Spain king Richared was influenced by the
divine mercy and summoned the bishops of his religion and said to them:
“Why are quarrels continually going on between you and the bishops who
call themselves Catholic, and when they do many miracles by their faith

why can you do nothing of the sort? Therefore I beg you let us meet with
them and examine the beliefs of both sides and find out what is true; and
then either let them take our plan and believe what you say or else you
recognize their truth and believe what they preach.” This was done and the
bishops of both sides gathered and the heretics expounded the doctrines that
I have often described them as advocating. Likewise the bishops of our
religion made the replies by which, as I have pointed out in the previous
books, the heretics have been often defeated. And above all the king said
that no miraculous cure of the infirm had been done by the bishops of the
heretics, and when he recalled to mind how in his father’s time the bishop
who boasted that he could restore sight to the blind by his faith which was
not the true one had touched a blind man and [thus] condemned him to
perpetual blindness and had come off in confusion—​I have told this story
more fully in the book of The Miracles—​he summoned God’s bishops to
him separately. And by questioning them he learned that it was one God
that was worshiped with distinction of three persons, namely, the Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost, and the Son was not inferior to the Father nor the
Holy Ghost, nor the Holy Ghost inferior to the Father nor the Son, but they
were equal and alike all-powerful, and in this Trinity they confessed the true
God. Then Richared perceived the truth and ending the argument he placed
himself under the Catholic law, and receiving the sign of the blessed cross
together with baptism he believed in Jesus Christ son of God, equal to the
Father and the Holy Ghost, reigning for ages of ages. Amen. Then he sent
messengers to the province of Narbonne to tell what he had done and bring
the people to a like belief. The bishop of the Arian sect there at the time was
Athalocus who caused such trouble to God’s churches by his vain doctrines
and false interpretations of the Scriptures that he was believed to be the
very Arius who, as the historian Eusebius relates,[ER] lost his entrails in a
privy. But when he did not allow the people of his sect to believe these
things and only a few flattered him by agreeing with him he was transported
with spite and went to his cell and laid his head on the bed and breathed out
his worthless soul. And thus the heretics in the province confessed the
inseparable Trinity and departed from error.
[16. King Richared sends an embassy to Gunthram and Childebert. It is
not received by Gunthram. 17. An unusually cold spring. 18. The Bretons
ravage the territory of Nantes.]

19. The feud among the citizens of Tours which, as we have stated
above, was ended, burst out again with renewed fury. After slaying
Chramsind’s kinsmen Sichar had become very friendly with him, and they
loved one another so dearly that they often ate together and slept together in
one bed. Once Chramsind made ready a dinner towards night and invited
Sichar. He came and they sat down together to dinner. And Sichar became
drunk with wine and made many boasts to Chramsind, and he is reported to
have said at last: “Dearest brother, you owe me great gratitude for killing
your kinsmen since you got payment for them and you have much gold and
silver in your house, and if that payment had not given you a start you
would now be naked and in need.” But Chramsind heard Sichar’s word with
a bitter heart and said within himself: “Unless I avenge my kinsmen’s death
I ought to lose the name of man and be called a weak woman.” And at once
he extinguished the lights and plunged his dagger into Sichar’s head. Sichar
made a little cry and immediately fell and died. The attendants who had
come with him rushed away. Chramsind stripped the garments from his
lifeless body and hung it on a picket[ES] of the fence and mounted his horse
and went to the king. He entered the church and threw himself at the king’s
feet and said: “I beg for my life, O glorious king, because I have killed men
who slew my kinsmen secretly and plundered all their property.” But when
the case was gone into in detail queen Brunhilda was displeased that Sichar,
who was under her protection, had been killed in such a way, and she
became angry at Chramsind. When he saw that she was against him he went
to Bouges, a village in the territory of Bourges where his kinsmen lived,
because it was in Gunthram’s kingdom. And Tranquilla, Sichar’s wife, left
her sons and her husband’s property in Tours and Poitiers and went to her
kinsmen at Pont-sur-Seine and there married again. Sichar was twenty years
old when he died. He was in his lifetime a fickle, drunken, murderous
person, who offered insults to many when he was drunk. Later Chramsind
returned to the king and it was decided that he must prove that Sichar had
killed his kinsmen. This he did. But since queen Brunhilda had placed
Sichar under her protection, as we have said, she ordered Chramsind’s
property to be confiscated. But later it was returned by the court official
Flavian.[ET] In addition he went to Agen and got a letter from Flavian
directing that no one should touch him. Flavian had received his property
from the queen.

20. In that year, which was also the thirteenth of king Childebert, I went
to visit him at the city of Metz, and received orders to go on an embassy to
king Gunthram. I found him at Chalon and said: “O famous king, your
glorious nephew Childebert sends you many greetings and offers endless
thanks to your goodness because he is continually reminded by you to do
the things that please God and are acceptable to you and of advantage to the
people. As regards the matters of which you spoke together he promises to
fulfil everything and engages not to break any of the agreements which are
made in writing between you.” And the king said to this: “I do not offer him
like thanks, because his promises to me are being broken. My part of Senlis
is not surrendered;[EU] the men whom I wished to go for my good, since
they are my enemies, they have not let go. And in what sense do you mean
that my sweet nephew does not wish to break any of his written
agreements?” To this I answered: “He wishes to do nothing contrary to
those agreements but promises to fulfil them all, so that if you wish to send
[men] to divide Senlis there need be no delay; for you shall receive your
own at once. And as to the men you mention let their names be given in
writing and all that is promised shall be fulfilled.” We spoke of these
matters and the king ordered the agreement itself to be read over again in
the presence of the bystanders.
Copy of the Agreement.
When the most excellent lords, kings Gunthram and Childebert, and the
most glorious lady queen Brunhilda met lovingly in Christ’s name at
Andelot to arrange with full counsel whatever might in any way cause a
quarrel among them, it was affectionately settled, resolved upon and agreed
between them by the mediation of the bishops and chief men and the help
of God, that as long as all powerful God wished them to live in the present
world they ought to keep faith and affection pure and undefiled for each
other. In the same way since lord Gunthram in accordance with the
agreement which he had entered into with lord Sigibert of good memory,
claimed that the whole share which Sigibert had received from Charibert’s
kingdom belonged entirely to him and [since] the party of lord Childebert
wished to claim from all what his father had possessed, it is definitely and
deliberately agreed between them that the third of the city of Paris with its
territory and people which had gone to lord Sigibert from Charibert’s
kingdom by written agreement, with the castles of Châteaudun and

Vendôme and whatever the said king received of the district of Étampes and
the territory of Chartres in that direction, with their lands and people, were
to remain perpetually under the authority and rule of lord Gunthram, with
that which he held before from Charibert’s kingdom while lord Sigibert was
alive. In like manner king Childebert asserts his right from the present to
Meaux and to two-thirds of Senlis, Tours, Poitiers, Avranches, Aire, Saint
Lizier, Bayonne, and Albi with their territories. The condition being
observed that he of these kings whom the Lord wills to survive shall have a
perpetual right to the whole kingdom of him who goes from the light of the
present world without children, and by God’s aid shall leave it to his
descendants. It is especially agreed upon to be in every way inviolably
observed that whatever the lord king Gunthram has given or by God’s favor
shall give to his daughter Clodechild in goods and men, both cities, lands,
and revenues, shall remain under her ownership and control. And if she
wishes of her own free will to dispose of lands belonging to the fisc or
valuable articles or money, or to bestow them on any one, let it be kept with
a good title forever and not be taken from any one at any time, and let her
be under the protection and defense of lord Childebert, since she ought to
possess in all honor and security everything that he finds her in possession
of at her father’s death. Likewise the lord king Gunthram promises that if in
the uncertainty of human life lord Childebert should happen to pass from
the light while he is living,—​may the divine goodness not allow it and
Gunthram does not wish to see it—​he will receive under his protection and
guardianship like a good father Childebert’s sons Theodobert and Theodoric
and any others that God wishes to give him, so that they shall possess their
father’s kingdom in all security; and he will receive under his protection
with a spiritual love lord Childebert’s mother, queen Brunhilda, and her
daughter Clodosind, sister of king Childebert, while she is in the country of
the Franks, and his queen Faileuba like a good sister and daughters, and
they shall possess all their property in all honor and dignity with peace and
security, namely, cities, lands, revenues, and all rights, and every kind of
property, both what they actually possess at the present time and what they
are able justly to acquire in the future by Christ’s aid, and if they wish to
dispose of any of the lands of the fisc or articles or money of their own free
will, or to present them to any one, let it be kept with a good title forever,
and let their will in this respect not be disregarded by any one at any time.
And as to the cities, namely, Bordeaux, Limoges, Cahors, Lescar, and

Cieutat, which it is well known that Galsuntha, lady Brunhilda’s sister,
acquired as dowry or morganegyba, that is, morning gift, when she came
into Francia, and which lady Brunhilda is known to have acquired by the
decision of the glorious lord king Gunthram and of the Franks when
Chilperic and king Sigibert were still alive, it is agreed that the lady
Brunhilda shall have as her property from to-day the city of Cahors with its
lands and all its people, but the other cities named lord Gunthram shall hold
while he lives, on condition that after his death they shall pass by God’s
favor with every security under the control of the lady Brunhilda and her
heirs, but while lord Gunthram lives they shall not at any time or on any
pretext be claimed by lady Brunhilda or her son king Childebert or his sons.
In the same way it is agreed that lord Childebert shall hold Senlis in
entirety, and as far as the third therein due to lord Gunthram is concerned he
shall be compensated by the third belonging to lord Childebert which is in
Ressons.[EV] Likewise it is agreed that according to the agreements entered
into between lord Gunthram and lord Sigibert of blessed memory, the
leudes who originally took oath to lord Gunthram after the death of lord
Clothar, if afterwards they are proved to have gone to the other side, shall
be removed from the places where they are dwelling, and in the same
manner those who after the death of king Clothar are found guilty of having
first sworn allegiance to lord Sigibert and then have passed to the other side
shall be removed likewise. Also whatever the kings mentioned have given
to churches or to their followers, or in future by God’s favor wish to give in
accordance with justice, shall be held securely. And whatever is due to any
one of their men in either kingdom according to law and justice, he shall not
suffer any prejudice, but shall be permitted to take and hold what is due
him; and if anything is taken from anyone without fault on his part in an
interregnum, a hearing shall be held and it shall be restored. And as regards
that which each owned through the generosity of previous kings down to
the death of lord king Clothar of glorious memory, let him keep it in
security. And whatever has been taken since that from persons who are
faithful let them receive it back at once. And since a pure and untainted
friendship has been formed in God’s name between the kings mentioned, it
is agreed that passage shall at no time be denied in either kingdom to the
men of either king who wish to travel on public or private business. It is
likewise agreed that neither shall entice away the others leudes or receive
them when they come. And if perhaps one thinks that because of some act

he has to flee to the other part, let him be excused in regard to the nature of
the fault and sent back. It has been decided also to add this to the
agreement, that if either party shall at any time transgress the present statute
under some clever interpretation, he shall lose all the benefits both
prospective and present, and it shall turn to the advantage of him who
faithfully observes all that is written above, and he shall be freed in all
details from the obligation of his oath. All these matters having been
definitely agreed upon, the parties swear by the name of all-powerful God
and the inseparable Trinity and all that is divine and the awful day of
judgment that they will faithfully observe all that is written above without
any fraud or deceit. This compact was made four days before the Kalends of
December in the twenty-sixth year of the reign of the lord king Gunthram
and in the twelfth year of lord Childebert.
When the agreement was read over the king said: “May I be struck by
the judgment of God if I transgress in any one of the matters contained
here.” And he turned to the legate Felix who had come with us and said:
“Tell me, Felix, have you established a close friendship between my sister
Brunhilda and Fredegunda the enemy of God and man?” When he replied
“no” I said: “Let the king be sure that the friendship is being kept up
between them as it was started many years ago. For you may be certain that
the hatred that was once established between them is alive yet, it has not
withered up. I wish you, most glorious king, would have less friendship for
her. For as we often learn, you receive her embassies with greater state than
ours.” He answered: “Let me tell you, bishop of God, that I receive her
embassies in such a way as not to lose the affection of my nephew king
Childebert. For I cannot be friendly with one who has often sent to take my
life.” Upon this Felix said: “I suppose it has come to your greatness that
Richared has sent an embassy to your nephew to ask for your niece
Clodosinda, your brother’s daughter, in marriage. But he was unwilling to
make any promise without your advice.”[EW] The king said: “It is not well
for my niece to go to a place where her sister was killed. I am not at all
pleased that the death of my niece[EX] Ingunda is not avenged.” Felix
replied: “They are very anxious to set themselves right either by oath or on
any other terms you suggest; but only give your consent for Clotosinda to
be betrothed to him as he requests.” The king said: “If my nephew keeps the
agreements that he bound himself to in the compact I will do his will in this