He, having summoned the bishops of the province, was ordained bishop by the counsel of Dynamius. But he too, thereafter assailed by force by Jovinus that he should be removed, being shut up in the city, strove to defend himself by valor; but when he was not able, he prevailed by gifts. VIII. There died also Eparchius, recluse of Angoulême, a man of magnificent sanctity, through whom God showed forth many miracles, of which, leaving aside very many, I will touch on a few. He was an inhabitant of the city of Périgueux, but after his conversion, having become a cleric, coming to Angoulême, he built a little cell for himself. In it, a few monks having been gathered, he abode assiduously in prayer;
and if anything of gold or silver was offered to him, he distributed it either for the necessities of the poor, or for the redemption of captives. Bread was never baked in that cell during his lifetime, but was brought in by the devout when need required. For he redeemed a great host of people from the offerings of the devout; he often suppressed by the sign of the cross the venom of evil pustules; he drove out demons from possessed bodies by prayer; and for the most part he commanded the judges, with overflowing sweetness, rather than asked, that they should pardon the guilty. For he was so sweet of speech that they could not deny him, when he had besought indulgence.
Now at a certain time, while a man was being led to be hanged for theft — who was accused by the inhabitants more grievously of many other crimes as well, both thefts and homicides — and these things had been announced to him, he sent his monk to entreat the judge, namely that the guilty man might be granted his life. But, the crowd objecting and clamoring that if this man were released he could be of no advantage either to the region or to the judge, he could not be released. Meanwhile he is stretched on the rack, beaten with rods and cudgels, and condemned to the gibbet. And when the monk, sorrowful, had reported back to the abbot, he said: 'Go, watch from afar, for know that whom man would not give back, the Lord will bestow by His own gift.'
But you, when you see her fall, seize her at once and bring her to the monastery. When the monk had carried out these orders, the man cast himself down in prayer, and for so long poured out his prayers to the Lord with tears, until, the obstacle being broken, the man who hung suspended was restored to the earth together with his chains. Then the monk, having taken hold of him, presented him unharmed before the eyes of the abbot. And he, giving thanks to God, ordered the count to be summoned, saying: 'You were always wont to hear me with a kindly disposition, dearest son; why then today, hardened in heart, did you not release the man for whose life I had pleaded?' And the count said: 'Gladly do I hear you, holy priest; but with the populace rising up I could do no otherwise, fearing that a sedition would be stirred up against me.' And the priest said:
'You did not hear me, but God deigned to hear, and the man whom you delivered over to death, He has restored to life. Behold,' he said, 'he stands before you sound and whole.' As he was saying this, the count cast himself at his feet, astonished that he saw alive the man whom he had left in the ruin of death. These things I learned from the very mouth of the count; but he did many other things as well, which I have thought it tedious to pursue. After forty-four years of his enclosure, struck for a little while by a fever, he gave up his spirit; and being drawn out from his cell, he was committed to burial. And a great assembly, as we have said, of those whom he had ransomed went forth in his funeral procession. IX. Domnolus, bishop of the Cenomanni (Le Mans), began to grow sick.
For in the time of King Chlothar he had presided over a community of monks at Paris, at the basilica of Saint Lawrence; but because, while the elder Childebert was still living, he had always remained faithful to King Chlothar, and frequently concealed the messengers whom that king had sent to spy, the king was awaiting a place in which he might confer upon him the honor of the episcopate. And when the bishop of the city of Avignon died, he had resolved to give him that see.
But the blessed Domnolus, hearing this, went to the basilica of the holy prelate Martin, whither King Chlothar had then come to pray; and keeping vigil there the whole night long, through the leading men who were present he conveyed a request to the king, that he not be carried off from his sight as though a captive, nor permit his simplicity to be worn out among sophisticated senators and philosophical judges, asserting that this was for him a place rather of humility than of honor. The king assenting to this, when Innocent the bishop of the Cenomanni (Le Mans) died, he appointed Domnolus himself as prelate to that Church. Having now assumed the episcopate, he showed himself such and so great a man that, raised to the very summit of holiness, he restored the use of their steps to the lame and sight to the blind.
After twenty-two years of his episcopate, when he saw himself most grievously afflicted with the royal disease (jaundice) and with the stone, he chose the abbot Theodulf in his own place, and gave his will to the latter's consent; but not long after, his judgment being changed, the choice was transferred to Badegisil, the mayor of the royal household. He, being tonsured, ascending the grades which the clergy obtain, after forty days, upon the death of the priest, succeeded him. X. In those days the basilica of Saint Martin was broken into by thieves.
They placed against the window of the apse the lattice-screen which was over the tomb of a certain deceased man, and climbing up by it, having broken the glass, they entered, and carrying off a great quantity of gold and silver and of all-silk palls, they departed, not fearing to set foot upon the holy tomb where we scarcely presume even to apply our mouth. But the power of the saint willed to make this rashness manifest, and that with a terrible judgment. For these men, having perpetrated the crime, coming to the city of Bordeaux, when a quarrel arose, one of them slew the other; and thus, the deed being laid bare, the theft was discovered, and from their lodging the broken-up silver and the palls were drawn forth.
When this had been reported to King Chilperic, he ordered them to be bound in chains and presented to his presence. Then I, fearing lest men should die on account of him who, living in the body, had often interceded for the lives of the lost, sent the king a letter of entreaty, that these men should not be put to death by those of ours who were not the accusers and to whom the prosecution pertained. The king, receiving this kindly, restored them to life. But the valuables which had been scattered, arranging them most diligently, he commanded to be returned to the holy place. XI. At the city of Marseille, Dynamius, governor of Provence, began grievously to plot against Bishop Theodore.
And he, resolving to hasten to the king, was seized by Dynamius in the midst of the city and held, and being grievously injured, was at last released. But the clergy of Marseille were contriving a plot with Dynamius, that he might be cast out from the episcopate. But while he was journeying to King Childebert, he was ordered to be detained, together with Jovinus the former prefect, by King Guntram. Hearing this, the Marseille clergy, filled with great joy that he was now held, that he would now be sentenced to exile, that the matter had now reached such a point that he would never return to Marseille, seized the houses of the Church, made inventory of the sacred vessels, unlocked the registries, plundered the storerooms, and overran all the goods of the Church, just as if the bishop were already dead.
speaking forth various accusations against the bishop, which, with Christ as guide, are detected to be false. But Childebert, after he had made peace with Chilperic, sent envoys to King Guntram, requiring that he should restore the half of Marseille which he had given him after the death of his father. And if he were unwilling, let him know that he would lose much for the retention of that part. But when Guntram was unwilling to restore these things, he commanded the roads to be closed, so that to no one passing through his kingdom should passage henceforth be opened. Seeing this, Childebert appointed Gundulf, who from being a household officer had been made a duke, of senatorial lineage, and directed him to Marseille. And he, since he did not dare to travel through Guntram's kingdom, came to Tours.
Receiving him kindly, I recognize him to be my mother's uncle, and having kept him with me five days, and supplying him with necessities, I permitted him to depart. But he, going forward, was unable to enter Marseille, with Dynamius resisting. Nor was the bishop, who had by then come with Gundulf, received into his own church. But Dynamius, together with the clergy, barred the gates of the city, mocking and likewise despising both alike, namely the bishop and Gundulf. At last, being summoned to a conference with the duke, he came to the basilica of the blessed Stephen, which is nearest to the city. For the doorkeepers were guarding the entrance of the church, so that, when Dynamius had entered, the doors would at once be shut. When this was done, the throngs of armed men, shut out behind Dynamius, were unable to enter.
While he did not understand this, as they were conferring among themselves over the altar about various matters, withdrawing from the altar they entered the reception-room. As Dynamius entered with these men, now stripped of the support of his own followers, they terribly rebuked him. And the satellites being put to flight, who, surrounding him after his men had been led away with their arms, were clamoring around, the duke together with the bishop gathered to himself the elders of the citizens, that he might enter the city. Then Dynamius, perceiving all these things, begging pardon, having given the duke hostages and gifts, and rendering moreover an oath that he would thenceforth be faithful to the bishop and to the king, was clothed in his own garments.
Then, the doors both of the gates and of the sacred buildings being unbarred, both entered the city, namely the duke and the bishop, with banners and praises and the various standards of honor. But the clergy who had been mixed up in this crime, whose chief were Anastasius the abbot and Proculus the presbyter, fled within the dwellings of Dynamius, seeking from him the help of refuge, by whom they had been incited. Yet many of them, released through suitable sureties, were ordered to journey to the king. Meanwhile Gundulf, the city being subjected to the dominion of King Childebert, and the prelate being restored to his own place, returned to King Childebert.
But Dynamius, unmindful of the faith which he had promised to King Childebert, sent messengers to King Guntram, saying that he would lose the part of the city owed to him through the bishop, and would never possess the city of Marseille in his dominion, unless this man were rooted out from it. And Guntram, moved with anger, ordered, against the laws of religion, that the prelate of the most high God, bound with chains, be exhibited to him, saying: 'Let the enemy of our kingdom be thrust into exile, lest he be able to harm us further.' But since the bishop was suspect in these matters, and could not easily be removed from the city, the festival of the dedication of an oratory in the suburban countryside arrived.
And when, having gone out to this festival, he was hastening from the city, suddenly armed men, swarming with a great roar from hidden ambushes, surrounded the holy prelate, and casting him down from his horse, they put to flight all his companions, bound his servants, struck down his clergy, and setting him upon a wretched nag, permitting none of his own to follow, led him to the king's presence. And as they were passing through the city of Aix, Pientius the bishop of that place, sympathizing with his brother, having given clergy for comfort and supplying necessities, permitted him to depart. While these things were being done, the Marseille clergy again unlocked the houses of the Church, ransacked the secret stores, and inventoried some things, while they carried off others into their own homes.
But the bishop, having been brought to the king and found not guilty, being permitted to return to his own city, was received by the citizens with great praise. From this, however, a grave enmity arose between King Guntram and his nephew Childebert, and the treaty being broken, they plotted against each other. XII. Therefore King Chilperic, seeing these discords spring up between his brother and his nephew, summoned the duke Desiderius, and ordered him to inflict some mischief upon his brother. And he, having set his army in motion, the duke Ragnovald being put to flight, overran Périgueux, and having exacted an oath, proceeded to Agen.
Hearing this, the wife of Ragnovald, namely that, her husband being put to flight, this city too was being reduced into the power of King Chilperic, sought out the basilica of the holy martyr Caprasius. But being dragged out thence, and stripped of her property and of the support of her servants, having given sureties, she was directed to Toulouse; and there again, entering the basilica of Saint Saturninus, she took up residence. But Desiderius took away all the cities which in that region looked to King Guntram, and subjected them to the dominion of King Chilperic. But the duke Berulf, when he had heard the men of Bourges murmuring that they were entering the territory of Tours, set his army in motion and stationed himself on those very borders.
At that time the districts of Issoudun and the territory of Bléré of the city of Tours were grievously devastated. But afterward those who could not be present at this siege were cruelly condemned. The duke Bladast, however, went off into Gascony, and lost the greatest part of his army. XIII. But Lupus, a citizen of the city of Tours, when, his wife and children being lost, he sought the clerical state, was prevented by his brother Ambrose, who feared lest he should make the Church of God his heir, if he were joined to it; and again he provided him a wife, and the brother, ill-advised, appointed the day on which they should be united at the giving of the betrothal. Thence they came together to the fortress of Chinon, where they had lodging.
But the wife of Ambrose, since she was an adulteress, and loved another with a wanton love, hating her husband, laid an ambush for him. And when these brothers feasted together, and in the night had become drunk with wine even to intoxication, they slept together upon one bed. Then the paramour of Ambrose's wife, coming by night, while all were resting and sunk in wine, having kindled the straw with fire, that he might see what they were doing, drawing his sword, struck Ambrose upon the head, so that the sword, descending through his eyes, cut off the back of his head; at which blow Lupus, awakened, and perceiving himself to be rolling in blood, cried out with a loud voice, saying: 'Alas, alas! Come to the rescue, my brother is slain!'
But the paramour, who was now departing after the crime had been perpetrated, hearing this, returning to the bed, attacked Lupus. As he resisted, he overpowered him, mangled with many wounds, and wounded with a mortal blow, left him half-alive; but none of the household perceived it. When morning came, all were stupefied at so great a crime. Lupus, however, still found living, relating what had been done, breathed out his spirit. But the harlot took no long space for mourning: rather, a few days intervening, she went off, joined to her paramour. XIV. Therefore in the seventh year of King Childebert, which was the twenty-first of Chilperic and Guntram, in the month of January, there were heavy rains, lightnings, and thunders; flowers appeared on the trees;
the star which I named above as a comet appeared, so that around it there was a great blackness. And it, as though set in some opening, so shone amid the darkness, scintillating and scattering its tresses. There issued from it a ray of wondrous magnitude, which from afar appeared like the great smoke of a fire. It was seen toward the western quarter in the first hour of the night. But on the holy day of Easter, at the city of Soissons, the sky was seen to burn, so that two fires appeared: and one was greater, the other lesser. After the space of two hours, however, they were joined together; and a great beacon being made, they vanished.
But in the territory of Paris true blood flowed down from a cloud, and fell upon the garments of many men, and so stained them that they, shuddering, refused their own garments. For in three places in the territory of that city this prodigy appeared. But in the territory of Senlis, the house of a certain man, when he rose in the morning, appeared sprinkled with blood from within. There was therefore in that year a great plague among the people: various, malignant maladies, with pustules and blisters, which afflicted much of the people with death. Many, however, applying diligence, escaped. For we heard that in that year a groin-plague (bubonic) raged grievously in the city of Narbonne, so that there was no interval once a man had been seized by it. XV.
But Felix, bishop of the city of Nantes, falling into this sickness, began grievously to be ill. Then, having called to himself the bishops who were near, he besought that they should ratify with their signatures the consent which he had made in favor of Burgundio his nephew. When this had been done, they sent him to me. Burgundio was at that time about twenty-five years old. Coming, he asks that, going as far as Nantes, I should consecrate him bishop in the place of his uncle, who was still surviving, after he had been tonsured. This I refused, because I knew it did not accord with the canons. Yet I gave counsel, saying:
'We have it written in the canons, my son, that no one can ascend to the episcopate unless he first regularly obtains the ecclesiastical grades. You therefore, dearest one, return thither, and ask that he himself who chose you should tonsure you. And when you have received the honor of the presbyterate, be assiduous to the church; and when God shall will him to depart, then you will easily ascend the episcopal grade.' But he, having returned, neglected to fulfill the counsel he had received, because Bishop Felix seemed to fare more lightly from his indisposition. But after the fever departed, his shins gave forth pustules from the humor.
Then, applying an over-strong cantharides-plaster (Spanish-fly poultice), his shins rotting away, in the thirty-third year of his episcopate, at the age of seventy, he ended his life. To him Nonnichius his cousin succeeded, by the king's ordering. XVI. But Pappolen, hearing of his death, took back the niece from whom he had been separated. Before this time he had had her betrothed to him; but when Bishop Felix dissimulated concerning the marriage, this man, coming with a great band, dragged the girl from the oratory, and fled into the basilica of the blessed Albinus. Then Bishop Felix, moved with anger, separated the entrapped girl from her husband by tricks. And, her garment being changed, he placed her in a monastery at the city of Bazas;
but she secretly sent boy-messengers, namely that he might receive her, snatched from the place in which she had been put. And he, not refusing this, joined to his own wedlock the girl taken from the monastery, and, fortified with royal mandates, put off fearing the threats of her relatives. XVII. But King Chilperic ordered many of the Jews to be baptized that year, of whom he received several from the holy font. Yet some of them, washed only in body, not in heart, having lied to God, returned to that very faithlessness which they had had before, so that they were seen both to observe the Sabbath and to honor the Lord's Day. But Priscus could by no means at all be turned aside to the acknowledgment of the truth.
Then the king, angered, ordered him to be consigned to custody, namely so that he whom he could not make to believe willingly, should at least keep silent about his belief, or believe unwillingly. But he, having given certain gifts, asks for a delay, until his son should receive a Hebrew woman of Marseille; he deceitfully promises that he will thenceforth fulfill what the king had ordered. Meanwhile a contention arises between him and Phatir, a converted Jew, who was now the king's son from the font. And when on the Sabbath day Priscus, girded with a stole, carrying no iron implement in his hands, was going to a secret place as though about to fulfill the Mosaic laws, suddenly Phatir, arriving, cut his throat with a sword together with the companions who were present. These being slain, he fled to the basilica of Saint Julian,
with his servants, who were at the neighboring square, he took refuge. And while they remained there, hearing that the king, his lord having departed this life, ordered the servants to be dragged from the basilica as malefactors and put to death, then one of these, drawing his sword, his lord being already put to flight, slew his own companions, himself afterward going forth from the basilica with the sword; but the people rushing upon him, he was cruelly slain. But Phatir, having received leave, returned to the kingdom of Guntram, whence he had come; but not many days after he was slain by Priscus's relatives. XVIII. Therefore the envoys of King Chilperic, namely Ansoald and Domegisel, who had been sent into Spain to inspect the dowry, returned.
In those days King Leovigild was encamped with his army against his son Hermenegild, from whom he also took away the city of Mérida. For how the latter had been joined with the generals of the emperor Tiberius, we have already explained above. For this matter occasioned delays for the envoys too, so that they returned more slowly. Having seen these things, I was anxious as to how among those very Christians, who remained few in that place, the work of Christ was thriving. Then Ansoald answered me these things: 'The Christians who now dwell in Spain keep the catholic faith entire. But the king now strives with a new device to disturb it, while he deceitfully pretends to pray both at the tombs of the martyrs and in the churches of our religion.'
For he says: 'I have plainly recognized that Christ the Son of God is equal to the Father; but the Holy Spirit I do not at all believe to be God, because in no codices is He read to be God.' Alas, alas, how iniquitous an opinion, how venomous a notion, how depraved a mind! And where is that which the Lord says, 'The Spirit is God' (John 4:24)? And that of Peter, which he says to Ananias: 'Why has it seemed good to you to tempt the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:9)? You have not lied to men, but to God' (Acts 5:4). Where is that also which Paul, recounting the mystical gifts, says: 'For one and the same Spirit works these things, dividing to each one as He wills' (1 Cor. 12:11). For He who works what He wills is known to be subject to none.
But as Ansoald approached King Chilperic, an embassy of the Spaniards followed; which, coming from Chilperic to Childebert, returned into Spain. XIX. But at the Bridge of the Oise, of the city of Paris, King Chilperic had set guards, that plotters from his brother's kingdom might be kept off, lest they should do any harm. There Asclepius, a known former duke, rushing in by night, slew all of them, and grievously laid waste the district near the bridge. And when these things had been reported to King Chilperic, he sends messengers to the counts and dukes and the rest of the agents, that, an army being gathered, they should rush into the kingdom of his brother. But he was prevented by the counsel of good men, lest he should do so, who said to him:
'They acted perversely, but you should act wisely. Send messengers to your brother, and if he is willing to amend your injury, seek nothing further: but if he is unwilling, then you will deliberate what to follow.' And thus, the counsel being accepted, the army being prevented, he directs an embassy to his brother. But the latter, amending all things, sought entirely the love of his brother. XX. In that year Chrodin died, a man of magnificent goodness and piety, a great almsgiver, a restorer of the poor, a profuse enricher of churches, and a nourisher of the clergy.
For often founding anew villas, setting out vineyards, building houses, establishing cultivations, calling bishops whose means were scant, having given a feast, he kindly distributed those very houses with their cultivators and cultivations, with silver, tapestries, utensils, ministers, and servants, saying: 'Let these be gifts to the Church, that while the poor are refreshed from these, they may obtain pardon for me with God.' But we have heard many other good things also about this man, which it is tedious to pursue. He passed away at the age of seventy. XXI. These signs appeared anew in this year. The moon suffered an eclipse; within the territory of Tours true blood flowed from broken bread; the walls of the city of Soissons collapsed;
at the city of Angers the earth trembled; within the walls of the town of Bordeaux wolves entered and devoured dogs, in no way fearing men; through the sky fire was seen to run. And the city of Bazas too was consumed by fire, so that churches or ecclesiastical houses were laid waste. Yet we have learned that all the sacred vessels were rescued. XXII. King Chilperic, therefore, having overrun the cities of his brother, appoints new counts, and orders all the tributes of the cities to be brought to himself: which we have learned was thus carried out.
In those days two men were seized by Nonnichius, count of the city of Limoges, carrying letters in the name of Charterius, bishop of the city of Périgueux, which spoke many reproaches against the king: in which, among the rest, was inserted, as though the priest complained that he had descended from paradise to hell; namely because he had been transferred from the kingdom of Guntram into the dominions of Chilperic. These letters, together with these men, the aforesaid count directed to the king under strict custody. But the king, patiently for the bishop's sake, sends men who should present him to his presence, intending certainly to examine whether the things charged against him were true or not. And when the bishop arrived, the king presents those men with the letters;
he asks the priest whether they had been directed by him. He denies them to have been directed by himself. But the men are asked from whom they had received them. They produce Frontonius the deacon. The priest is asked about the deacon. He answered that he was his chief enemy, and that it ought not to be doubted that this was his wickedness, who had often stirred up unjust cases against him. The deacon is brought without delay; he is asked by the king, and confesses against the bishop, saying: 'I dictated this letter at the bishop's bidding.'