But when Desiderius too learned from the bishop's counsel what had been said, moved with anger he laid hands upon him, and having beaten him jointly with spears, fists, and heels, and bound him with a rope, they condemned him to exile, carrying off his property entire, both his own and the church's. Waddo, moreover, who was the mayor of the household of Queen Rigunth, joined himself to these men; but the rest who had gone with him slipped away in flight. XXVIII. After this, the army, removed from the city of Poitiers, set out in pursuit of Gundovald. And many of the men of Tours followed for the sake of gain; but as the men of Poitiers rushed upon them, some were slain, and very many returned despoiled.
And those who had previously joined this army went off together as well. And so the army, coming to the river Dordogne, began to wait, to learn what it might find out concerning Gundovald. To him, as has been said above, there had attached themselves Duke Desiderius and Bladast with Waddo, mayor of the household of Queen Rigunth. For the foremost with him were Sagittarius the bishop and Mummolus. For Sagittarius had already received a promise of the bishopric of Toulouse. XXIX. Now while these things were going on, King Guntram sent a certain Claudius, saying: 'If you go,' said he, 'and either slay Eberulf, expelled from the basilica, with the sword, or bind him with chains, I will enrich you with great gifts; nevertheless I solemnly warn you that
do not by any means inflict injuries upon the holy basilica.' But he, as he was given over to vanity and greed, swiftly flew to Paris; for his wife was from the territory of Meaux. He began to turn over in his mind whether he should see Queen Fredegund, saying: 'If I see her, I can draw some gift out of her. For I know that she is hostile to the man to whom I have been sent.' Then, approaching her, receiving great gifts on the spot, he drew out many promises, that he should either kill Eberulf, dragged from the basilica, or, having circumvented him by guile, bind him with chains, or at least butcher him in the very courtyard. But returning to the fortress of Dun, he urges the count to attach to him three hundred men, as if to guard the gates of the city of Tours;
namely so that, when he had come, he might be able to overpower Eberulf with their help. And when the count was rousing those men of the place, Claudius came to Tours. And as he made his journey, after the custom of the barbarians, he began to attend to omens, and to say that they were unfavourable to him, and at the same time to question many people: whether the power of blessed Martin would be manifested forthwith upon the faithless; or indeed, whether, if anyone should inflict an injury upon those who hoped in him, vengeance would follow at once. So, the men who ought to have come to his aid having been left behind, as we said, he himself came to the holy basilica.
And straightway, joining himself to the unhappy Eberulf, he began to give oaths, and to swear by all things sacred and by the power of the present bishop, that there would be no one more faithful in his affairs, who could so plead his cause with the king. For this counsel the wretch had within himself: 'Unless I deceive him by perjuring, I shall not overcome him.' But when Eberulf saw that he was making him such promises with an oath in the very basilica and through the porticoes and at each venerable spot of the courtyard, the wretched man believed the perjurer. Now on the next day, when we were staying at an estate about thirty miles from the city, he was invited to a banquet of the holy basilica together with him and the other citizens;
and there Claudius would have wished to strike him with the sword, if his servant-boys had stood farther off. Nevertheless Eberulf, vain as he was, never came to perceive this. After the banquet was finished, he himself together with Claudius began to walk about through the courtyard of the basilica's house, promising one another faith and charity with oaths interspersed. As they were thus talking, Claudius said to Eberulf: 'It would delight my soul to drink a draught at your lodging, if the wines were blended with spices, or at least if your liberality would call for a libation of stronger wine.' As he said this, Eberulf, rejoicing, replied that he had some, saying: 'And you will find at my lodging everything that you wish:
only let my lord deign to enter the hut of my dwelling.' And he sent his servant-boys, one after another, to fetch stronger wines, namely Latician and Gazaean. And when Claudius beheld him left alone by the boys, raising his hand toward the basilica, he said: 'Most blessed Martin, grant that I may quickly see my wife with my kinsfolk.' For the unhappy man, set in this crisis, was both planning to kill this fellow in the courtyard and dreading the power of the holy bishop. Then one of Claudius's boys, who was the more robust, seizing Eberulf from behind, gripped him with his stronger arms, and laid bare his upturned breast for the slaughter. But Claudius, having drawn his sword from his belt, aimed it at him.
But that man too, while he was being held, fitted the blade drawn from his girdle for striking; and when Claudius, raising his right hand, had thrust his knife into the man's breast, he too, not sluggishly, plunged his dagger under Claudius's armpit, and, drawing it back to himself, with a measured blow cut off Claudius's thumb. At this his boys, coming together with swords, wound Eberulf with various blows. Slipping from their hands, while he strove, now breathless, to flee, they struck his head most grievously with a drawn sword, and, his brains being dashed out, he fell and died; nor did he deserve to be saved by him whom he never sincerely understood how to entreat.
Then Claudius, terrified with fear, sought the cell of the abbot, desiring to be protected by him, toward whose patron he had not had the sense to show reverence. While the abbot too was sitting there, he said: 'An immense crime has been perpetrated, and unless you come to my aid, we shall perish.' As he was saying this, Eberulf's boys rushed in with swords and lances; and finding the door barred, having broken the glass windows of the cell, they hurled their spears through the windows of the wall and ran through Claudius, now half-alive, with a thrust. His attendants, moreover, hid behind the doors and under the beds. The abbot, seized by two clerics, was scarcely rescued alive amid the points of the swords; and the doors being unbarred, the throng of swordsmen entered. Some also of the register-poor, and of the rest of
the poor, on account of the crime committed, tried to tear down the roof of the cell. And the possessed too, and various needy folk, set out with stones and clubs to avenge the violence done to the basilica, taking it ill that such things as had never been done should have been there perpetrated. What more? The fugitives are dragged from their hiding-places and cruelly butchered; the pavement of the cell is stained with gore. And after they were slain, they are dragged outside and left naked upon the cold ground. The killers, however, on the following night, having seized the spoils, slipped away in flight. Now there was present, from the present moment, the vengeance of God upon those who had polluted the blessed courtyard with human blood.
Yet neither is the deed of him deemed slight, whom the blessed bishop permitted to endure such things. The king had great anger from this, but when the reason was known, he grew quiet. The property nevertheless of that unhappy man, both movable and immovable, which had been left to him from his own goods, he bestowed upon his own faithful retainers, who left his wife, greatly despoiled, in the holy basilica. But the body of Claudius and of the rest, his near kinsmen carrying off into their own region, they buried. XXX. Now Gundovald directed two of his friends as envoys, clerics indeed; of whom one, the abbot of the city of Cahors, hid the letters which he had received under wax in a hollowed-out tablet of a book.
But, being seized by the men of King Guntram, the letters having been found, he was brought into the king's presence; and being beaten most grievously, he was thrust into custody. XXXI. At that time Gundovald was in the city of Bordeaux, much beloved by Bishop Bertchramn. Now while he was inquiring what causes might furnish him with help, a certain man related that some king in the regions of the East, having taken the thumb of the holy martyr Sergius, had inserted it in the right arm of his own body. And when the need had come upon him to drive off his enemies, relying on this aid, wherever he had raised on high the forearm of his right arm, at once the multitude of foes, as if crushed by the power of the martyr, would slip away in flight.
Hearing this, Gundovald began to inquire more diligently who there was in that place who had merited to receive the relics of the holy martyr Sergius. Meanwhile, Eufronius the merchant was betrayed by Bishop Bertchramn out of enmity, because the bishop had once carried him off against his will, gaping after his wealth. Perceiving this, Eufronius, having crossed over to another city, returned with his hair grown long. The bishop therefore said: 'There is here a certain Syrian, Eufronius by name, who, making a church out of his own house, placed there the relics of this saint; and he has beheld very many signs from them, by the help of the martyr's power. For when at a certain time the city of Bordeaux was blazing with a very great fire, this fellow surrounded his house
with the relics, and it was in no way scorched by the flames.' As he said this, immediately Mummolus, with a rapid course, together with Bishop Bertchramn, came to the house of the Syrian; and the man being hemmed in, he commanded the holy pledges to be shown to him. The man refused. Yet, thinking that some snares were being prepared for him out of malice, he said: 'Do not weary an old man, nor inflict injury upon the saint, but take a hundred gold pieces from me and depart.' But as the other insisted that he might see the holy relics, he offered two hundred gold pieces; and not even thus did he prevail to make him withdraw, unless the very pledges should be seen. Then Mummolus ordered a ladder to be raised against the wall (for they were stored away on high on the wall opposite the altar in a casket), and commanded his deacon to climb.
As he climbed up the rungs of the ladder, taking hold of the casket, he was so shaken with trembling that he was thought not to return alive to the ground. Nevertheless, having taken, as we said, the casket which hung from the wall, he brought it down. When it was searched through, Mummolus found a bone from the saint's finger, which he did not fear to strike with a knife. For setting a knife upon it, he kept striking it with another. And when after many blows it could scarcely be broken, the little bone, divided into three parts, fell apart in different directions. I believe it was not acceptable to the martyr that this man should handle it. Then, Eufronius weeping more vehemently, they all prostrated themselves in prayer, beseeching that God would deign to show forth what had been taken away from human eyes.
After the prayer, the little particles were found, of which Mummolus, taking up one, departed; but not, as I believe, with the favour of the martyr, as was declared in what followed. Now while they were lingering in this city, they ordered Faustianus the priest to be ordained bishop of the city of Aix. For recently the bishop in the city of Aix had died, and Nicetius, count of that place, brother of Rusticus bishop of Vico Julii, had drawn out a command from Chilperic, that one tonsured should be given to that city as priest. But Gundovald, striving to overturn his decrees, having called the bishops together, ordered him to be consecrated. But Bishop Bertchramn, who was of the metropolis, taking thought for the future, enjoins Palladius of Saintes to consecrate him.
For his eyes too at that time were burdened with inflammation. There was present also at this ordination Orestes, bishop of Bazas; but he denied it in the king's presence. XXXII. After this, Gundovald again sent two envoys, Zotanus and likewise Zahutrus, to the king with consecrated wands, according to the custom of the Franks, namely so that they should not be touched by anyone, but, their message having been set forth, should return with a reply. But these men, being incautious, before they perceived the king's presence, disclosed to many the things they were seeking. Forthwith the report ran to the king; and so these men are led, bound in chains, into the king's presence. Then they, not daring to deny what they were seeking, to whom they had been directed, or by whom they had been sent, say:
'Gundovald, who recently came from the East, says that he is a son of your father, King Chlothar, and has sent us that he may receive the due portion of his kingdom; but if it is not rendered by you, know that he will come into these parts with an army. For all the strongest men of that region which, beyond the Dordogne, pertains to Gaul, are joined to him; and thus he declares: ''God will judge then, when we have met on the level of a single field, whether I am the son of Chlothar or not.''' Then the king, inflamed with fury, ordered them to be stretched on the pulleys and most strongly beaten, so that, if the things they said were true, they might prove it more evidently; and whether they were still keeping anything within the recesses of their hearts.
by force of torments he might wring out what had begun. Then, as the punishments increased, they declared that the granddaughter of that man — that is, the daughter of King Chilperic, who had been consigned to exile under Magnulf, bishop of Toulouse — and all the treasures had been carried off by Gundovald himself; and that this king had been sought out by all the chief men of King Childebert, but above all because Guntram Boso had gone to Constantinople some years before and had invited him into Gaul. Once these men had been beaten and thrust into prison, the king ordered his nephew Childebert to be summoned, so that, joined together, they might hear these men out side by side.
At length, when the two kings together questioned the men, these repeated before both kings, standing side by side, the things which Guntram alone had earlier heard concerning the matter. They steadfastly affirmed, moreover, as I have already said above, that this affair was known to all the elders in King Childebert's realm. And on this account some of the leading men of King Childebert were afraid to come to this assembly, who were thought to have been accomplices in the affair. After this King Guntram, placing a spear in the hand of King Childebert, said: 'This is the token that I have handed over to you my whole kingdom. Go forth now, and bring all my cities, as though they were your own, under the dominion of your authority.'
'For, by reason of my sins, nothing of my stock remains except you alone, who are my brother's son. You then, as my heir, succeed to my whole kingdom, all others being disinherited.' Then, leaving the rest, he took the boy aside and spoke with him in secret, first earnestly adjuring him that the private conversation should be disclosed to no man. Then he told him whom he should keep in his counsel, and whom he should bar from his company; whom he should trust, whom he should avoid, whom he should honour with gifts, whom he should remove from honour. Among other things he forbade him to trust in any way, or to keep at his side, Egidius, bishop of Reims, who had always been hostile to him, since the bishop had often perjured himself both against him and against his father.
Then, when they had come together to the banquet, King Guntram exhorted the whole army, saying: 'See, O men, that my son Childebert has now become a great man. See, and beware lest you regard him as a little child. Lay aside now the perversities and presumptions which you have been practising; for he is the king whom you must now serve.' Having said these and similar things, they feasted and made merry for three days, and being enriched with many gifts, they departed in peace. Then King Guntram restored to him all that his father Sigibert had held, charging him not to go to his mother, lest perchance some opening be given whereby she might write to Gundovald or receive writings from him.
Now Gundovald, when he heard that an army was drawing near to him, having been abandoned by Duke Desiderius, crossed the Garonne with Sagittarius the bishop, the dukes Mummolus and Bladast, and Waddo, making for Comminges. For it is a city set upon the summit of a mountain, adjoining no other mountain. A great spring bursts forth at the foot of the mountain, surrounded by a most secure tower; and going down to it from the city through an underground passage, they draw the water in secret. Having entered this city at the beginning of Lent, he spoke to the citizens, saying: 'Know that I, together with all who are within the realm of Childebert, have been chosen king, and that I have with me no small support.'
'But since my brother King Guntram is moving an immense army against you, you must shut up your provisions and all your goods within the protection of the walls, so that, while the divine mercy increases our support, you may not perish from want.' As they believed these words, they gathered whatever they could hold into the city and prepared themselves to resist. At that time King Guntram sent a letter to Gundovald, in the name of Queen Brunhild, in which it was written that, leaving his army and ordering it to go away to its own quarters, he himself should withdraw further off and spend the winter at the city of Bordeaux. For he had written this deceitfully, so that he might more fully learn what he was doing.
And so, while he was lingering at the city of Comminges, he spoke to the inhabitants, saying: 'Behold, the army is already approaching; go out to resist.' As they went out, these men seized the gates and shut them, and, the deceived people being shut out, together with the bishop of the place they brought under their own control all that they could find in the city. And so great a multitude of grain and wine was found there that, had they stood manfully, they would not have lacked the means of sustenance for many years' span. For at that time the dukes of King Guntram had heard that Gundovald was lying beyond the Garonne on the shore with a huge multitude of enemies, and that they kept with them the very treasures which Rigunth had taken away. Then, making a rush with their horsemen,
they crossed the Garonne by swimming on their horses, though several of the army were drowned in the river. The rest, having got out onto the bank, sought Gundovald and found camels laden with a great weight of gold and silver, as well as horses which he had left worn out along the roads. Hearing thereafter that he was staying within the walls of the city of Comminges, they left their wagons and the various baggage with the lesser folk, and the stronger men resolved to pursue him, just as they had already crossed the Garonne. As they hastened on, they came to the basilica of Saint Vincent, which is near the boundary of the city of Agen, where the martyr himself is said to have finished his struggle for the name of Christ; and they found it stuffed with various treasures of the inhabitants.
For the inhabitants had hoped that the basilica of so great a martyr would not be violated by Christians, and its doors had been barred with the utmost care. Without delay the approaching army, being unable to unbar the leaves of the temple door, kindled a fire; and when the doors had been consumed, they carried off all the substance and all the furnishings which they could find in it, together with the sacred vessels. But there divine vengeance terrified many of them. For the hands of very many were burned by divine power, sending up a great smoke, such as is wont to rise from a fire. Some, seized by a demon, raved and cried out against the martyr in their frenzy. Very many others, cut off from their companions, wounded themselves with their own javelins. The remaining throng, however, did not advance without great dread.
What more is there to say? They came together to Comminges (for so, as we said, is the name of the city), and the whole phalanx pitched camp in the open country of the suburbs of the city, and there, with tents spread out, it took up its position. The whole region round about was laid waste; but some from the army, whom the sharper goad of greed pricked, straying further from their fellows, were destroyed by the inhabitants. For many were climbing up the hill, and they often spoke with Gundovald, hurling insults at him, and saying: 'Are you that painter who, in the time of King Chlothar, scrawled upon the walls and ceilings of the oratories? Are you that man whom the inhabitants of Gaul often called by the name of Ballomer?'
'Are you that man who, on account of these presumptions which you put forth, was often shorn and sent into exile by the kings of the Franks? Or declare who, most wretched of men, has led you into these regions. Who has bestowed upon you such great audacity, that you should dare to touch the borders of our lords and kings? Surely, if you have been summoned by anyone, testify with a clear voice. Behold, death is set before your eyes; behold the very pit of destruction which you have sought so long, into which you shall be cast headlong. Tell who are your supporters, or declare by whom you are invited.' But he, when he heard these things, standing closer above the gate, said: 'That my father Chlothar held me in hatred is unknown to no one;
'but that I was shorn by him, and afterwards by my brothers, is manifest to all. And this cause joined me to Narses, prefect of Italy, and there, taking a wife, I begot two sons. When she had died, taking my children with me, I went away to Constantinople. Received most kindly by the emperors, I have lived until this present time. For some years ago, when Guntram Boso had gone to Constantinople, and I, anxious, was diligently searching out the affairs of my brothers, I learned that our line was greatly diminished, and that none of our stock survived except Childebert and Guntram — that is, my brother and my brother's son. For the sons of King Chilperic had perished along with him, only one little one being left behind.'
'Guntram my brother had no sons; Childebert our nephew was by no means strong. Then Guntram Boso, having diligently set these things before me, invited me, saying: "Come, for you are invited by all the chief men of King Childebert's realm, nor has anyone dared to murmur against you. For we all know that you are the son of Chlothar; nor is there anyone left in Gaul who could rule that kingdom, unless you come." And I, having given him many gifts, received oaths from him upon twelve holy places, that I might come safely into this kingdom. So I came to Marseilles, and there the bishop received me with the utmost kindness; for he had the writings of the elders of my nephew's realm.'
'From there I went to Avignon, according to the agreements of the patrician Mummolus. But Guntram, unmindful of his oath and promise, took away my treasures and brought them under his own control. Now, however, recognise that I am a king, just as my brother Guntram also is. Yet if your mind rages with such great hatred, either let me be led to your king, and if he acknowledges me as his brother, let him do what he will. Surely, if you will not even consent to this, at least let me be allowed to return whence I first set out. For I will go away, and inflict no injury on anyone. Yet, that you may know that the things I say are true, ask Radegund of Poitiers and Ingetrude of Tours; for they themselves will affirm to you that the things I speak are certain.'
As he was saying these things, many pursued these words with insults and reproaches. The fifteenth day had dawned in this siege, and Leudegisel was preparing new engines to destroy the city; for wagons had been built with battering-rams, packsaddles, and axles, under which the army might advance to demolish the walls. But when they had drawn near, they were so overwhelmed with stones that all who approached the wall collapsed. Throwing down upon them casks kindled with pitch and fat, they hurled down others filled with stones upon them. But when night halted the combat, the enemy returned to their camp.
Now there was with Gundovald also Chariulf, very rich and most powerful, with whose storehouses and granaries the city was greatly stocked; from his substance these men were chiefly fed. But Bladast, seeing what was being done, and fearing lest Leudegisel, having gained the victory, should put them to death, set fire to the church building, and, while those shut up within ran together to the blaze, he slipped away in flight and departed. When day had come, the army again rose up for battle and made faggots of branches, as if to fill the deep ravine which was situated on the eastern side; but this device availed nothing to do harm.
But Sagittarius the bishop went round the walls with arms very frequently, and with his own hand often cast stones from the wall against the enemy. At length those who were assaulting the city, when they saw that they could accomplish nothing, sent secret messengers to Mummolus, saying: 'Acknowledge your lord, and desist at last, sometime, from this perversity. For what madness besets you, that you should subject yourself to an unknown man? Your wife is already taken captive with her children; your sons, as it seems, are already slain. Where are you rushing? Or what do you await, except that you should fall?' Receiving this message, he said: 'Now, as I see, our kingdom comes to its end, and our power falls. One thing remains, if I could know that I have security of life.'
'I could relieve you of much labour.' When the messengers had departed, Sagittarius the bishop, with Mummolus, Chariulf, and Waddo, went to the church, and there they gave one another oaths, that if they should be made more certain of the promise of life, they would abandon their friendship with Gundovald and hand him over to the enemy. The messengers, having returned again, promised them security of life. But Mummolus said: 'Let only this be done: I will hand him over into your hand, and I, acknowledging my lord the king, will hasten to his presence.' Then they promised that, if he should fulfil this, they would receive him in charity, and, if they could not excuse him to the king, they would place him in a church, lest he should be punished with the loss of his life.
Having promised these things with the interposition of an oath, they departed. But Mummolus, going to Gundovald with Sagittarius the bishop and Waddo, said: 'The oaths of fidelity which we gave you, you yourself, who are present, know. Now, however, take wholesome counsel: depart from this city, and present yourself to your brother, as you have often sought. For now we have spoken with these men, and they themselves said that the king does not wish to lose your support, because little of your line remains.' But he, perceiving their deceit, bathed in tears, said: 'By your invitation I have been brought into these lands of Gaul;'