He also obtained peace with Duke Lupus, whom we mentioned above (Book VI, ch. 4) to have been driven out of the dukedom of Champagne at his instigation. Whereupon King Guntram was greatly stirred to bitterness, because Lupus had promised him that he would never make peace with that man, since he was known to be an enemy of the king. XLV. Therefore at that time in Spain King Reccared, pricked by divine compassion, having summoned the bishops of his religion, said: 'Why is scandal continually spread between you and those priests who call themselves Catholics? And whereas they, by their faith, display many signs, you can do nothing of the sort.'
'Wherefore come together, I pray, at one time, and when the beliefs of both parties have been examined, let us learn what things are true; and then either, having received the explanation from you, let them believe the things you say, or else, recognising the truth from them, may you believe what they have preached.' When this had been done, and the bishops of both parties gathered, the heretics put forward those things which we have already often written as said by them. Likewise the bishops of our religion answered with those things by which, in the books above, we have shown the party of the heretics to have been generally vanquished;
and especially when the king said that no sign of healing was shown upon the sick by the bishops of the heretics, and recalled to memory how, in the time of his father, a bishop who boasted of restoring sight to the blind by his faith, having touched a blind man and condemned him to perpetual blindness, had departed in confusion — which we have more fully declared in the Book of Miracles — he called to himself apart the priests of God. When these had been examined, he recognised one God to be worshipped under the distinction of three persons, that is, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit;
nor is the Son less than the Father and the Holy Spirit, nor the Holy Spirit less than the Father or the Son, but in one equality and omnipotence this Trinity is to be confessed as the true God. Then Reccared, understanding the truth, set aside contention and submitted himself to the Catholic law, and having received the seal of the blessed cross with the anointing of chrism, he believed the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to be equal to the Father together with the Holy Spirit, reigning unto the ages of ages. Amen. Thereupon he sends messengers to the province of Narbonne, that by their relating what he had done, that people might be bound together by a like belief.
For there was at that time a bishop of the Arian sect, Athaloc, who so disturbed the Churches of God by vain propositions and false interpretations of the Scriptures, that he was thought to be Arius himself, whom the historian Eusebius relates to have cast forth his entrails into a privy. But when he could not bring it about that the people of his sect should believe these things, and the flattery of a few favoured his being agreed with, stirred with gall, entering his little cell and bending his head over his couch, he breathed out his wicked spirit. And so the people of the heretics, dwelling in that very province, confessing the inseparable Trinity, departed from error. XLVI.
After this Reccared directed an embassy to Guntram and to Childebert for the sake of peace, that, namely, just as he asserted himself to be one with them in faith, so also he might show himself united in charity. But they were rebuffed by King Guntram, who said: 'What sort of faith can they promise me, or how ought they to be trusted by me, who handed over my niece Ingund into captivity, and through whose treacheries both her husband was slain, and she herself died in exile? Therefore I do not receive the embassy of Reccared, until God commands me to avenge myself on these enemies.' Hearing this, the envoys set out to Childebert, by whom they were received in peace, saying:
'Our lord, your brother Reccared, wishes to clear himself of this crime which is laid upon him, as though he had been privy to the death of your sister; concerning which, by an oath, if you will, or by any other condition, he can be rendered clear. Furthermore, having given to your Grace ten thousand solidi, he desires to have your charity; and that he may enjoy your support, and you his benefits, wherever there shall be need.' When they said these things, King Childebert and his mother promised that they would keep peace and charity with him whole and entire. And when gifts had been received and given, the envoys added:
'Our lord has also bidden us put a word in your ears concerning your daughter, or rather sister, Chlodosind, that she be given to him in marriage, whereby the peace which is promised between you may be the more easily confirmed.' They said: 'Our promise on this matter will readily be given, but without the counsel of our uncle King Guntram we dare not do this; for we have a pledge to do nothing in greater matters without his counsel.' And so, having received their answer, they returned. XLVII. In that year, in springtime, there were heavy rains, and when the trees and the vines had already put forth, falling snow covered all things. And by the frost that followed, both the shoots of the vines and the other fruits that had appeared were blasted.
And so great a chill was seen to have been, that even the swallows and birds which had come from foreign regions were destroyed by the force of the cold. This too was wonderful, that where frost had never done harm, then it took away all things, and where it was wont to injure, it did not come. XLVIII. The Bretons too, bursting into the territory of Nantes, took booty, overrunning the villas and leading away captives. When this had been reported to King Guntram, he ordered the army to be set in motion, dispatching thither a messenger to speak to them, that they should make good all the things they had done wickedly, or else let them know that they would fall by the sword of his army. But they, taking fright, promise to amend all the things they had done wickedly.
Hearing these things, the king directs an embassy thither, namely Namatius bishop of Orléans and Bertram bishop of Le Mans, with counts and other distinguished men. There were present also from the kingdom of Chlothar, son of King Chilperic, eight distinguished men; who, going into the territory of Nantes, spoke with Waroch and Vidimacle all the things the king had commanded. But they said: 'We too know that these cities are to be rendered back to the sons of King Chlothar, and that we ought to be subject to them; yet the things we have done contrary to reason, we do not delay to make good in full.'
And having given sureties and signed bonds, they promised to give a thousand solidi each to King Guntram and to Chlothar as composition, promising that they would never again invade the territory of those cities. These things being thus settled, the rest returned and related to the king what they had done. But Namatius the bishop, while he tarried there, having recovered the villas within the territory of the city of Nantes which his parents had once lost, three malignant pustules arose on his head. Greatly wearied by this distress, while he desired to return to his own city, within the bounds of the territory of Angers he breathed out his spirit.
His little body, carried to his own city, was buried in the basilica of Saint Anianus the confessor; into whose chair Austrinus, once the son of Pastor, was substituted. But Waroch, forgetting his oath and his bond, set aside all that he had promised. He took away the vineyards of the people of Nantes, and gathering the vintage, transported the wine into the Vannes region. And on this account King Guntram, again greatly raging, ordered the army to be set in motion, but it subsided. XLIX. But that war which we said above (Book VII, ch. 47) had been ended between the citizens of Tours, rises again into renewed madness.
For Sicharius, after the slaying of Chramnesind's kinsmen, had contracted a great friendship with him, and they loved each other with such mutual affection that they often took food together and lay together on one and the same couch. One day Chramnesind prepared a supper at nighttime, inviting Sicharius to his feast; and when he came, they sat down together at the banquet. And when Sicharius, drunk with wine, boasted much against Chramnesind, he is said at last to have spoken thus:
'You owe me great thanks, O sweetest brother, in that I slew your kinsmen, for whom, the composition having been received, gold and silver overflow in your house, and you would now be naked and needy, had not this affair somewhat fortified you.' Hearing this, Chramnesind received Sicharius' words with a bitter mind, and said in his heart: 'Unless I avenge the destruction of my kinsmen, I deserve to lose the name of man and to be called a weak woman.' And straightway, the lights being put out, he split Sicharius' head with a dagger; who, sending forth a tiny cry in the very ending of his life, fell and died. The young men who had come with him slipped away.
Chramnesind, having stripped the lifeless body of its garments, hung it on the stake of a fence; and mounting his horsemen, he went to the king, and entering the church, prostrated himself at the king's feet, saying: 'I beg for my life, O glorious king, in that I have killed men who, having secretly slain my kinsmen, plundered all their goods.' And when the causes had been set forth in order, and Queen Brunhild had taken it grievously, because Sicharius, placed under her word (that is, her pledged faith), had been slain in such a manner, she began to gnash at him. But he, when he saw her hostile to him, made for the district of the Vosgais in the Bituric region, where his kinsmen dwelt, because he was held in hatred in the kingdom of King Guntram.
Tranquilla too, the wife of Sicharius, leaving the children and the goods of her husband in Tours and in Poitiers, made for her own kinsfolk at the village of Mauriopes, and there was joined in marriage. Now Sicharius died at about forty years of age. In his life he was fickle, drunken, a murderer, who in his drunkenness did injury to not a few. But Chramnesind went again to the king, and it was adjudged to him that he should prove that the other had slain him; which he did. But since, as we have said, Queen Brunhild had placed Sicharius under her word, she therefore ordered his goods to be confiscated; yet afterwards they were restored by Flavian the steward.
And hastening also to Agen, he drew forth a letter from her, that he should be touched by no one. For his goods had been granted him by the queen. L. In that same thirteenth year of King Childebert, when we had hastened to meet him as far as the city of Metz, we were bidden to go on an embassy to King Guntram; whom we found at the city of Chalon, saying: 'Your most glorious nephew Childebert sends you most abundant greeting, O renowned king, rendering immense thanks to your piety, that you continually admonish him to do those things which are both pleasing to God, and acceptable to you, and fitting for the people.'
'And concerning those things of which you both spoke together, he promises to fulfil all, and he pledges that he will break nothing of the pacts which have been drawn up between you.' And the king said to this: 'I do not likewise give thanks, that what was promised to me is thus broken. My portion of the city of Senlis is not rendered back to me; the men whom, for my advantage, because they were hostile to me, I wished to migrate, they did not permit. And how do you say that my sweetest nephew wishes to transgress nothing of the written pacts?' And we to this: 'He wishes to do nothing against those pacts, but promises to fulfil all, so that, from the present, if you wish to send for the division of Senlis, let there be no delay: for at once you shall receive your own.'
'But concerning the men of whom you speak, the names being written down shall be handed over, and all that was promised shall be fulfilled.' As we were saying these things, the king bids the pact itself be read again in the presence of those standing by. A COPY OF THE PACT. When, in the name of Christ, the most excellent lords Guntram and Childebert the kings, and the most glorious lady Brunhild the queen, had come together at Andelot in the zeal of charity, that all things which from any quarter could engender scandal between them they might define by fuller counsel; this, between them, with bishops and nobles mediating, and God in the midst, in the zeal of charity, was settled, pleased, and agreed:
That so long as Almighty God shall will them to survive in the present age, they ought to preserve to one another a pure and simple faith and charity. Likewise, since the lord Guntram, according to the pact which he had entered into with the lord Sigibert of good memory, had obtained for them the entire portion which is of the kingdom of Charibert, he said that it should be rendered back to him in full; and the part of the lord Childebert wished to recall to himself out of all things those which his father had possessed:
this between them is established as settled by such deliberation, that into that third portion of the city of Paris, with its boundaries and people, which had come to the lord Sigibert from the kingdom of Charibert by the written pact, together with the castles of Dun and Vendôme, and whatever in that passage the aforesaid king had received from the district of Étampes or of Chartres with its boundaries and people, shall, under the right and dominion of the lord Guntram, together with that which, while the lord Sigibert survived, he formerly held from the kingdom of Charibert, abide perpetually.
By like condition, let the lord King Childebert claim to his power, with their boundaries from the present, the cities of Meaux, and the two portions of Senlis, Tours, Poitiers, Avranches, Vieux (Vico-Julii), Couserans, Bayonne, and Albi. With this condition therefore preserved, that whichever of these kings God shall ordain to survive, the kingdom of him who shall depart without sons from the light of the present age, he ought to recall to himself in full by perpetual right, and, with the Lord's help, to leave to his posterity.
This especially it pleased to be preserved inviolably in all things: that whatever the lord King Guntram has conferred upon his daughter Chlothild, or shall yet, God favouring, confer, in all things and bodies, both in cities and fields or revenues, ought to remain under her right and dominion; and if she should wish to do anything of the fiscal fields or kinds or estate by the will of her own choosing, or to confer anything [upon anyone]
let it be preserved in perpetuity, with the Lord's help, and never at any time be wrested away by anyone whatsoever; and under the protection and defence of the lord Childebert, with all those things which the passing away of her father shall find her possessing, let her possess them securely, in all honour and dignity.
By like condition the lord King Guntram promises in return, that if — as human frailty has it, which may divine mercy not permit, nor does he himself desire to see — it should befall the lord Childebert to depart from this light while he himself survives, he will, as a pious father, receive under his protection and defence his sons, the kings Theodebert and Theuderic, or, if God should yet will to give him others, so that they may possess the kingdom of their father in all firmness;
and the mother of the lord Childebert, the lady Queen Brunhild, or her daughter Chlodosind, sister of the lord King Childebert, so long as she shall be within the region of the Franks, or his queen Faileuba, as a good sister, and the others, let him receive into his protection and defence with spiritual affection, and let them possess, in all security and quiet, in all honour and dignity, with all their goods, with cities, fields, revenues or all titles, and the whole body of their estate, both what they are seen to possess at the present time, and what they may yet, Christ presiding, justly be able to augment;
but if they should wish to do anything of the fiscal fields, or kinds, or estate, by the will of their own choosing, or to confer it upon anyone, let it be preserved in perpetuity with fixed stability, nor at any time let their will be wrested away by anyone whomsoever. But concerning the cities — that is, Bordeaux, Limoges, Cahors, Béarn, and Bigorre — which it is certain that Galswinth, sister of the lady Brunhild, acquired as she came into Francia, both as dowry and as morgengabe, that is, the morning-gift:
which the lady Brunhild is known also to have acquired by the judgment of the most glorious lord King Guntram and of the Franks, while the kings Chilperic and Sigibert survived: it is thus agreed, namely, that the lady Brunhild shall from the present receive into her own property the city of Cahors, with its boundaries and all its people; but the remaining cities, named above from this condition, let the lord Guntram possess while he lives, so that at some time after his passing they may, God favouring, revert into the dominion of the lady Brunhild and of her heirs with all firmness;
nor, while the lord Guntram survives, let them be reclaimed by any device or at any time, either by the lady Brunhild, or by her son King Childebert, or by his sons. In like manner it is agreed that the lord Childebert hold Senlis in its entirety; and as much as the third part owed to the lord Guntram from there competes, let it be compensated from the third part of the lord Childebert which is in Rosson, to the parts of the lord Guntram. Likewise it is agreed that, according to the pacts entered into between the lord Guntram and the lord Sigibert of good memory, those liege men who first gave oaths to the lord Guntram after the passing of the lord Chlothar;
and if they are afterwards convicted of having transferred allegiance to the other side, it is agreed that they ought to be removed from the places where they are seen to dwell. Likewise too those who, after the passing of the lord Chlothar, are convicted of having first given oaths to the lord Sigibert, and have transferred themselves to the other side, let them in like manner be removed. Likewise whatever the aforesaid kings have conferred upon the churches or upon their faithful, or shall yet justly, God favouring, wish to confer, let it be firmly preserved; and whatever is rendered to each of the faithful in either kingdom by law and justice, let no prejudice be incurred by him, but let it be permitted to possess and receive the goods owed.
And if anything has been taken away from anyone during the interregna without fault, let it be restored when a hearing has been held. And concerning that which each one possessed by the munificences of preceding kings up to the passing of the lord Chlothar of glorious memory, let him possess it with security, and what has been taken away thereafter from faithful persons, let him receive it from the present. And because between the aforesaid kings a pure and simple concord has been bound in God's name, it is agreed that in either kingdom, for the faithful of both, whether for public causes or private, whoever wishes to travel, the passage at no time be denied. Likewise it is agreed that none solicit the liege men of the other, nor receive those who come.
But if perchance, on account of some loss, the one party should think the other should be sued, let the accused be rendered up according to the quality of the fault. This too it pleased to be added to this pact, that if any party should, by whatever cunning, at any time transgress the things here established in the present, let it lose all the benefits, both those promised and those conferred in the present, and let them accrue to him who shall have inviolably preserved all the things written above, and let him be absolved in all things from the obligation of the oaths.
And so, all these things being defined, the parties swear by the name of Almighty God and the inseparable Trinity, and by all things divine and the dread Day of Judgment, that they will inviolably preserve all the things written above, without any evil guile or device of fraud. This pact was made on the fourth day before the Kalends of December, in the twenty-sixth year [i.e., the year 587] of the reign of the lord King Guntram, and the twelfth year of the lord Childebert. And so, the pacts being read, the king said: 'By the judgment of God may I perish, if I transgress anything of those things which are contained here.' And turning to Felix, who had then come with us as an envoy, he said: 'Tell me, O Felix, for now
you have most fully knit friendships between my sister Brunhild and the enemy of God and men, Fredegund.' When he denied it, I said: 'Let the king not doubt, for those friendships between them are kept up which were bound many years ago. For know assuredly that the hatred which was once established between them still buds forth, it does not wither. Would, O most glorious king, that you had less charity with her! For, as we have often learned, you receive her embassy more worthily than ours.' And he: 'Know, O priest of God,' said he, 'that I receive her embassy in such a way that I may not omit the charity of my nephew King Childebert. For there
I cannot bind friendships with her, from whom there have often gone forth those who would take away my present life.' As he was saying these things, Felix said: 'I believe it has reached your Glory, that Reccared directed an embassy to your nephew (see above, ch. 16), which asked your niece Chlodosind, the daughter of your brother, for him in marriage. But he was unwilling to promise anything thereof without your counsel.' The king said: 'It is not best, indeed, that my niece should travel thither, where her sister was slain; but neither does it reasonably please that the death of my niece Ingund should go unavenged.' Felix answers: 'They wish very much to excuse themselves thereof, either by oaths, or by whatever other conditions you may command.'
'Only grant your consent, that Chlodosuintha may be betrothed to him, as he requests.' The king said: 'If indeed my nephew fulfils what he wished to have written into the agreements, then I too will carry out his will in these matters.' When we had promised that he would fulfil everything, Felix added: 'Your Piety is besought also to grant him support against the Lombards, so that, when they have been driven out of Italy, that portion which his father reclaimed while he lived may revert to him; and the remaining portion, through your help and his own, may be restored to the dominions of the emperor.' The king replied: 'No,' he said, 'I cannot send my army into Italy so as freely to deliver them up to death; for a most grievous pestilence is now devastating Italy.' And I said:
'You signified to your nephew that all the bishops of his realm should assemble together, because there are many matters which ought to be investigated; but according to the custom of the canons, it was pleasing to your most glorious nephew that each metropolitan should be joined with his own provincials (that is, fellow-provincials); and then those things which were being done unreasonably in each region might be corrected by priestly sanction. For what cause exists that so great a multitude should gather into one place? The faith of the Church is shaken by no peril, no new heresy arises. What will this necessity be, that the priests of the Lord must be brought together into one place?' And he said:
'There are many things,' he said, 'which ought to be examined: matters unjustly done, both concerning incestuous unions and concerning those causes which are transacted among ourselves. But above all there stands forth that cause of God, greater than all, that you ought to inquire why Bishop Praetextatus was slain by the sword in the church. And there ought also to be a discussion concerning those who are accused of lust, so that either, being convicted, they may be corrected by priestly sanction, or assuredly, if they are found innocent, the charge of the crime may be publicly removed.' Then he ordered that this synod be deferred to the first day of the fourth month. And when these things had been said, we went forth to the church; for that day was the solemnity of the Lord's Resurrection.
When Mass had therefore been said, he invited us to a banquet, which was no less laden with dishes than rich in cheerfulness. For the king was always holding discourse about God, about the building of churches, about the defence of the poor; and now and then he would laugh, taking delight in spiritual jesting, and adding something whereby we too might enjoy some gladness. For he spoke these words also: 'Would that my nephew might keep his promises to me. For all that I have is his. Yet if that scandalizes him, namely that I receive the envoys of Chlothar my nephew—am I out of my mind, that I cannot keep peace between them, lest a scandal be spread abroad? For I know that this is more likely to die down than to be propagated further.'
'For I will give Chlothar, if I come to know that he is my nephew, either two or three cities in some part, so that neither may he here seem to be disinherited from my kingdom, nor may those things which I shall leave to this one prepare disquiet for him.' Having spoken these and other things, cherishing us with sweet affection and loading us with gifts, he bade us depart, charging that those things which would prove beneficial to King Childebert's life should always be made known to him. XXI. Now the king himself, as we have often said, was great in almsgiving, ready in vigils and fasts. For it was reported at that time that Marseilles was being very severely ravaged by a plague of the groin, and that this disease had been swiftly spread as far as the Lyonnais village called Octavum.
But the king, like a good priest providing remedies whereby the wounds of the sinful populace might be healed, commanded all the people to assemble at the church and to celebrate the Rogations with the utmost devotion, and that nothing else should be taken for nourishment except barley bread with pure water; and he bade all to attend the vigils diligently—which at that time was so carried out. For during three days, while his own almsgiving ran ahead more lavishly than usual, he was so fearful for all the people that even then he was reckoned not only a king but also a priest of the Lord, pouring all his hope into the Lord's mercy, and casting upon Him those cares which came upon him, by whom he believed, with whole integrity of faith, that they would be brought to good effect.