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History of the Franks

St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927

Book 5, 18. Of Bishop Praetextatus, and of Merovech’s Death

These things thus befalling, news reached Chilperic that Praetextatus, bishop of Rouen, was making largess to the people to the king’s loss, and ordered him to be summoned to his presence. When he was searched, he was found to have with him property entrusted to him by Queen Brunhild; this the king took away, and commanded him to be kept in banishment until his case should be heard by the bishops. When the episcopal council met at Paris, Praetextatus was brought before it; the bishops who were attending it sat in the church of Peter the Apostle.¹ The king said to the accused: ‘What was in thy mind, O bishop, that thou didst unite to his own aunt, his uncle’s wife, mine enemy Merovech, who should have behaved as my son? Was it unknown to thee what the canons have laid down for such a case? It is proven not only that thou didst wrong in this, but also that thou hast given gifts to the people in order that together ye might compass my death. Thou hast set a son at enmity with his father; thou hast led astray the people with bribes that no man might keep with me his plighted faith; thou hast sought to betray my kingdom into the hands of another.’ When the king said this, there rose a great murmur from the crowd of Franks without; they wished to break in the doors of the church, drag forth the bishop and stone him, but this the king forbade. And when Bishop Praetextatus denied the truth of the king’s charges, there came forward false witnesses, displaying various things of price, and saying: ‘This and this didst thou give us on condition that we sware loyalty to Merovech.’ To this he replied: ‘Ye say true that often ye received rewards from me; but not to drive the king from his dominion. For since ye gave me fine horses and other things, what else could I do but make presents of like worth in return?’ The king now withdrew to his lodging, but we remained seated in the sacristy of the church of Saint Peter. As we were taking counsel together, there suddenly arrived Aëtius, archdeacon of the church of Paris, who gave us greeting, and then said: ‘Give ear to me, O priests of the Lord here assembled; for either ye shall now exalt your name and shine with the grace of good renown or, lacking manhood to play the part that falleth to you, and suffering this your brother to perish, of a surety not a man of you shall henceforth be accounted the minister of God.’ Thus he spake, but not a bishop answered him a word, for they feared the king and his fury, by whose prompting these things were being done. As they remained absorbed in thought with their fingers on their lips,² I myself spoke as follows: ‘Hearken, I pray you, to my words, most holy priests of the Lord, ye before all who seem to have the confidence of the king. Give him now holy counsel and befitting bishops, lest in fury against a minister of God he perish by his wrath and lose both kingdom and renown.’ When I had said this, all still held their peace. And as they still remained silent, I added: ‘Remember, my lord bishops, the word of the prophet: “If the watchman behold the iniquity of man and say nothing, he shall be guilty for the soul that perisheth.”³ Hold not your peace, therefore, but speak out, and set the king’s sins before his eyes, lest haply some ill befall him, and ye be guilty for his soul. Or know ye not what hath been done in recent time? How Chlodomir seized Sigismund and thrust him into prison; and how Avitus, priest of the Lord, said to him: “Lay not thy hand upon him; so shalt thou have the victory when thou goest out against Burgundy.” But he refused to follow the bishop’s counsel, and went out, and slew him with his wife and his sons, and marched into Burgundy, where he was crushed by the army of the enemy and put to death.⁴ And what of the emperor Maximus? when he had forced the blessed Martin⁵ to have fellowship with a bishop guilty of murder, and when the saint had consented to this impious ruler in the hope of setting free men condemned to death, was it not seen how the judgement of the Eternal King pursued this emperor, who was driven from the throne, and condemned to the vilest death?’ When I had spoken not one of them replied, but all were as men rapt and confounded. Two sycophants among them, it is lamentable to say it of bishops, went to the king and told him that there was no greater enemy of his interests than myself. Forthwith one from the court was sent with all speed to command my presence. When I arrived, the king was standing near an arbour formed of branches, with Bishop Bertram⁶ on his right and Ragnemod⁷ upon his left: before them was a bench covered with bread and various dishes. As soon as he saw me, the king said: ‘O bishop, it is thy part freely to deal justice to all, and lo! I receive not justice at thy hands; but I see thee consenting with iniquity, and in thee is fulfilled the proverb that crow picketh not out crow’s eye.’⁸ Whereto I answered: ‘If any among us, O king, would overstep the path of justice, it is in thy power to correct him; but if thou transgress, who may rebuke thee? For we may speak with thee indeed, and if thou wilt, thou hearest; but if thou wilt not, who shall condemn thee save He who hath proclaimed Himself to be very Justice?’ He replied (for his flatterers had inflamed him against me): ‘All other men show me justice; with thee alone I find it not. But sure I am what I will do, that thou mayst be known among the people as thou art, and it may be right clear to all that there is no justice in thee. I will call together the people of Tours, and I will say to them: “Cry aloud against Gregory, that he is unjust and accordeth justice to no man.” And when they shout as I bid, I shall make answer to them: “Myself, the king, can find no justice at his hands, and how shall ye lesser folk find it?”’ To this I said: ‘Were I unjust, what shouldst thou know of it? He only knoweth my conscience to whom the secrets of the heart are open. And if the people, because thou dost revile me, cry out against me, clamouring falsely, it is naught to me; for all men will know that these things come from thee. Therefore it is not I that should be the mark of their outcry, but rather thou. But wherefore should I speak further? Thou hast the law and the canons; it beseemeth thee to search them diligently, and then, if thou observe not their precepts, thou shalt know that the judgement of God hangeth over thy head.’ Then, as if to propitiate me, deeming that I did not see through his crafty dealing, he turned to a dish placed before him, and said: ‘These dishes I have had prepared for thee; there is nothing in this but fowl and a little pulse.’ But, knowing his insinuating arts, I said: ‘Our food should be to do the will of God, and not to take delight in these dainties, that in no case we transgress His commandments. As for thee, who accusest others of injustice, promise first thyself to keep the law and the canons; then shall we believe that thou followest after justice.’ Thereat he stretched forth his right hand, and swore by Almighty God that in no case would he transgress the teaching of the law and the canons. After this I accepted some bread, and even drank wine before I went away. That night, when we had finished singing the nocturnal hymns, I heard a loud knocking on the door of my lodging, and learned from the servant whom I sent that messengers from Queen Fredegund stood without. They were introduced, and gave me greeting from the queen. These servants of hers then besought me not to oppose her interests; at the same time they promised me two hundred pounds of silver if, through my joining in the attack on him, Praetextatus were condemned. For they said: ‘We have now the promise of all the bishops; do not thou oppose alone.’ I made answer: ‘If ye gave me a thousand pounds of gold and silver, could I do aught but that which the Lord commandeth? One thing alone I promise; I will follow the course upon which the rest are agreed provided it be according to the canons.’ The men, without understanding what I meant, thanked me and withdrew. At dawn the next day, some of the bishops came to me with a like message, to whom I gave a like reply.

When therefore in the morning we were all assembled in the church of Saint Peter, the king was also present, and said: ‘If a bishop be caught in larceny, it is decreed by authority of the canons that he be removed from his episcopal office.’ When we replied by asking who was the bishop against whom the charge of theft was brought, the king replied: ‘Why, ye have yourselves seen the precious things which he hath purloined from us.’ He had in fact displayed to us three days before two bundles filled with objects of price and jewels valued at more than three thousand gold pieces,⁹ and a bag of coins which, to judge by its weight, might contain two thousand pieces. These, the king averred, were stolen from him by the bishop. But Praetextatus made answer: ‘I doubt not ye remember that on the departure of Queen Brunhild from Rouen, I came to you¹⁰ and told you that she had entrusted to me five bundles containing things belonging to her, and that her servants often came to me with the request that I should give them up, and that I would not without taking thine advice. And thou thyself, O king, didst say to me: “Cast these things from thee, and let this woman have the things that be hers, lest for this cause there spring up enmity between me and my nephew Childebert.” I therefore returned to the city and delivered up one bundle to her servants, for that was all they were able to carry. They came again, and asked for the rest, and once more I took counsel with thy magnificence. And once more thou didst enjoin me, saying: “Cast these things from thee, O bishop, that there arise no cause of offence.” I therefore delivered up to them two more; only two now remained in my keeping. Wherefore then dost thou now falsely accuse me and charge me with theft, when it is not a case of theft, but of custody?’ The king made answer: ‘If this was a deposit committed to thy safe keeping, wherefore didst thou open one of these bundles and cut up an orphrey woven of gold thread, and distribute the pieces among the men who were to drive me from my kingdom?’ Bishop Praetextatus replied: ‘I have already told thee that I had received gifts from them, and therefore I borrowed this and gave it to them as a return present, because I had nothing else at hand to give. It seemed to me in some sort mine, because it belonged to my son Merovech, whom I had received from the font of regeneration.’ King Chilperic now perceived that he could not get the better of Praetextatus by false charges; he left us, much marvelling and troubled in conscience. Then he called to him certain of his flatterers and said: ‘I confess myself vanquished by the bishop’s words, and I know that what he saith is true. Now, therefore, what shall I do that the queen’s will may be accomplished upon him?’ And he said further: ‘Go to him and say, as if ye were giving him your own advice: “Thou knowest that King Chilperic is a man of piety, tender-hearted, and quickly moved to pity; humble thyself, therefore, before him, and confess that thou hast indeed done the wrongs of which he hath accused thee. Then all of us will throw ourselves at his feet and implore his pardon for thee.”’ Bishop Praetextatus was misled by their advice, and promised that he would act as they suggested.

The next morning, when we were assembled in the usual place, the king entered and said to the bishop: ‘If thou only gavest these men gift for gift, wherefore didst thou demand of them an oath of fidelity to Merovech?’ The bishop answered: ‘I confess that I sought their friendship for him; and had it been permitted, I would have summoned not mortal man, but an angel from heaven to succour him; for, as I have often repeated, he was my spiritual son, from his baptism.’ The dispute was being carried farther, when suddenly Bishop Praetextatus prostrated himself on the ground, and said: ‘I have sinned against heaven and before thee, most merciful king; I am an impious murderer; for it was my will to slay thee, and set thy son upon thy throne.’ At these words the king threw himself at the feet of the bishops, saying: ‘Hear now, most pious bishops, how this guilty man confesseth his execrable crime.’ Then we, in tears, raised the king from the ground, whereupon he commanded Praetextatus to leave the church.

The king now went to his own dwelling, whence he sent us a book of the canons, to which was annexed a fresh quaternion containing presumed apostolic canons. In these were the following words: ‘If a bishop be convicted of homicide, adultery, or perjury, let him be removed from his bishopric.’ When this was being read out, Praetextatus stood as one stupefied, and Bishop Bertram said: ‘Hear now, O brother and fellow bishop; thou hast not the favour of the king; wherefore thou mayst not have our friendship either, unless thou first gain the king’s pardon.’ After this the king demanded that the tunic of Praetextatus should be rent, or that the hundred and eighth Psalm, containing the maledictions against Iscariot, should be recited over his head, or at least, that a judgement should be pronounced against him, depriving him in perpetuity from communion. These conditions I resisted, on the ground that the king had promised to do nothing beyond the authority of the canons.¹¹ Praetextatus was then carried away from our sight and imprisoned. He attempted to escape by night, but was cruelly beaten and banished to an island in the sea over against the city of Coutances.

A rumour now spread that Merovech was seeking to return to the church of the holy Martin. Chilperic commanded the church to be guarded, and all the approaches to be closed. The guard left one door by which the clergy could enter to perform the offices, but kept the rest closed, which caused no small inconvenience to the people. During my sojourn at Paris, there appeared signs in the heaven, twenty rays in the North, which rose from the East and moved towards the West; one of them, longer than the rest, towered above them, only to be soon eclipsed; in like manner the rest which followed it vanished: in my belief they portended the death of Merovech.

This prince, who was in hiding in the district of Champagne near Reims, because he feared to trust himself to the Austrasians, was circumvented by the people of Thérouanne, who told him that if he would come among them they would forsake his father Chilperic and submit to him instead. He came to them, taking with him some of his most valiant men, whereupon they unmasked a treachery prepared beforehand; they confined him in a country house, surrounded him with an armed force, and sent messengers to inform his father. When he heard their report, Chilperic made ready to set out for the place with all speed. Merovech, fearing that the vengeance of his enemies would exact the utmost penalty, summoned to him Gailen, his trusted servant,¹² to whom he said: ‘Until this day we twain have shared a single heart and mind. I pray thee suffer me not now to be delivered into the hands of mine enemies, but take this sword and fall upon me.’ Gailen did not hesitate, but stabbed him with the blade, and when the king arrived, he was discovered dead.¹³ There were some who now asserted that the above words of Merovech were invented by the queen, and that the prince was done to death in secret by her orders. Gailen was seized, his hands, feet, ears, and nostrils were cut off, and after undergoing many tortures he was miserably slain. Grindio was hoisted high, engaged in the spokes of a wheel; Ciuciolo, once count of the palace to King Sigibert, was beheaded. Many others who had followed Merovech were cruelly done to death. It was bruited abroad at the time that the ringleaders in the betrayal of the prince were Bishop Egidius and Guntram Boso, the latter because he enjoyed the secret countenance of Fredegund for having slain Theudebert,¹⁴ the former because he had for a long time found favour in her sight.

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