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History of the Franks

St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927

Book 5, 6. Of Leunast, Archdeacon of Bourges

In the above-mentioned year, which is the year when Sigibert died¹ and Childebert his son began to reign, many miracles were made manifest at the tomb of the blessed Martin, recorded by me in the books which I have endeavoured to compose upon these matters. And though mine is a homely speech, yet I could not leave unrelated things which either I myself witnessed, or heard from the lips of the faithful. I will only recount that which befell the thoughtless, who after experience of the celestial power had recourse to earthly remedies; for that power is displayed no less in the punishment meted to the foolish than in the grace given to those who are made whole.

Leunast, archdeacon of Bourges, lost his sight through cataract. He went first from one doctor to another, but not in the smallest degree did he recover his vision. Then he came to the church of the blessed Martin, where abiding for the space of two or three months, and fasting continually, he prayed that he might once more possess the light of his eyes. And when the feast of Martin came round, his eyes were made clear, and he began to see. But on his return home he consulted a Jew, who applied cupping-glasses to his shoulders, the action of which was to strengthen his sight. But as soon as the blood was drawn off, he relapsed into his former blindness. Thereupon he came back to the holy shrine; but though he again made a long sojourn, he could not now recover his vision. In my belief it was denied him by reason of his sin, according to the oracle of the Lord. ‘For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.’² And this also: ‘Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing befall thee.’³ For this man would have remained whole if he had not brought in a Jew after he had felt the miraculous power of God. It is such men as these that the apostle admonishes and condemns, saying: ‘Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God. Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord.’⁴ Therefore let this example teach every Christian that when he has received the medicine from on high, he should not seek after worldly arts.

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