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History of the Franks

St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927

Book 8, 21. Of the Tribunal at Beslingen, and the Violation of a Tomb

While this council was being held, King Childebert met the chief men of his kingdom at his domain of Beslingen, which lies in the midst of the forest of the Ardennes. There Queen Brunhild made plaint to all the notables on behalf of Ingund her daughter, who was still detained in Africa;¹ but scant sympathy did she receive. Then they considered a case against Guntram Boso. A few days before, a female relative of his wife died without issue, and was buried in a church at Metz with jewels of great size and much gold. This was a few days before the festival of the blessed Remigius,² which is celebrated on the first of October. Many inhabitants went out of the city³ with the bishop, and especially the chief personages, with the duke. The servants of Guntram Boso now came to the church where this lady was buried, and went in. They fastened the doors behind them, and opened the tomb, stripping off and removing all the jewels which they could find upon the body. The monks attached to the church heard them, and came to the doors, but were not allowed to enter. Finding their efforts vain, they sent messages to the bishop and the duke. Meanwhile the servants had taken the things, mounted their horses, and actually begun their flight. But a fear came on them that they might be caught on the road and subjected to divers punishments. They therefore returned to the church and laid the stolen jewels on the altar, but they did not dare leave the building, and kept crying out: ‘We were sent by Guntram Boso.’ When Childebert and his nobles met at the assembly convoked at the aforesaid domain, Guntram was questioned on this matter, but he could make no reply; later, he fled away by stealth. All the property which he had held in Auvergne by gift from the domain was afterwards taken from him. He had to leave behind him, in his hurry, many things which he had unjustly taken from divers persons.

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