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History of the Franks

St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927

Book 9, 35. Of the Death of Waddo

Beretrude on her death-bed named her daughter as her heir, but left some property to the nunneries which she had founded, and to cathedrals and churches of the holy confessors. But Waddo, of whom I have written in an earlier book,¹ now complained that the son-in-law of Beretrude had carried off his horses. He therefore determined to visit an estate in the territory of Poitiers, which she had left to her daughter, and to say: ‘This man hath come from another kingdom and carried off my horses. Therefore will I take his estate.’ Meanwhile he sent an order to the bailiff to prepare all things needful for his entertainment on his arrival at the place. But the bailiff on receipt of it gathered about him the men of the household and made ready to fight, saying: ‘While there is life in my body, Waddo shall not set foot in my lord’s house.’ The wife of Waddo heard that preparations for violent resistance to her husband were being made, and said to him: ‘Go not thither, dear my lord; for if thou goest, thou wilt be slain, and I and thy sons will be left in misery.’ She put out her hand to stay him, and her son also cried: ‘If thou goest, we are undone, and thou wilt leave my mother widowed, and my brothers orphans.’ But these prayers failed utterly to stay him; he was inflamed with wrath against his son, and upbraiding him as a poltroon and weakling he hurled his axe and would have cloven him to the brain had he not sprung aside and dodged the blow. They then mounted and set forth, sending another message to the bailiff to sweep the house and lay the coverings on the benches. He, however, made light of the command, but with a crowd of men and women stood before his master’s gates awaiting Waddo. But Waddo at his coming straightway passed into the house and said: ‘Why are these benches not laid with coverings, and why is the house unswept?’ And raising his dagger, he smote the bailiff on the head, so that he fell dead. At this sight the son of the dead man hurled his lance and rushed upon Waddo; the missile struck him full in the stomach and came out at his back; he fell to earth, and the crowd which had collected rushed up and began to stone him. Then one of his companions who had pressed forward through the showers of stones covered him with a mantle. The fury of the people was assuaged; his son with loud laments put him upon a horse and brought him home still alive. But straightway, as his wife and sons wept over him, he breathed his last. The father’s life thus miserably ended, the son went to the king and obtained possession of his estate.²

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