Here Ends the Seventh Book
FOOTNOTES:
[60] Salvius died Sept. 10, 584. Chilperic’s death which closes Book VI occurred in 584.
HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE EIGHTH BOOK
- 1. Visit of the king at Orleans.
- 2. How the bishops were presented to him and how he made ready a feast.
- 3. The singers and Mummolus’s silver.
- 4. Praise of king Childebert.
- 5. The visions of Chilperic which the king and I saw.
- 6. Those whom I presented.
- 7. How bishop Palladius said mass.
- 8. Prodigies.
- 9. The oath given in behalf of Chilperic’s son.
- 10. The bodies of Merovech and Clovis.
- 11. The doorkeepers and the killing of Boantus.
- 12. Bishop Theodore and the plague that visited Ratharius.
- 13. The embassy sent by Gunthram to Childebert.
- 14. Danger on the river.
- 15. Conversion of deacon Vulfilaic.
- 16. What he related of St. Martin’s miracles.
- 17. The signs which appeared.
- 18. Childebert sends an army into Italy; the dukes and counts who are appointed or removed.
- 19. Killing of the abbot Daulfus.
- 20. Acts of the synod at Mâcon.
- 21. The court at Beslingen and the violation of sepulcher.
- 22. Death of the bishops and of Wandalinus.
- 23. Floods.
- 24. The islands of the sea.
- 25. The island in which blood appeared.
- 26. The former duke Berulf.
- 27. Desiderius returns to the king.
- 28. Hermengild and Ingunda and the Spanish legates secretly sent to Fredegunda.
- 29. Fredegunda sends persons to kill Childebert.
- 30. The army makes an expedition against Septimania.
- 31. The killing of bishop Prætextatus.
- 32. Killing of Domnola, Nectarius’s wife.
- 33. Burning of Paris.
- 34. Temptations of recluses.
- 35. Spanish legates.
- 36. Killing of Magnovald.
- 37. A son is born to Childebert.
- 38. The Spaniards burst into the Gauls.
- 39. Death of the bishops.
- 40. Pelagius of Tours.
- 41. The slayers of Prætextatus.
- 42. Beppolenus is appointed duke.
- 43. Nicecius is appointed governor of Provence; doings of Antestius.
- 44. The man who wished to kill king Gunthram.
- 45. Death of duke Desiderius.
- 46. Death of king Leuvigild.
HERE END THE CHAPTERS OF THE EIGHTH BOOK. THANKS BE TO GOD. AMEN.
Eighth Book
IN CHRIST’S NAME HERE BEGINS BOOK EIGHT
[EH]1. Now king Gunthram in the twenty-fourth year of his reign started from Chalon and went to the city of Nevers. For he was going to Paris by invitation to receive from the holy font of regeneration Chilperic’s son, whom they were already calling Clothar. And he left the territory of Nevers and came to the city of Orleans and at that time appeared much among the citizens.[EI] For on receiving invitations he went to their homes and partook of the repasts offered him. He received many gifts from them and bestowed many gifts on them in a very generous way. And when he came to the city of Orleans the day was the festival of the blessed Martin, namely the fourth before the Nones of the fifth month [July 4]. And a huge throng of people came to meet him with standards and banners, singing praises. And here the Syrian language, there that of the Latins, and again that even of the Jews, sounded together strangely in varied praises, saying: “Long live the king; may his reign over the people last unnumbered years.” And the Jews who were to be seen taking part in these praises said: “May all the nations honor you and bend the knee and be subject to you.” And so it happened that when the king was seated at dinner after mass he said: “Woe to the Jewish tribe, wicked, treacherous, and always living by cunning.[EJ] Here’s what they were after,” said he, “when they cried out their flattering praises to-day, that all the nations were to honor me as master. [They wish me] to order their synagogue, long ago torn down by the Christians, to be built at the public cost; but by the Lord’s command I will never do it.” O King glorious for wonderful wisdom. He so understood the craft of the heretics that they entirely failed to get from him what they were going to propose later. At the dinner the king said to the bishops who were present: “I beg you to give me your blessing to-morrow in my house and bring me salvation by your coming, so that I may be saved when in my humility I receive your words of blessing.” When he said this all thanked him, and as dinner was finished we rose.