She lived to see the son of Hilperik, Chlodweh, or, as he was more
commonly called, Clovis, marry a Christian wife, Clotilda, and after
a time became a Christian. She saw the foundation of the Cathedral
of Notre-Dame, and of the two famous churches of St. Denys and of
St. Martin of Tours, and gave her full share to the first efforts for
bringing the rude and bloodthirsty conquerors to some knowledge of
Christian faith, mercy, and purity. After a life of constant prayer and
charity she died, three months after King Clovis, in the year 512, the
eighty-ninth of her age.
[Footnote: Perhaps the exploits of the Maid of Orleans were
the most like those of Genevieve, but they are not here
added to our collection of 'Golden Deeds,' because the
Maid's belief that she was directly inspired removes them
from the ordinary class. Alas! the English did not treat her
as Hilperik treated Genevieve.]
LEO THE SLAVE
A.D. 533
The Franks had fully gained possession of all the north of Gaul, except
Brittany. Chlodweh had made them Christians in name, but they still
remained horribly savage--and the life of the Gauls under them was
wretched. The Burgundians and Visigoths who had peopled the southern and
eastern provinces were far from being equally violent. They had entered
on their settlements on friendly terms, and even showed considerable
respect for the Roman-Gallic senators, magistrates, and higher clergy,
who all remained unmolested in their dignities and riches. Thus it
was that Gregory, Bishop of Langres, was a man of high rank and
consideration in the Burgundian kingdom, whence the Christian Queen
Clotilda had come; and even after the Burgundians had been subdued by
the four sons of Chlodweh, he continued a rich and prosperous man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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