History of the FranksGregory, Bishop of Tours, Saint
History
History of the Franks
Gregory, Bishop of Tours, Saint
France -- Church history -- To 987; France -- History -- To 987; Franks -- History -- To 768
21. After this when king Gunthram returned to Chalon and endeavored
to inquire into his brother’s death and the queen had put the blame
on the chamberlain Eberulf--for she had invited him to reside with
her after the king’s death but could not prevail upon him to do
so--this enmity accordingly broke out and the queen said that the
king had been killed by him and that he had taken much from the
treasures and so gone off to Tours; and therefore if the king wished
to avenge his brother’s death he might know that Eberulf was the
leader in the matter. Then the king swore to all his nobles that he
would destroy not only Eberulf himself but also all his kinsmen[EB]
to the ninth degree, in order that by their death the wicked custom
of killing kings might be ended. On learning this, Eberulf fled to
the church of St. Martin, whose property he had often seized. Then
upon the pretext of watching him the men of Orleans and Blois came
in turn to keep guard, and at the end of fifteen days returned with
great booty, taking horses, flocks and herds, and whatever they could
carry off. But the men who took away the blessed Martin’s horses got
into a quarrel and pierced one another with lances. Two, who were
taking mules, went to a house near by and asked for a drink. And when
the man said he had none they raised their lances to attack him, but
he drew his sword and thrust them both through and they fell dead;
Saint Martin’s horses were returned. Such evils were done at that
time by the men of Orleans that they cannot be described.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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