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
raised his hands and eyes to heaven and said: “Eternal judge, true
avenger of the innocent, God from whom all justice comes, whom lying
displeases, in whom is no craft or wicked cunning, to Thee I commend
my cause, praying that Thou mayst be a swift avenger upon those
who have betrayed an innocent man into the hands of his enemies.”
Having said this he crossed himself and went off with the men I have
mentioned. And when they had gone some distance from the gate, as the
whole valley around the city is precipitous he was given a push by
Ollo and fell, Ollo calling out: “There is your Ballomer, who says he
is brother and son of a king.” And he threw his lance and wished to
pierce him but it was checked by the links of Gundovald’s coat[EF] of
mail, and did him no injury. Then when he rose and attempted to climb
the mountain Boso threw a stone and struck his head. And he fell and
died. And the whole throng came and thrust their lances into him and
tied his feet with a rope and dragged him through all the camp of the
armies, and they tore out his hair and beard and left him unburied in
the place where he was killed. The next night the leaders secretly
carried off all the treasures they could find in the city, together
with the church utensils. And in the morning they opened the gates
and admitted the army and gave over all the common folk inside to the
edge of the sword, butchering also the bishops of the Lord with their
attendants at the very altars of the churches. And after they had
killed all so that not one remained, they burned the whole city, both
churches and other buildings, and left nothing but bare ground.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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