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
[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.
2. In the morning while the king was visiting the holy places to
offer prayer he came to my lodging. It was the church of Saint Avitus
the abbot, whom I mention in my book of the miracles. I rose gladly,
I admit, to go to meet him, and after giving him my blessing begged
him to accept St. Martin’s holy bread at my lodging. He did not
refuse but courteously came in, drank a cup, invited me to the dinner
and went away in good humor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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