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
Chrodield appointed assassins, saying: “If any one tries to carry her
off by violence, give her a thrust with the sword at once.” Now
Flavian came in those days; he had lately been appointed _domesticus_,
and by his aid the abbess entered St. Hilary’s Church and was free.
Meantime murders were being committed at the holy Radegunda’s[74]
tomb, and certain persons were hacked to death in a disturbance before
the very chest that contained the relics of the holy cross. And since
this madness increased daily because of Chrodield’s pride, and
continual murders and other deeds of violence, such as I have
mentioned above, were being done by her faction, and she had become so
swollen up with boastfulness that she looked down with lofty contempt
upon her own cousin Basina, the latter began to repent and say: “I
have done wrong in supporting haughty Chrodield. Behold I am an object
of contempt to her and am made to appear a rebel against my abbess.”
She changed her course and humbled herself before the abbess and asked
for peace with her; and they were equally of one thought and purpose.
Then when the outrages broke out again, the men who were with the
abbess, while resisting an attack which Chrodield’s followers[75] had
made, wounded one of Basina’s men who fell dead. But the abbess’ men
took refuge behind the abbess in the church of the confessor, and on
this account Basina left the abbess and departed. But the men fled a
second time, and the abbess and Basina entered again into friendly
relations as before. Afterward many feuds arose between these
factions;[76] and who could ever set forth in words such wounds, such
killings, and such wrong-doings, where scarcely a day passed without a
murder, or an hour without a quarrel, or a moment without tears. King
Childebert heard of this, and sent an embassy to king Gunthram to
propose that bishops of both kingdoms should meet and punish these
actions in accordance with the canons. And king Childebert ordered my
humble self[77] to sit on this case, together with Eberegisel of
Cologne and Maroveus himself, bishop of Poitiers; and king Gunthram
sent Gundigisil of Bordeaux with his provincials, since he was the
metropolitan of this city. But I began to object, saying: “I will not
go to this place unless the rebellion which has arisen because of
Chrodield, is forcibly put down by the judge.”[78] For this reason a
command was sent to Macco, who was then count, in which he was ordered
to put the rebellion down by force if they should resist. Chrodield
heard of this and ordered her assassins to stand armed before the door
of the oratory, thinking they would fight against the judge, and if he
wished to use force, they would resist with equal force. So it was
necessary for this count to go there with armed men and to beat some
with clubs and pierce others with spears, and when they resisted
fiercely he had to attack and overwhelm them with the sword. When
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