Page:History of the Franks.djvu/232

200 HISTORY OF THE FRANKS it against his head. He fell and died and was thrown out by the window and buried by his own people. His property was taken at once, as much as was found, and carried to the public treasury. Certain persons said that it was because he had beaten his wife to death after his brother died and had married his brother's wife, that he was killed. [37. Birth of a son to Childebert. 38. Spanish expedition into Gaul. 39. Death of several bishops.] 40. There was in the city of Tours a certain Pelagius who was practiced in every villany and was not afraid of any judge, because he had under his control the keepers of the horses belonging to the fisc. Because of this he never ceased either on land or on the rivers to thieve, dispossess, plunder, murder, and commit every sort of crime. I often sent for him and both by threats and by gentle words tried to make him desist from his wickedness. But it was hatred rather than any reward of justice I got from him, according to Solomon's proverb : Reprove not a fool lest he hate thee. The wretch so hated me that he often plundered and beat and left half-dead the men of the holy church, and was always looking for pretexts to harm the cathedral or the church of Saint Martin. And so it happened that once when our men were coming and bring- ing sea-urchins in vessels, he beat them and trampled on them and took the vessels. When I learned of this I excommunicated him, not to avenge my wrong but to correct him more easily of this insanity. But he chose twelve men and came to clear himself of this crime by perjury. Though I was unwilling to receive any oath I was compelled by him and my fellow-citizens, arid so I sent the rest away and received his oath only, and ordered that he be taken back into communion. It was then the first month. When the fifth month ^ came when the meadows are usually cut, he en- tered a meadow adjoining his own that belonged to the monks. But as soon as he put sickle to it he was seized with fever and died on the third day. He had had a tomb made for him in Saint Martin's church in the village of Candes, but when it was uncovered his people found it broken to bits. He was afterwards buried in the portico of the church. The vessels for which he had perjured him- self were brought by his storekeeper after his death. Here the ijuly.