Page:History of the Franks.djvu/29

INTRODUCTION xxiii the people went to the shrines and churches to be healed. In some cases the diagnosis was quite clear as with a patient at Limoges. The priest put holy oil on his head and "the demon went down into his finger-nail ; seeing this the priest poured oil on the finger and soon the skin burst, blood flowed from the place, and the demon thus took his departure." ^ Such practices were not isolated or unusual, but typical. Mysti- cal healing was adjusted to an everyday basis as many "cases" cited by Gregory indicate. Many like the following are found: "Charigisil, king Clothar's secretary, whose hands and feet were made helpless by a humor, came to the holy church, and devoting himself to prayer for two or three months, was visited by the blessed bishop ^ and had the merit to obtain health in his crippled limbs. He was later domesticus of the king I have mentioned, and did many kind- nesses to the people of Tours and the officials of the holy church." An analysis of this record reveals the typical elements, with the exception of fasting which is usually mentioned. The miraculous properties of St. Martin were thus reenforced by change of scene, prolonged treatment, and a rigorous mental and physical regimen. With such a state of mind prevaiHng no rivals of the clergy in the healing art were to be found except among those healers who used a "virtue" of another kind — the false virtue of the magicians and demons ; the few physicians who remained were not real competitors. The administration of justice was also affected by the same causes which brought about the disappearance of medicine. There was little inducement to look for evidence when an appeal could be made to superstitious fear. Hence the importance of the oath. Gregory himself, when he was charged with slandering queen Fredegunda, had to take oath to his innocence on three altars. We have also other appeals to the supernatural in the trial by com- bat and the ordeal. Another interference in the domain of law was a peculiar one ; holy men seemed to have a particular desire to set prisoners free. Gregory himself begs them off. We hear of one dead bishop whose body sank hke lead on the street before the jail and could not be moved until all in the jail were let loose.^ Another holy man tried to secure the pardon of a notorious criminal, and failing, brought him back to life after he was executed. 1 Glor. Con/., c. 9. 2 st. Martin. ^ Dg Virtut. S. Martin., I, 21, 25.