Page:History of the Franks.djvu/179

THE SIXTH BOOK 147 refused to believe. Then when he was silent and the king saw that he was not conscience stricken because of my words, he turned to me and asked to receive my blessing that he might depart. He said: *'I will say to you, bishop, what Jacob said to the angel, for he said to him, ' I will not let you go until you bless me.'" So saying he ordered water brought for our hands. After washing them we prayed, and taking bread I thanked God and took it myself and offered it to the king, and after a draught of wine I said farewell and left. And the king mounted his horse and returned to Paris with his wife and daughter and all his house- hold. 6. There was at this time in the city of Nice a recluse Hospicius who was very abstemious. He wore iron chains next his body and over these a hair shirt and ate nothing but plain bread with a few dates. And during Lent he lived on roots of Egyptian herbs such as the hermits use, which were brought to him by traders. First he would drink the soup in which they were cooked and eat the roots next day. The Lord did not disdain to work great miracles through him. For at one time the Holy Spirit revealed to him the coming of the Lombards into the Gauls and he foretold it as follows: "The Lombards," said he, will come into the Gauls and will lay waste seven cities because their wickedness has grown in the sight of God, since no one understands, no one seeks God, no one does good to appease the anger of God. For all the people are unfaithful, given up to perjury, addicted to thievery, ready to kill, and from them comes no fruit of justice at all. Tithes are not paid, the poor are not fed, the naked are not clothed, strangers are not received with hospitality or satisfied with food. Therefore this affliction has come. And now I say to you : ' Gather all your substance within the inclosure of the walls that the Lom- bards may not take it, and fortify yourselves in the strongest places.' " At these words all stood gaping and they said good-by and returned home with great admiration. He also said to the monks : "You, too, depart from the place and take with you what you have. For behold, the people I have named draw near." But when they repHed : "We will not leave you, most holy father," he said to them : "Don't fear for me ; for they will offer me insults but they will not harm me unto death." The monks went away