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History of the Franks
St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927
Book 3, 10. Of the Death of Alaric
When Hildebert was assured of this, he came back from Clermont and went to Spain for the sake of his sister Clotild, who had to suffer much treacherous dealing from her lord, King Amalaric, on account of her Catholic faith. For often as she was going to the holy church he ordered dung and all manner of filth to be thrown over her. And at last he is said to have beaten her so cruelly that she sent her brother a kerchief stained with her own blood, by which he was so moved that he set out for Spain. When Amalaric heard of his approach, he made ready ships for flight. But when Hildebert was very near, and it was time for Amalaric to go aboard, he remembered that he had left behind in his treasury a multitude of precious stones. He returned to the city to fetch them, but was cut off from the harbour by the forces of the enemy; seeing that he could not escape, he thought to take refuge in the church of the Catholics. But before he could reach the holy threshold, one cast a lance, and gave him a mortal wound, so that he died there and gave up the ghost. Hildebert then desired to take his sister with him together with great treasures; but by some mishap she died upon the journey. Her body was taken to Paris and buried near her father Clovis. Among other treasures, Hildebert carried off very precious services of church plate. For he took sixty chalices, fifteen patens, and twenty covers for the Gospels, all of pure gold and adorned with precious stones. He did not allow them to be broken up, for he presented all of them to cathedral and monastic churches.