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History of the Franks

St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927

Book 4, How at the King’s Bidding They Sought Cato for the Bishopric of Tours

Gunthar, bishop of Tours, died in that city. At the suggestion, as it was said, of Bishop Cautinus,¹ the priest Cato was invited to govern the Church of Tours, and a deputation of clergy with Leubast, abbot and martyrarius, journeyed with great pomp to Clermont. They declared the king’s pleasure to Cato, who kept them waiting a few days for his reply. They grew impatient to return, and said: ‘Reveal thy decision, that we may know what course to take; else we shall go back to our homes. For it was not of our own choice that we have sought thee, but by injunction of the king.’ But Cato, vainglorious ever, got together a crowd of poor people, and instructed them to make outcry in these words: ‘Wherefore, O good father, dost thou leave thy children whom thou hast brought up until now? If thou goest, who shall refresh us with food and drink? We entreat thee, leave not those whom thou wert wont to nourish.’ He then turned to the clergy of Tours and said: ‘Ye see now, beloved brethren, after what manner I am cherished by this multitude of the poor. I cannot abandon them to go with you.’ They therefore took this answer back to Tours. Cato had ingratiated himself with Chramn, from whom he had received a promise that if Lothar should at this time chance to die, Cautinus should be ejected from the bishopric, and he himself should be set over the church of Clermont. But it was not given to him who had despised the throne of the blessed Martin to obtain that of his own desire; and there was fulfilled in him that which David sang: ‘He would not receive the blessing, and it shall be removed from him.’² For he was strutting in the elation of his conceit, and deemed that none was more renowned for sanctity than he. Once upon a time he hired a woman to cry aloud in the church, as if possessed, declaring him a great saint and one dear to God, but Bishop Cautinus guilty of every crime and unworthy ever to have received the priesthood.

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