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History of the Franks

St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927

Book 4, 4. Of the Counts of the Bretons

Chanao, a count of the Bretons, put to death three of his brothers. He also wished to kill Macliav, whom he seized, loaded with chains, and kept in prison. Felix, bishop of Nantes, saved him from death, whereupon he swore loyalty to his brother, but on some occasion or other he determined to break his oath. When Chanao discovered this, he pursued him to take him again. When Macliav saw that he had no chance of escape, he fled for refuge to another count of that region, named Chonomor, who, on the approach of the pursuers, concealed him in an underground cavity, erecting a regular tomb above him, but leaving a hole through which he might breathe. On the appearance of the pursuers, they were told: ‘Macliav is dead, and lo! here is his place of burial.’ When they heard that, they rejoiced, and drank upon the very tomb, afterwards returning to Chanao with the news of his brother’s death. But as soon as he heard it, he took possession of all his brother’s lands; for after the death of Clovis, the Bretons were always under the dominion of the Franks, and were called counts, not kings. Then Macliav, emerging from underground, went to Vannes, where he received the tonsure and was consecrated as bishop. But on the death of Chanao he renounced his holy calling, let his hair grow long again, recovered his wife, whom he had forsaken when he became a cleric, and at the same time took possession of his brother’s territory; for this he was excommunicated by the bishops. The manner of his death I will recount in the sequel.¹ Bishop Baudin also died in the sixth year of his episcopate;² the abbot Gunthar was appointed in his place as seventeenth bishop after the passing of the holy Martin.

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