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History of the Franks
St Gregory of Tours, tr. Dalton, 1927
Book 6, 10. Of the Breaking into the Church of the Holy Martin
In these days thieves broke into the church of the holy Martin. They took a railing from above some tomb, and setting it up against a window mounted upon it, broke the glass, and so entered. They carried off much gold and silver and many silken stuffs, not shrinking even from setting their feet upon that holy tomb, which we scarce presume to touch with our lips. But the power of the saint was to make public example of these reckless men by a terrible doom. After committing the outrage they went to Bordeaux, where, a dispute arising, the one slew the other. In this way the deed was discovered, and the stolen things found; the silver, all broken up, and the silken fabrics were recovered at their lodging. When King Chilperic heard of the matter, he commanded the men to be bound and brought before him. But I feared that men’s lives might be taken for the sake of him1 who in his own day often begged the life of the condemned; so I sent the king a petition, praying that they should not die, since we, with whom the prosecution lay, did not accuse them. The king received the petition graciously, and gave them their lives. But he ordered the precious things which had been scattered to be carefully collected and restored to the holy place.
Notes
- S. Martin.