that it took fifty wagons to hold them.  The Franks, on their part, made many offerings; some gave gold, others silver, sundry gave horses, but most of them vestments.  At last the young girl, with many tears and kisses, said farewell.  As she was passing through the gate an axle of her carriage broke, and all cried out alacic! which was interpreted by some as a presage.  She departed from Paris, and at eight miles’ distance front the city she had her tents pitched.  During the night fifty men arose, and, having taken a hundred of the best horses and as many golden bits and bridles, and two large silvern dishes, fled away, and took refuge with king Childebert.  During the whole journey whoever could escape fled away with all that he could lay hands on.  It was required also of all the towns that were traversed on the way, that they should make great preparations to defray expenses, for the king forbade any contribution from the treasury:  all the charges were met by extraordinary taxes levied on the poor.” (Gregory of Tours, VI. xlv.)

“Close upon this tyrannical magnificence came unexpected sorrows, and close upon these outrages remorse.  The youngest son of King Chilperic, Dagobert by name, fell ill.  He was a little better, when his elder brother Chlodebert was attacked with the same symptoms.  His mother Fredegonde, seeing him in danger of death, and touched by tardy repentance, said to the king, ’Long hath divine mercy borne with our misdeeds; it hath warned us by fever, and other maladies, and we have not mended our ways, and now we are losing our sons; now the tears of the poor, the lamentations of widows, and the sighs of orphans are causing them to perish, and leaving us no hope of laying by for any one.  We heap up riches and know not for whom.  Our treasures, all laden with plunder and curses, are like to remain without possessors.  Our cellars are they not bursting with wine, and our granaries with corn?  Our coffers were they not full to the brim with gold and silver and precious stones and necklaces and other imperial ornaments?  And yet that which was our most beautiful possession we are losing!  Come then, if thou wilt, and let us burn all these wicked lists; let our treasury be content with what was sufficient for thy father Clotaire.’  Having thus spoken, and beating her breast, the queen had brought to her the rolls, which Mark had consigned to her of each of the cities that belonged to her, and cast them into the fire.  Then, turning again to the king, ‘What!’ she cried, ’dost thou hesitate?  Do thou even as I; if we lose our dear children, at least escape we everlasting punishment.’  Then the king, moved with compunction, threw into the fire all the lists, and, when they were burned, sent people to stay the levy of those imposts.  And afterwards their youngest child died, worn out with lingering illness.  Overwhelmed with grief, they bare him from their house at Braine to Paris, and had him buried