Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 1.djvu/346

332 332 ST. GAMNITE been discarded with several others to make way for Galswintha, was still a member of his household. Pretending humble attachment to her king and master, she had entreated to be kept at the court as a servant that she might at least have the happiness of ministering to his comfort. Then patiently watching Oalswintha as she had watched Andovera, she became aware in due time that Chilperic's love for his new queen had diminished. With little difficulty she attracted his attention, and recoyered her influence. Gralswintha at first bore her injuries in silence, until, provoked by the insolence of the favourite, she complained to the king of the daily insults she received, and requested that he would send her back to her own country, offering as the price of her liberty to leave him all her dowry. Chilperic did not wish to provoke a war with the king of the Visigoths, nor did he choose to part with the wealth his wife had brought him, and this he knew Athanagild would demand whatever the unhappy princess might agree to, so he dissembled. He tried to appease her, and pretended to repent and renounce Fredegonda. The luckless queen spoke no more of separation. She hoped for a return of her husband's affection, but very soon afterwards she was strangled in her bed by one of the king's pages. A crystal lamp was hung over her tomb on the day of her burial. It fell soon afterwards from its place and pene- trated deep into the stone floor, as if it had fallen on a heap of sand, without breaking the glass or the fastenings, or extinguishing the light or spilling the oil. This wonderful occurrence attracted still more interest to the ill-fated young princess, increased the general respect for her innocence and piety, and the universal indignation at her murder, and established a belief in her miraculous sanctity. Other miracles followed. Al- though her worship does not appear to have been sanctioned throughout the Church, she is commemorated among the blessed in some calendars on May 24, in others Dec. 26. The king and his mistress pretended to know nothing about the circumstances of her death, and after having wept his bereavement for a few days, Chilperic married Fredegonda. The fiercely energetic Brunehault probably had a deep affection for her gentler sister. That her brother-in-law should have a dozen wives or mistresses would most likely have interested her very little, but that her sister's position and life should be sacrificed for any woman was unpardonable. She felt bound in honour to urge her husband, who stood in the place of next-of-kin to G^wintha, to avenge the insult to her family. Gk)ntram, though convinced of the guilt of Chilperic, attempted a pacification. Chilperic was condemned to give up as were-ffUd to Brunehault the five cities he had given to his wife. Nevertheless, there was war between the two kings as long as they lived, for although they would perhaps have made up their differences, the wife of each was the implacable enemy of the other. The two queens rivalled each other in the atrocity of their crimes, and vexed France with their outrages and their vengeances for many years. At last, having murdered her rival wives and their children, the two husbands of Brunehault, her own husband and other persons, Fredegonda died at Paris in a bad old age, 597. Brunehault, although not without some good qualities, was condemned when upwards of seventy to a violent death. She was tied by one foot and one arm to the heels of an unbroken horse, and was thus dragged and kicked to death. Gregory of Tours is the chief authority for these occurrences, and he is largely quoted by all subsequent historians. The story is told with many details and interesting sidelights by A. Thierry, Temps Merovimjiens ; Sismondi, Hist, dts Francois; Dreux du Eadior, Beines de France; Mariana's history of Spain, etc. St. Gamnite, or Jamnica. One of the martyrs of Lyons who died in prison. (See Blandina.) St. Garimnia, Feb. 22, V. An old Irish saint, daughter of Congal, com- memorated by Gorman. AA,SS. B. Garsenda d'Alphant, Nov. 8.