Page:History of the Franks.djvu/130

 98 HISTORY OF THE FRANKS the service of duke Lupus when he went to the city of Marseilles by order of king Sigibert. When Lupus left Marseilles he told Andarchius to go with him and secured for him the favor of king Sigibert and put him at his service. And Sigibert sent him to various places and gave him an opportunity for mihtary service. Being held in a sort of honor because of this he came to Clermont and there entered into friendship with Ursus, a citizen of the city. Then being of an ambitious temper he wished to be betrothed to Ursus' daughter, and concealed a coat of mail, as they tell, in a chest in which documents used to be kept, and said to Ursus' wife: ''I give in your care a multitude of gold pieces, more than sixteen thousand, which I have placed in this chest, and it shall be yours if you will cause your daughter to be betrothed to me." ''To what do you not drive the hearts of men, accursed greed for gold?" The woman believed him without reserve and in her husband's absence agreed to betroth the girl to him. He went back to the king and brought an order to the judge of the place commanding him to marry this girl, saying: ''I paid the earnest money at the betrothal." But Ursus denied it saying: ''I do not know who you are and I have none of your property." When the quarrel continued and grew hotter Andarchius had Ursus sum- moned to the presence of the king. And coming to the village of Braine he found another man named Ursus whom he caused to be taken secretly to the altar and to swear and say: *'By this holy place and the relics of the blessed martyrs I will not delay in paying you the sixteen thousand solidi, since I am not to give my daughter in marriage to you." Now witnesses were standing in the sanctuary listening secretly to what was said but not seeing the person who spoke. Then Andarchius soothed Ursus with gentle words and caused him to return to his native place without seeing the king. After this he made an oath and when Ursus went away he produced before the king a document containing the oath and said: ''Such and such is the writing I have from Ursus, and therefore I request an order from your glory that he give his daughter to me in mar- riage. Otherwise let me have authority to take his possessions until I receive sixteen thousand solidi and am satisfied in this case." Then he received the order and returned to Clermont and showed the judge the king's order. Ursus retired into the territory of