Page:History of the Franks.djvu/183

 THE SIXTH BOOK 151 cross and by prayer drove demons out from the bodies that they possessed and with his charming manner often rather ordered than requested judges to spare the guilty. For he was so attractive in his address that they could not deny him when he asked a favor. On one occasion a prisoner who was vehemently accused by the inhabitants of many crimes, both thefts and homicides, was to be hanged for theft, and when this was reported to Ebarchius he sent his monk to entreat the judge to grant life to the guilty man. But since the throng insulted the judge and cried loudly that if he were let go it would be good neither for the country nor the judge, the prisoner could not be let go. Meanwhile he was stretched on the wheel, beaten with rods and clubs and condemned to the gallows. And when the monk sadly brought the news to the abbot he said: *'Go, wait at a distance, for, be assured, the Lord will grant us of his own gift what man has refused. When you see him fall, take him and bring him at once to the monastery." The monk went about his bidding and Ebarchius threw himself down in prayer and wept and poured forth prayers to God until, the bar and chains being broken, the hanged man should be placed on the ground. Then the monk took him and brought him safe and well to the abbot. And he thanked God and ordered the count sum- moned and said to him : "You were always used to hear me kindly, beloved son, and why did you harden yourself to-day and refuse to let the man go whose Hfe I asked for?" He replied : ''I would willingly heed you, sacred priest, but the people rose and I could do nothing else for fear of a rebelHon." The recluse answered : "You did not heed me, but God deigned to heed me, and he re- stored to life the one whom you gave to death. Behold," said he, "he stands alive before you." As he said this the man threw him- self at the feet of the count who was astonished that he saw living one whom he left dead. This I heard from the lips of the count himself. Moreover he did many other miracles which I have thought it tedious to relate. After forty-four years as a recluse he contracted a fever and died. He was taken forth from his cell and buried. And a great assembly of those he had ransomed, as we have said, followed his funeral. 9. Domnolos, bishop of Mans, began to sicken. In the time of king Clothar he had been in charge of the monks at the church