Page:History of the Franks.djvu/229

 THE EIGHTH BOOK 197 [17. Peculiar appearances in the heavens from which Gregory expected that "some plague would be sent upon them from the heavens." 18. Childebert's invasion of Italy and the appoint- ment of various dukes and counts. 19. The abbot Dagulfus is taken in adultery. 20. A synod meets at Macon. 21. Childe- bert hears a charge of grave robbery against Gunthram Boso. 22. Various items of the year 585. 23-25. Prodigies. 26. Eberulf, former duke of Tours and Poitiers, loses his property. 27. Desi- derius is restored to favor with Gunthram. 28. Relations with the Spanish king. 29. The plot to assassinate Childebert and its failure. 30. Gunthram sends two armies to attack Septimania. They plunder his own territories and turn back without success. 31. Quarrel between Fredegunda and Praetextatus, bishop of Rouen. 3 2 . Dispute about vineyards between one of Fredegunda's officials and Domnola.] 33. Now there was in these days in the city of Paris a woman who said to the inhabitants : "O flee from the city and know that it must be burned with fire." And when she was ridiculed by many for saying this on the evidence of lots and because of some idle dream or at the urging of a mid-day demon, she replied : "It is not as you say, for I say truly that I saw in a vision a man all illumined coming from the church of St. Vincent, holding a torch in his hand and setting fire to the houses of the merchants one after another." Then the third night after the woman made this prophecy, at twilight a certain citizen took a light and went into his store-house and took oil and other necessary things and went out, leaving the light close by the cask of oil. This was the house next the gate which is towards the south. From this light the house caught fire and burned, and from it others began to catch. Then the fire threat- ened the prisoners, but the blessed Germanus appeared to them and broke the posts and chains by which they were bound and opened the prison door and allowed all the prisoners to go safe. They went forth and took refuge in the church of St. Vincent in which is the blessed bishop's tomb. Now when the flame was carried hither and thither through the whole city by the high wind and the fire had the complete mastery, it began to approach another gate where there was an oratory of the blessed Martin which had been placed there because he had there cured a case of leprosy with a