Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/187

 The Disruption of Charlemagne s Empire 1 5 1 enemy whom he follows, while he never fails when he desires to effect his own escape. Moreover, to these men a shipwreck is capital practice rather than an object of terror. The dangers of the deep are to them not casual acquaintances but intimate friends. For since a tempest throws the invaded off their guard and prevents the invaders from being descried from afar, they hail with joy the crash of waves on the rocks, which gives them their best chance of escaping from other enemies than the elements. The Monk of St. Gall 1 gives us some idea of the atti- tude of the Northmen toward the rites of the Christian religion. Speaking of the Northmen, I will illustrate their esteem 66. ANorth- for the faith, and for baptism, by telling an anecdote of the an 'shap- days of our grandfathers. This terrible people, who had the Monk stood in awe of the great Emperor Charles and paid him of St. Gall's tribute, continued after his death to exhibit to his son Louis cl^ie^the [the Pious] the respect they had shown his father. After a Great.) time the pious emperor had compassion upon their ambas- sadors, and asked them whether they would accept the Christian faith. They answered that they were ready to obey him in all things, always and everywhere. He then commanded that they be baptized in his name of whom the learned Augustine said : " If there were no Trinity, the Truth itself would not have said, 'Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' " The Northmen were treated like adopted sons by the chief lords of the court. They received from the king's closet the white baptismal robe, and from their sponsors the Frankish dress costly garments, and weapons, and ornaments. This custom was followed for a long time. The North- men came year after year in even greater numbers, not for Christ's sake, but for worldly gain. They did not come now 1 See above, p. 149.