The Presbyters Project

VII.22

Eberulf, the treasurer of the late King Chilperic, is accused of murdering the latter by Queen Fredegundis. He escapes to the sanctuary of Saint Martin in Tours, and his property is ransacked.

Sed credo, infilici ea res maximum fuit inpedimentum, quod nullam reverentiam sancto praestabat antestiti. Nam saepe cedes infra ipsum atrium, quod ad pedes beati erat, exegit, exercens assiduae aebrietatis ac vanitatis. Presbiterum quoque unum, pro eo quod ei vinum dare differret, cum iam crapulatus aspiceretur, elisum super scamnum pugnis ac diversis ictibus verberavit, ut paene animam reddere videretur; et fecissit forsitan, si ei medicorum ventusae non subvenissent.

(ed. Krusch 1937: 341; summarised by J. Szafranowski)

VII.22

Eberulf, the treasurer of the late King Chilperic, is accused of murdering the latter by Queen Fredegundis. He escapes to the sanctuary of Saint Martin in Tours, and his property is ransacked.

In my opinion the cause of his unhappy downfall was that he had no reverence for the holy Bishop [Martin]. He often committed manslaughter in the very vestibule which led towards the Saint's tomb, and he behaved there in a drunken and foolish way. On one occasion, he threw a presbyter from the steps, and beat him with fists and blows to the point that he nearly gave up his spirit, because [this presbyter] refused to give [Eberulf] wine when he already looked intoxicated. He would have died if he had not been quickly helped by the medics.

(trans. Thorpe 1974: 403, altered by J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

These events took place before 584, when Eberulf was accused of murdering King Chilperic. King Chilperic I ruled from 561.

Place of event:

Region

Gaul

City

Tours

About the source:

Author: Gregory of Tours
Title: The History of the Franks, Gregorii episcopi Turonensis historiarum libri X, Histories
Origin: Tours (Gaul)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Gregory of Tours (Gaul) wrote his ten books of Histories (known commonly in English as the History of the Franks) during his episcopal reign in Tours between 573 and 594. The books vary in scope and length. The first book covers 5,596 years from the creation of the world to AD 397, that is the death of Saint Martin of Tours, Gregory`s predecessor in bishopric. The second book deals with the history of Gaul between 397 and 511, the latter being the year of death of King Clovis I. The third and fourth books cover the next 64 years till the death of Austrasian King Sigibert II in 575. Finally, the following six books describe exclusively the sixteen years from 575 to 591. Probably in 594, Gregory added the list of bishops of Tours in the end of the Histories, with brief accounts of their actions.

Edition:

B. Krusch ed., Gregorii Episcopi Turonensis Historiarum Libri X [in:] Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Scriptores rerum Merovingiciarum 1.1, Hannover 1884 (repr. 1951): 1-537.

Translation:

Gregory of Tours, The History of the Franks, trans. L. Thorpe, London 1974.

Categories:

Functions within the Church - Urban presbyter

PR862.

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

PR862.

Relation with - Noble

PR862.

Conflict - Violence

PR862.

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1900, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1900