Epistolae Tres Ad Episcopum Franciae Directae

We make known to your Holiness that it has come to us by common report that Brunigildis the virgin and Theudericus the king, spreading their most bitter poisons in their accustomed manner, have roused the most savage king of the barbarians to war against the glorious king Theutibertus, for the destruction of the united people. If this matter is indeed proceeding in that particular way, what else is necessary but that, before the arms of war, the whole people in this part should labor with prayers, imploring divine aid? Wherefore we ask that the truth of the matter be made known to us, so that we, made participants with the faithful, rising up with the same burning of faith, together with all the priests, the clergy, and the whole Christian people of this province, may approach the Lord, the Redeemer of all, with appointed litanies and supplications, that He may extend the unconquered right hand of His power in defense of the Catholics, and that the fitting destruction of the treacherous enemy, according to his merits, may attend his intention; and that the authors of the quarrels, stripped of the machinations of the ancient serpent, may be revealed as an example to all around, laid low by the just vengeance of our Lord, begging.

So that we may know more certainly how or where the money is to be prepared, whether you have arranged to send the letters recently directed to the glorious Theutibertus the king, as you promised; or whether your messengers have already returned, and what response you received, or whether they are bringing the agreements thus far; or indeed whether they have arrived to prepare for the presence of my most glorious lord Gundemarus the king, we order that you, together with your Beatitude, as we trust truly, reciprocally form a salubrious exchange of affections. LETTER II. .... Although the whole extent of lands under the ethereal axis is seen to be established by the Lord the Creator, and the power of all who hold sway is known to be divided by His wonderful ordinance, it is necessary that, keeping His evangelical voice, we either seek out or love those whom a single faith in Christ unites; and however much we may be separated by temporal dominion, it is fitting that we not be disunited by the precepts of the eternal Prince. Therefore, we wish to bind your Beatitude, flourishing with heavenly grace and abounding in spiritual bounty, by devoted affection through these letters sent with the utmost desire, with the Lord propitious, by means of an intervening pen; we not only inquire, but also impart greetings with the due address of necessary matters.

Not undeservedly has Christ dedicated you as the foremost shepherd to his flock, so that, as you excel me, most blessed Father, in nobility of blood, you likewise exercise solicitude for the countless souls of his sheep. For such is the practice to persist in which those to whom either greater or lesser care for peoples is entrusted commit themselves: that the more they are elevated by divine appointment, the more they ought to be ceaselessly vigilant concerning those over whom they are placed. And because I do not think that your blessedness is unaware that your son, lord Theutibertus, with the people of the Goths, as once existed allied with the falling princes, now, through the allegation of learned men, has vowed to strengthen perpetual peace by law of that same people. From this, by some grace of a sum of money, he has promised to bestow a number of the people upon the Franks. Hence it is now clear to me that I have sent writings to your aforementioned son, lord Theutibertus, through your venerable brother, lord and in Christ my true father, the bishop, by which I made known that the money has already been sent by your son, my lord Gundemarus the king. He is known to be here in Gaul, so that he may send prudent legates from his presence; and all that the people of the Goths hope for by reason of charity, he promises to deliver, at least to the men who are pleased to receive it.

Thereupon I beseech your holiness with due humility, that, as much as you love the Lord Jesus, who left peace to future ages from past ones, you deign to attend delightfully to the confirmation of this peace alone. And if you learn that the letter we sent to the lord Theutbertus has arrived; or whether those things entered into by definition through the envoys of the Goths will remain truly alleged, or how far your aforementioned son has been triumphed over in battle array among the Avars, we merit to be informed by your affections. For it has also come to our knowledge, by the current opinion of the people, that Brunigildis the queen and Theudericus the king summoned those same Avars to make war on the lord Theutbertus and to migrate from their own seats into the province: which it is unspeakable for the ears of Catholics to declare, that persons truly placed far from the Lord under the Christian religion would provoke them to rage against Christians. Nor do we believe them to be better than those, but we so clearly prove them to be accomplices who administer the weak remnants of crimes to the world.

If, therefore, your holiness has clearly recognized that, by the counsel of the aforementioned kings, an impious horde poured forth in hostility upon the region of the orthodox prince, you should order it to be declared to us through your pen, so that, this province belonging to the ordination of us, your son, my glorious lord King Gundemar, the appointed priests may celebrate the solemnities of fasts with the people to the Almighty; so that the unjustly advancing men, far from the Lord in their hearts, may be shattered by the starry might of the warriors, and you may order a praiseworthy trophy to be conferred by heavenly piety upon the people guarding the dogma of the Christian faith.... LETTER III. To the most beloved and in Christ most reverend Father bishop, Bulgaranus. .... It is known to the Almighty Lord, who judges the just servant and destroys the unjust with the just vengeance of condemnation, that before these days—which I do not think has escaped your beatitude—the charters of the most glorious kings and likewise of your children, Queen Brunhild and King Theuderic, were transmitted to us by the same. And so that we might order them to be delivered by him, the series of the aforementioned writings announced that those who brought the same writings of their lords together with their own suggestion to us, and who, writing as a suppliant, asks our ordination that he might obtain access to come to us.

We have no desire for it, nor have we chosen to seek it out, nor do we need to examine any matters; and we would not have assented even if he had come to announce the response of his lords, only because he did not hasten at all. For that most wicked man of yours—the one through whom you seem to demand access to the presence of your sons, our glorious lord King Gundemar—your mind ought to waste away at the very outset of the proposition, while truth shines for you with experienced light, and you dissimulate the justice which you perceive in your inner mirror by the unjust excuse of words. Who does not perceive the ingenuity of your holiness, and that those things which you have exasperated by unlawful acts you seek to soften with the smooth snares of eloquence? For we consider such dissimulation on your part, if you grant pardon, as if some debtor, having cast off human shame, driven by the incitement of insolence, were to assail the moneylender with objections of prerogatives, and, having the truth, the pusillanimous creditor conceals it, which the slanderer, in speaking, utterly blushes at. For there remains for your son, our glorious lord King Gundemar, and for the entire people of the Goths, not a small but a great claim for money, since the nobles of that same people, the most magnificent legates of yours, who were traveling with the consolation of the grace of truth, were unjustly captured by your prince. With the largesse of doubled malice, they endure every disgrace of banishment under the reproach of destitution.

Let it be known, however, that Totila and Gundrimir, illustrious men sent by my most serene lord, King Gundemar, you confined within your borders at the place called Irapinas, after the contempt shown to them, and under the pretext of an order you closed them off, and you denied them the opportunity to proceed openly to your presence. Behold, what your part has committed is not unknown to your own minds; and while you yourselves bear the bitterness of such injuries, you complain that the way is opened for the envoys of my illustrious lord to come into your presence, while you feign with your letters. May the Most High from the celestial throne, the Prince, see this cause; and may divine vengeance strike down the party that unjustly appears to have inflicted trouble upon the other, and that, by spurning charity, has violated the cherished peace of the exalted power by deceit. Although, when I received the letters of the sons of kings, and likewise of your own, I immediately prepared a reply to them; but whether those aforementioned glorious princes received it, or whether it was brought to your knowledge, we have not learned, as no one has announced it. And so we declare to your honor: if you desire to preserve peace, setting aside the pretense of a false image—which is known to be the greatest portion of dominion—and to remain in devoted harmony with the Goths, loving Christ in concord, it is not fitting that you utter such things only with deceitful lips, but you must demonstrate the peace that you preserve for us, even as you yourselves first rush to break it, by showing it through perfect works.

It is fitting that, first of all, the envoys of the Goths be restored to their dignity; and among a kindred people preserving peace, with the Lord’s help, the freedom of passage for envoys to the presence of my glorious lord should remain for your men, if necessary. As for the places you have indicated, Jubinianus and Cornelianus, which in the province of the Goths are known to have been possessed by Lady Brunigild, so that we may grant access to our men after her right to them: we marvel that your Beatitude exhorts us thus to arrange matters, so that places which, for the stability of concord, our lord King Recharedus of blessed memory transferred into the right of the aforementioned Lady, the pact of charity has been broken by those from your parts who nourish discord; and the party which unlawfully stirs up a grievance should possess the rights of the Gothic people. For I consider that if you prefer to amend what your party is known to have unjustly committed, it will be possible for your people, bound in charity, to defend those places by the right of Lady Brunigil herself. Indeed, most blessed man, how can we recall that you have until now been vigilant with benevolent minds and secular pursuits, and too much fear the Almighty? How do you care, if for so long the undamaged charity of both sides, you, a bishop consecrated to God by princes, has acted, that the peace once bound together by the former leaders of both peoples should now remain dissolved, when it ought to have been strengthened forever by your counsel?