harius_, and kept Possession
of it for 13 Years; in the first Place she poyson'd her Son's Uncle
_Childebert_, together with his Wife; afterwards she stirred up the
_Hunns_ against his Sons, and raised a Civil War in the Republick. And
lastly, She was the Firebrand of all those Commotions which wasted and
burnt all _Francogallia_, during many Years, as _Aimoinus_ tells us,
[lib. 3. cap. 36. & lib. 8. cap. 29.]

There ruled once in _France_, _Brunechild_, Widow of King _Sigebert_,
and Mother of _Childebert_. This woman had for her Adulterer a certain
_Italian_, called _Protadius_, whom She advanced to great Honours: She
bred up her two Sons, _Theodebert_ and _Theodorick_, in such a wicked
and profligate Course of Life, that at last they became at mortal Enmity
with each other: And after having had long Wars, fought a cruel single
Combat. She kill'd with her own Hands her Grandson _Meroveus_, the Son
of _Theodebert:_ She poysoned her Son _Theodorick_. What need we say
more? _Date fraenos_ (as _Cato_ says) _impotenti naturae, & indomito
animali; & sperate illas modum licentiae facturas_. She was the Occasion
of the Death of Ten of the Royal Family: And when a certain Bishop
reproved her, and exhorted her to mend her Life, She caused him to be
thrown into the River. At last, a _Great Council_ of the _Franks_ being
summoned, She was judged, and condemned, and drawn in Pieces by wild
horses, being torn Limb from Limb. The Relators of this Story are,
_Greg. Turonensis_, [lib. 5. cap. 39.] and [lib. 8. cap. 29.] And _Ado_
[AEtat. 6.] _Otto Frising._ [Chron. 5. Cap. 7.] _Godfridus Viterbiensis_
[Chron. parte 16.] & _Aimoinus_ [lib. 4. cap. 1.] Also the Appendix of
_Gregory of Tours_, [lib. 11.] whose Words are these: "_Having convicted
her of being the Occasion of the Death of Ten Kings of the_ Franks; _to
wit, of_ Sigebert, Meroveus, _and his Father_ Chilperick; Theodebert,
_and his Son_ Clothair; Meroveus, _the Son of_ Clothair, Theodorick,
_and his three Children, which had been newly killed, they order'd her
to be placed upon a Camel, and to be tortured with divers sorts of
Torments, and so to be carried about all the Army; afterwards to be tied
by the Hair of the Head, one Leg and one Arm to a Wild Horse's Tail; by
which being kick'd, and swiftly dragg'd about, She was torn Limb from
Limb._"

Let us instance in some others: _Plectrudis_ got the Government into her
Hands; a Widow not of the King, but of _Pipin_, who ruled t