h they promised to perform.
CHAPTER XXX.
_Of those Buried at Arles._
After this the King and his army proceeded by the way of Gascony and
Thoulouse, and came to Arles, where we found the army of Burgundy,
which had left us in the hostile valley, bringing their dead by the way
of Morbihan and Thoulouse, to bury them in the plain of Arles. Here we
performed the rites of Estolfo, Count of Champagne; of Solomon; Sampson,
Duke of Burgundy; Arnold of Berlanda; Alberic of Burgundy; Gumard,
Esturinite, Hato, Juonius, Berard, Berengaire, and Naaman, Duke of
Bourbon, and of ten thousand of their soldiers. Constantine, Governor of
Rome, and other Romans, were conveyed thither by sea, and buried in
Apulia. The King gave twelve thousand pieces of silver, and as many
talents of gold, for the repose of their souls, and to the poor of
Arles.
CHAPTER XXXI.
_Of the Council held at St. Denis._
We then came to Vienne, where I remained to be healed of the scars and
wounds I received in Spain. The King, much fatigued, at length arrived
at Paris; and, assembling a council of his chief princes and bishops at
St. Denis, returned thanks to God for his victory over the Pagans, and
gave all France as a manor to that church, in the same way as St. Paul
and St. Clement had formerly endowed the bishopric of Rome. The French
Bishops were likewise to be ordained there, and not made subject to the
See of Rome. Then, standing by the tomb of St. Denis, he entreated the
Lord for all who had died in his cause.
The very next night St. Denis appeared to the King in his sleep,
assuring him that full pardon of sin was granted to all that followed
him, and had fought and perished in the wars with the Saracens; that
they likewise should recover of their wounds who had bestowed money on
the church; which being made known by the King, very liberal offerings
were made by the people, who thus acquired the name of Franks; and the
whole land, formerly called Gaul, was now changed to France, as being
freed from all servitude, and having dominion over other nations. The
King then went to Aix-la-Chapelle, in the county of Liege, to bathe and
drink the waters, where he liberally endowed St. Mary's Church with gold
and silver, ordering it to be painted with ancient and modern histories,
and his palace to be decorated with the representation of his wars in
Spain; with emblems of the seven liberal arts and other excellent
embellishments.
|