them to flight. He then followed them into Germany,
where he dispersed the remains of the vanquished army, reduced to
obedience a nation hitherto invincible, and compelled them to pay him
an annual tribute.

Faithful to his vow, he requested to be made acquainted with the
mysteries of the Christian religion; and on Christmas-day, 496,
received baptism at the church of St. Martin, in Paris, from Remigius,
Bishop of Rheims, a prelate equally distinguished for his birth and
piety. His sister Albofleda, and about three thousand of his subjects,
followed his example. An improbable legend prevails, that during the
ceremony of the baptism of Clovis, a dove descended from Heaven,
bringing a phial of balsam, with which he was consecrated. This is
what is now called _La Sainte Ampoule_, the Holy Phial; which was kept
with extreme care, and contained the oil used by the monarchs of
France at their coronation.

The conversion of Clovis had not repressed his warlike ambition.
Brabant, the country of Liege, and that part of Flanders which was
situated on the sea-coast, had not yet submitted to the new conqueror
of Gaul.

The most considerable of these small states was the Arborici, a
Christian nation, firmly attached to the Christian religion, and
thence maintaining an enmity against the French, who were pagans. But
the recent conversion to Christianity of Clovis and so many of his
subjects, diminished the aversion of the people of this peaceful
nation; they were induced to consent to an alliance with him,
acknowledge him for their sovereign, and became subjects of the French
kingdom. The Roman garrisons, following the example, capitulated and
gave up all the places that were still in their possession, toward the
ocean and on the banks of the Rhine.

Clovis did not as yet consider his victories complete; the conquest of
Brittany was soon followed by that of Alaric II., King of the
Visigoths. Before the French set out on this latter expedition, they
made a vow not to shave themselves till they had subdued their
enemies. Vows of this kind were very common at that period. It was the
custom of those times to draw an omen from the verse that was
chanting, when a person entered the church. The king's envoys, at
their entrance into the church of St. Martin, heard these words from
the Psalms: "Thou hast endued me with strength for the wars; thou hast
supplanted those that had risen up against me; and hast put mine
enemies to flight."