DLH VIII.4

English, pp.436-7

He went on: 'One thing only I ask of you, who are God's representatives here below: and that is to pray for the Lord's compassion on my son Childebert. He is a wise man and an able one, and for many a long year past no one as prudent and energetic as he has come to the fore. If God designs to spare him to rule over Gaul, there is some hope that my family, which is now on the point of dying out, may through him gather strength once more. I have no doubt at all that by God's grace this may be brought about, for such was the augury when the boy was born. It was on Easter Sunday itself, that holy day, that my brother Sigibert stood in church, and the deacon stepped forward with the sacred text of the Gospels. A messenger arrived to see Sigibert, and both he and the deacon who was reading the lesson said exactly the same thing: "Unto you a son is born.'' The result was that the whole congregation present was able to answer them both in a single sentence: "Glory be to God on high.'' The child was baptized on Whit Sunday. He was crowned King on Christmas Day. If, then, your prayers attend him, he may well rule the kingdom one day, provided only that God so ordains.' As King Guntram said this, we all prayed to God that in His mercy He might protect the two Kings. 'It is true enough', added Guntram as an afterthought, 'that his mother Brunhild threatened to murder me, but as far as I am concerned that is a matter of small moment. God who snatched me from the hands of my other enemies also delivered me from the snares of Brunhild.'

Latin, pp. ()

4. Laus Childeberthi regis.

'Unum vos tantummodo, sacerdotes Domini, depraecor, ut pro filio meo Childebertho Domini misericordiam exoretis. Est enim vir sapiens adque utilis, ut de multorum annorum aevo vix ita tam cautus homo repperire possit ac strinuus. Quia, si hunc Deus his Galliis concedere dignabatur, fortassis spes erat, de eodem gentem nostram, quae valde exinanita est, posse consurgere. Quod fieri iuxta eius misericordiam non diffido, eo quod tale fuerit pueri nativitates praesagium. Nam in diem sanctum paschae, stante fratre meo Sigybertho in aeclesia, procedente diacono cum sancto euangeliorum libro, nuntius regi advenit, unaque vox fuit pronuntiantes lectionem euangelicam ac nuntii dicentis: ÏFilius natus est tibi". Unde factum est, ut omnis populus in utraque adnuntiatione pariter proclamaret: ÏGloria Deo omnipotenti". Sed et baptismum in die sanctum pentecosten accepit, et rex nihilominus in diem sanctum dominicae nativitatis est elevatus. Unde, si oratio vestra prosequitur, poterit hic, Domino annuente, regnare'. Haec rege dicente, omnes orationem fuderunt ad Dominum, ut utrumque regem eius misericordia conservaret. Adiecitque rex: 'Verum quia mater eius Brunichildis me minatur interimere, sed nihil mihi ex hoc formidinis est. Dominus enim, qui me eripuit de manibus inimicorum meorum, et de huius insidiis liberavit me'.