HL 5.33

English

But Grimuald indeed having remained in the palace on the ninth day after the use of the lancet, took his bow and when he attempted to hit a dove with an arrow, the vein of his arm was ruptured. The doctors, as they say, administered poisoned medicines and totally withdrew him from this life. He added in the edict which king Rothari had composed certain chapters of law which seemed useful to him.' He was moreover very strong in body, foremost in boldness, with a bald head and a heavy beard and was adorned with wisdom no less than with strength. And his body was buried in the church of the blessed Ambrose the Confessor, which he had formerly built in the city of Ticinum. Upon the expiration of one year and three months after the death of king Aripert, he usurped the kingdom of the Langobards, reigned nine years and left as king Garibald his son, still of boyish age whom the daughter of king Aripert had borne him. Then, as we had begun to say, Perctarit having departed from Gaul, embarked in a ship to pass over to the island of Britain to the kingdom of the Saxons. And when he had already sailed a little way through the sea, a voice was heard from the shore of one inquiring whether Perctarit was in that ship. And when the answer was given him that Perctarit was there, he who called out added: " Say to him he may return to his country since to-day is the third day that Grimuald has been withdrawn from this life." When he heard this, Perctarit straightway turned back again and coming to the shore could not find the person who informed him of the death of Grimuald, from which he thought that this was not a man but a Divine messenger. And then directing his course to his own country, when he had come to the confines of Italy he found already there awaiting him all the retinue of the palace, and all the royal officials in readiness together with a great multitude of the Langobards. And thus when he returned to Ticinum, and the little boy Garibald had been driven away from the kingdom, he was raised to the kingly power by all the Langobards, the third month after the death of Grimuald.' He was moreover a pious man, a Catholic in belief," tenacious of justice and a very bountiful supporter of the poor. And he straightway sent to Beneventum and called back from thence his wife Rodelinda and his son Cunincpert.

Latin