__
|
_________________________|
| |
| |__
|
|
|--Rolande
|
| __
| |
|_Bertha of MEROVINGIANS _|
|
|__
_____________________
|
_John BOWMAN ________|
| |
| |_____________________
|
|
|--Lucy BOWMAN
|
| _William WIMBISH ____+
| | (1776 - ....)
|_Nancy WIMBISH ______|
|
|_Lucy CARTER ________
_Jesse COLLINS ______+
| (1759 - 1838) m 1802
_Enoch Edward COLLINS ________|
| (1807 - 1877) m 1858 |
| |_Sarah KEEN _________
| m 1802
|
|--Edward Collins COLLINS
| (1877 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
|_Temperance Starling HAYWOOD _|
(1840 - ....) m 1858 |
|_____________________
[431] Married twice: 1. Pauline McDonald; 2. Della Hollingsworth
_Antoine II DE LORRAINE ______________+
|
_François I DE LORRAINE _|
| |
| |_Renee DE BOURBON-MONTPENSIER ________
|
|
|--Charles III DE LORRAINE
| (1543 - 1608)
| _Christian II OLDENBURG ______________
| |
|_Christine OLDENBURG ____|
|
|_Isabella ERZHERZÖGIN VON ÖSTERREICH _+
_Thomas MEADOR ______+
| (1638 - 1664) m 1658
_John, MEADOWS ______|
| (1658 - 1721) m 1677|
| |_Sarah HOSKINS ______
| (1637 - 1672) m 1658
|
|--Rachel MEADOR
| (1683 - ....)
| _____________________
| |
|_Elizabeth WHITE ____|
m 1677 |
|_____________________
[194]A daughter of (3) John Meador by his first wife, Elizabeth White, Rachel was first named in records of her father in the deed of gift to his children in 1694 . At that time she was given 105 acres of land that John had purchased from Edwin Thacker. Of course, as she was a small child less than 10 years old, she could not take possession at that time.
The date is unknown. but before the death of her father in 1721 she married William Jordan. It is quite possible that William was from the lineage of the Jordan families on Isle of Wight (there were three William Jordans born in Nansemond in 1688), though this cannot be established. The Jordans were the principal advocates of Quakerism in the colonies, and this could well have been the source of Quaker influence in the Meador family.
The William Jordan who died in Essex County in 1717 was not the husband of Rachel, but probably her father-in-law. The death of her husband is not recorded. but surely occurred before 1732, as on that date she was in Caroline County. In that year Rachel and William Terrell were charged by the Caroline County Court with adultery, though the charges were dropped. However, there was a child, named in the court records as Joannah Jourdanne . It may be noted that William Terrell and James Terrell were also acquainted with George and Dinah (Meador) Tribble .
In 1739, in conjunction with William Hutson, which relationship cannot be explained, Rachel sold the 105 acres given to her by her father to her brother, (4) Thomas Meador . The deed was witnessed by Elizabeth, the wife of Thomas, and by their two sons, (5) Thomas and (5) John. homas and Elizabeth then sold half the land to William Allen . William gave it to his son, Zachariah Allen , who sold it to John Clements in 1749 . Thus another portion of "Meador" land, which by the wishes of (3) John Meador was "never to be sold, but to remaine from heir to heir", passed out of the family.
Rachel Meador proceeded to Amelia County, following others of the Meador family. In 1768 she signed as witness to a sale by on Jonas Jordan of land on Sandy Creek, which land had been part of an original grant to (4) Jason Meador . At this time she was over 70 years of age; it was her last record.
Several men named Jordan were born in Essex County in the early 1700's, and perhaps some of these could have been children of Rachel and William Jordan. They included Issac, Jeremiah, Abraham, William, and Jonas Jordan. Of these, Jonas, who was born about 1725, would appear most likely to have been Rachel's son, though a definite statement cannot yet be made. Jonas followed the rout of the Meador migrations into Caroline, Amelia, and Bedford Counties, and had numerous dealings with Meador family members in those areas. In Amelia County, Jonas Jordan bought 244 acres of the land on Sandy Creek which had been granted to (4) Jason Meador. This he divided in halves, selling portions to Ambrose and Benjamin Meador . Jonas had many other land transactions in Amelia County before moving on the Bedford County, Virginia, where he died June 29,1785. He is listed as a Patriot by the D.A.R. for public service during the Revolution.
_Charlton MIZELL ____+
| (1749 - 1804)
_David, Sr. MIZELL __|
| (1770 - 1850) m 1808|
| |_Elizabeth EVERETT __
| (1740 - ....)
|
|--Mary MIZELL
| (1811 - ....)
| _John ALBRITTON _____+
| | (1750 - 1815) m 1756
|_Sarah ALBRITTON ____|
(1786 - ....) m 1808|
|_Abigail THOMAS _____
m 1756
Article from the Tampa Tribune, date unknown:
Site of Old Ft. Alafia Became Wordehoff Place
The homestead of Antoine Wordehoff, long known as "the Wordehoff place," is remembered by pioneers as the site of old Fort Alafia, one of the historic spots of Hillsborough county, dating back to the period of the early Indian Wars.
. G. McDonald of Hopewell, son of the late Rev. Walter McDonald - affectionately known to hosts of friends as "Preacher" - stated that with the establishment of Fort Brooke a government road was built to connect a series of forts - Fort Brooke, Fort Alafia, Fort Meade and Fort Bassenger. He identified the Wordehoff place as the site of Fort Alafia.
Mrs. R.G. Woods of Lithia, a granddaughter of James Alderman, who is said to have been the first settler to establish a home south of the Alafia River, related the following incident:
During the time of one of the Indian uprisings the settlers were "forted up" at Fort Alafia, but her grandfather was eager to cross the river and return to his home. So, against the advice of those at the fort, he returned across the river alone. The first night after his return he was awakened by a disturbance among the horses and other livestock. He knew that the Indians were prowling about his home and were the cause of fright among the animals. needless to say, he returned to the protection of the fort. Many years later the ruins of the old fort were called to the attention of Mrs. Woods by her father, the late Hiram Alderman.
Federal Census records of 1850 for Hillsborough County give additional proof of the existence of Fort Alafia as a fully garrisoned government fort. Following is the list of the garrison, giving the name, age, native state and rank of each man: [List of soldiers omitted.]
The same census lists the following families as early residents of the Alafia Settlement, again giving the name, age and place of birth of each person:
Alderman Carlton, 48, North Carolina Martha Maria Carlton, 44, North Carolina Isaac, 15, Georgia Priscella, 12, Georgia Susan, 10, Georgia Sarah, 6, Florida Georgia A, 4, Florida Daniel W. Carlton, 27, North Carolina Sarah A. Carlton, 26, North Carolina Ruben, 9, Georgia Wright, 6, Georgia Albert, 5, Florida Martha J., 4, Florida Alderman, 1, Florida
Jesse Alderman, 26, North Carolina
Jeremiah M. Hayman, 28, Georgia Martha J Hayman, 21, Georgia. (This is the same Jeremiah Hayman who later became the beloved Baptist circuit rider.)
Levi Pierce, 44, Georgia (farmer and Methodist Minister) Mary J. Pierce, 32, Georgia John M., 16, Georgia James T., 14, Florida William H., 12, Florida Thomas Coock, 10, Florida Paton L., 8, Florida Ann E. 6, Florida Levi D., 4, Florida Steven, 1, Florida Elizabeth Hooker, 79, Georgia (sister of W.B. Hooker) Ann Weeks, 15, South Carolina Jesse Penelton, 65, Georgia
John Pearce, 42, Georgia Mary Pearce, 35, Florida Elizabeth, 12, Florida Sarah J. 9, florida Nancy C., 7, Florida Mary Cazia, 6 months, Florida (correct spelling "Keziah")
Others not listed in the census, but known to be living in that vicinity were the widow and children of James E. Hendry, one of whose sons (George) was one of the volunteer Indian fighters. Also, the families of James Alderman and Benjamin Moody.
It appears probable that Fort Alafia may have also served as a place of refuge in time of need for a number of years following the Indian Wars.
[25] Listed in the 1850 Federal Census for Hillsborough County, Florida.
[732]
Photographs of the gravestone of John Pearce, are in the
possession of Laura Knight Jadczyk
_Alan Ian SMITHSON PERCY _+
| (.... - 1930)
_Hugh SMITHSON PERCY _____________|
| (.... - 1988) m 1946 |
| |__________________________
|
|
|--Henry SMITHSON PERCY
|
| _ DOUGLAS ________________
| |
|_Elizabeth MONTAGU DOUGLAS SCOTT _|
m 1946 |
|__________________________
_Nobleman VISIGOTHS _
|
_Athanagild VISIGOTHS _|
| (.... - 0567) |
| |_____________________
|
|
|--Brunhild VISIGOTHS
| (0545 - 0613)
| _____________________
| |
|_Goiswinth ____________|
|
|_____________________
[241] From Gregory of Tours' "History of the Franks"
Brunahild was the daughter of the Visigothic king, Anthanagild and wife
of the Frankish king, Sigebert I of Metz. Born an Arian, she was
converted to Catholicism. When Sigebert was assassinated and her son
Childebert II took the throne, Sigebert's brother, King Chilperic of
Soissons, banished Brunahild and imprisoned her daughters Ingund and
Chlodosind. Chiperic's son, Merovech then outraged his father by
marrying Brunahild. Fredegund, another wife of Chilperic, nearly
succeeded in assassinating Brunahild, and, until the end of her life,
she was the target of many assassination attempts. She was also
priveleged to be present at many political meetings between her son and
his uncles and cousins.
When King Chldebert was assissinated in 595, Queen Brunahild ruled as
regent for his two sons, Theudebert II and Theuderic II. Brunahild
lived in the court of Theudebert in Austrasia until he married
Bilichild. Brunahild saw her as competition, but could not convince
her grandsom not to marry her. Instead, she left the court and was
received warmly in Burgundy by Theuderic. Theuderic married
Ermenberta, the Catholic daughter of King Recared I of the Visigoths.
After a year, Brunahild convinced her grandson to divorce Ermenberta
and take back his concubines.
In 612, Brunahild urged Theuderic to attack his brother Theudebert, and
he defeated and killed him. The next year, however, Theuderic died at
the age of 26 of dysentery. Brunahild chose Sigebert II, son of
Theuderiv, to rule as king, but Chlotar (Lothar), King of Soissons,
ordered him executed, taking control of all the Frankish kingdoms. In
addition, he had Brunahild brutally tortured and executed when she was
68 years old. She must have been one amazing woman.
regory of Tours writes about her:
King Sigibert observed that his brothers were taking wives who were
completely unworthy of them and were so far degrading themselves as to
marry their own servants. He therefore sent messengers loaded with
gifts to Spain and asked for the hand of Brunhild, the daughter of King
Athanagild. This young woman was elegant in all that she did, lovely
to look at, chaste and decorous in her behaviour, wise in her
generation and of good address. Her father did not refuse to give
her to Sigebert, but sent her off with a large dowry. Sigibert
assembled the leading men of his kingdom, ordered a banquet to be
prepared and married Brunhild with every appearance of joy and
happiness. She was, of course, and Arian, but she was converted by the
bishops sent to reason with her and by the King who begged her to
accept conversion.
At the moment when her husband, King Sigibert was killed in Vitry, Queen
Brunhild was in residence with her children in Paris. When the news
was announced to her, she was prostrate with anguish and grief, and she
hardly knew what she was doing. Duke Gundovald took charge of her
little son Childebert and removed him from her in secret, snatching him
from certain death. Gundovald assembled the people over whom Sigibert
had reigned and proclaimed Childebert King, although he was barely five
years old. Childebert began to reign on Christmas Day.
In the first year of Childebert's rule, King Chilperic came to Paris,
seized hold of Brunhild, banished her to the city of Rouen and took
possession of the treasure which she had brought to Paris. He ordered
her daughters to be held in custody in Meaux.
[...]
Chilperic sent his son Merovech to Poitiers with an army. Merovech
disobeyed his father's orders and marched on Tours where he spent the
holy days of Easter. His army did great damage to the entire
neighbourhood. Under the pretext of visiting his mother, Audovera, he
next moved to Rouen. There he joined Queen Brunhild and made her his
wife. When Chilperic heard that in defiance of custom and canonical
law, Merovech had married his uncle's widow, he was bitterly angry and
marched to Rouen quicker than I can say the word. As soon as Merovech
and Brunhild learned that Chilperic had decided to separate them, they
sought sanctuary in the church of Saint Martin, which is built of
wooden planks high on the sity walls. The King arrived and did all in
his power to persuade them to come out. They knew that he was up to no
good and they refused to believe him, but he swore that insofar as it
was God's will he would not try to separate them. When they heard his
solemn oath, they came out from the church. Chilperic kissed them both
and received them according to their rank. He had a meal with them and
set off for Soissons a few days later, taking Merovech with him.
[...]
The King [Chilperic] began to entertain suspicions about his own son,
Merovech, in view of his marriage to Brunhild, for he alleged that all
these insurrections must be the result of Merovech's plotting.
Chilperic had Merovech deprived of his arms and guarded closely,
ordering him to remain in custody although not actually a prisoner,
while he, the king, decided what action to take in the future.
[...]
Merovech, who was being held in custody by his father, was tonsured,
had his clothes changed for those used by clerics, was ordained a
priest and was packed off to a monastery in Le Mans called Anille,
there to be instructed in the priestly rule. Guntram Boso heard of
this and sent the subdeacon Riculf secretly to advise Merovech to seek
sanctuary in Saint Martin's church. Merovech set out, and his servant
Gailen advanced to meet him from another direction. Those in charge of
Merovech were few in number. He was rescued on the road by Gailen: he
covered his face, put on secular clothes and made his way to the church
of Saint Martin. He found the door open and walked in. I (Gregory of
Tours who is writing the history) was celebrating mass at the time.
When the service was over he asked me to give him some of the bread of
oblation. Ragnemod, Bishop of Paris, who had succeeeded Saint
Germanus, was with me at the time. We refused, but Merovech made a
scene and said that we had no right to suspend him from communion
without the consent of our fellow bishops. When we had listened to
him, wiht the full approval of my one brother-bishop present, he
received the bread from my hands, although the case could be argued
canonically. I was afraid that by refusing to gove communion to one
man I might cause the death of many, for Merovech threatened to kill
some of our congregation if he were not allowed to take communion with
us. The region round Tours suffered great devastation as a result of
what I had done.
At about this time Nicetius, my niece's husband, went to King Chilperic
on some affair of his own; and he was accompanied by our deacon, who
went and revealed to the King the fact that Merovech had escaped. As
soon as Queen Fredegund saw the two of them, she cried: 'These men are
spies. They have come to find out what the King intends to do, and
then report what they discover to Merovech.' She had them stripped of
all that they possessed and sent into exile. They were not released
until seven months later.
Whereupon Chilperic sent messengers to me to say; 'Expel this apostate
from your church. If you refuse, I will set your whole countryside
alight.' When I wrote back that it was impossible to do in Chirstian
times what had not been done even in the days of the heretices, he
raised an army and sent it to attack Tours.
In the second year of King Childebert's reign, seeing that his father
was set upon his purpose, Merovech took Duke Guntram with him and made
plans to visit Queen Brunhild. 'Far be it from me,' said he, 'that I
should allow Saint Martin's church to suffer violence through my being
here, or his countryside to be overrun because of me.' He came into
the church during vigils, bringing with him everything that he
possessed. He placed it all beside the tomb of Saint Martin and prayed
that the Saint might succour him and grant him this favour that he
might win the kingdom.
[...]
Merovech brought many charges agains his father and his stepmother,
Fredegund. Some of these may well have been true, but in my opinion it
is not acceptable in God's sight that one should make such revelations,
and this was made clear to me in the sequel. One day I was summoned to
have a meal with him and, as we sat side by side, he begged me to read
some passages to him for the instruction of his soul. I opened the
book of Soomon and read the first verse I found. It contained these
words: 'The eye that mocketh at his father, the ravens of the valley
shall pick it out.' Merovech did not see the point of this, but it is
my opinion that the verse was chosen by the Lord.
[...]
Merovech spent two months in the church of Saint Germanus. Then he
escaped and made his way to Queen Brunhild, but the Eastern Franks
would not receive him. [...]
Lupentius, Abbot of the church of the martyr Saint Privatus in Javols,
was summoned by Queen Brunhild and appeared before her. They say that
he had been accused by Innocentius, count of that city, of making
libellous remarks about the Queen. His case was discussed, but he was
found not guilty of the charge of lese-majeste and ordered to return
home. On the journey he was seized by the Count, dragged off to the
manor of Ponthion and grievously maltreated. Once more they let him
go. As he continued on his way he pitched his tent on the bank of the
River Aisne, and there his enemy attacked him yet again. Rude hands
were laid on him. Innocentius cut off his head, put it in a sacke
weighted with stones and threw it into the river. He tied the body to
a rock and threw that, too, into the water. A few days passed, and
then the body was discovered by some shepherds, who pulled it out of
the river and prepared to bury it. While they were making plans for
the funeral, not knowing who it was from Adam, the more so as the
severed head had not been foudn, there suddenly appeared an eagle,
which fished the sack out from the bottom of the river and placed it on
the bank. The shepherds stood stock still in amazement. They picked
up the sack, wondering what could possibly be in it, and then found
inside the head belonging to the body. The two were buried together.
They say that even now a celestial light still shines above the burial
place; and that if a sick may prays in faith over the tomb, he goes on
his way whole.
[...]
The locusts whihc had ravaged the district around Toledo for five long
years now moved forward along the public highway and invaded another
near-by province. The swarm covered an area fifty miles long and a
hundred miles broad.
In this same year (585 AD) many strange portents appeared in Gaul and
the sufferings endured by the population were very harsh. Roses
flowered in January. A great circle of many colours appeared round the
sun, rather like what one ses in a rainbow when the rain pours down.
Frost nipped the vineyards, doing serious damage: then came a terrible
storm which battered down the vines and the crops. What was left after
this hailstorm was destroyed by a fierce drought. A few grapes
remained on some vines, on others none at all. Men were so furious
with God that they left the gates of their vineyards wide open and
drove in their cattle and horses. In their misery they called down
ruination upon themselves and were heard to shout: 'We don't care if
these vines never bear shoots again until the end of time!' Trees
which had borne apples in July had a second crop in September. One
epidemic after another killed off the flocks until hardly any remained
alive.
[...]
[After the death of Chilperic], when Queen Fredegund had been packed
off to the manor about which I have told you, she was very depressed,
because much of her power had been brought to an end, and yet she
considered herself a better woman than Brunhild. In secret she sent a
cleric of her household who was to gaing Brunhild's conficnece by
trickery and then assassinate her. If only he could on some pretence
or other be accepted as one of her retainers and so gain her
conficence, she could then be despatched when no one was about. The
cleric went off to Brunhild and by the lies which he told mede his way
into her good graces. 'I am a fugitive from Queen Fredegund,' he said,
'and I seek your protection.' He began by behaving in a most humble
manner to everyone and so gave himself out as the obedient and trusty
servant of the Queen. Not long afterwards they realized on what a
treacherous errand he had been sent. He was bound and flogged until he
confessed his secret plan; then he was permitted to return to the Queen
who had sent him. When he told Fredegund what had happened and
confessed that he had failed in his mission, she punished him by having
his hands and feet cut off.
[...]
King Childebert arranged a meeting with his leaders on his estate at
Breslingen (now the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg),which is in the middle
of the forest of the Ardennes. There Queen Brunhild pleaded with all
the nobles on behalf of her daughter, Ingund, who was still detained in
Africa, but she received little sympathy.
[...]
As I have told you several times, Ingund had been handed over to the
Imperial army by her husband. While she was on her way under escort to
the Emperor himslelf, with her little son, she died in Africa and was
buried there. Leuvigild encompassed the death of his own son
Hermangild, who had been Ingund's husband. Inflamed by these events,
King Guntram planned to send an army into Spain. It was first to
subdue septimania to Guntram's rule, for that region is still
considered to be within the boundaries of Gaul; then it was to advance
further.
At the very moment when this army was about to take the field, a
document was discovered in the possession of certain peasants. They
sent it to King Guntram so that he might read it, ofr it seemed as if
Leufigild had written it to Fredegund, enjoining her, by whatever
strategem she could think of, to prevent the army from marching into
Spain. 'Kill our enemies,' it said, 'that is, Childebert and his
mother, as quickly as you can. Make peace with Guntram; buy this peace
at whatever price you can. If, as may well be, you are short of money,
we will send you some in secret, so that we may be sure that we achieve
our purpose. Once we have taken vengeance on our enemies, reward
Bishop Amelius and the Lady Leuba, through whose good offices our
envoys have access to you.' Leuba was the mother in law of the Duke
Bladast.
Despite the fact that these despatches had been handed over to King
Guntram and brought by him to the notice of his nephew Childebert,
Fredegund still had two iron daggers made which she ordered to be
deeply grooved and smeared with poison so that, even if no mortal
thrust should sever vital tissues, the infection caused by the poison
would quickly be a cause of death. She handed these daggers over to
two clerics, and then gave them the following insturctions: 'Take
these two poignards and make your way with all speed to King
Childebert, pretending that you are mendicants. As soon as you have
cast yourselves at his feet, as if you have come to beg for alms, stab
him on both sides, so that at long last Brunhild, whose arrogant
behaviour is encouraged by the support which he gives to her, may fall
as he falls and so cease to be my rival. If the boy is so closely
guarded that you cannot come close to him, kill Brunhild instead, that
woman whom I hate. For doing this you will receive the following
reward: if you are killed as you carry out your task, I will give
recompense to your relations, endowing them richly and raising them to
the highest rank in my realm. Cast all fear aside, then, and let no
dread of death enter your minds, for you know full well that all human
beings are but mortal. Steel your hearts like men and remember that,
if may brave soldiers have died in battle, the outcome has been that
their relatives have risen to high place in the state, overstepping
others in their vast wealth and holding precedence over all ment.' As
she said this, the two churchmen began to shiver and shake, for they
realized how difficult it was going to be to carry out her orders.
When she saw how hesitant they were, she drugged them with a potion and
pecked them off on their mission. Their courage rose immediately and
they swore that they would do what she had asked of them. She ordered
them to carry with them a phial filled with the same potion. 'On the
day when you are due to carry out my command, ' she said, 'swallow this
potion early in the morning, before you set out to do the deed. It
will give you courage to see things through to the end.' As soon as
she had given them all these instructions, she dismissed them. They
set out on their journey and came to Soissons. There they were
captured by Duke Rauching. They were questioned closely and they
revealed everything, whereupon they were bound and thrown into prison.
A few days passed and then Fredegund, who was quite convinced that her
orders had been carried out, sent a servant to inquire whtehr there was
any rumour circulating among the people, and to see if he could find
anyone who would admit to him that Childebert had been assassinated.
He left her presence and made his way to Soissons. Having heard
rumours that the two churchmen had been thrown into prison, he went to
the city gate, but the moment he started talking to the gate keeper,
he, too, was seized and placed under arrest. All three of them were
sent to King Childebert. When they were interrogated they told the
truth, saying that they had been sent by Queen Fredegund to assassinate
the King. 'The Queen ordered us to disbuise ourselves as beggars,'
they said. 'We were to throw ourselves at your feet and beg for alms,
and then we intended to stab you through and through with these
daggers. Even if the thrust had been so weak that each dagger failed
to do its work, the poison with which the blade is smeared would soon
have caused your death.' When they had made these admissions, they
were submitted to a number of tortures, their hands, ears and noses
were cut off, and they were put to death each in a different way.
[...]
Guntram Boso, who was loathed by the Queen (Brunhild), began to visit
the bishops and nobles one after the other, in order to sue for
forgiveness, which he had previously scorned. During the minority of
King Childebert, he had never ceased to heap abuse and insults on Queen
Brunhild' and he had encouraged her enemies, too, to behave towards her
in the most hostile fashion. The king was now determined to avenge the
wrongs done to his mother; and he ordered Buntram Boso to be pursued
and killed. As soon as he realized what peril he was in, Guntram Boso
sought sanctuary in Verdun cathedral, confident that he could obtain
pardon through the good offices of Bishop Ageric who had been the
King's sponsor at his baptism.
[...]
The next thing that happened was that Rauching conspired with the
leading men of the kingdom of Lothar, Chilperic's son. He gave it out
that his object was peace and that the was determined to make sure that
there would be no more quarrels and forntier incidents between the
territories of the two kings, but their real plan was to assassinate
King Childebert. They were full of hostility towards Queen Brunhild
and ddetermined once more to humiliate her, as they had done during the
early days of her widowhood.
[...]
Rauching's plan was to seek an audience with King Childebert, so
that he might carry out his plot. By the grace of God, the conspiracy
came almost immediately to the ears of King Guntram. In secret he sent
messengers to King Childebert and revealed the whole enterprise to him.
'Come quickly,' was his message, 'for we must take counsel together.
We must decide what is to be done.'
Childebert lost no time in looking into the matter which had been
reported to him. He discovered that it was true, and then he summoned
Rauching to appear before him. Rauching came, but before Childebert
gave orders for him to be admitted he wrote letters and sent his
servants off post-haste in the King's name to sequester all his
property wherever it might be found. Only then did he order Rauching
to be shown into his private room. The King talked with him about this
and that, and then commanded him to withdraw. As he walked out, the
tow guards at the door grabbed his feet. he fell over on the
threshold, part of his body lying inside the room and the other part
outside. The men who had been ordered to do the deed then fell upon
him with their swords. They cut and sliced his head this way and that
until the whole of his brains were exposed. he died immeidately. He
was stripped naked and flung out through the window. Then his body was
dispatched for burial. Rauching was loose in his habits, greedy beyond
human measure and covetous of the belongins of others. His wealth made
him so overweening that at the time of his death he was giving it out
that he was the son of King Lothar. A great amount of gold was found
on his person.
[...]
Queen Brunhild had a great salver of incredible size made out of gold
and precious gems. This she dispatched to the King of Spain (Recared)
who was to marry King Childebert's sister, Chlodosind