E07736: An account of how an attempt by the dux Lupus to plunder the tomb of *Martialis (first bishop of Limoges, S01168) was miraculously punished, in 675/676. From a collection of the miracles of Martialis, written in Latin in Gaul, probably in the late 7th century.

Miracles of Saint Martialis (BHL 5562)

Quodam tempore, cum Ebroinus comes palatii, maior domus Francorum regni, in aula regis adesset et omnes nequitias seu iniquitates, quae in universa terra fiebant, superbos et iniquos homines super eorum facinus viriliter subpremebat, et pax per omnem terram plena et perhacta adrisit. Tunc surrexit puer unus nomine Lupus, qui et auctor nominis sui adesse voluit, ad Felicem, nobilissimum et inclitum patricium ex urbe Tholosanensium, qui et principatum super omnes civitates usque montes Pireneos, super gentem nequissimam Wascorum obtinebat. Eo defuncto antedictum Luponem principem super se omnes statuerunt, et omnes vagi profugique ad eum adeserunt, et tanta plurima ad eum assistebat, ut ei ex diaboli consensu elatio inreperet, ut regem Francorum debellaret et in sedem regiam se astare faceret, et cum universo agmine iter arriperet et illis in partibus festinanter incederet.

Advenit et pontificem ex ipsa urbe et omnes concives ad se adunare iussit, ut fidem eorum extorqueret et eos ad suum regimen perstringeret. Cum vero in cubiculum, ubi sanctus Marcialis sepultura meruit tumulari, fuisset ingressus, cepit perspicere eius sepulcrum. Quod cernens, vidit ibi lumbare aureum cum preciosis gemmis ornatum et eum exinde cogitavit auferre. Sed cum ingressus ad limen ostii ipsius speluncae esset, sic iubente Domino et intercedente beato Marciale, quidam homunculus ex ipsa civitate [cui] nomen Proculus arripuit gladium et eum in cerebrum eius defixit. Cumque sui sodales hinc et inde eum sustentare cepissent, de oleo beati viri, quod in lucerna accendebatur, in ipsa plaga iussit deferri. Sed eadem hora, multis cernentibus, flamma cum fumo de ipsa plaga exilivit, et tantus tremor ibidem advenit, ut vix aliquis ex ipsis concivibus noctem se speraret attingere. Sed nutu Dei et intercedente beato viro, hora nona diei ipsis pax et gaudium inenarrabile nutu a Dei advenit. Iam et palatio regis Francorum et omnes urbes et castella timor et tremor et murmur nimius ipsius invaserat, unde Domini misericordia, adiuvante et intercedente famulo Dei, beato viro sancto Marciale, pax restituta continuo omnibus fuit.


'In the time when Ebroin, Count of the Palace, Mayor of the Palace of the kingdom of the Franks, was in the court of the king, and manfully repressed all the crimes and iniquities which were committed in the whole land, [and] the proud and unjust men for their crimes, full and complete peace smiled upon the whole land. Then a young man arose by the name of Lupus, who wanted to be the author of his own reputation, to Felix, the most noble and celebrated patrician from the city of Toulouse, who also held leadership over all the cities as far as the mountains of the Pyrenees, over the worthless people of the Gascons. On his death, they all decided that the aforementioned Lupus should be leader over them, and all the wanderers and exiles came to him, and so much was there for him that with the urging of the devil, arrogance crept in, so that he waged war on the king of the Franks and placed himself in the royal seat, and went off with his whole army and swiftly marched with them into those parts.

He arrived, and ordered the bishop of this very city [Limoges] and all his fellow citizens to join him, so that he could extort their faith and attach them to his regime. When he entered the chamber where the holy Martialis had earned his burial, he began to examine his tomb. Looking at it, he saw there a gold cloth ornamented with precious gems, and thought to take it away with him. But when he stepped across the threshold of the crypt, a certain a certain humble man of the city named Proculus, by the order of the Lord and through the intercession of the blessed Martialis, snatched a sword and plunged it into his head. And when his men [coming forward] from here and there caught him to help him, he ordered some oil of the blessed man, which was burning in the lamp, to be brought to his wound. But the same hour, with many observing it, flame and smoke sprang from the wound itself and such an earth tremor took place there that hardly any of the citizens hoped to survive until the night. But by the will of God, and the intercession of the blessed man, at the ninth hour of the day inexpressible peace and joy arrived by the will of God. Already both in the palace of the king of the Franks, and all the cities, and fortresses, excessive fear and trembling and murmur had taken over, whence through the mercy of the Lord, with the servant of God, the blessed man saint Martialis, helping and interceding, lasting peace was restored to all.'

Text: Holder-Egger 1887, 281-282. Translation: David Lambert.