Fabyans cronycle newly prynted, wyth the cronycle, actes, and dedes done in the tyme of the reygne of the moste excellent prynce kynge Henry the vii. father vnto our most drad souerayne lord kynge Henry the .viii. To whom be all honour, reuere[n]ce, and ioyfull contynaunce of his prosperous reygne, to the pleasure of god and weale of this his realme amen

Francia. THE .XCVII. CHAPITER.

CLodoueus the sonne of Chil∣dericus or Hildericus before named, was after the deth of his fa∣der ordeyned kynge of Fraunce, in y^e yere of oure lorde .iiii. hundred .lxxx. and .iiii / and the thyrde yere of Au∣relius then kyng of Brytayne. This of some wryters is named Clodoue{us} Lowys. The whyche shortely after that he of this realme was authory∣syd for kynge / heryng reporte of the beaute and grete vertue of Clotildis neuewe to Cundebald kynge or ru∣ler of Burgoyne: sente vnto hym a knyght named Aurelius to treat a maryage betwene the kynge and Clotyld or Crotild. The which Cun∣debald more for fere then for loue as¦sentyd.

The cause wherof as myn authour sayth was, for y^t thys Crotyld was enherytour vnto the sayde lande of Burgoyne / and that she be reason of y^t maryage shuld recouer her ryghte and put hym from the rule therof. This Crotild had before that day re¦ceyuyd the fayth of Cryste / and so cō¦tynuynge her relygyon was maryed to Clodoueus then a paynym, and so endured a certayne of tyme. But yet she left not to enduce and tourne her lorde to the fayth in all that she myghte.

And after a certayn of tyme she was delyueryd of a sonne / the whyche by meanes of the holy man Remigius byshop of Raynes, and of the quene Crotyld, was crystyned and named Clodomerus / the whych dyed wyth in shorte processe after. For y^t happe the kyng sayd that his goddes were dyscontented wyth hym, that he had suffred his chylde to be crystyned, & for wrathe therof had taken frō hym his chylde. The quene takynge the kynges sayenge in pacyence / concey¦ued the seconde sonne, whyche also by the kynges agrement was also baptysed.

This also after a certayne of tyme was vexed wyth a greuous sekenes, in suche wyse that yt was lykely to haue dyed. wherfore the kynge was then more impacyent, and blamed y^e relygyon of his wyfe in moste impa∣cyent maner. The whych sayenges the quene toke pacyētly, and put all her confidence in god / to whom both she and Remigeus prayed so effec∣tuously, that the chylde was restored vnto perfyte helth.

Thus Clodoueus perseuerynge in his erronyous lawe / made warre vp¦pon the Almaynes. In whych warre beynge one daye occupyed in fyght agayne hys enymyes / he wyth hys people was put to the werse. wherof

whan Clodoue{us} was ware / hauyng greate drede of hym selfe, called to mynde the often exortacyon of hys wyfe, and of the greate vertue of her goddes lawe / and sodaynly lyfte his eyen towarde heuen and sayde, god the whyche Clotylde my wyfe doth honoure, now helpe me. And yf this daye I may passe thys daunger and opteyne vyctory / I shall euer after worshyp the wyth true fayth. The whyche prayer skantly fynysshed the Frenchemen by dyuyne power were so vnyed and knyt togyther, and so knyghtly wythstode theyr enemyes / that in shorte whyle after they optey¦ned vyctory. whyche vyctory had / y^e kynge with greate tryumphe retour¦ned into Fraunce. wherof whan Clo¦tylde was warned / she anone recey∣ued hym wyth all ioye and gladnes, thankynge her lord god of his great vyctory / but more for that y^e he had forsaken hys idolatrye, and was be∣comen seruaunt of y^e onely god four∣mer of all the worlde.