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THis Childeric, King of Austrasy, and brother to Clotharius, being called to the Crowne by the Frenchmen, tooke Ʋlfoalde for his Mayre, but they found themselves as much troubled with him as they had beene with Theodoric and Ebroin, whom
they had made Monkes, and confined into Monasteries. This Childeric, who was a man of no great wit, and disso∣lute, confined (saith Sigebert) Leger Bishop of Authun, a man of a holy life, to the Monastery of Luxeul: Neverthe∣lesse the Supplement of Idatius affirmes that he was so gracious with him, that he was in a manner as Mayre of the Pa∣lace. He caused a Gentleman to be ig∣nominiously whipped, who was of Franconia, called Bodille, by which fact he excited such a scandall against him∣selfe and a generall hatred of most part of the Nobility of his Realme, that they all rebelled against him, after the ex∣ample of Ingolbert (aliâs) Wigobert, and Amalbert; giving such an occasion to Bodille, that he sought all occasions of revenge for the notorious disgrace hee had received from him: who on a day espying him comming from Hunting, caused him to be murthered by the as∣sistance of his Compliees, who also shew∣ed no more mercy to his Queene and
Wife Blitilde, although shee were grea•• with child; which was a cause that Ʋ••¦foalde fled into Austrasie, and that th•• Lords of France, by the advice of Lege•• Bishop of Authun, tooke Leudesil, th•• sonne of the late Ercembault, for Mayr•• of the Palace, who (as it seemes to Aymoynus and Ado) taking Theodori•• out of the Monastery, estated him in the Regall Throne.
Childeric and his Wife were funebri∣ally interred in the Church of St. Ger∣man des prez lez Paris, Anno Domin•• 676, and seven yeares after that by the generall consent of the Frenchmen hee was called out of Austrasie to governe the Kingdome of France. Hee left no issue; Sigebert and Paulus Aemilius seeme to confound the History, being of opinion that Childeric reigned after Clotharius 12. yeares, and Theodoric 17. yeares after him: but others hold that the reigne of Theodoric continued 19, in the which they number the yeares of his being a Monke, Childerick being
substituted in his place. This King was another of the same stampe with the former, by nature enclined to tyranny and cruelty, disgracing his well-begun reigne with a bad conclusion: for Kings mounted on the top of Honour, and beholding their subjects with con∣tempt, thrust forward by flattery or am∣bition, doe easily become Tyrants. And as this Kings life did not shew hand∣some, so his death plotted and effected by Bodille, did instruct Kings not to dis∣honour or contemne their Nobility, be∣ing their right Arme. And also it shew∣ed, that a disgracefull punishment in∣flicted on a Gentleman, doth touch the quicke of the soule with a deepe appre∣hension, for being of a freer tender na∣ture, they scorne as much to receive an injury, as doe any, and therefore they account it Justice to revenge, though they dye in the confirmation of the act: This appeares by Bodille, who concealed her anger, untill like Lightning it struck the King before it was seene; for he must
be silent, full of darke thoughts, and car∣ry his light inward, that will vindicate an injury; and write Mihi & vindictae li∣tavi, this is a sacrifice to Revenge.