Book 5

Chapter I.

When therefore Grimuald had been confirmed in the sovereignty [1] at Ticinum, he married not long afterward king Aripert's daughter who had already been betrothed to him and whose brother Godepert he had killed. He sent back indeed to their own homes, supplied with many gifts, the army of Beneventines by whose aid he had acquired the sovereignty. He kept however quite a number of them to dwell with him, bestowing upon them very extensive possessions.

[1] A D. 662 (Waltz). Grimuald, whose brothers, Taso and Cacco, had been treacherously murdered by the exarch in Oderzo, represented the national, anti-Roman sentiment of his people and was continually engaged in wars against the empire.


Chapter II.

When he afterwards learned that Perctarit had gone to Scythia as an exile and was living with the Cagan, he sent word to this Cagan, king of the Avars, by ambassadors that if he kept Perctarit in his kingdom he could not thereafter have peace, as he had had hitherto, with the Langobards and with himself. When the king of the Avars heard this, Perctarit was brought into his presence and he said to him that he might go in what direction he would, so that the Avars should not incur enmity with the Langobards on his account. [1] When Perctarit heard these things he went back to Italy to return to Grimuald for he had heard that he was very merciful. Then when he had come to the city of Lauda [2] (Lodi Vecchio) he sent ahead of him to king Grimuald, Unulf, a man most faithful to him to announce that Perctarit was approaching trusting to his protection. When the king heard this he promised faithfully that since Perctarit came trusting him he should suffer no harm. Meanwhile Perctarit arrived and went forward to Grimuald, and when he attempted to fall down at his feet, the king graciously held him back and raised him up to receive his kiss. Perctarit said to him: "I am your servant. Knowing you to be most Christian and pious, although I can live among the heathen, yet relying upon your mercy I have come to your feet." And the king with an oath, as he was wont, promised him again saying: "By Him who caused me to be born, since you have come to me trusting me, you will suffer nothing evil in any way but I will so provide for you that you can live becomingly." Then offering him a lodging in a spacious house, he bade him have a rest after the toil of the journey, ordering that food and whatever things were necessary should be supplied to him bountifully at public expense. But when Perctarit had come to the dwelling prepared for him by the king, presently throngs of the citizens of Ticinum began to gather around him to see him and salute him as an old acquaintance. But what cannot an evil tongue interrupt? For presently certain wicked flatterers coming to the king declared to him that unless he quickly deprived Perctarit of life, he would himself at once lose his kingdom with his life, asserting that the whole city had gathered around Perctarit for this purpose. When he heard these things, Grimuald became too credulous and forgetting what he had promised, he was straightway incited to the murder of the innocent Perctarit and took counsel in what way he might deprive him of life on the following day, since now the hour was very late. Finally in the evening he sent to him divers dishes, also special wines and various kinds of drinks so that he could intoxicate him, to the end that relaxed by much drinking during the night and buried in wine, he could think nothing of his safety. Then one who had been of his father's train, when he brought a dish from the king to this Perctarit, put his head under the table as if to salute him and announced to him secretly that the king was arranging to kill him. And Perctarit straight-way directed his cup-bearer that he should give him to drink in a silver drinking vessel nothing but a little water. And when those who brought him drinks of different kinds from the king asked him upon the command of the king to drink the whole cup, he promised to drink it all in honor of the king, and took a little water from the silver cup. When the servants announced to the king that he was drinking insatiably, the king merrily answered : "Let that drunkard drink; but tomorrow he will spill out the same wines mixed with blood." And Perctarit quickly called Unulf to him and announced to him the design of the king concerning his death. And Unulf straightway sent a servant to his house to bring him bed clothing [3] and ordered his couch to be put next to the couch of Perctarit. Without delay king Grimuald directed his attendants that they should guard the house in which Perctarit was reposing so that he could not escape in any way. And when supper was finished and all had departed and Perctarit only had remained with Unulf and Perctarit's valet, [4] who in any case were entirely faithful to him, they disclosed their plan to him and begged him to flee while the valet would pretend as long as possible that his master was sleeping within that bed chamber. And when he had promised to do this, Unulf put his own bed clothes and a mattress and a bear's skin upon the back and neck of Perctarit and began to drive him out of the door according to the plan, as if he were a slave from the country, offering him many insults, and did not cease moreover to strike him with a cudgel from above and urge him on, so that driven and struck he often fell to the ground. And when the attendants of the king who had been put on guard asked that same Unulf why this was, "That worthless slave," he says, "has put my bed in the chamber of that drunken Perctarit who is so full of wine that he lies there as if he were dead. But it is enough that I have followed his madness up to the present time. From now on, during the life of our lord the king, I will stay in my own house." When they heard these things and believed what they heard to be true, they were delighted, and making way for the two, they let pass both him and Perctarit, whom they thought was a slave and who had his head covered that he should not be recognized. And while they were going away, that most faithful valet bolted the door carefully and remained inside alone. Unulf indeed let Perctarit down by a rope from the wall at a corner which is on the side of the river Ticinum (Ticino) and collected what companions he could, and they, having seized some horses they had found in a pasture, proceeded that same night to the city of Asta (Asti) in which the friends of Perctarit were staying, and those who were still rebels against Grimuald. Thence Perctarit made his way as quickly as possible to the city of Turin, and afterwards passed across the boundaries of Italy and came to the country of the Franks. Thus God Almighty by His merciful arrangement delivered an innocent man from death and kept from offense a king who desired in his heart to do good.

[1] According to another account Perctarit testified to the good faith of the Cagan who had refused a whole modius full of gold solidi for his betrayal (Waitz).
[2] The ancient Roman colony Laus Pompeia, a short distance southeast of Milan and northeast of Padua.
[3] According to DuCange 'lectisternia' means the trappings of a bed, cushions, bolster, etc.
[4] 'Vestiarius', he who has charge of one's clothing (DuCange).


Chapter III.

But king Grimuald, indeed, since he thought that Perctarit was sleeping in his lodging, caused a line of men to stand by on either side from this place of entertainment up to his palace, so that Perctarit might be led through the midst of them in order that he could not at all escape. And when those sent by the king had come and called Perctarit to the palace, and knocked at the door where they thought he was sleeping, the valet who was inside begged them saying: "Have pity with him and let him sleep a little because he is still wearied by his journey and oppressed by very heavy slumber." And when they had acquiesced, they announced this thing to the king, that Perctarit was sleeping up to this time in a heavy slumber. Then the king said: "Last evening he so filled himself with wine that now he cannot waken." He ordered them, however, to arouse him at once and bring him to the palace. And when they came to the door of the bed-room in which they believed that Perctarit was sleeping, they began to knock more sharply. Then the valet began to beg them again that they would let this Perctarit still, as it were, sleep a little. And they cried out in rage that that drunken man had already slept enough. Straightway they broke open the door of the bedchamber with their heels, entered, and looked for Perctarit in the bed. And when they did not find him, they supposed he was sitting down to the requirements of nature, and when they did not find him there, they asked that valet what had become of Perctarit. And he answered them that he had fled. Furious with rage they beat him, and seized him by the hair and straightway dragged him to the palace. And conducting him into the presence of the king they said that he was privy to the flight of Perctarit and therefore most deserving of death. The king directed him to be released and asked him in due order in what way Perctarit had escaped and he related to the king all the occurrences as they had taken place. Then the king asked those who were standing around and said: "What do you think of this man who has committed such things?" Then all answered with one voice that he deserved to die, racked with many torments, but the king said: "By Him who caused me to be born this man deserves to be treated [1] well, who for the sake of fidelity to his master did not refuse to give himself up to death." And presently, he ordered that he should be among his own valets enjoining him to observe toward himself the same fidelity he had kept to Perctarit and promising to bestow upon him many advantages. And when the king asked what had become of Unulf, it was announced to him that he had taken refuge in the church of the Blessed Archangel Michael. And he presently sent to him voluntarily promising that he should suffer no harm if he would only come and trust him. Unulf indeed, hearing this promise of the king, presently came to the palace and having fallen at the king's feet, was asked by him how and in what way Perctarit had been able to escape. But when he had told him everything in order, the king, praising his fidelity and prudence, graciously conceded to him all his [2] means and whatever he had been able to possess.

[1] Read 'haberi' for 'habere'.
[2] 'Ejus facilitates'. There is doubt whether this refers to the property of Unulf or of Perctarit (Hodgkin, VI, 251, note 1).


Chapter IV.

And when after some time the king asked Unulf whether he would then like to be with Perctarit, he answered with an oath that he would rather die with Perctarit than live anywhere else in the greatest enjoyment. Then the king also called for that valet, asking him whether he would prefer to stay with him in the palace or to spend his life wandering with Perctarit, and when he had given a like answer with Unulf, the king took their words kindly, praised their fidelity and directed Unulf to take from his house whatever he wanted, namely, his servants and his horses and furniture of all kinds and to proceed without harm to Perctarit. And in like manner also he dismissed that valet, and they, taking away all their goods, as much as they needed, according to the kindness of the king, set out with the help of the king himself into the country of the Franks to their beloved Perctarit.