Nithardus: HISTORIARUM LIBRI QUATTUOR

Non solum me, uti praefatum est, ab hoc opere narrationis quiescere delectat, verum etiam, quo ab universa re publica totus secedam, mens variis querimoniis referta, assiduis meditationibus anxia versat. Sed quoniam me de rebus universis fortuna hinc inde iunxit validisque procellis maerentem vehit, qua portum ferar, immo vero penitus ignoro. Interim autem si aliquod tempus otiosum repperero, quid oberit, si, uti iussum est, facta principum procerumque nostrorum stili officio memoriae mandare curabo?

Not only does it delight me, as has been prefaced, to rest from this work of narration, but also, as to where I might withdraw wholly from the entire commonwealth, my mind, crammed with various complaints and anxious with assiduous meditations, keeps turning it over. But since Fortune has joined me to affairs on every side and carries me grieving through mighty storms, to what harbor I am borne—nay indeed I utterly do not know. Meanwhile, however, if I find any idle time, what harm will there be if, as it has been ordered, I take care to commit to memory, by the office of the stylus, the deeds of our princes and nobles?

Ergo huic rerum operi quarto assistam et, si in ceteris rebus futuris prodesse nequivero, saltem in his erroris nubeculam proprio labore posteris detergam.

Therefore to this work of affairs
the fourth I will attend and, if in the other future matters I shall have been unable to be of profit,
at least in these the little cloud of error by my own labor for posterity I will wipe away.

1. Usque Lodhuwicus et Karolus Lodharium a regno suo abisse certis indiciis cognovere, Aquis palatium [quod tunc sedes prima Franciae erat] petentes, sequenti vero die, quid consultius de populo ac regno a fratre relicto agendum videretur, deliberaturi. Et quidem primum visum est, ut rem ad episcopos sacerdotesque, quorum aderat pars maxima, conferrent, ut illorum consultu veluti numine divino harum rerum exordium atque auctoritas proderetur. Et hoc illis, quoniam merito ratum videbatur, commissum est.

1. At length Louis and Charles learned from sure signs that Lothar had departed from his kingdom, seeking the palace at Aachen [which then was the foremost seat of Francia], and on the following day, intending to deliberate what would seem more advisable to be done concerning the people and the kingdom left by their brother. To be sure, at first it seemed that they should refer the matter to the bishops and priests, the greater part of whom was present, so that by their counsel, as it were by a divine numen, the exordium and authority of these matters might be brought forth. And this was to them entrusted, since it seemed rightly ratified, as was deserved.

Quibus ab initio gesta Lodharii considerantibus, quomodo patrem suum regno pepulerit, quoties populum Christianum periurum sua cupiditate effecerit, quoties idem ipse hoc, quod patri fratribusque iuraverat, frustraverit, quoties post patris obitum fratres suos exhereditare atque delere temptasset, quota homicidia, adulteria, incendia omnigenaque facinora universalis ecclesia sua nefandissima cupiditate perpessa sit, insuper autem neque scientiam gubernandi rem publicam illum habere nec quoddam vestigium bonae voluntatis in sua gubernatione quemlibet invenire posse ferebant. Quibus ex causis non immerito, sed iusto Dei omnipotentis iudicio primum a proelio et secundo a proprio regno fugam illum inisse aiebant. Ergo omnibus unanimiter visum est atque consentiunt, quod ob suam nequitiam vindicta Dei illum eiecerit regnumque fratribus suis melioribus se iuste ad regendum tradiderit.

As they, from the very beginning, were considering the deeds of Lothar, how he drove his father from his kingdom, how many times he made the Christian people perjured by his greed, how many times that same man frustrated what he had sworn to his father and brothers, how many times after his father’s death he tried to disinherit and destroy his brothers, how many homicides, adulteries, arsons, and crimes of every kind the universal Church has endured by his most unspeakable greed, moreover they were saying that he had neither the knowledge of governing the republic nor could anyone find any trace of good will in his governance. For which causes, not undeservedly, but by the just judgment of Almighty God, they said that he first took flight from battle and second from his own kingdom. Therefore it seemed to all unanimously and they agree, that on account of his wickedness the vengeance of God has cast him out and has justly handed over the kingdom to his better brothers to be governed.

Verumtamen haudquaquam illis hanc licentiam dedere, donec palam illos percontati sunt, utrum illud per vestigia fratris eiecti an secundum Dei voluntatem regere voluissent. Respondentibus autem, in quantum nosse ac posse Deus illis concederet, secundum suam voluntatem se et suos gubernare et regere velle aiunt: 'Et auctoritate divina, ut illud suscipiatis et secundum Dei voluntatem illud regatis, monemus, hortamur atque praecipimus'. Hinc autem uterque illorum duodecim e suis ad hoc opus elegit, quorum unus exstiti; et sicut illis congruum, ut inter illos hoc regnum divideretur, visum est, contenti sunt; in qua divisione non tantum fertilitas aut aequa portio regni, quantum affinitas et congruentia cuiusque aptata est. Evenitque Lodhuwico omnis Frisia et cetera <...>.

Nevertheless, they by no means granted them this license, until they openly questioned them whether they wished to rule that charge after the footsteps of their expelled brother or according to the will of God. And when they answered that, in so far as God should grant them to know and to be able, they wished to govern and rule themselves and their own according to His will, they said: 'And by divine authority we admonish, exhort, and command that you undertake that, and that you rule it according to the will of God.' Then each of them chose twelve of his own for this work, of whom I was one; and as it seemed fitting to them that this kingdom be divided between them, they were content; and in this division it was adjusted not so much according to the fertility or equal portion of the realm as according to the affinity and congruence suitable to each. And it befell Lodhuwic all Frisia and the rest <...>.

Karolo vero <...>

But to Charles <...>

2. Quibus peractis quique illorum e populo, qui se secutus est, suscepit ac sibi, ut deinceps fidelis esset, sacramento firmavit. Et Karolus quidem Mosam regnum suum ordinaturus traiecit, Lodhuwicus vero Saxonorum causa Coloniam petiit. Quorum casus quoniam maximos esse perspicio, praetereundos minime puto.

2. When these things had been completed, each of them received those of his people who had followed him and bound them to himself by an oath, that they should henceforth be faithful. And Charles indeed crossed the Meuse, intending to order his kingdom, while Louis, on account of the Saxons, made for Cologne. Since I perceive that their fortunes are of the greatest moment, I think they are by no means to be passed over.

Saxones quidem, sicut universis Europam degentibus patet, Karolus Magnus imperator ab universis nationibus non immerito vocatus ab idolorum vana cultura multo ac diverso labore ad veram Dei Christianamque religionem convertit. Qui ab initio tam nobiles quam et ad bella promptissimi multis indiciis persaepe claruerunt. Quae gens omnis in tribus ordinibus divisa consistit: sunt etenim inter illos qui edhilingui, sunt qui frilingi, sunt qui lazzi illorum lingua dicuntur; Latina vero lingua hoc sunt: nobiles, ingenuiles atque serviles.

The Saxons indeed, as is evident to all who dwell in Europe, Charles the Great the emperor, called by all nations not undeservedly, converted from the vain cult of idols by much and diverse toil to the true religion of God and of Christ. Who from the beginning, both the nobles and those most prompt for war, have very often been illustrious by many signs. Which nation as a whole stands divided into three orders: for among them there are those who in their tongue are called edhilingui, there are those who are called frilingi, there are those who are called lazzi; in the Latin tongue these are: nobles, freeborn, and servile.

Sed pars illorum, quae nobilis inter illos habetur, in duabus partibus in dissensione Lodharii ac fratrum suorum divisa, unaque eorum Lodharium, altera vero Lodhuwicum secuta est. His ita se habentibus, cernens Lodharius, quod post victoriam fratrum populus, qui cum illo fuerat, deficere vellet, variis necessitatibus adstrictus, quocumque et quomodocumque poterat, subsidium quaerebat. Hinc rem publicam in propriis usibus tribuebat, hinc quibusdam libertatem dabat, quibusdam autem post victoriam se daturum promittebat, hinc etiam in Saxoniam misit frilingis lazzibusque, quorum infinita multitudo est, promittens, si secum sentirent, ut legem, quam antecessores sui tempore, quo idolorum cultores erant, habuerant, eandem illis deinceps habendam concederet.

Sed the part of them, which is held as noble among them, being divided into two parties in the dissension of Lothar and his brothers, one of them followed Lothar, but the other followed Ludwig. With things thus standing, seeing Lothar that after the victory of his brothers the people, who had been with him, wished to defect, constrained by various necessities, wherever and however he could, he was seeking assistance. Hence he was apportioning the commonwealth to his own uses, hence he was giving liberty to certain men, but to certain others he was promising that he would give it after the victory, hence also into Saxony he sent to the frilingi and the lazzi, of whom there is an innumerable multitude, promising, if they were of one mind with him, that the law which their forefathers, at the time when they were worshipers of idols, had had, that same he would grant them to have thereafter.

Qua supra modum cupidi nomen novum sibi, id est Stellinga, imposuerunt et in unum conglobati dominis e regno paene pulsis more antiquo qua quisque volebat lege vivebat. Insuper autem Lodharius Nordmannos causa subsidii introduxerat partemque Christianorum illis subdiderat, quibus etiam, ut ceteros Christianos depraedarent, licentiam dabat. Igitur metuens Lodhuwicus, ne idem Nordmanni nec non et Sclavi propter affinitatem Saxonibus, qui se Stellinga nominaverant, coniungerent regnumque sibi vindicaturi invaderent et Christianam religionem his in partibus adnullarent: quam ob rem, uti praetulimus, praemaxime <...> adiit et, in quantum valuit, simul et cetera regni sui scandala, ne hoc nefandissimum malum sanctae Dei ecclesiae deveniret, precavit.

Whereupon, beyond measure greedy, they imposed upon themselves a new name, that is, Stellinga, and, conglobated into one, with the lords almost driven from the kingdom, they lived by law in the ancient manner, each as he wished. Moreover, Lodharius had introduced the Northmen for the sake of subsidy and had subjected a part of the Christians to them, to whom he even was giving license to despoil the other Christians. Therefore Lodhuwicus, fearing lest the same Northmen and also the Slavs, on account of affinity, should join with the Saxons who had named themselves Stellinga, and, being about to vindicate the kingdom for themselves, should invade and annul the Christian religion in these parts: wherefore, as we have set forth above, most especially he approached <...> and, insofar as he was able, he also took precautions that the other scandals of his kingdom should not bring this most unspeakable evil upon the holy Church of God.

Quibus expletis Viridunensium civitatem Lodhuwicus per Teotonis villam, Karolus autem per Remensem urbem adeunt, quid deinceps agendum videretur, deliberaturi.

With these things completed
the city of the people of Verdun Louis by way of Theodon’s Villa, Charles however by
the city of Reims, they approach, to deliberate what seemed ought to be done next.

3. Per idem tempus Nordmanni Contwig depraedati sunt, inibique mare traiecto Hamwig et Nordhunnwig similiter depopulati sunt. Lodharius autem, ut se supra ripam Rhodani recepit, navigio eiusdem fluminis fretus inibi resedit; quo undique quos valuit sibi in subsidium attraxit. Verumtamen legatum ad fratres suos dirigens mandat, si sciret, qua fieri posset, primores suos ad illos dirigere vellet de pace deliberaturos.

3. At the same time the Northmen plundered Contwig, and there, the sea having been crossed, they likewise devastated Hamwig and Nordhunnwig. Lothar, however, when he had withdrawn to above the bank of the Rhone, relying on navigation of that same river, settled there; to which place he drew to himself from every side as many as he could for subsidy. Nevertheless, sending an envoy to his brothers, he commands that, if he should know how it could be brought about, he would be willing to send his leading men to them to deliberate about peace.

Responsum est, mitteret quos vellet, facile quemlibet scire posse, qua illis deveniret esse; ipsi vero uno eodemque itinere per Tricasinensium Cadhellonensem adeunt urbem. Cumque Miliciacum venissent, Iosippus, Eberhardus, Egbertus una cum ceteris a parte Lodharii ad illos venerunt dicentes, quod Lodharius cognovisset se in Deum et illos deliquisse, nolletque amplius, ut altercatio inter illos et Christianum populum esset; si vellent aliquid illi supra tertiam partem regni propter nomen imperatoris, quod illi pater illorum concesserat, et propter dignitatem imperii, quam avus regno Francorum adiecerat, augere, facerent; sin aliter, tertiam tantummodo partem totius absque Langobardia, Baioaria et Aquitania illi concederent; regeretque quisque illorum Deo favente portionem regni sui, prout melius posset; frueretur alter alterius subsidio ac benevolentia; concederent pacem et leges invicem sibi subiectis, essetque inter illos Deo auctore pax pacta perpes.

It was answered: let him send whom he wished; anyone could easily know by what way he might come to be with them; but they themselves, by one and the same route, go to the Cadhellonensian city of the Tricasinenses. And when they had come to Miliciacum, Iosippus, Eberhardus, and Egbertus, together with the others from the side of Lodharius, came to them, saying that Lodharius had recognized that he had offended against God and against them, and would no longer that there be altercation between them and the Christian people; if they wished to augment for him anything beyond a third part of the kingdom, on account of the name of emperor, which their father had granted to him, and on account of the dignity of the empire, which their grandfather had added to the kingdom of the Franks, let them do it; but otherwise, let them concede to him only a third part of the whole, without Lombardy, Bavaria, and Aquitaine; and let each of them, God favoring, rule the portion of his kingdom as best he could; let the one enjoy the aid and benevolence of the other; let them grant peace and laws in turn to their subjects; and let there be between them, with God as author, a perpetual peace by pact.

Quod cum Lodhuwicus et Karolus audissent, et illis plebique universae perplacitum esset, in unum una cum primoribus coeunt ac, quid de talibus acturi essent, gratanti animo conferunt. Aiebant se hoc in exordio dissensionis voluisse et, quamquam peccatis intervenientibus proficuum esse non posset, saepe hoc illi mandatum fuisse. In eo tamen omnipotenti Deo gratias referebant, cuius tandem ope adiuti hoc promeruerant, ut frater illorum, qui semper pacem atque concordiam spreverat, Deo largiente tunc illa petebat.

When Louis and Charles had heard this, and it was most pleasing to them and to the entire populace, they come together into one with the leading men and, with a grateful spirit, confer what they were going to do about such matters. They kept saying that at the beginning of the dissension they had wished this, and although, sins intervening, it could not be profitable, this had often been sent as a message to him. In this, nevertheless, they were giving thanks to the Omnipotent God, by whose help at last they had obtained this favor: that their brother, who had always spurned peace and concord, by God’s bounty was then asking for those things.

Verumtamen solito more ad episcopos sacerdotesque rem referunt, ut quocumque divina auctoritas id vertere vellet, nutu ipsius libenti animo praesto adessent. Quibus cum undique, ut pax inter illos fieret, melius videretur, consentiunt, legatos convocant, postulata concedunt. Cumque in divisione regni quattuor dies vel eo amplius morarentur, tandem visum est, ut inter Rhenum et Mosam usque ad exortum Mosae ac deinde ad exortum Saugonnae et sic per Saugonnam usque ad confluentem Rhodani et sic deinde per Rhodanum usque in mare Tyrrhenum omnes videlicet episcopatus, abbatias, comitatus, fisca cis Alpibus consistentia absque ... illi in parte regni tertia offerrent, et, si hanc recipere renuat, quid cuique debeatur, armis decernant.

Nevertheless, according to their accustomed manner they refer the matter to the bishops and priests, so that to whatever outcome divine authority might wish to turn it, at its nod they might be present with a willing mind. And since from every side it seemed better to them that peace be made between those parties, they consent, summon the legates, and grant the demands. And when they delayed for four days or more over the division of the kingdom, at length it seemed good that between the Rhine and the Meuse up to the source of the Meuse, and then to the source of the Saugonna, and thus along the Saugonna to the confluence with the Rhodanus, and so then along the Rhodanus to the Tyrrhenian Sea, all the episcopates, abbeys, counties, and fiscs lying on this side of the Alps, absque ... they should offer to him in the third part of the kingdom; and, if he should refuse to receive this, let them decide by arms what is owed to each.

Quod quidem, quamquam ultra quod iustum ac congruum, ut quibusdam videbatur, inventum fuerit, per Conradum, Cobbonem, Adhelhardum et ceteros mandatum est; ipsi vero interim, donec qui missi fuerant reverterentur, in eodem loco esse se decernunt responsum Lodharii praestolaturi. Qui cum ad Lodharium venissent, reppererunt illum paululum minus solito more animatum. Aiebat enim se non esse contentum in eo, quod fratres sui illi mandaverant, quia aequa portio non esset, querebaturque insuper suorum, qui se secuti sunt, causam, quod in praefata parte, quae illi offerebatur, non haberet, unde illis ea quae amittebant restituere posset.

Which indeed, although beyond
what was just and congruous, as to some it seemed, having been devised, through
Conrad, Cobbo, Adalhard and the others was mandated; but they themselves meanwhile,
until those who had been sent returned, determine to be in the same place,
to await Lothar’s answer. And when they had come to Lothar,
they found him a little less than his usual manner in spirit. For he said that he was not
content with that which his brothers had sent to him, because it was not an equal portion,
and he furthermore made complaint on behalf of his own men, who had followed him, that in
the aforesaid part, which was being offered to him, he would not have the means whence to
restore to them the things which they were losing.

Quam ob rem - ignoro, qua fraude decepti hi qui missi fuerant augent illi supra definitam partem usque in Carbonarias; insuper, si hoc usque ad tempus, quod illis pariter conveniret, reciperet, iurant illi, quod tunc fratres sui iure iurando, prout aequius possent, regnum omne absque Langobardia, Baioaria et Aquitania in tribus partibus dividerent, essetque super his sua electio, ut quam vellet harum acciperet, ac diebus vitae suae eandem illi concederent in eo, quod ille illis similiter faceret; et haec omnia, si aliter non crederet, sacramento sic se facturos promitterent. Iurat etiam Lodharius sic se velle ac sua ex parte sic perficere in eo, quod fratres sui, uti missi illorum tunc illi iuraverant, adimplessent.

For which reason—ignorant by what fraud those who had been sent were deceived—they enlarge for him beyond the defined portion as far as the Carbonaria; moreover, if he would accept this by the time which would suit them jointly, they swear that then his brothers, by oath, as equitably as they could, would divide the whole realm, excluding Lombardy, Bavaria, and Aquitaine, into three parts, and that over these his choice would prevail, so that he might take whichever of them he wished, and for the days of his life they would grant the same to him, on condition that he would do the like for them; and all these things, if he would not otherwise believe, they promised by oath that they would thus do. Lothar also swears that he so wills and on his part will thus accomplish it, provided that his brothers should fulfill what their envoys had then sworn to him.

4. Igitur mediante Iunio, feria videlicet quinta, propter civitatem Madasconis in insula quae Ansilla dicitur cum aequo numero primorum Lodharius, Lodhuwicus et Karolus conveniunt et hoc sacramentum mutuo sibi iuraverunt, videlicet ut ab ea die et deinceps invicem sibi pacem conservare deberent, et ad placitum, quod fideles illorum inibi statuissent, regnum omne absque Langobardia, Baioaria et Aquitania cum sacramento, prout ao aequius possent, in tribus partibus sui dividerent, electioque partium eiusdem regni esset Lodharii; et quique illorum partem, quam quisque acciperet, cuique deinde omnibus diebus vitae suae conservare deberet in eo si adversus fratres suos frater suus similiter faceret. Quo expleto adhibitisque verbis pacificis pacifice discedunt, ad castra redeunt, in crastinum de ceteris deliberaturi. Quamquam et id aegre vix, tamen effectum est, et usque ad conventum, quod in Kal.

4. Therefore in mid-June, namely on Thursday, near the city of Mâcon on the island called Ansilla, with an equal number of leading men, Lothar, Louis, and Charles meet and mutually swore this oath to one another, namely that from that day and thereafter they ought to preserve peace among themselves, and at the placitum which their fideles had established there, they would divide the whole kingdom, except Lombardy, Bavaria, and Aquitaine, with an oath, as more equitably as they could, into three parts of themselves; and the choice of the parts of the same kingdom would belong to Lothar; and each of them should thereafter preserve for each man, for all the days of his life, the part which each would receive, provided that his brother would do likewise toward his brothers. When this was completed and pacific words were applied, they depart peacefully, return to the camp, to deliberate on the rest on the morrow. Although even that was scarcely and with difficulty, nevertheless it was brought to effect, and up to the assembly which on the Kalends...

Octobris condixerant, pacifice quisque in sua portione, qua vellet, esset.

of October they had agreed, that peacefully each should be in his own portion, where he wished.

Et Lodhuwicus quidem Saxoniam, Karolus vero Aquitaniam ordinaturi adeunt, Lodharius autem iam, ut sibi videbatur, de electione regni partium securus Arduennam venatu petit omnesque primores suae portionis populi, qui a se, dum a regno abiret, necessitate coacti desciverant, honoribus privavit. Lodhuwicus etenim in Saxonia seditiosos, qui se, uti praefatum est, Stellinga nominaverant, nobiliter, legali tamen caede compescuit. Karolus vero in Aquitaniam Pippinum fugavit; quo latitante nihil aliud notabile efficere valuit, praeter quod Warinum quendam ducem ceterosque, qui sibi fidi videbantur, ob custodiam eiusdem patriae inibi reliquit.

And Louis indeed goes to Saxony, but Charles to Aquitaine, to arrange them, but Lothar now, as it seemed to himself, secure concerning the choice of the parts of the kingdom, seeks the Ardennes for hunting, and all the leading men of the people of his portion, who from him, while he was going away from the realm, compelled by necessity had defected, he deprived of honors. For Louis in Saxony the seditious, who, as aforesaid, had named themselves the Stellinga, he restrained nobly, yet by lawful slaughter. But Charles indeed drove Pippin into flight in Aquitaine; as he lay hidden he was able to accomplish nothing else notable, except that he left there a certain duke Warin and the others who seemed faithful to him, for the protection of that same country.

Insuper Egfridus comes Tolosae e Pippini sociis, qui ad se perdendum missi fuerant, quosdam in insidiis cepit, quosdam stravit. Idemque Karolus ad placitum, quod cum Lodhuwico fratre suo Warmatiam condixerat, iter direxit. Cumque Mettis pridie Kal.

Moreover,
Egfrid, count of Toulouse, from Pippin’s associates, who had been sent to destroy him,
captured some in an ambush, laid others low. And Charles likewise to the placitum,
which he had appointed with his brother Louis at Worms, directed his journey. And when
at Metz, on the day before the Kalends—

Octobris venisset, Lodharium in villa Teotonis repperit, quo ante condictum placitum venerat ac aliter, quam statuerat, residebat. Quam ob rem his, qui a parte Lodhuvici nec non et Karoli propter divisionem regni Mettis residere debuerant, tutum minime videbatur, ut, dum seniores sui in Warmatia et Lodharius in Teotonis villa essent, illi Mettis regnum dividerent. Distat enim Warmatia a Mettis leuvas plus minus LXX, Teotonis autem villa plus minus octo.

when October had come, he found Lothar in Theodon’s villa, whither he had come before the appointed assembly and was residing otherwise than he had determined. For this reason it seemed by no means safe to those who on the part of Louis and also of Charles ought to have remained at Metz for the division of the kingdom, that, while their lords were in Warmatia and Lothar in Theodon’s villa, they should divide the kingdom at Metz. For Warmatia is distant from Metz more or less 70 leagues, but Theodon’s villa more or less eight.

Occurrebat etiam, quod Lodharius in fratrum deceptione saepe perfacilis promptusque exstiterat, ideoque suam salutem illi credere haudquaquam absque qualibet securitate audebant. Ergo Karolus horum saluti consulens ad Lodharium dirigit, mandat, quoniam aliter, quam convenisset, venerat et erat, si vellet, ut missi fratris sui nec non et sui inibi una cum suis remanerent, daret illi obsides, ut de salute illorum fidus esset; sin aliter, mitteret ille missos suos Warmatiam ad illos, et illi quos vellet obsides illi darent; sin aliter, recederent a Mettis pari spatio; sin etiam et hoc nollet; in meditullio, qua vellet, missi illorum convenissent: non enim se tot nobilium virorum salutem neglegere debere dicebat. Erant quidem octoginta electi ex omni multitudine omni nobilitate praestantes, quorum interitus ni praecaveretur, maximam sibi fratrique suo posse inferre iacturam aiebat.

It also occurred that Lothar had often shown himself very easy and ready in the deception of his brothers, and therefore they did not at all dare to entrust their safety to him without some sort of security. Therefore Charles, having regard to the safety of these men, sends to Lothar and commands, since he had come and was present otherwise than had been agreed, that, if he wished, the envoys of his brother and also his own should remain there together with their men, he should give him hostages, so that he might be assured about their safety;
but if otherwise, let him send his envoys to Worms to them, and let them give to him whatever hostages he wished; if otherwise, let them withdraw from Metz by an equal distance; if even he would not have this either, then on the middle ground, wherever he wished, their envoys should meet: for he said that he ought not to neglect the safety of so many noble men.
There were in fact eighty chosen men from the whole multitude, outstanding in all nobility, whose demise, unless precaution were taken, he said could inflict a very great loss upon himself and upon his brother.

Tum tandem pro commoditate omnium hinc inde visum est, ut Conflentum missi illorum, centum decem videlicet, absque obsidibus convenirent inibique regnum, prout aequius possent, dividerent.

Then at last, for the convenience of all, on both sides, it seemed, that at Conflentum their envoys, namely one hundred and ten, should convene without hostages, and there divide the kingdom, as equitably as they could.

5. Quo scilicet XIIII. Kal. Novembris convenientes, ne forte quoddam scandalum inter homines illorum qualibet ex causa oriretur, pars illorum, quae a Lodhuwico nec non et Karolo venerat, orientalem ripam Rheni metantes, quae autem a Lodhario, occiduam, cotidieque ob commune colloquium Sanctum Castorem petierunt.

5. Accordingly, meeting on 19 October, lest perchance some scandal
arise among their men from any cause, the party of them
that had come from Louis and also from Charles, taking the eastern bank of the Rhine as boundary,
but those from Lothar, the western; and every day, for common colloquy, Saint
Castor they repaired to.

Cumque ad regni divisionem hi, qui a Lodhuwico et Karolo missi fuerant, variis querimoniis accessissent, quaesitum est, si quis illorum totius imperii notitiam ad liquidum haberet. Cum nullus reperiretur, quaesitum est, cur missi illorum illud in transacto spatio non circumissent, et illorum industria imbreviatum esset; cum et hoc, ut fieret, Lodharium nolle repperissent, aiebant impossibile esse ignoranti quoddam aequaliter dividere posse. Novissime autem quaesitum est, quoniam sacramento illud, prout aequius ac melius possent nossentque, dividere deberent, si hoc sincere iurare possent, dum scirent, quod nemo ignoranter id facere valeret.

And when, for the division of the realm, those who had been sent by Louis and Charles had approached with various querimonies, it was asked whether any of them had knowledge of the whole empire completely. When none was found, it was asked why their envoys had not gone around it in the elapsed span and, by their industry, abbreviated it; and since they had found that Lothar was unwilling that this be done, they said it was impossible for one ignorant of a thing to be able to divide it equally. Lastly, however, it was asked—since by oath they ought to divide it, as more equitably and better as they could and knew—whether they could swear this sincerely, since they knew that no one could do it in ignorance.

Et hoc quoque ad conferendum episcopis commissum. Qui hinc inde in basilica sancti Castoris convenientes, a parte Lodharii aiebant, si in sacramento quilibet deliquisset, hoc expiare posse, ac per hoc melius esset, ut hoc facerent, quam diutius tot rapinas, incendia, homicidia, adulteria ecclesiae Dei pateretur. At contra hi qui a parte Lodhuwici nec non et Karoli erant aiebant, dum neutrum necesse esset, cur in Deum peccare deberent?

And this too was committed to the bishops for deliberation. Who, assembling from both sides in the basilica of Saint Castor, the party of Lothar were saying that, if anyone had transgressed in the oath, this could be expiated, and that therefore it were better to do this than that the church of God should any longer suffer so many rapines, arsons, homicides, adulteries. But on the contrary those who were of the party of Louis and also of Charles were saying: since neither was necessary, why ought they to sin against God?

Aiebant melius esse, ut firmaretur pax inter illos, mitterentque pariter per universum imperium, et imbreviaretur, ac tum tandem iurare quod certum est absque periculo aequaliterque dividere posse censebant: sic quoque periuria ceteraque facinora devitare, ni caeca cupiditas impediret, posse firmabant; ac per hoc nec se ledere in sacramento velle nec cuipiam, ut faceret, licentiam dare testabantur. Qua dissentientes quique, qua venerat, ad suos secesserunt. Hinc omnes in eadem domo convenerunt, a parte Lodharii dicentes, quod parati ad sacramentum et ad divisionem, uti iuratum fuerat, essent; at contra a parte Lodhuwici et Karoli similiter se velle, si possent, aiebant; novissime autem, quoniam neuter quod alter volebat absque seniorum suorum auctoritate assentire audebat, statuunt, ut pax inter illos esset, donec scire possent, quid seniores sui horum recipere vellent; et hoc fieri posse in Non.

They said it was better that peace be secured between them, and that they should send together through the whole empire, and that it be entered into a brief register, and then at length they judged they could swear what is certain without danger and be able to divide equally: thus also, they affirmed, they could avoid perjuries and the other crimes, unless blind cupidity hindered; and through this they testified that they were unwilling to harm themselves in the oath nor to grant license to anyone to do so. Whereupon, each disagreeing, each withdrew to his own, by the way he had come. Thence all assembled in the same house, those on the part of Lothar saying that they were ready for the oath and for the division, as had been sworn; but on the other hand those on the part of Louis and Charles said that they likewise wished, if they could; finally, however, since neither dared to assent to what the other wished without the authority of their seniors, they decide that peace should be between them until they could know what their seniors would be willing to accept of these matters; and that this could be done on the Nones.

Novembris visum est, usquequo pacis termino constituto discedunt.

For the Nones of November it seemed good, until which time, with the term of peace constituted, they depart.

Qua quidem die terrae motus magnus per omnem paene hanc Galliam factus est, eademque die Angilbertus vir memorabilis Centulo translatus et anno post decessum eius XXVIIII. corpore absque aromatibus indissoluto repertus est. Fuit hic vir ortus eo in tempore haud ignotae familiae.

On which day indeed a great earthquake occurred through almost all this Gaul, and on the same day Angilbert, a memorable man, was translated at Centulum, and in the 29th year after his decease he was found with his body, without aromatics, uncorrupted. This man was sprung at that time from a not unknown family.

Madhelgaudus autem, Richardus et hic una progenie fuere et apud Magnum Karolum merito magni habebantur. Qui es eiusdem magni regis filia nomine Berehta Hartnidum fratrem meum et me Nithardum genuit. Centulo opus mirificum in honore omnipotentis Dei sanctique Richarii construxit, familiam sibi commissam mirifice rexit, hinc vitam cum omni felicitate defunctam Centulo in pace quievit.

Madhelgaudus, moreover,
Richard and he were of one lineage, and with Great Charles were deservedly held as great.
Who by the daughter of that same great king named Bertha begot Hartnidus, my brother, and me, Nithard.
At Centula he constructed a wondrous work in honor of the almighty God and Saint Richarius,
he marvelously governed the family entrusted to him, and then, his life brought to an end with all felicity, at Centula in peace
he reposed.

His paucis de origine mea delibatis ad historiae seriem redire libet.

With these few things on my origin having been sampled, it pleases me to return to the series of the history.

6. Cum autem, uti praefatum est, reversi quique regi suo quae invenerant nuntiassent, hinc inopia, hinc hieme instante, hinc etiam, quod primores populi degustato semel periculo iterum proelium nolebant, ac per hoc, ut pax inter illos usque in vicesimo die post missam sancti Iohannis firmaretur, assentiunt. Ad quam statuendam hinc inde primates populi Teotonis villam confluunt, iurant, ut ipsi reges inter se interim mutuam pacem servare deberent, et ut nequaquam quolibet modo omitteretur, ne in eodem conventu, ut aequius possent, omne regnum dividerent, essetque Lodharii, uti iuratum fuerat, partium electio eiusdem regni. Hinc quique qua libuit discessit, et Lodharius Aquis hiematum petiit, Lodhuwicus Baioariam, Karolus autem uxorem ducturus Carisiacum venit.

6. But when, as was aforesaid, those who had returned had reported to their king what they had found, then, on the one hand because of want, on the other with winter imminent, and also because the leaders of the people, having once tasted the danger, were unwilling for battle again, they consented that peace between them be confirmed until the twentieth day after the Mass of Saint John. To establish this, on either side the chiefs of the people flock to Teoton’s villa, and they swear that the kings themselves should meanwhile keep mutual peace between themselves, and that by no means should it be omitted that in that same assembly they divide the whole realm, so that they might be able to do it more equitably; and that to Lothair, as had been sworn, should belong the choice of the portions of that same kingdom. Thence each went away where he pleased, and Lothair made for Aquis to winter, Louis for Bavaria, but Charles, to take a wife, came to Carisiacum.

Eodem tempore Mauri a Sigenulfo fratre Sigihardi sibi causa subsidii inducti Beneventum invadunt. Eodem etiam tempore Stellinga in Saxonia contra dominos suos iterum rebellarunt, sed proelio commisso nimia caede prostrati sunt; ac sic auctoritate interiit, quod sine auctoritate surgere praesumpsit. Accepit quidem Karolus, uti praefatum est, in coniugio Hirmentrudem Uodonis et Ingeltrudis filiam et neptem Adelardi.

At the same time the Moors, by Sigenulf, brother of Sigihard, brought in to himself for the sake of aid, invade Beneventum. At the same time also
the Stellinga in Saxony again rebelled against their lords, but when battle
was joined they were laid low with excessive slaughter; and thus by authority there perished that which had presumed to rise without authority. Charles, indeed, as aforesaid, took in marriage Hirmentrude, the daughter of Odo and Ingeltrude, and the granddaughter of Adelard.

Dilexerat autem pater eius suo in tempore hunc Adelardum adeo, ut, quod idem vellet in universo imperio, hoc pater faceret. Qui utilitati publicae minus prospiciens placere cuique intendit. Hinc libertates, hinc publica in propriis usibus distribuere suasit ac, dum quod quique petebat, ut fieret, effecit, rem publicam penitus adnullavit.

Moreover, his father had loved this Adelard in his own time to such a degree that whatever the same man wanted in the whole empire, this the father would do. He, looking less to public utility, aimed to please each person. Hence he counseled immunities; hence he urged that public goods be distributed to private uses; and, while he brought it about that whatever each person asked should be done, he utterly annulled the commonwealth.

Quo quidem modo effectum est, ut in hac tempestate populum qua vellet facile devertere posset, et hac de re Karolus praefatas nuptias maxime iniit, quia cum eo maximam partem plebis sibi vindicare posse putavit. Nuptiis quidem XVIIII. Kal.

By this method it was brought about that
in this juncture he could easily divert the people wherever he wished, and on this account
Charles most especially entered upon the aforesaid nuptials, because he thought that with him he could claim for himself the greatest part of the plebs.
The marriage indeed on the 19th before the Kalends.

Ianuarii expletis natalem Domini ad Sanctum Quintinum celebre peregit, Valentianas quoque, qui de fidelibus suis inter Mosam Sequanamque causa custodiae remanere deberent, ordinavit; idem vero partibus Aquitaniae una cum coniuge anno DCCCXLIII. incarnationis Domini in hieme iter direxit. Fuit autem eadem hiems praefrigida nimis ac diuturna, langoribus insuper abundans nec non et agriculturae pecorique apibusque satis incongrua.

with January completed
he solemnly celebrated the Nativity of the Lord at Saint-Quentin; Valenciennes also he arranged, that certain of his faithful between the Meuse and the Seine ought to remain for the sake of guard; moreover the same man directed a journey into the parts of Aquitaine together with his spouse in the winter of the year 843. of the Incarnation of the Lord. The same winter, however, was excessively cold and diuturnal, abounding moreover in languors and also quite incongruous for agriculture, for livestock, and for bees.

7. Hic quique colligat, qua dementia utilitatem publicam neglegat, privatis ac propriis voluntatibus inserviat, dum ex utrisque creatorem adeo offendat, ut etiam omnia elementa eius vesaniae contraria reddat. Quodque huiuscemodi exemplis paene adhuc omnibus notis praefacile probaturus accedam. Nam temporibus bonae recordationis Magni Karoli, qui evoluto iam paene anno XXX.

7. Here let whoever will infer, with what madness he neglects the public utility, and serves private and personal wills, while by both he so offends the Creator, that he even renders all the elements contrary to his madness. And I will proceed to prove this very easily by examples almost all still well-known. For in the times of good memory of the great Charles, when almost the year 30 had already elapsed.

decessit, quoniam hic populus unam eandemque rectam ac per hoc viam Domini publicam incedebat, pax illis atque concordia ubique erat, at nunc econtra, quoniam quique semitam quam cupit incedit, ubique dissensiones et rixae sunt manifestae. Tunc ubique abundantia atque laetitia, nunc ubique penuria atque maestitia. Ipsa elementa tunc cuique rei congrua, nunc autem omnibus ubique contraria, uti scriptura divino munere prolata testatur: Et pugnabit orbis terrarum contra insensatos.

died, since this people was walking in the one and the same straight and thereby public way of the Lord, there was peace and concord everywhere for them; but now, on the contrary, since each one walks the footpath he desires, everywhere dissensions and quarrels are manifest. Then everywhere abundance and joy; now everywhere want and sadness. The very elements then were congruent to each affair, but now are everywhere contrary to all things, as Scripture brought forth by divine gift attests: And the orb of the earth will fight against the insensate.

Per idem tempus eclipsis lunae XIII. Kal. Aprilis contigit.

At the same time a lunar eclipse occurred on the 13th day before the Kalends of April.

Nix insuper multa eadem nocte cecidit maeroremque omnibus, uti praefatum est, iusto Dei iudicio incussit. Id propterea inquam, quia hinc inde ubique rapinae et omnigena mala sese inserebant, illinc aeris intemperies spem omnium bonorum eripiebat.

Snow moreover fell much that same night and struck grief into all, as was prefaced, by the just judgment of God. For this reason I say it, because on this side and that everywhere rapines and omnigenous evils were inserting themselves, while on the other side the intemperance of the air was snatching away the hope of all good things.