V.5

 

Meanwhile, blessed Tetricus [of Langres] had an apopleptic stroke (a sanguine sauciatur). Because no physicians' poultices seemed to work, the clerics, disturbed and as if deprived of a shepherd, asked for Munderic [to be ordained bishop]. After being accepted by the king and tonsured, he was ordained bishop, under this condition, that, as long as blessed Tetricius remained alive, he would rule the fortress of Tonnerre as archpresbyter and stay there, and only succeed his predecessor when he dies. When he was still living in the said fortress, he incurred the king's wrath. He was accused of having brought provisions and gifts to Sigebert when that king was leading an expedition against his brother Guntram. He was dragged out of the fortress and thrown in exile to the narrow and roofless tower on the banks of the river Rhône. He lived there in great distress for almost two years. By the intercession of blessed Bishop Nicetius [of Lyon], he was sent to Lyon, where he lived with Nicetius for two months. But, since he was unable to obtain from the king reinstatement to the post from which he had been removed, he escaped at night, travelled to the kingdom of Sigebert, and was appointed bishop in the region of Alès.

 

(trans. Thorpe 1974: 260, altered by J. Szafranowski)