ships the upper parts of the river Loire, and arrived at Orleans, which they pillaged of every thing, and then set the city on fire. Why should I mention the distress of Aquitania, since there was not in it a town or village, city or castle, that did not fall by the barbarous rage of the pagans ? Witness the people of Poictiers and Saintes ! Witness Angoulême, Perigord, Limoges, Auvergne, and Vievron, the capital of Aquitania. In what manner the robber Hastein reduced the city of Lunis. After afflicting Gaul with the miseries of which we have before given the reader a sample, the wicked robber Hastein sailed to the city of Lunis, and thought by a sudden attack to make himself master of it ; but the citizens, terrified at so great a fleet, fled to arms and defended their walls with shield and dart, encouraging each other to a manful resistance: and so great was their spirit, that with all his efforts Ilastein was unable to gain the place. At length he sent his servants to the bishop and count of the city, informing them that he was seized with a mortal illness, and humbly requested to be made a Christian by them. On hearing this the bishop and count rejoiced greatly, and making peace with the enemy of peace, allowed his people free admission to the city. At length the wicked flastein was carried to church and immersed in the sacred font, from which the bishop and mayor raised him again to their own destruction, and, after receiving the holy anointing, he was carried back to his ships by the hands of his servants. After this, in the depth of night he was clad in armour and laid on a bier, having directed his followers to wear their coats of mail under their tunics; his comrades then with feigned sorrow bore him from on board ship to the church, where the bishop in his holy garments was ready to sacrifice the host for the deceased ; when, behold ! Ilastein, that son of perdition, suddenly sprang up from the bier, put the bishop and count to the sword, and fell with wolfish rage on the people. After perpetrating these atrocities, old and young were slain, the city was pillaged, and its Avails thrown down. Having completed the ruin of the city, Hastein went to Charles, king of the Franks, who purchased peace by giving him the city of Chartres for his support; and so Gaul enjoyed a breathing time, after so much tumult and uproar.