178 WITNESS TO THE MIRACULOUS ? 



Hildoin's proceedings were not of such a nature 

 as to lead any one to place implicit confidence in 

 anything he might say; still less had his agent, 

 priest Hunus, established much claim to confi- 

 dence; and it is not surprising that Eginhard 

 should have lost no time in summoning his notary 

 and Lunison to his presence, in order that he 

 might hear what they had to say about the 

 business. They, however, at once protested that 

 priest Hunus's story was a parcel of lies, and that 

 after the relics left Rome no one had any oppor- 

 tunity of meddling with them. Moreover, Lunison, 

 throwing himself at Eginhard 's feet, confessed 

 with many tears what actually took place. It will 

 be remembered that after the body of St. Mar- 

 cellinus was abstracted from its tomb, Ratleig 

 deposited it in the house of Deusdona, in charge 

 of the latter 's brother, Lunison. But Hunus, 

 being very much disappointed that he could not 

 get hold of the body of St. Tiburtius, and afraid 

 to go back to his abbot empty-handed, bribed 

 Lunison with four pieces of gold and five of silver 

 to give him access to the chest. This Lunison 

 did, and Hunus helped himself to as much as 

 would fill a gallon measure (vas sextarii mensuram) 

 of the sacred remains. Eginhard's indignation at 

 the " rapine " of this " nequissimus nebulo " is 

 exquisitely droll. It would appear that the 

 adage about the receiver being as bad as the thief 

 was not current in the ninth century. 



