ian, who has seriously rejected the doctrine of
a Trinity, will not be shaken by the most plausible evidence of an
Athanasian miracle.

The Vandals and the Ostrogoths persevered in the profession of Arianism
till the final ruin of the kingdoms which they had founded in Africa and
Italy. The Barbarians of Gaul submitted to the orthodox dominion of the
Franks; and Spain was restored to the Catholic church by the voluntary
conversion of the Visigoths.

This salutary revolution was hastened by the example of a royal martyr,
whom our calmer reason may style an ungrateful rebel. Leovigild, the
Gothic monarch of Spain, deserved the respect of his enemies, and the
love of his subjects; the Catholics enjoyed a free toleration, and
his Arian synods attempted, without much success, to reconcile their
scruples by abolishing the unpopular rite of a _second_ baptism. His
eldest son Hermenegild, who was invested by his father with the royal
diadem, and the fair principality of Btica, contracted an honorable and
orthodox alliance with a Merovingian princess, the daughter of Sigebert,
king of Austrasia, and of the famous Brunechild. The beauteous Ingundis,
who was no more than thirteen years of age, was received, beloved, and
persecuted, in the Arian court of Toledo; and her religious constancy
was alternately assaulted with blandishments and violence by Goisvintha,
the Gothic queen, who abused the double claim of maternal authority.
Incensed by her resistance, Goisvintha seized the Catholic princess by
her long hair, inhumanly dashed her against the ground, kicked her till
she was covered with blood, and at last gave orders that she should be
stripped, and thrown into a basin, or fish-pond. Love and honor might
excite Hermenegild to resent this injurious treatment of his bride;
and he was gradually persuaded that Ingundis suffered for the cause
of divine truth. Her tender complaints, and the weighty arguments of
Leander, archbishop of Seville, accomplished his conversion and the heir
of the Gothic monarchy was initiated in the Nicene faith by the solemn
rites of confirmation. The rash youth, inflamed by zeal, and perhaps by
ambition, was tempted to violate the duties of a son and a subject; and
the Catholics of Spain, although they could not complain of persecution,
applauded his pious rebellion against an heretical father. The civil war
was protracted by the long and obstinate sieges of Merida, Cordova,
and Seville, which had strenuo