1376, by baron Antoine de la Tour, le whom, at that time, Montorsum belonged, as
also much landed property in the Lower Valíais. This baron, in consequence of some
dispute with Guichard Tavel, bishop of Sion, his uncle, who resided in the other
castle, relative to some dues, determined to obtain the prelate's acquiescence by force
of arms,—and accordingly, summoning his vassals to the field, he completely succeeded.
But De la Tour, not yet contented, wishing to add cruelty to revenge, had the barbarity
to cause the bishop and his chaplain to be thrown headlong from the summit of the
highest tower, which, as just observed, stood on the top of an isolated rock of immense
height. This horrid deed did not, however, remain long unpunished,—for the succeeding
bishop, attacking De la Tour in Montorsum, the castle was soon taken by assault,
and afterwards rased, or at least very nearly so, there being but little of its vestiges
now extant.
The baron's family was, in consequence, banished from the country, and their effects
confiscated ; and, previous to the French revolution, there were still some of his descendents
settled in Savoy.
From Morgia I soon reached Sion, a city seated on the banks of the Rhône, and as
it were in the centre of the valley, which is here tolerably well cultivated, It is likewise
an episcopal see, extremely ancient, not extensive, but pretty regular : the streets
are wider than in many towns ; and it is surrounded by old walls, flanked by some
Gothic towers, besides being farther defended by three forts or castles, which belong to
the see, and stand on as many isolated rocks. (Vide N° XXI I I ) . The first of these
forts, called Majoria, originally served as a place of residence to the nobles of the city,
named majores, but is now inhabited by the bishop j the second, Valeria, bears the
name of a Roman lady, by whom it was built, as I shall hereafter explain, but at present
is the residence of the dean and some of the canons, who form .the chapter ; and
the third, Tourbillon, the highest of the three, from whence it derives its appellation,
serves as a summer-retirement for the bishops.
This town, though by no means handsome, may certainly boast of its antiquity,
having been the Sedunum, or Civiias Sedwiemis, of the Romans.
Here have also been found, by the inhabitants, a number of fragments of vases,
bass-reliefs, and inscriptions, among which is one, placed by the church-door, so far
legible as to authorise a supposition that it must have originally belonged to some
trophy erected in the year DCCXLVI of Rome, in honour of AugustusJ—the words