Chapter 29: The sanguinary Temper of the Kings of the Franks

Chapter 29: The sanguinary Temper of the Kings of the Franks

CLOVIS was not the only prince amongst the Franks who had invaded Gaul.

  • Many of his relations had penetrated into this country with particular tribes;
  • but, as he had met with much greater success, and could grant considerable settlements to such as followed him, the Franks flocked to him from all parts, so that the other chiefs found themselves too weak to resist him. He formed a design of exterminating his whole race, and he succeeded§.
  • He feared, says Gregory of Tours, lest the Franks should choose another chief. His children and successors followed this practice to the utmost of their power.
  • Thus the brother, the uncle, the nephew, and, what is still worse, the father, or the son, were perpetually conspiring against their whole family.
  • The law continually divided the monarchy, while fear, ambition, and cruelty, wanted to re-unite it.

 

Chapter 30: The national Assemblies of the Franks

IT has been remarked, above, that nations who do not cultivate the land enjoy great liberty.

  • This was the case of the Germans.
  • Tacitus says, that they gave their kings, or chiefs, a very moderate degree of power*
  • Cæsar adds, farther†, that, in times of peace, they had no common magistrates, but their princes administered justice in each village.
  • Thus, as Gregory of Tours‡ sufficiently proves, the Franks in Germany had no king.

 

“The princes, says Tacitus∥, deliberate on matters of no great concern, while affairs of importance are submitted to the whole nation;

  • but, in such a manner, that these very affairs, which are under the cognizance of the people, are at the same time laid before the princes.”
  • This custom was observed by them after their conquests, as may be seen§ in all their records.

Tacitus says, that capital crimes might be carried before the assembly.

  • It was the same after the conquest, when the great vassals were tried before that body.

Chapter 31: The Authority of the Clergy under the first Race

THE priests of barbarous nations are commonly invested with power, because they have both that authority which is due to them from their religious character, and that influence which, amongst such a people, is the offspring of superstition.

  • Thus we see, in Tacitus, that priests were held in great veneration by the Germans, and that they presided* in the assemblies of the people.
  • They alone were permitted† to chastise, to bind, to smite; which they did, not by order of the prince or as his ministers of justice, but as by an inspiration of that Deity ever supposed to be present with those who made war.

We should not, therefore be astonished, when, from the very beginning of the first race, we meet with bishops the dispensers of‡ justice;

  • when we see them appear in the assemblies of the nation;
  • when they have such a prodigious influence on the minds of sovereigns
  • when they acquire so large a share of property.