Page images
PDF
EPUB

--

or took away all hopes of obtaining the Kingdom, to cut off his Head of Hair. Aimoinus in the fame place- "He earnestly beholding <C him, commanded his Hair to be cut off, denying him to be his Son. Alfo-Having caufed his Hair to be cut off a second time, he put him in Prison at Cologne ; from whence making his efcape, he fled to Narfes, and fuf"fer'd his Hair to grow again, &c. Which Story Gregory of Tours, lib. 6. cap. 24. likewife records. Alfo cap. 44. where he speaks of King Theodorick."The Franks (fays he) rofe up in Arms against him, and caft him out of "the Kingdom, and cut off his Head of Hair

1 cc

66

by force. But there is a very remarkable, or rather horrible Story related by Gregory of Tours, concerning Crotilda, the Queen Mother; who chofe rather to have the Heads of her two Grandfons cut off than their Hair. "Tis in his 3d Book, cap. 18.---- Our Mother (fays the King to his Brother) has kept our Brother's "Sons with her, and intends to advance them

Сс

to the Throne; we muft concert what mea"fures ought to be taken in this affair; whe"ther we fhall order their Hair to be cut off, "and fo reduce them to the State of common "Subjects; or whether we fhall cause them to "be put to death, and afterwards divide the

[ocr errors]

Kingdom between us: Then they fent Ar"chadius with a pair of Sciffars in one hand, "and a naked Sword in t'other to the Queen; "who approaching her, fhowed them both to

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

her, and faid, Your Sons, moft Glorious

Queen, have fent me to know your Pleasure, "what Destiny you are pleafed to allot to "these two Youths; whether by fuffering

their Hair to be cut off, you will have them

CC

to

to live; or whether you had rather have 6c both their Throats cut. Whereupon She chose rather to see them both kill'd, than to have their Hair cut off. I further obferve, that it was the Fashion when our Kings went to fingle Combat, to have their long Hair tied up in a large knot a top of their Helmets like a Creft; and that was their cognizance or mark in all their Fights. Therefore Aimoinus, lib. 4. cap. 18. where he fpeaks of the dreadful Combat between King Dagobert and Bertoaldus, Duke of the Saxons: The King (fays "he) having his Hair, together with a part "of his Helmet, cut off with a Blow of a "Sword on his Head, fent them by his Efquire to his Father, defiring him to hasten to his affiftance.

σε

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Now when I confider what might be the Reasons of this Inftitution, I can find none but this: That fince it had been the ancient Cuftom of the Gauls and Franks to wear their Hair long, (as it was alfo of the Sicambri, and of moft others in thofe Parts) our Ancestors thought fit to continue, and in process of time to appropriate this Ornament, and mark of Diftinction to the Regal Family. No perfon, tho' but indifferently learn'd, needs any proof that the Gauls wore their Hair long, efpecially when he calls to mind that of the Poet Claudian, ex lib. in Ruffin. 2.

Inde truces flavo comitantur vertice Galli
Quos Rhodanus velox, Araris quos
tardior ambit,
Et quos nafcentes explorat gurgite Rhenus.

Now that the Franks did fo too, whom we have fhewn to be defcended from the Chauci or

Chaiici,

Chaiici, that fingle paffage of the Poet Lucan is fufficient to confirm.

Et vos crinigeros bellis arcere Chaycos Oppofiti, petitis Romam, &c. Which being fo, we may eafily comprehend the reason why Strangers, who were ill affected towards our Nation, contumeliously called our Kings, who wore fo great a Head of Hair, Reges fetatos, bristled Kings; and not only fo, but (tho' Briftles and long Hair be common to Lyons, Horfes and Swine, all which are therefore called Setofi, or Setigeri) they ftretched the Contumely fo far, as to fay, they had Hogs Briftles. From whence arofe that filthy Fiction and foul Name, rexen; of which Georgius Cedrenus writes thus in his History “ Ἐλέγοντο δὲ οἱ ἐκ τὸ γένος ἐκείνο καταγόμενοι κριςάτι, ερμηνέμεται τριχοεσχάτοι· εἶχον γδ κατά της ράχεως αυ “ τῶν τείχας εκφυομένας, ὡς χεῖροι; that is, They "who were of the Kingly Race were called Criftati, which may be interpreted Bristle"back'd; because they had all along their "Back-bones, Briftles growing out like

st

[ocr errors]

Swine--. Which Paffage of Cedrenus, I be lieve, is corrupted, and inftead of the Word κριτάτοι, ought to be Σετάτοι, or perhaps both. For as fome Perfons called them pleasantly Chriftati, by reafon of their large erected Bunch of Hair upon the Tops of their Helmets; fo their ill-Willers called them upbraidingly Setati, or Setigeri. If Cedrenus had not been fo very plain in this Paffage, and the Appellation of Criftati be to be retained, I fhou'd rather have thought they might have been called 720 exTO, as being remarkable for their large Heads of Hair.

GHA P

CHA P. X.

The Form and Conftitution of the Francogallican Government.

TH

HESE Thing being thus briefly premised, we think it proper now to fet forth in what Manner the Kingdom of Francogallia was conftituted. And we have already made it plain, that the People referv'd to themfelves all the Power, not only of Creating, but alfo of Abdicating their Kings. Which Form of Government 'tis manifeft our Ancestors had, before they were brought under by the Romans. "So that the People (as Cafar tells us ) had no "lefs Authority and Power over their Kings, than "the Kings had over the People. Populus non "minus in Regem, quam rex in populum im

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

717

perii ac poteftatis retinet. Altho' 'tis probable the Franks did not derive this Conftitution of their Commonwealth from the Gauls; but from their Countrymen, the Germans; of whom Tacitus, lib. de mor. Germ. fays, "ReCC gibus non eft infinita aut libera Poteftas. "Their Kings have not an Arbitrary or Unlimi ted Power. Now 'tis manifeft, that no Form of Government is more remote from Tyranny, than this for not one of the three diftinguishing Marks, or Characteristicks of Tyranny, which the old Philofophers make mention of, can be found in the Form and Conftitution of our Government. Firft, as to a forced Obedience; i. e. that a King fhou'd rule over a People against their Wills; we have fhewn you already,

[ocr errors]

ready, that the Supreme Power, both of Electing and Abdicating their Kings, was in the People. Secondly, as to a Life-guard compofed of Foreigners, (which they reckon the Second Mark of Tyranny); fo far were our Francogallican Kings from making use of Mercenary Strangers for their Guards, that they had not fo much as their own Countrymen and Citizens, for that Purpofe; but placed their whole Truft and Confidence in the Love and Fidelity of their Subjects; which they thought a fufficient Guard.

As an Argument of this, we may obferve what Gregory of Tour's writes, lib. 7. cap. 18. and Aimoinus, lib. 3. cap. 63.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

King Gontrannus being inform'd by an ordinary Fellow at Paris, that Faraulphus lay in wait for him, presently began to fecure his Perfon by "Guards and Weapons; fo that he went no "whither (not even to the Holy Places) "without being furrounded with armed Men "and Soldiers. We have at present a very famous History extant of St. Lewis, written by that Excellent Perfon Joannes Jonvillæus, who lived very familiarly with that King for many Years; in which whole History there is not the leaft mention made of Guards or Garifons, but only of Porters or Door-keepers; which in his Native Tongue, he calls Ufhers.

Now as to the third Mark of Tyranny, which is when Matters are fo carried, that what is done tends more to the Profit and Will of the Perfon governing, than to that of the governed, or the Good of the Commonwealth; we fhall hereafter prove, that the Supreme Adminiftration of the Francogallican Kingdom was lodged in the Publick Annual Council of the Nation, which

« PreviousContinue »