Cruelty of the Emperor Macrinus is particularly memorable; who as Julius Capitolinus writes, was nicknamed Macellinus, because his House was ftained with the Blood of Men, as a Shambles is with that of Beafts. Many fuch others are mention'd by Hiftorians, who for the like Cruelty (as the fame Capitolinus tells us) were ftil'd, one Cyclops, another Bufiris, a 3d Sciron, a 4th Typhon, a 5th Gyges. These were firmly perfwaded, that Kingdoms and Empires cou'd not be fecur'dwithout Cruelty: Wou'd it be therefore reasonable, that good Patriots fhou'd lay afide all Care and Solicitude for their Countrey? Certainly they ought rather to fuccour her, when like a miferable oppressed Mother, fhe implores her Childrens Help, and to feek all proper Remedies for the Mifchiefs that afflict her. But how fortunate are thofe Countries that have good and mild Princes! how happy are thofe Subjects, who, thro' the Benignity of their Rulers may quietly grow old on their Paternal Seats, in the Sweet Society of their Wives and Children! For very often it happens, that the Remedies which are made ufe of prove worse than the Evils themselves. 'Tis now, Moft Illuftrions Prince, about Sixteen Tears fince God Almighty has committed to your Rule and Government a confiderable part of Germany fituate on the Rhine. During which time 'tis fcarce conceivable what a general Tranquility, what a Calm (as in a Smooth Sea) has reigned in the whole Palatinate; how peaceable and quiet all things have continued : How How piously and religiously they have been governed: Go on moft Gracious Prince in the fame Meeknefs of Spirit, which I to the utmost of my Power must always extol. Proceed in the fame Courfe of gentle and peaceable Virtue; Macte virtute; not in the Senfe which Seneca tells us the Romans used this Exclamation in, to falute their Generals when they return'd all ftain'd with Gore Blood from the Field of Battel, who were rather true Macellinus's: But do you proceed in that Moderation of Mind, Clemency, Piety, Justice, Affability, which have occafion'd the Tranquility of your Territories. And because the prefent Condition of your Germany is fuch as we fee it, Men now-a-days run away from Countries infefted with Plunderers and Oppreffors, to take Sanctuary in thofe that are quiet and peaceable; as Mariners, who undertake a Voyage, forecast to avoid Streights, &c. and Rocky Seas, and chufe to fail a calm and open Course. There was indeed a time when young Gentlemen, defirous of Improvement, flock'd from all Parts to the Schools and Academies, of our Francogallia, as to the publick Marts of good Literature. Now they dread them as Men do Seas infested with Pyrates, and deteft their Tyranous Barbarity. The remembrance of this wounds me to the very Soul; when I confider my unfortunate miferable Country has been for almost twelve Tears, burning in the Flames of Civil War. But much more am, Igriev'd, when I reflect that fo many have not not only been idle Spectators of thefe dreadful Fires (as Nero was of flaming Rome) but have endeavour'd by their wicked Speeches and Libels to blow the Bellows, whilst few or none have contributed their Afiftance towards the extinguishing them. I am not ignorant how mean and inconfiderable a Man I am; nevertheless as in a general Conflagration every Man's help is acceptable, who is able to fling on but a Bucket of Water, So I hope the Endeavours of any PerSon that offers at a Remedy will be well taken by every Lover of his Country. Being very intent for several Months past on the Thoughts of thefe great Calamities, I have perufed all the old French and German Hiftorians that treat of our Francogallia, and collected out of their Works a true State of our Commonwealth; in the Condition (wherein they agree) it flourished for above a Thousand Tears. And indeed the great Wisdom of our Ancestors in the first framing of our Conftitution, is almost incredible; fo that I no longer doubted that the most certain Remedy for fo great Evils, must be deduced from their Maxims. For as I more attentively enquired into the Source of thefe Calamities, it feemed to me, that even as Humane Bodies decay and perish, either by fome outward Violence, or fome inward Corruption of Humours, or laftly thro' Old Age: fo Commonwealths are brought to their Period, Sometimes by Foreign Force, fometimes by Civil Diffentions, at other Times by being worn out out and neglected. Now tho' the Misfortunes that have befallen our Commonwealth are commonly attributed to our Civil Diffentions, I found upon Enquiry these are not so properly to be called the Cause as the Beginning of our Mifchiefs. And Polybius, that grave judicious Hiftorian, teaches us in the first place to distinguish the Beginning from the Cause of any Accident. Now I affirm the Cause to have been that great Blow which our Conftitution *Lewis the received about 100 Tears ago from that XI. * Prince who ('tis manifest) first of all broke in upon the noble and folid Inftitutions of our Anceftors. And as our natural Bodies when put out of joint by violence, can never be recover'd but by replacing and restoring every Member to its true pofition, fo neither can we reafonabl, hope our Commonwealth fhou'd be reftor'd to Health, till through Divine Afiftance it shall be put into its true and natural State again.. And because your Highness has always approv'd your felf a true Friend to our Countrey;I thought it my Duty to infcribe, or as it were to confecrate this Abstract of our History to your Patronage. That being guarded by fo powerful a Protection, it might with greater Authority and Safety come abroad in the World. Farewell,moft Illuftrious Prince; May the great God Almighty for ever blefs and profper your most noble Family., 12 Kal. Sep. Your Highness's moft Obedient, Francis Hotoman, Francogallia. CHAP. I. The State of Gaul, before it was M Y Defign being to give an Account of the Laws andÖrdinances of our Francogallia, as far as it may tend to the Service of our Gommonwealth, in its prefent Circumstances; I think it proper, in the first place, to set forth the State of Gaul, before it was reduced into the Form of a Province by the Romans: For, what Cafar, Polybius, Strabo, Ammianus, and other Writers have told us concerning the Origin, Antiquity & Valour of that People, the Nature and Situation of their Country, and their private Cuftoms, is fufficiently known to all Men, tho' but indifferently Learned. We are thereføre to understand, that the State of Gaul was fuch at that time, that neither was the whole under the Government of a C fingle 1 |