[Footnote117:SeetheRipuarianCode，tit。xxxviintom。iv。p。
241。TheSaliclawdoesnotprovideforthesafetyoftheclergy；andwemightsuppose，onthebehalfofthemorecivilizedtribe，thattheyhadnotforeseensuchanimpiousactasthemurderofapriest。YetPraetextatus，archbishopofRouen，wasassassinatedbytheorderofQueenFredegundisbeforethealtar，Greg。Turon。l。viii。c。31，intom。ii。p。326。]
[Footnote118:M。BonamyMem。del\'AcademiedesInscriptions，tom。xxiv。p。582—670hasascertainedtheLinguaRomanaRustica，which，throughthemediumoftheRomance，hasgraduallybeenpolishedintotheactualformoftheFrenchlanguage。UndertheCarlovingianrace，thekingsandnoblesofFrancestillunderstoodthedialectoftheirGermanancestors。]
TheFranks，aftertheymingledwiththeirGallicsubjects，mighthaveimpartedthemostvaluableofhumangifts，aspiritandsystemofconstitutionalliberty。Underaking，hereditary，butlimited，thechiefsandcounsellorsmighthavedebatedatParis，inthepalaceoftheCaesars:theadjacentfield，wheretheemperorsreviewedtheirmercenarylegions。wouldhaveadmittedthelegislativeassemblyoffreemenandwarriors；andtherudemodel，whichhadbeensketchedinthewoodsofGermany，^119mighthavebeenpolishedandimprovedbythecivilwisdomoftheRomans。ButthecarelessBarbarians，secureoftheirpersonalindependence，disdainedthelaborofgovernment:theannualassembliesofthemonthofMarchweresilentlyabolished；
andthenationwasseparated，andalmostdissolved，bytheconquestofGaul。^120Themonarchywasleftwithoutanyregularestablishmentofjustice，ofarms，orofrevenue。ThesuccessorsofCloviswantedresolutiontoassume，orstrengthtoexercise，thelegislativeandexecutivepowers，whichthepeoplehadabdicated:theroyalprerogativewasdistinguishedonlybyamoreampleprivilegeofrapineandmurder；andtheloveoffreedom，soofteninvigoratedanddisgracedbyprivateambition，wasreduced，amongthelicentiousFranks，tothecontemptoforder，andthedesireofimpunity。Seventy—fiveyearsafterthedeathofClovis，hisgrandson，Gontran，kingofBurgundy，sentanarmytoinvadetheGothicpossessionsofSeptimania，orLanguedoc。ThetroopsofBurgundy，Berry，Auvergne，andtheadjacentterritories，wereexcitedbythehopesofspoil。Theymarched，withoutdiscipline，underthebannersofGerman，orGallic，counts:theirattackwasfeebleandunsuccessful；butthefriendlyandhostileprovincesweredesolatedwithindiscriminaterage。Thecornfields，thevillages，thechurchesthemselves，wereconsumedbyfire:theinhabitantsweremassacred，ordraggedintocaptivity；and，inthedisorderlyretreat，fivethousandoftheseinhumansavagesweredestroyedbyhungerorintestinediscord。WhenthepiousGontranreproachedtheguiltorneglectoftheirleaders，andthreatenedtoinflict，notalegalsentence，butinstantandarbitraryexecution，theyaccusedtheuniversalandincurablecorruptionofthepeople。\"Noone，\"theysaid，\"anylongerfearsorrespectshisking，hisduke，orhiscount。Eachmanlovestodoevil，andfreelyindulgeshiscriminalinclinations。Themostgentlecorrectionprovokesanimmediatetumult，andtherashmagistrate，whopresumestocensureorrestrainhisseditioussubjects，seldomescapesalivefromtheirrevenge。\"^121Ithasbeenreservedforthesamenationtoexpose，bytheirintemperatevices，themostodiousabuseoffreedom；andtosupplyitslossbythespiritofhonorandhumanity，whichnowalleviatesanddignifiestheirobediencetoanabsolutesovereign。