下载辰思小说免费APP
andthelawoftheBurgundians，[29]debarredthedaughtersfromtherightofsucceedingtothelandinconjunctionwiththeirbrothers；
neitherdidtheysucceedtothecrown。ThelawoftheVisigoths，[30]onthecontrary，permittedthedaughterstoinheritthelandwiththebrothers：[31]andthewomenwerecapableofinheritingthecrown。[32]
Amongthesepeopletheregulationsofthecivillawhadaneffectonthepolitical。
ThiswasnottheonlycaseinwhichthepoliticallawoftheFranksgavewaytothecivil。BytheSaliclaw，allthebrotherssucceededequallytotheland，andthiswasalsodecreedbyalawoftheBurgundians。
Thus，inthekingdomoftheFranks，andinthatoftheBurgundians，allthebrotherssucceededtothecrown，ifweexceptafewmurdersandusurpationswhichtookplaceamongsttheBurgundians。
23。OftheregalOrnamentsamongtheFranks。Apeoplewhodonotcultivatethelandhavenoideaofluxury。Wemaysee，inTacitus，theadmirablesimplicityoftheGermannations：theyhadnoartificialelegancesofdress；theirornamentswerederivedfromnature。Ifthefamilyoftheirchiefwastobedistinguishedbyanysign，itwasnootherthanthatwhichnaturebestowed。ThekingsoftheFranks，oftheBurgundians，andtheVisigothsworetheirlonghairforadiadem。
24。OftheMarriagesoftheKingsoftheFranks。Ihavealreadymentionedthatwithpeoplewhodonotcultivatetheearth，marriagesarelessfixedthanwithothers，andthattheygenerallytakemanywives。
"OfallthebarbarousnationstheGermanswerealmosttheonlypeoplewhoweresatisfiedwithonewife，[33]ifweexcept，"saysTacitus，"somepersonswho，notfromadissolutenessofmanners，butbecauseoftheirnobility，hadmany。"[34]
Thisexplainsthereasonwhythekingsofthefirstracehadsogreatanumberofwives。Thesemarriageswerelessaproofofincontinencethanaconsequenceofdignity：anditwouldhavewoundedtheminatenderpointtohavedeprivedthemofsuchaprerogative。[35]Thisalsoexplainsthereasonwhytheexampleofthekingswasnotfollowedbythesubjects。
25。Childeric。"ThelawsofmatrimonyamongsttheGermans，"saysTacitus，"arestrictlyobserved。Viceisnotthereasubjectofridicule。Tocorruptorbecorruptedisnotcalledfashion，orthecustomoftheage：[36]therearefewexamplesinthispopulousnationoftheviolationofconjugalfaith。"[37]
ThiswasthereasonoftheexpulsionofChilderic：heshockedtheirrigidvirtue，whichconquesthadnothadtimetocorrupt。
26。OftheTimewhentheKingsoftheFranksbecameofage。Barbarianswhodonotcultivatetheearthhave，strictlyspeaking，nojurisdiction，andare，aswehavealreadyremembered，rathergovernedbythelawofnationsthanbycivilinstitutions。Theyare，therefore，alwaysarmed。
ThusTacitustellsus"thattheGermansundertooknoaffairseitherofapublicorprivatenatureunarmed。"[38]Theygavetheirvotebythesoundoftheirarms。[39]Assoonastheycouldcarrythem，theywerepresentedtotheassembly；[40]theyputajavelinintotheirhands；[41]andfromthatmomenttheywereoutoftheirminority：theyhadbeenapartofthefamily，nowtheybecameapartoftherepublic。[42]
"Theeagles，"saidthekingoftheOstrogoths，[43]"ceasetofeedtheiryoungonesassoonastheirwingsandtalonsareformed；thelatterhavenoneedofassistancewhentheyareablethemselvestoseizetheirprey：
itwouldbeadisgraceiftheyoungpeopleinourarmieswerethoughttobeofanageunfitformanagingtheirestatesorregulatingtheconductoftheirlives。ItisvirtuethatconstitutesfullageamongtheGoths。"
ChildebertIIwasfifteenyearsoldwhenGontram，hisuncle，declaredthathewasofage，andcapableofgoverningbyhimself。[44]WefindintheRipuarianlawsthattheageoffifteen，theabilityofbearingarms，andmajority，wenttogether。Itistheresaid[45]"thatifaRipuariandies，oriskilled，andleavesasonbehindhim，thatsoncanneitherprosecute，norbeprosecuted，tillhehascompletelyattainedtheageoffifteen；andthenhemayeitheranswerforhimselforchooseachampion。"Itwasnecessarythathismindshouldbesufficientlyformedtobeabletodefendhimselfincourt；andthathisbodyshouldhaveallthestrengththatwasproperforhisdefenceinsinglecombat。AmongtheBurgundians，[46]whoalsomadeuseofthiscombatintheirjudiciaryproceedings，theywereofageatfifteen。
AgathiastellsusthatthearmsoftheFrankswerelight：theymight，therefore，beofageatfifteen。Insucceedingtimesthearmstheymadeuseofwereheavy，andtheywerealreadygreatlysointhetimeofCharlemagne，asappearsbyourcapitulariesandromances。Thosewhohadfiefs，[47]andwereconsequentlyobligedtodomilitaryservice，werenotthenofagetilltheyweretwenty—oneyearsold。[48]
27。ThesameSubjectcontinued。WehaveseenthattheGermansdidnotappearintheirassembliesbeforetheywereofage；theywereapartofthefamily，butnotoftherepublic。ThiswasthereasonthatthechildrenofClodomir，kingofOrleans，andconquerorofBurgundy，werenotproclaimedkings，becausetheywereoftootenderanagetobepresentattheassembly。Theywerenotyetkings，buttheyhadarighttotheregaldignityassoonastheywereabletobeararms；andinthemeantime，Clotildis，theirgrandmother，governedthestate。[49]ButtheirunclesClotariusandChildebertassassinatedthem，anddividedtheirkingdom。Thiswasthecausethatinthefollowingagesprincesintheirminoritywereproclaimedkingsimmediatelyafterthedeathoftheirfathers。ThusDukeGondovaldsavedChildebertIIfromthecrueltyofChilperic，andcausedhimtobeproclaimedkingwhenhewasonlyfiveyearsold。[50]
Buteveninthischangetheyfollowedtheoriginalspiritofthenation；
forthepublicactsdidnotpassinthenameoftheyoungmonarch。SothattheFrankshadadoubleadministration：theonewhichconcernedthepersonoftheinfantking，andtheotherwhichregardedthekingdom；andinthefiefstherewasadifferencebetweentheguardianshipandtheciviladministration。
28。OfAdoptionamongtheGermans。AstheGermansbecameofagebythewieldingofarms，sotheywereadoptedbythesamesign。ThusGontram，willingtodeclarehisnephewChildebertofageandtoadopthimforhisson，madeuseofthesewords："IhaveputthisjavelinintothyhandsasatokenthatIhavegiventheeallmykingdom。"[51]Then，turningtowardstheassembly，headded，"YouseethatmysonChildebertisgrownaman；obeyhim。"Theodoric，kingoftheOstrogoths，intendingtoadoptthekingoftheHeruli，wrotetohimthus：[52]"Itisanoblecustomofourstobeadoptedbyarms；formenofcouragealonedeservetobeourchildren。Suchistheefficacyofthisact，thatwhoeveristheobjectofithadratherdiethansubmittoanythingignominious。Therefore，incompliancewiththenationalusage，andbecauseyouareamanofcourage，weadoptyouforoursonbythesebucklers，theseswords，thesehorses，whichwesendyouasapresent。"
29。OfthesanguinaryTemperoftheKingsoftheFranks。CloviswasnottheonlyprinceamongsttheFrankswhohadinvadedGaul。Manyofhisrelativeshadpenetratedintothiscountrywithparticulartribes；butashehadmetwithmuchgreatersuccess，andcouldgrantconsiderablesettlementstosuchasfollowedhim，theFranksflockedtohimfromallparts，sothattheotherchiefsfoundthemselvestooweaktoresisthim。
Heformedadesignofexterminatinghiswholerace，andhesucceeded。[53]Hefeared，saysGregoryofTours，[54]lesttheFranksshouldchooseanotherchief。Hischildrenandsuccessorsfollowedthispracticetotheutmostoftheirpower。Thusthebrother，theuncle，thenephew，and，whatisstillworse，thefatherortheson，wereperpetuallyconspiringagainsttheirwholefamily。Thelawcontinuallydividedthemonarchy；whilefear，ambition，andcrueltywantedtoreuniteit。
30。OfthenationalAssembliesoftheFranks。Ithasbeenremarkedabovethatnationswhodonotcultivatethelandenjoygreatliberty。
ThiswasthecaseoftheGermans。Tacitussaysthattheygavetheirkings，orchiefs，averymoderatedegreeofpower；[55]andC？saraddsfurtherthatintimesofpeacetheyhadnocommonmagistrates；buttheirprincesadministeredjusticeineachvillage。[56]Thus，asGregoryofTours[57]sufficientlyproves，theFranksinGerm
