odowig with his Franks took possession of the country
to the Loire, and then pushed on the boundaries of their kingdom to
the Pic du Midi. The profession of Christianity by Hlodowig was not a
mere matter of policy. It was another expression of that Frankish
quality of sincerity and truth, which has been already noticed, in the
Gaul that was shaking off the bonds of Rome. It was perhaps the chief
quality of that band of nations north of Tiber which stretched from
English hills, across limestone plateaux of Northern France, through
German forests, to the vales of the Carpathians. These were the first
wave of the "barbarian" invasion after Rome had fallen. Behind them,
further to the north and east, drifted a piratical band of roaming
warriors, who for the next five centuries press and harry the
boundaries of the kingdoms, Visigoths and Ostrogoths, Saxons, Danes,
and Scandinavians, of whom we shall hear more later.

[Illustration: STATUE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT ST. LOUIS (FROM THE
CATHEDRAL) NOW IN THE MUSEE DES ANTIQUITES]

The Christian bishops were the shield after Rome fell, between the
trembling conquered races and the first wave of conquering barbarian
invasion. The strength of their faith we have seen already in the
crypt of St. Gervais. This little altar, and the tiny shrine of St.
Godard watched infant Rouen from beyond its walls. An edict in 399 had
destroyed the rural temples of the old Pagan faith. About 450 a new
law recommended the conversion of the old temples within the towns
into churches. So in these years we may suppose that the first
building had risen on the site of the Cathedral, with St. Herbland's
earliest church in front, and upon other eyots in the Seine the
shrines of St. Martin de la Roquette, St. Clement, and St. Eloi. When
Julia Bona was finally deserted, Rouen became the home of a count, who
held, under Clovis, administrative, judicial and military power. By
the next century the town must have grown to a considerable size and
importance. Yet there is absolutely nothing of Merovingian Rouen left
except the few poor ornaments in the glass cases of the Musee des
Antiquites. Here you will see some of the characteristically shaped
bronze axe-heads of the period; but by far the larger part of what is
left is woman's gear. Beside the axes there are a few lance and
arrow-heads; but the finger rings (still on the bones that wore them)
are numerous; there are necklaces too, and bracelets; nails and
but