s he) he march'd with a
vast Army into _Gaul_, which after _Posthumus's_ Death was all in
Commotion, and when _Aurelianus_ was kill'd, was In a Manner possessed
by the _Germans_; there he gain'd so many Victories, that he recover'd
from the _Barbarians_ sixty of the most noble Cities of _Gallia_: And
whereas they had overspread all _Gallia_ without Controul, he slew near
four hundred thousand of those that had seated themselves within the
_Roman_ Territories, and transplanted the Remainders of them beyond the
Rivers _Neckar_, and _Elb_."
But how cruel and inhuman the Domination of the _Romans_ was in
_Gallia_: How intolerable their Exactions were: What horrible and wicked
Lives they led; and with how great Inveteracy and Bitterness they were
hated upon that Account by the _Gauls_, (especially by the _Christians_)
may best be learn'd from the Works of _Salvianus_, Bishop of
_Marseilles_, which treat of Providence: Therefore 'tis incredible to
tell, what Multitudes of _Germans_ pour'd themselves into _Gallia_; the
_Gauls_ not only not hindring, but even favouring and calling them in.
_Latinus Pacatus_, in his Speech to _Theodesius_, has this Passage;
"From whence shou'd I begin my Discourse, but from thy Mischiefs, O
_Gallia_! who may'st justly challenge a Superiority in Sufferings, above
all the Nations of the Earth, that have been vexed with this
Plague?"--Now 'tis most plain both from _Sidonius Apollinaris_, and
especially from the above-mentioned _Salvianus_, in many Places of his
Writings, that our _Franks_ were a Part of those _German_ Nations, who
thus entred into _Gallia_.
* * * * *
CHAP. IV.
_Of the Original of the_ Franks; _who having possessed
themselves of_ Gallia, _changed its Name, into that of_
Francia, _or_ Francogallia.
The Order of our Discourse requires, that we should now enquire into the
Original of the _Franks_, and trace them from their first Habitations,
or (as it were) their very Cradles: In which Disquisition 'tis very much
to be admired, that no mention has been made of them by _Ptolomy_,
_Strabo_, or even by _Tacitus_ himself, who of all Writers was most
accurate in describing the Names and Situations of all the _German_
Nations: and 'tis plain, the _Franks_ were a _German_ People, who
possessed most part of _Europe_ for many Years, with great Reputation;
of which we will quote but a few Instances out of many.
First, _Joannes Naucle
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