privilege (as _Tacitus_ has recorded) to be preferr'd to other
Candidates. I do not know whether any thing cou'd ever have been devised
more prudently, or more proper for the Conversation of a Commonwealth,
than this Institution. For so _Plutarch_, in his Life of _Sylla_,
plainly advises. "Even (says he) as expert Hunters not only endeavour to
procure a Dog of a right good Breed, but a Dog that is known to be a
right good Dog himself; or a Horse descended from a generous Sire, but a
tryed good Horse himself: Even so, those that constitute a Commonwealth,
are much mistaken if they have more regard to _kindred_, than to the
_qualification_ of the Prince they are about to set over them."

And that this was the Wisdom of our Predecessors in constituting the
_Francogallican Kingdom_, we may learn, First, from the last Will and
Testament of the Emperor _Charlemagn_, publish'd by _Joannes Nauclerus_
and _Henricus Mutius_; in which there is this Clause--"And if any Son
shall hereafter be born to any of these, my three Sons, whom the People
shall be _willing to Elect_ to succeed his Father in the Kingdom; My
Will is, that his Uncles do consent and suffer the Son of their Brother
to reign over that portion of the Kingdom which was formerly his
Father's." Secondly, What _Aimoinus, lib._ I. _cap._ 4. says, of
_Pharamond_, commonly counted the first King of the _Franks_, in these
Words.--"The _Franks electing_ for themselves a King, according to the
custom of other Nations, raised up _Pharamond_ to the Regal Throne." And
again, _lib._ 4.--"But the Franks took a certain _Clerk_ or _Priest_
called _Daniel_; and as soon as his Hair was grown, _establish'd_ him in
the Kingdom, calling him _Chilperic_." And _lib._ 4. _cap._ 67.--"King
_Pipin_ being dead, his two Sons, _Charles_ and _Carlomannus_, were
_elected Kings by the consent of all the_ Franks." And in another
place--"As soon as _Pipin_ was dead, the _Franks_ having appointed a
solemn _Convention, constituted_ both his Sons Kings over them, upon
this foregoing condition, that they should divide the whole Kingdom
equally between them."--And again, after the Death of one of the
Brothers--"But _Charles_, after his Brother's Decease, was _constituted_
King by the _consent_ of all the _Franks_." Also, towards the end of his
History of _Charles the Great_, he says, "The Nobility of the _Franks_
being solemnly assembled from all parts of the Kingdom; he, in their
presence, called forth to