ve _all given their
Consents_, let them set their Hands and Seals to every Article."

From which Words, 'tis apparent that the People of _France_ were wont to
be bound by such Laws _only_, as they had publickly agreed to in their
_Parliaments_. Also _in fine Leg. Aleman._ we find this Passage.--"This
is decreed by the _King_ and his _Nobles_, and all the Christian
_People_ which compose the Kingdom of the _Merovingians_." Also
_Aimoinus_, lib. 5 cap. 38.--"In this _Placitum_ the Laws which follow
were agreed upon, to be observed between them, by the _Consent_ of the
faithful _Subjects_.--An Agreement made between the Glorious Kings, &c.
by the _Advice_ and _Consent_ of their faithful Commons, &c."

Lastly, we cannot omit observing, that so great was the _Reputation_ and
_Authority_ of this _General Council_, even among _Strangers_, that
_foreign Princes_ submitted to have their Controversies and Differences
decided by it. The _Appendix_ to _Greg. Turon._ lib. 11. cap. 37. _Anno_
12. of _Theodorick_'s Reign, has this Passage in it.--"When
_Alsaciones_, [perhaps _Alsatia_] in which Country he had been brought
up, and which was left him by his Father _Childebert_, fell nevertheless
to _Theodebert_, according to the Custom in Use among the _Barbarians_;
the two Kings agreed that their Difference should be decided by the
judgment of the _Franks_, (in _Salocissa castro_) in their Camp near the
River _Sala_."

* * * * *

CHAP. XII.

_Of the Kingly Officers, commonly call'd_ Mayors of the
Palace.

Before we treat farther of the _uninterrupted Authority_ of the _Publick
Council_, we think it not improper to say somewhat of those Regal great
Officers, which, during the _Merovingian_ Race were called (_Majores
domus_) Masters, or _Mayors of the Palace_. These having for some Time
encroach'd upon the Kingly Power, finding at last a fit Opportunity,
seiz'd upon it entirely as their own. Their Dignity near the Persons of
our Kings seems to have been much the same with that of _Praefecti
Pretorio_, or Generals of the Guards in the Time of the _Roman_
Emperors, who were sometimes also titled _Aulae Praefecti_. They were
usually appointed in and by the same _Convention_ which chose the
_Kings_, and were wont to be Chiefs or Heads of the _Publick Council_.
And upon this Account we frequently meet with such-like Expressions as
these among our Historians.--"They elected such and such a Ma