he Kingdom
whilst _Dagobert_ the Second bore the empty Title of King. This
_Plectrudis_ having been divorced by her Husband _Pipin_, because of her
many Adulteries and flagitious Course of Life; as soon as her Husband
was dead, proved the Incendiary of many Seditions in France. She
compell'd that gallant Man _Charles Martel_, Mayor of the Palace, to
quit his Employment, and in his Place put one _Theobald_, a most vile
and wicked Wretch; and at last She raised a most grievous Civil War
among the _Franks_, who in divers Battels discomfited each other with
most terrible Slaughters. Thus, says _Aimoinus_, [lib 4. cap. 50. & cap
sequen.] Also the Author of a Book called, The State of the Kingdom of
_France_ under _Dagobert_ the Second, has these Words: _"When the_
Franks _were no longer able to hear the Fury and Madness of_ Plectrude,
_and saw no Hopes of Redress from King_ Dagobert, _they elected one_
Daniel _for their King, (who formerly had been a Monk) and called him_
Chilperick." Which Story we have once before told you.

But let us proceed. The Queen-Mother of _Charles_ the _Bald_, (whose
Name was _Judith_) and Wife of _Lewis the Pious_, who had not only been
King of _Francogallia_, but Emperor of _Italy_ and _Germany_, got the
Government into her Hands. This Woman stirred up a most terrible and
fatal War between King _Lewis_ and his Sons, (her Sons in Law) from
whence arose so great a Conspiracy, that they constrained their Father
to abdicate the Government, and give up the Power into their Hands, to
the great Detriment of almost all _Europe_: The Rise of which Mischiefs,
our Historians do unanimously attribute, for the most Part, to _Queen
Judith_ in a particular Manner: The Authors of this History are the
_Abbot_ of _Ursperg_, _Michael Ritius_ and _Otto Frising._ [Chron. 5.
cap. 34.] "_Lewis_ (says this last) _by reason of the Evil Deeds of his
Wife_ Judith, _was driven out of his Kingdom_." Also _Rhegino_ [in Chron.
ann. 1338.] "_Lewis_ (says he) _was deprived of the Kingdom by his
Subjects, and being reduced to the Condition of a private Man, was put
into Prison, and the Sole Government of the Kingdom, by the Election of
the_ Franks, _was conferr'd upon_ Lotharius _his Son. And this
Deprivation of_ Lewis _was occasioned principally through the many
Whoredoms of his Wife_ Judith."

Some Ages after, Queen _Blanch_, a _Spanish_ Woman, and Mother to St.
_Lewis_, ruled the Land. As soon as She had seized the Helm of