to inscribe, or, as it were, to
consecrate this Abstract of our History to your Patronage. That being
guarded by so powerful a Protection, it might with greater Authority and
Safety come abroad in the World. Farewel, most illustrious_ Prince; _May
the great God Almighty for ever bless and prosper your most noble
Family._

Your Highness's most Obedient,

_Francis Hotoman_.

12 Kal. Sep. 1574.

* * * * *

Francogallia.

* * * * *

CHAP. I.

_The State of_ Gaul, _before it was reduced into a_
Province _by the_ Romans.

My Design being to give an Account of the Laws and Ordinances of our
_Francogallia_, as far as it may tend to the Service of our
_Commonwealth_, in its present Circumstances; I think it proper, in the
first place, to set forth the State of _Gaul_, before it was reduced
into the Form of a _Province_ by the _Romans_: For what _Caesar,
Polybius, Strabo, Ammianus_, and other Writers have told us concerning
the _Origin, Antiquity_ and _Valour_ of that People, the Nature and
Situation of their Country, and their private Customs, is sufficiently
known to all Men, tho' but indifferently learned.

We are therefore to understand, that the State of _Gaul_ was such at
that time, that neither was the _whole_ under the Government of a
_single Person_: Nor were the particular [Footnote: _Civitas_, a
Commonwealth.] _Commonwealths_ under the Dominion of the _Populace_, or
the _Nobles_ only; but all _Gaul_ was so divided into _Commonwealths_,
that the most Part were govern'd by the _Advice_ of the _Nobles_; and
these were called _Free_; the rest had _Kings_. But every one of them
agreed in this _Institute_, that at a certain Time of the Year a
_publick Council_ of the whole Nation should be held; in which
_Council_, whatever seem'd to relate to the whole _Body_ of the
_Commonwealth_ was appointed and establish'd. _Cornelius Tacitus_, in
his 3d Book, reckons Sixty-four _Croitates_; by which is meant (as
_Caesar_ explains it) so many Regions or Districts; in each of which, not
only the same _Language, Manners_ and _Laws_, but also the same
_Magistrates_ were made use of. Such, in many Places of his History, he
principally mentions the Cities of the _AEdui_, the _Rhemi_ and _Arverni_
to have been. And therefore _Dumnorix_ the _AEduan_, when _Caesar_ sent to
have him slain, began to resist, and to defend himself, and to implore
the As