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, Johannes Nauclerus says thus,—"Charles the Great was call'd King of the Franks; which is as much as to say, King of Germany and France." Now 'tis demonstrable, that at that time all Gallia Transalpina, and all Germany from the Pyrenæen Mountains, as far as Hungary, was called Francia: This last was called Eastern France, the former Western France; and in this all true Historians agree.
Eguinarthus, in his Life of Charlemain, says,—"The Banks of the River Sala, which divides the Taringi from the Sorabi, were afterwards inhabited by those called the Eastern Franks." Otto Frising. Chron. 5. cap. 4. speaking of King Dagaber's Reign, "The Bounds of the Franks Dominions reach'd now (says he) from Spain, as far as Hungary, being two most noble Dukedoms, Aquitania and Bavaria";—but much more at large, lib. 6. cap. 17. And after him Godfrey of Viterbo, in his Chronic. part. 17. sub Anno 881, "Arnulphus (says he) ruled all Eastern Francia, which is now called the Teutonick Kingdom, or Germany; that is to say, Bavaria, Suabia, Saxonia, Turingia, Frisia and Lotharingia; but Odo was king of Western France." Again, sub Anno 913. "It is apparent by the Authority of many Writers, that the Kingdom of Germany, which the Emperor Frederick at present holds, is part of the Kingdom of the Franks; for there (on both sides of the Rhine) the first Franks were seated; which as far as to the Limits of Bavaria, is now called Eastern France: But Western France is that Kingdom which lies on both Sides the Rivers Seine and Loire"—And again he says, "In the time of Charles the Great, King of the Franks, all Gallia, that is, Celtica, Belgica, and Lugdunensis and all Germany which reaches from the Rhine as far as far as Dalmatia, made but one Kingdom; which was called Francia"—Almost all which Quotations have been taken out of Otto, as I said before. 'Tis to be noted, that Rhegino writes thus, in Chron. anni 577.—"After the Death of King Pipin, Lewis his Son (who had been present at his Father's Decease and celebrated his Funerals) kept his Residence at Francfort, the principal Seat of the Eastern Kingdom." Luitprandus Ticinensis says, lib. 1. cap. 6.—"It was order'd that Wido shou'd have for his Share, that which Men call the Roman France, and Berengarius shou'd have Italy." And a little after,—"When he had march'd thro' the Territories of the Burgundians, he purposed to enter Roman France, &c." Now it was call'd Roman France, first, because the Franks had possessed themselves of that Gallia, which was under the Roman Obedience. Secondly, because the Roman Language prevail'd in that Country, as we formerly told you: Whence arose the Saying, Loqui Romanum, of such as used not the German or Frank; but the Latin Tongue. Otto Frisingius, chron. 4. cap. penult. says,—"It seems to me, that those Franks who dwell in Gallia, borrowed the Language, which they make use of to this Day, from the Romans; for the others who stay'd about the Rhine, and in Germany use the Teutonick Tongue."—And in Imitation of him, Godfridus, part. 17. cap. 1.—"The Franks (says he) seem to me to have learn'd the Language which they make use of to this Day, from the Romans, who formerly dwelt in those Parts—." From all these 'tis apparent, that the Reputation and Power of the Franks was extraordinary great; as 'twas fitting for such as were Masters of a great Part of Europe.
Moreover we find, that those Germans which were transplanted by the Emperor Frederick the IId, into the Kingdoms of Naples and Sicily, and establish'd there as a presidiary Colony, were called Franks. Petrus de Vineis, lib. epist. 6. cap. 25. [Footnote: These are only broken pieces of Sentences, to prove, that the Germans (establish'd in Naples and Sicily) were called, and actually were Franks.] —"Following (says he) the Law and Custom of the Franks, in this Instance, that the Eldest Brother to the Exclusion of all the Younger succeeds, even in the Camp it self." Imp. Freder. 2. Neapol. constit. lib. 2. tit. 32. speaking of those Franks, "who upon Occasion trusted the Fortune of their Lives, and of all their Estates, to the Event of a Duel, or single Combat." And again,—"The aforesaid manner of Proof, which all who observe the Rites of the Franks made use of"—.Also lib. 2. tit. 33.—"which Law, our Will is, shall in all Causes be common both to the Franks and Longobards."
Matters being thus plain, 'tis strange that Gregory Bishop of Tours (who writ concerning the Original of the Franks 800 Years ago) shou'd say, in the first Part of his History, That altho' he had made diligent Enquiry about the Rise and Beginning of the Franks, he could find nothing certain: notwithstanding he had seen an ancient Book of a certain Historian of theirs, called, Salpitius Alexander; who affirms nothing, either of their first Habitations, or the Beginnings of their Domination.
But we have found out, that these People originally came from that Country which lies between the Rhine and the Elb, and is bounded on the West by the Sea, almost in the same Tract where the greater and the lesser Chauci dwelt. "A People (says Tacitus) the most noble among all the Germans, who founded their Greatness and maintained it by Justice." These were next Neighbours to the Batavians; for 'tis agreed on all Hands, that the Franks had their first Seats near the Sea-shore, in very marshy Grounds; and were the most skilful People in Navigation, and Sea-fights, known at that time: Whereof we have the following Testimonies. First, in Claudian, who congratulating Stilicon's Victory, writes thus;
—Ut jam trans fluvium non indignante Chayco Paseat Belga pecus, mediumque ingressa per Albin Gallica Francorum montes armenta pererrent.
In which Place he makes use of a Poetical License, and calls those People Chayci, which the Geographers call Chauci. Now that they were seated near the Sea, that Panegyrical Oration made to Constantine the Great, is a Testimony: "Quid loquar rursus, &c. What should I speak more of those remote Nations of the Franks, transplanted not from Places which the Romans of old invaded; but plucked from their very original Habitations, and their farthest Barbarous Shores, to be planted in the waste Places of Gallia; where with their Husbandry, they may help the Roman Empire in time of Peace; and with their Bodies, supply its Armies in time of War—." And in another Panegyrick, by Eumenius the Rhetorician, we find this Passage, "Aut hæc ipsa, &c. Or this Country, which was once overspread with the Fierceness of the Franks, more than if the Waters of their Rivers, or their Sea, had cover'd it;" but now ceases to be barbarous, and is civilized. To the same Purpose is Procopius Testimony, in his first Book of the Gothick War; for where he describes the place where the Rhine falls into the Ocean; "In these Parts (says he) there are great Marshes, where of old the Germans dwelt; a barbarous People, and at that time of small Reputation, which now are called Franks—." And Zonaras, in the 3d Tome of his Annals, quotes this very Passage of Procopius. Also Flavius Vopiscus, in his Life of Probus, tells us, That the Franks were discomfited by Probus in their inaccessible Marshes.—Testes sunt Franci inviis strati paludibus. Also Sidonius Apollinaris says thus;