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rdship to declare in the general assembly of the province the written or unwritten usages of each place； endeavours were made to render the customs more general； as much as possible； without injuring the interests of individuals； which were carefully preserved。＇313＇ Thus our customs were characterised in a threefold manner； they were committed to writing； they were made more general； and they received the stamp of the royal authority。
Many of these customs having been digested anew； several changes were made either in suppressing whatever was incompatible with the actual practice of the law； or in adding several things drawn from this practice。
Though the common law is considered among us as in some measure opposite to the Roman； insomuch that these two laws divide the different territories； it is； notwithstanding； true that several regulations of the Roman law entered into our customs； especially when they made the new digests； at a time not very distant from ours； when this law was the principal study of those who were designed for civil employments； at a time when it was not usual for people to boast of not knowing what it was their duty to know； and of knowing what they ought not to know； at a time when a quickness of understanding was made more subservient to learning than pretending to a profession； and when a continual pursuit of amusements was not even the characteristic of women。
I should have been more diffuse at the end of this book； and； entering into the several details； should have traced all the insensible changes which from the opening of appeals have formed the great corpus of our French jurisprudence。 But this would have been ingrafting one large work upon another。 I am like that antiquarian＇314＇ who set out from his own country； arrived in Egypt； cast an eye on。 the pyramids and returned home。
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1。 See the prologue to the Salic Law。 Mr。 Leibnitz says； in his treatise of the origin of the Franks； that this law was made before the reign of Clovis： but it could not be before the Franks had quitted Germany； for at that time they did not understand the Latin tongue。
2。 See Gregory of Tours。
3。 See the prologue to the Law of the Bavarians； and that to the Salic Law。
4。 Ibid。
5。 Lex Angliorum Werinorum； hoc est Thuringorum。
6。 They did not know how to write。
7。 They were made by Euric； and amended by Leovigildus。 See Isidorus's chronicle。 Chaindasuinthus and Recessuinthus reformed them。 Egigas ordered the code now extant to be made； and commissioned bishops for that purpose； nevertheless the laws of Chaindasuinthus and Recessuinthus were preserved； as appears by the sixth council of Toledo。
8。 See the prologue to the Law of the Bavarians。
9。 We find only a few in Childebert's decree。
10。 See the prologue to the Code of the Burgundians； and the code itself； especially tit。 12； § 5； and tit。 38。 See also Gregory of Tours； ii。 33； and the code of the Visigoths。
11。 See lower down； chapter 3。
12。 See cap。 ii。 §§ 8 and 9； and cap。 iv。 §§ 2 and 7。
13。 De Bello Gall。； vi。
14。 Book i； formul。 8。
15。 Chapter 31。
16。 That of Clotarius in the year 560； in the edition of the Capitularies of Baluzius； i； art。 4； ib。 in fine。
17。 Capitularies added to the Law of the Lombards； i； tit。 25； 71； ii； tit。 41； 7； and tit。 56； 1； 2。
18。 Ibid。； ii； tit。 5。
19。 Ibid。； ii； tit。 7； 1。
20。 Ibid。； 2。
21。 Ibid。； ii； tit。 35； 2。
22。 In the Law of the Lombards； ii； tit。 37。
23。 Salic Law； tit。 44； § 1。
24。 Ibid。； tit。 44； §§ 15； 7。
25。 Ibid。； tit。 41； § 4。
26。 Ibid。； § 6。
27。 The principal Romans followed the court； as may be seen by the lives of several bishops； who were there educated； there were hardly any but Romans that knew how to write。
28。 Salic Law； tit。 45。
29。 Lidus whose condition was better than that of a bondman。 Law of the Alemans； 95。
30。 Tit。 35； §§ 3； 4。
31。 The Abbé du Bos。
32。 Witness the expedition of Arbogastes； in Gregory of Tours； History； ii。
33。 The Franks； the Visigoths； and Burgundians。
34。 It was finished in 438。
35。 The 20th year of the reign of this prince； and published two years after by Anian； as appears from the preface to that code。
36。 The year 504 of the Spanish era； the Chronicle of Isidorus。
37。 Francum； aut Barbarum； aut hominem qui Salica lege vivit。 Salic Law； tit。 45； § 1。
38。 〃According to the Roman law under which the church lives；〃 as is said in the law of the Ripuarians； tit。 58； § 1。 See also the numberless authorities on this head pronounced by Du Cange； under the words Lex Romana。
39。 See the Capitularies added to the Salic law in Lindembrock； at the end of that law； and the different codes of the laws of the Barbarians concerning the privileges of ecclesiastics in this respect。 See also the letter of Charlemagne to his son Pepin； King of Italy； in the year 807； in the edition of Baluzius； i； 462； where it is said； that an ecclesiastic should receive a triple compensation； and the Collection of the Capitularies； v； art。 302； i。 Edition of Baluzius。
40。 See that law。
41。 Of this I shall speak in another place； xxx。 6…9。
42。 Agobard； Opera。
43。 See Gervais of Tilbury； in Duchesne's Collection； iii； p。 366。 And a chronicle of the year 759； produced by Catel； Hist。 of Languedoc。 And the uncertain author of the Life of Louis the Debonnaire； upon the demand made by the people of Septimania； at the assembly in Carisiaco； in Duchesne's Collection； ii； p。 316。
44。 Art。 16。 See also art。 20。
45。 See arts。 12 and 16 of the edict of Pistes in Cavilono； in Narbona； &c。
46。 See what Machiavelli says of the ruin of the ancient nobility of Florence。
47。 He began to reign in the year 642。
48。 〃We will no longer be harassed either by foreign or by the Roman laws。〃 Law of the Visigoths； ii； tit。 1； §§ 9； 10。
49。 Law of the Visigoths； iii； tit。 1； 1。
50。 See Book iv。 19； 26。
51。 The revolt of these provinces was a general defection； as appears by the sentence in the sequel of the history。 Paulus and his adherents were Romans； they were even favoured by the bishops。 Vamba durst not put to death the rebels whom he had quelled。 The author of the history calls Narbonne Gaul the nursery of treason。
52。 De Bello Gothorum； i。 13。
53。 Capitularies； vi； 343； year 1613； edition of Baluzius； i； p。 981。
54。 M。 de la Thaumassière has collected many of them。 See； for instance； chapters 41； 46； and others。
55。 Missi Dominici。
56。 Let not the bishops； says Charles the Bald； in the Capitulary of 844； art。 8； under pretence of the authority of making canons； oppose this constitution； or neglect the observance of it。 It seems he already foresaw the fall thereof。
57。 In the collection of canons a vast number of the decretals of the popes were inserted； they were very few in the ancient collection。 Dionysius Exiguus put a great many into his； but that of Isidorus Mercator was stuffed with genuine and spurious decretals。 The old collection obtained in France till Charlemagne。 This prince received from the hand of Pope Adrian I the collection of Dionysius Exiguus； and caused it to be accepted。 The collection of Isidorus Mercator appeared in France about the reign of Charlemagne； people grew passionately fond of it： to this succeeded what we now call the course of canon law。
58。 See the edict of Pistes； art。 20。
59。 This is expressly set down in some preambles to these codes： we even find in the laws of the Saxons and Frisians different regulations； according to the different districts。 To these usages were added some particular regulations suitable to the exigency of circumstances； such were the severe laws against the Saxons。
60。 Of this I shall speak elsewhere （xxx。 14）。
61。 Preface to Marculfus； Formul？。
62。 Law of the Lombards； ii； tit。 58； § 3。
63。 Ibid。； tit。 41； § 6。
64。 Life of St。 Leger。
65。 Law of the Lombards； ii； tit。 41； § 6。
66。 See chapter 5。
67。 This relates to what Tacitus says。 De Moribus Germanorum； 28； that the Germans had general and particular customs。
68。 Law of the Ripuarians； tit。 6； 7； 8； and others。
69。 Ibid。； tit。 11； 12； 17。
70。 It was when an accusation was brought against an Antrustio； that is； the king's vassal； who was supposed to be possessed of a greater degree of liberty。 See Pactus legis Salic？； tit。 76。
71。 Ibid。
72。 According to the practice now followed in England。
73。 Tit。 32； tit。 57； § 2； tit。 59； § 4。
74。 See the following note。
75。 This spirit appears in the Law of Ripuarians； tit。 59； § 4； and tit。 67； § 5； and in the Capitulary of Louis the Debonnaire； added to the law of the Ripuarians in the year 803； art。 22。
76。 See that law。
77。 The law of the Frisians； Lombards； Bavarians； Saxons； Thuringians； and Burgundians。
78。 In the Law of the Burgundians； tit。 8； §§ 1 and 2； on criminal affairs； and tit。 45； which extends also to civil affairs。 See also the law of the Thuringians； tit。 1； § 31； tit。 7； § 6； and tit。 8； and the law of the Alemans； tit。 89； the law of the Bavarians； tit。 8； cap。 ii； § 6； and cap。 iii； § 1； and tit。 9； cap。 iv； § 4； the law of the Frisians； tit。 2； § 3； and tit。 14； § 4； the law of the Lombar