Thetemporarytaxofapitcherofwineforeveryacre，[37]whichwasoneoftheexactionsofChilpericandFredegonda，relatedonlytotheRomans。AndindeeditwasnottheFranksthattoretherollsofthosetaxes，buttheclergy，whointhosedayswereallRomans。[38]Theburdenofthistaxlaychieflyontheinhabitantsofthetowns；[39]nowthesewerealmostallinhabitedbyRomans。
GregoryofToursrelates[40]thatacertainjudgewasobliged，afterthedeathofChilperic，totakerefugeinachurch，forhavingunderthereignofthatprinceorderedtaxestobeleviedonseveralFrankswhointhereignofChildebertwereingenui，orfree—born：MultosdeFrancis，quitemporeChildebertiregisingenuifuerant，publicotributosubegit。
ThereforetheFrankswhowerenotbondmenpaidnotaxes。
ThereisnotagrammarianbutwouldturnpaletoseehowtheAbbéduBoshasinterpretedthispassage。[41]Heobservesthatinthosedaysthefreedmenwerealsocalledingenui。UponthissuppositionherenderstheLatinwordingenui，bythewords\"freedfromtaxes\"；aphrasewhichweindeedmayuseinFrench，aswesay\"freedfromcares，\"\"freedfrompunishments\"；butintheLatintonguesuchexpressionsasingenuiatributis，libertiniatributis，manumissitributorum，wouldbequitemonstrous。
Parthenius，saysGregoryofTours，[42]hadliketohavebeenputtodeathbytheFranksforsubjectingthemtotaxes。TheAbbéduBosfindinghimselfhardpressedbythispassage[43]verycoollyassumesthethinginquestion；itwas，sayshe，asurcharge。