ThispretensioncannotbeappliedtothetimewhenClovis，uponhisenteringGaul，tookandplunderedthetowns；neitherisitapplicabletotheperiodwhenhedefeatedSyagrius，theRomancommander，andconqueredthecountrywhichheheld；itcan，therefore，bereferredonlytotheperiodwhenClovis，alreadymasterofagreatpartofGaulbyopenforce，wascalledbythechoiceandaffectionofthepeopletothesovereigntyovertherest。AnditisnotenoughthatCloviswasreceived，hemusthavebeencalled；theAbbéduBosmustprovethatthepeoplechoserathertoliveunderClovisthanunderthedominationoftheRomansorundertheirownlaws。NowtheRomansbelongingtothatpartofGaulnotyetinvadedbytheBarbarianswere，accordingtothisauthor，oftwosorts：thefirstwereoftheArmoricanconfederacy，whohaddrivenawaytheemperor’sofficersinordertodefendthemselvesagainsttheBarbarians，andtobegovernedbytheirownlaws；thesecondweresubjecttotheRomanofficers。Now，doestheAbbéproduceanyconvincingproofsthattheRomans，whowerestillsubjecttotheempire，calledinClovis？Notone。DoesheprovethattherepublicoftheArmoricansinvitedClovis；orevenconcludedanytreatywithhim？Notatall。Sofarfrombeingabletotellusthefateofthisrepublic，hecannotevensomuchasproveitsexistence；andnotwithstandinghepretendstotraceitfromthetimeofHonoriustotheconquestofClovis，notwithstandingherelateswithmostadmirableexactnessalltheeventsofthosetimes；stillthisrepublicremainsinvisibleinancientauthors。ForthereisawidedifferencebetweenprovingbyapassageofZozimus[191]thatundertheEmperorHonorius，thecountryofArmorica[192]andtheotherprovincesofGaulrevoltedandformedakindofrepublic，andshowingusthatnotwithstandingthedifferentpacificationsofGaul，theArmoricansformedalwaysaparticularrepublic，whichcontinuedtilltheconquestofClovis；andyetthisiswhatheshouldhavedemonstratedbystrongandsubstantialproofs，inordertoestablishhissystem。Forwhenwebeholdaconquerorenteringacountry，andsubduingagreatpartofitbyforceandopenviolence，andsoonafterfindthewholecountrysubdued，withoutanymentioninhistoryofthemannerofitsbeingeffected，wehavesufficientreasontobelievethattheaffairendedasitbegan。
Whenwefindhehasmistakenthispoint，itiseasytoperceivethathiswholesystemfallstotheground；andasoftenasheinfersaconsequencefromtheseprinciplesthatGaulwasnotconqueredbytheFranks，butthattheFrankswereinvitedbytheRomans，wemaysafelydenyit。
ThisauthorproveshisprinciplebytheRomandignitieswithwhichCloviswasinvested：heinsiststhatClovissucceededtoChilderichisfatherintheofficeofmagistermiliti？。Butthesetwoofficesaremerelyofhisowncreation。St。Remigius’lettertoClovis，onwhichhegroundshisopinion，isonlyacongratulationuponhisaccessiontothecrown。[193]Whentheintentofawritingissowellknown，whyshouldwegiveitanotherturn？
Clovis，towardstheendofthereign，wasmadeconsulbytheEmperorAnastasius：butwhatrightcouldhereceivefromanauthoritythatlastedonlyoneyear？itisveryprobable，saysourauthor，thatinthesamediplomatheEmperorAnastasiusmadeClovisproconsul。And，Isay，itisveryprobablehedidnot。Withregardtoafactforwhichthereisnofoundation，theauthorityofhimwhodeniesisequaltothatofhimwhoaffirms。ButIhavealsoareasonfordenyingit。GregoryofTours，whomentionstheconsulate，saysneverawordconcerningtheproconsulate。Andeventhisproconsulatecouldhavelastedonlyaboutsixmonths。Clovisdiedayearandahalfafterhewascreatedconsul；
andwecannotpretendtomakethepro—consulateanhereditaryoffice。Infine，whentheconsulate，and，ifyouwill，theproconsulate，wereconferreduponhim，hewasalreadymasterofthemonarchy，andallhisrightswereestablished。