[Footnote63:TheAbbeDubosHistoireCritique，tom。i。p。29—
36hastrulyandagreeablyrepresentedtheslowprogressofthesestudies；andheobserves，thatGregoryofTourswasonlyonceprintedbeforetheyear1560。AccordingtothecomplaintofHeineccius，Opera，tom。iii。Sylloge，iii。p。248，&c。，GermanyreceivedwithindifferenceandcontemptthecodesofBarbariclaws，whichwerepublishedbyHeroldus，Lindenbrogius，&c。Atpresentthoselaws，asfarastheyrelatetoGaul，thehistoryofGregoryofTours，andallthemonumentsoftheMerovingianrace，appearinapureandperfectstate，inthefirstfourvolumesoftheHistoriansofFrance。]
[Footnote64:Inthespaceof[about]thirtyyears1728—1765
thisinterestingsubjecthasbeenagitatedbythefreespiritofthecountdeBoulainvilliers，MemoiresHistoriquessurl\'EtatdelaFrance，particularlytom。i。p。15—49；thelearnedingenuityoftheAbbeDubos，HistoireCritiquedel\'EtablissementdelaMonarchieFrancoisedanslesGaules，2
vols。in4to；thecomprehensivegeniusofthepresidentdeMontesquieu，EspritdesLoix，particularlyl。xxviii。xxx。
xxxi。；andthegoodsenseanddiligenceoftheAbbedeMably，Observationssurl\'HistoiredeFrance，2vols。12mo。]
Therudest，orthemostservile，conditionofhumansociety，isregulated，however，bysomefixedandgeneralrules。WhenTacitussurveyedtheprimitivesimplicityoftheGermans，hediscoveredsomepermanentmaxims，orcustoms，ofpublicandprivatelife，whichwerepreservedbyfaithfultraditiontilltheintroductionoftheartofwriting，andoftheLatintongue。^65
BeforetheelectionoftheMerovingiankings，themostpowerfultribe，ornation，oftheFranks，appointedfourvenerablechieftainstocomposetheSaliclaws；^66andtheirlaborswereexaminedandapprovedinthreesuccessiveassembliesofthepeople。AfterthebaptismofClovis，hereformedseveralarticlesthatappearedincompatiblewithChristianity:theSaliclawwasagainamendedbyhissons；andatlength，underthereignofDagobert，thecodewasrevisedandpromulgatedinitsactualform，onehundredyearsaftertheestablishmentoftheFrenchmonarchy。Withinthesameperiod，thecustomsoftheRipuariansweretranscribedandpublished；andCharlemagnehimself，thelegislatorofhisageandcountry，hadaccuratelystudiedthetwonationallaws，whichstillprevailedamongtheFranks。^67Thesamecarewasextendedtotheirvassals；andtherudeinstitutionsoftheAlemanniandBavarianswerediligentlycompiledandratifiedbythesupremeauthorityoftheMerovingiankings。TheVisigothsandBurgundians，whoseconquestsinGaulprecededthoseoftheFranks，showedlessimpatiencetoattainoneoftheprincipalbenefitsofcivilizedsociety。EuricwasthefirstoftheGothicprinceswhoexpressed，inwriting，themannersandcustomsofhispeople；andthecompositionoftheBurgundianlawswasameasureofpolicyratherthanofjustice；
toalleviatetheyoke，andregaintheaffections，oftheirGallicsubjects。^68Thus，byasingularcoincidence，theGermansframedtheirartlessinstitutions，atatimewhentheelaboratesystemofRomanjurisprudencewasfinallyconsummated。IntheSaliclaws，andthePandectsofJustinian，wemaycomparethefirstrudiments，andthefullmaturity，ofcivilwisdom；andwhateverprejudicesmaybesuggestedinfavorofBarbarism，ourcalmerreflectionswillascribetotheRomansthesuperioradvantages，notonlyofscienceandreason，butofhumanityandjustice。YetthelawsoftheBarbarianswereadaptedtotheirwantsanddesires，theiroccupationsandtheircapacity；andtheyallcontributedtopreservethepeace，andpromotetheimprovement，ofthesocietyforwhoseusetheywereoriginallyestablished。
TheMerovingians，insteadofimposingauniformruleofconductontheirvarioussubjects，permittedeachpeople，andeachfamily，oftheirempire，freelytoenjoytheirdomesticinstitutions；^69norweretheRomansexcludedfromthecommonbenefitsofthislegaltoleration。^70Thechildrenembracedthelawoftheirparents，thewifethatofherhusband，thefreedmanthatofhispatron；andinallcauseswherethepartieswereofdifferentnations，theplaintifforaccuserwasobligedtofollowthetribunalofthedefendant，whomayalwayspleadajudicialpresumptionofright，orinnocence。Amoreamplelatitudewasallowed，ifeverycitizen，inthepresenceofthejudge，mightdeclarethelawunderwhichhedesiredtolive，andthenationalsocietytowhichhechosetobelong。Suchanindulgencewouldabolishthepartialdistinctionsofvictory:andtheRomanprovincialsmightpatientlyacquiesceinthehardshipsoftheircondition；sinceitdependedonthemselvestoassumetheprivilege，iftheydaredtoassertthecharacter，offreeandwarlikeBarbarians。^71
[Footnote65:IhavederivedmuchinstructionfromtwolearnedworksofHeineccius，theHistory，andtheElements，oftheGermaniclaw。InajudiciousprefacetotheElements，heconsiders，andtriestoexcusethedefectsofthatbarbarousjurisprudence。]
[Footnote66:LatinappearstohavebeentheoriginallanguageoftheSaliclaw。Itwasprobablycomposedinthebeginningofthefifthcentury，beforetheeraA。D。421oftherealorfabulousPharamond。Theprefacementionsthefourcantonswhichproducedthefourlegislators；andmanyprovinces，Franconia，Saxony，Hanover，Brabant，&c。，haveclaimedthemastheirown。SeeanexcellentDissertationofHeinectiesdeLegeSalica，tom。iii。
Syllogeiii。p。247—267。
Note:TherelativeantiquityofthetwocopiesoftheSaliclawhasbeencontestedwithgreatlearningandingenuity。TheworkofM。Wiarda，HistoryandExplanationoftheSalicLaw，Bremen，1808，assertsthatwhatiscalledtheLexAntiqua，orVetustiorinwhichmanyGermanwordsaremingledwiththeLatin，hasnoclaimtosuperiorantiquity，andmaybesuspectedtobemoremodern。M。WiardahasbeenopposedbyM。Fuerbach，whomaintainsthehigherageofthe\"ancient\"Code，whichhasbeengreatlycorruptedbythetranscribers。SeeGuizot，Coursdel\'HistoireModerne，vol。i。sect。9:andtheprefacetotheusefulrepublicationoffiveofthedifferenttextsoftheSaliclaw，withthatoftheRipuarianinparallelcolumns。ByE。A。I。
Laspeyres，Halle，1833。—M。]
[Footnote67:Eginhard，inVit。CaroliMagni，c。29，intom。v。
p。100。Bythesetwolaws，mostcriticsunderstandtheSalicandtheRipuarian。TheformerextendedfromtheCarbonarianforesttotheLoire，tom。iv。p。151，andthelattermightbeobeyedfromthesameforesttotheRhine，tom。iv。p。222。]
[Footnote68:Consulttheancientandmodernprefacesoftheseveralcodes，inthefourthvolumeoftheHistoriansofFrance。
TheoriginalprologuetotheSaliclawexpressesthoughinaforeigndialectthegenuinespiritoftheFranksmoreforciblythanthetenbooksofGregoryofTours。]
[Footnote69:TheRipuarianlawdeclares，anddefines，thisindulgenceinfavoroftheplaintiff，tit。xxxi。intom。iv。p。
240；andthesametolerationisunderstood，orexpressed，inallthecodes，exceptthatoftheVisigothsofSpain。TantadiversitaslegumsaysAgobardintheninthcenturyquantanonsoluminregionibus，autcivitatibus，sedetiaminmultisdomibushabetur。Namplerumquecontingitutsimuleantautsedeantquinquehomines，etnulluseorumcommunemlegemcumalterohabeat，intom。vi。p。356。Hefoolishlyproposestointroduceauniformityoflaw，aswellasoffaith。
Note:ItistheobjectoftheimportantworkofM。Savigny，GeschichtedesRomischesRechtsinMittelalter，toshowtheperpetuityoftheRomanlawfromthe5thtothe12thcentury。—
M。]
[Footnote*:Themostcompletecollectionofthesecodesisinthe\"Barbarorumlegesantiquae，\"byP。Canciani，5vols。folio，Venice，1781—9。—M。]
[Footnote70:InterRomanosnegotiacausarumRomanislegibuspraecipimusterminari。SucharethewordsofageneralconstitutionpromulgatedbyClotaire，thesonofClovis，thesolemonarchoftheFranksintom。iv。p。116abouttheyear560。]
[Footnote71:ThislibertyofchoicehasbeenaptlydeducedEspritdesLoix，l。xxviii。2fromtheconstitutionofLothaireI。Leg。Langobard。l。ii。tit。lvii。inCodexLindenbrog。p。
664；thoughtheexampleistoorecentandpartial。FromavariousreadingintheSaliclaw，tit。xliv。not。xlv。theAbbedeMablytom。i。p。290—293hasconjectured，that，atfirst，aBarbarianonly，andafterwardsanyman，consequentlyaRoman，
mightliveaccordingtothelawoftheFranks。Iamsorrytooffendthisingeniousconjecturebyobserving，thatthestrictersenseBarbarumisexpressedinthereformedcopyofCharlemagne；whichisconfirmedbytheRoyalandWolfenbuttleMSS。ThelooserinterpretationhominemisauthorizedonlybytheMS。ofFulda，fromfromwhenceHerolduspublishedhisedition。SeethefouroriginaltextsoftheSaliclawintom。
iv。p。147，173，196，220。
Note:Gibbonappearstohavedoubtedtheevidenceonwhichthis\"libertyofchoice\"rested。HisdoubtshavebeenconfirmedbytheresearchesofM。Savigny，whohasnotonlyconfutedbuttracedwithconvincingsagacitytheoriginandprogressofthiserror。Asageneralprinciple，thoughliabletosomeexceptions，eachlivedaccordingtohisnativelaw。RomischeRecht。vol。i。
p。123—138—M。]
Note:ThisconstitutionofLothaireatfirstrelatedonlytotheduchyofRome；itafterwardsfounditswayintotheLombardcode。Savigny。p。138。—M。]
ChapterXXXVIII:ReignOfClovis。
PartIII。
Whenjusticeinexorablyrequiresthedeathofamurderer，eachprivatecitizenisfortifiedbytheassurance，thatthelaws，themagistrate，andthewholecommunity，aretheguardiansofhispersonalsafety。ButintheloosesocietyoftheGermans，revengewasalwayshonorable，andoftenmeritorious:theindependentwarriorchastised，orvindicated，withhisownhand，theinjurieswhichhehadofferedorreceived；andhehadonlytodreadtheresentmentofthesonsandkinsmenoftheenemy，whomhehadsacrificedtohisselfishorangrypassions。Themagistrate，consciousofhisweakness，interposed，nottopunish，buttoreconcile；andhewassatisfiedifhecouldpersuadeorcompelthecontendingpartiestopayandtoacceptthemoderatefinewhichhadbeenascertainedasthepriceofblood。^72ThefiercespiritoftheFrankswouldhaveopposedamorerigoroussentence；thesamefiercenessdespisedtheseineffectualrestraints；and，whentheirsimplemannershadbeencorruptedbythewealthofGaul，thepublicpeacewascontinuallyviolatedbyactsofhastyordeliberateguilt。Ineveryjustgovernmentthesamepenaltyisinflicted，oratleastisimposed，forthemurderofapeasantoraprince。ButthenationalinequalityestablishedbytheFranks，intheircriminalproceedings，wasthelastinsultandabuseofconquest。^73Inthecalmmomentsoflegislation，theysolemnlypronounced，thatthelifeofaRomanwasofsmallervaluethanthatofaBarbarian。TheAntrustion，^74anameexpressiveofthemostillustriousbirthordignityamongtheFranks，wasappreciatedatthesumofsixhundredpiecesofgold；
whilethenobleprovincial，whowasadmittedtotheking\'stable，mightbelegallymurderedattheexpenseofthreehundredpieces。
TwohundredweredeemedsufficientforaFrankofordinarycondition；butthemeanerRomanswereexposedtodisgraceanddangerbyatriflingcompensationofonehundred，orevenfifty，piecesofgold。Hadtheselawsbeenregulatedbyanyprincipleofequityorreason，thepublicprotectionshouldhavesupplied，injustproportion，thewantofpersonalstrength。Butthelegislatorhadweighedinthescale，notofjustice，butofpolicy，thelossofasoldieragainstthatofaslave:theheadofaninsolentandrapaciousBarbarianwasguardedbyaheavyfine；andtheslightestaidwasaffordedtothemostdefencelesssubjects。Timeinsensiblyabatedtheprideoftheconquerorsandthepatienceofthevanquished；andtheboldestcitizenwastaught，byexperience，thathemightsuffermoreinjuriesthanhecouldinflict。AsthemannersoftheFranksbecamelessferocious，theirlawswererenderedmoresevere；andtheMerovingiankingsattemptedtoimitatetheimpartialrigoroftheVisigothsandBurgundians。^75UndertheempireofCharlemagne，murderwasuniversallypunishedwithdeath；andtheuseofcapitalpunishmentshasbeenliberallymultipliedinthejurisprudenceofmodernEurope。^76
[Footnote72:IntheheroictimesofGreece，theguiltofmurderwasexpiatedbyapecuniarysatisfactiontothefamilyofthedeceased，FeithiusAntiquitat。Homeric。l。ii。c。8。
Heineccius，inhisprefacetotheElementsofGermanicLaw，favorablysuggests，thatatRomeandAthenshomicidewasonlypunishedwithexile。Itistrue:butexilewasacapitalpunishmentforacitizenofRomeorAthens。]
[Footnote73:ThisproportionisfixedbytheSalictit。xliv。
intom。iv。p。147andtheRipuariantit。vii。xi。xxxvi。intom。iv。p。237，241laws:butthelatterdoesnotdistinguishanydifferenceofRomans。YettheordersoftheclergyareplacedabovetheFranksthemselves，andtheBurgundiansandAlemannibetweentheFranksandtheRomans。]
[Footnote74:TheAntrustiones，quiintrusteDominicasunt，leudi，fideles，undoubtedlyrepresentthefirstorderofFranks；
butitisaquestionwhethertheirrankwaspersonalorhereditary。TheAbbedeMablytom。i。p。334—347isnotdispleasedtomortifytheprideofbirthEsprit，l。xxx。c。25
bydatingtheoriginoftheFrenchnobilityfromthereignClotaireII。A。D。615。]
[Footnote75:SeetheBurgundianlaws，tit。ii。intom。iv。p。
257，thecodeoftheVisigoths，l。vi。tit。v。intom。p。384，
andtheconstitutionofChildebert，notofParis，butmostevidentlyofAustrasia，intom。iv。p。112。Theirprematureseveritywassometimesrash，andexcessive。Childebertcondemnednotonlymurderersbutrobbers；quomodosinelegeinvolavit，sinelegemoriatur；andeventhenegligentjudgewasinvolvedinthesamesentence。TheVisigothsabandonedanunsuccessfulsurgeontothefamilyofhisdeceasedpatient，utquoddeeofacerevoluerinthabeantpotestatem，l。xi。tit。i。intom。iv。p。
435。]
[Footnote76:See，inthesixthvolumeoftheworksofHeineccius，theElementaJurisGermanici，l。ii。p。2，No。261，262，280—283。YetsomevestigesofthesepecuniarycompositionsformurderhavebeentracedinGermanyaslateasthesixteenthcentury。]
Thecivilandmilitaryprofessions，whichhadbeenseparatedbyConstantine，wereagainunitedbytheBarbarians。TheharshsoundoftheTeutonicappellationswasmollifiedintotheLatintitlesofDuke，ofCount，orofPraefect；andthesameofficerassumed，withinhisdistrict，thecommandofthetroops，andtheadministrationofjustice。^77Butthefierceandilliteratechieftainwasseldomqualifiedtodischargethedutiesofajudge，whichrequiredallthefacultiesofaphilosophicmind，laboriouslycultivatedbyexperienceandstudy；andhisrudeignorancewascompelledtoembracesomesimple，andvisible，methodsofascertainingthecauseofjustice。Ineveryreligion，theDeityhasbeeninvokedtoconfirmthetruth，ortopunishthefalsehoodofhumantestimony；butthispowerfulinstrumentwasmisappliedandabusedbythesimplicityoftheGermanlegislators。Thepartyaccusedmightjustifyhisinnocence，byproducingbeforetheirtribunalanumberoffriendlywitnesses，whosolemnlydeclaredtheirbelief，orassurance，thathewasnotguilty。Accordingtotheweightofthecharge，thislegalnumberofcompurgatorswasmultiplied；seventy—twovoiceswererequiredtoabsolveanincendiaryorassassin:andwhenthechastityofaqueenofFrancewassuspected，threehundredgallantnoblesswore，withouthesitation，thattheinfantprincehadbeenactuallybegottenbyherdeceasedhusband。^78Thesinandscandalofmanifestandfrequentperjuriesengagedthemagistratestoremovethesedangeroustemptations；andtosupplythedefectsofhumantestimonybythefamousexperimentsoffireandwater。Theseextraordinarytrialsweresocapriciouslycontrived，that，insomecases，guilt，andinnocenceinothers，couldnotbeprovedwithouttheinterpositionofamiracle。Suchmiracleswerereallyprovidedbyfraudandcredulity；themostintricatecausesweredeterminedbythiseasyandinfalliblemethod，andtheturbulentBarbarians，whomighthavedisdainedthesentenceofthemagistrate，submissivelyacquiescedinthejudgmentofGod。^79
[Footnote77:ThewholesubjectoftheGermanicjudges，andtheirjurisdiction，iscopiouslytreatedbyHeineccius，Element。Jur。
Germ。l。iii。No。1—72。Icannotfindanyproofthat，undertheMerovingianrace，thescabini，orassessors，werechosenbythepeople。
Note:ThequestionofthescabiniistreatedatconsiderablelengthbySavigny。HequestionstheexistenceofthescabinianteriortoCharlemagne。Beforethistimethedecisionwasbyanopencourtofthefreemen，theboniRomischeRecht，vol。i。p。
195。etseq。—M。]
[Footnote78:Gregor。Turon。l。viii。c。9，intom。ii。p。316。
Montesquieuobserves，EspritdesLoix。l。xxviii。c。13，thattheSaliclawdidnotadmitthesenegativeproofssouniversallyestablishedintheBarbariccodes。YetthisobscureconcubineFredegundis，whobecamethewifeofthegrandsonofClovis，musthavefollowedtheSaliclaw。]
[Footnote79:Muratori，intheAntiquitiesofItaly，hasgiventwoDissertationsxxxvii。xxxix。onthejudgmentsofGod。Itwasexpectedthatfirewouldnotburntheinnocent；andthatthepureelementofwaterwouldnotallowtheguiltytosinkintoitsbosom。]
Butthetrialsbysinglecombatgraduallyobtainedsuperiorcreditandauthority，amongawarlikepeople，whocouldnotbelievethatabravemandeservedtosuffer，orthatacowarddeservedtolive。^80Bothincivilandcriminalproceedings，theplaintiff，oraccuser，thedefendant，oreventhewitness，wereexposedtomortalchallengefromtheantagonistwhowasdestituteoflegalproofs；anditwasincumbentonthemeithertodeserttheircause，orpubliclytomaintaintheirhonor，inthelistsofbattle。Theyfoughteitheronfoot，oronhorseback，accordingtothecustomoftheirnation；^81andthedecisionofthesword，orlance，wasratifiedbythesanctionofHeaven，ofthejudge，andofthepeople。ThissanguinarylawwasintroducedintoGaulbytheBurgundians；andtheirlegislatorGundobald^82condescendedtoanswerthecomplaintsandobjectionsofhissubjectAvitus。