Some of the Merovingian kings listened to the advice of the ministers of the Catholic religion, and tried to reform these noisy excesses, and themselves abandoned the evil custom.  For this purpose they received at their tables bishops, who blessed the assembly at the commencement of the meal, and were charged besides to recite chapters of holy writ, or to sing hymns out of the divine service, so as to edify and occupy the minds of the guests.

Gregory of Tours bears witness to the happy influence of the presence of bishops at the tables of the Frank kings and nobles; he relates, too, that Chilperic, who was very proud of his theological and secular knowledge, liked, when dining, to discuss, or rather to pronounce authoritatively his opinion on questions of grammar, before his companions in arms, who, for the most part, neither knew how to read nor write; he even went as far as to order three ancient Greek letters to be added to the Latin alphabet.

[Illustration:  Fig. 43.—­Queen Fredegonde, seated on her Throne, gives orders to two young Men of Terouanne to assassinate Sigebert, King of Austrasia.—­Window in the Cathedral of Tournai, Fifteenth Century.]

The private properties of the Frank kings were immense, and produced enormous revenues.  These monarchs had palaces in almost all the large towns; at Bourges, Chalons-sur-Saone, Chalons-sur-Marne, Dijon, Etampes, Metz, Langres, Mayence, Rheims, Soissons, Tours, Toulouse, Treves, Valenciennes, Worms, &c.  In Paris, they occupied the vast residence now known as the Thermes de Julien (Hotel de Cluny), which then extended from the hill of St. Genevieve as far as the Seine; but they frequently left it for their numerous villas in the neighbourhood, on which occasions they were always accompanied by their treasury.

All these residences were built on the same plan.  High walls surrounded the palace.  The Roman atrium, preserved under the name of proaulium (preau, ante-court), was placed in front of the salutorium (hall of reception), where visitors were received.  The consistorium, or great circular hall surrounded with seats, served for legislation, councils, public assemblies, and other solemnities, at which the kings displayed their royal pomp.

The trichorium, or dining-room, was generally the largest hall in the palace; two rows of columns divided it into three parts; one for the royal family, one for the officers of the household, and the third for the guests, who were always very numerous.  No person of rank visiting the King could leave without sitting at his table, or at least draining a cup to his health.  The King’s hospitality was magnificent, especially on great religious festivals such as Christmas and Easter.