These Merovingian kings were as greedy and licentious as they were cruel.  Not only was pillage, in their estimation, the end and object of war, but they pillaged even in the midst of peace and in their own dominions; sometimes, after the Roman practice, by aggravation of taxes and fiscal manoeuvres, at others after the barbaric fashion, by sudden attacks on places and persons they knew to be rich.  It often happened that they pillaged a church, of which the bishop had vexed them by his protests, either to swell their own personal treasury, or to make, soon afterwards, offerings to another church of which they sought the favor.  When some great family event was at hand, they delighted in a coarse magnificence, for which they provided at the expense of the populations of their domains, or of the great officers of their courts, who did not fail to indemnify themselves, thanks to public disorder, for the sacrifices imposed upon them.  At the end of the sixth century, Chilperic, king of Neustria, had promised his daughter Rigonthe in marriage to Prince Recared, son of Leuvigild, king of the Visigoths of Spain.  “A grand deputation of Goths came to Paris to fetch the Frankish princess.  King Chilperic ordered several families in the fiscal domains to be seized and placed in cars.  As a great number of them wept and were not willing to go, he had them kept in prison that he might more easily force them to go away with his daughter.  It is said that several, in their despair, hung themselves, fearing to be taken from their parents.  Sons were separated from fathers, daughters from mothers, and all departed with deep groans and maledictions, and in Paris there reigned a desolation like that of Egypt.  Not a few, of superior birth, being forced to go away, even made wills whereby they left their possessions to the churches, and demanded that, so soon as the young girl should have entered Spain, their wills should be opened just as if they were already in their graves. . . .  When King Chilperic gave up his daughter to the ambassadors of the Goths, he presented them with vast treasures.  Her mother (Queen Fredegonde) added thereto so great a quantity of gold and silver and valuable vestments, that, at the sight thereof, the king thought he must have nought remaining.  The queen, perceiving his emotion, turned to the Franks, and said to them, ’Think not, warriors, that there is here aught of the treasures of former kings.  All that ye see is taken from mine own possessions, for my most glorious king hath made me many gifts.  Thereto have I added of the fruits of mine own toil, and a great part proceedeth from the revenues I have drawn, either in kind or in money, from the houses that have been ceded unto me.  Ye yourselves have given me riches, and ye see here a portion thereof; but there is here nought of the public treasure.’  And the king was deceived into believing her words.  Such was the multitude of golden and silvern articles and other precious things