Now what we have said concerning the Neighbourhood of the Franks to the Chauci, may be plainly proved by comparing of Places, and the Descriptions of their particular Seats.  Those of the Chauci are described by Pliny, lib. 16. cap. 1.  Those of the Franks by the Rhetorician Panegyrist, above mentioned:  For Pliny says thus, “We have seen in the Northern parts the Nations of the Chauci, called Majores & Minores, where twice every 24 Hours the Ocean is forcibly driven in a great way over the Land; thro’ a vast Passage which is there, making it a perpetual Controversy of Nature; and a Doubt, whether it ought to be reckon’d part of the Land or of the Sea.”

The Panegyrist speaks in these Terms, “_—­Quanquam illa Regio_, &c.  When thy noble Expeditions, O Caesar, have proceeded so far, as to clear and conquer that Country, which the Rhine runs through, with his cunning Maeanders or Windings, [Meatibus callidis, for so it must be read, and not Scaldis, as in some Copies,] and embraces in his Arms a Region, which I can scarce call Land; ’tis so soak’d with Water, that not only the Marshy part of it gives way, but even that which seems more firm, shakes when trod upon, and trembles at a Distance under the Weight of the Foot.”

We think therefore we have made it plain from what Seats the Nation of the Franks first came into Gallia; that is to say, from that marshy Country which lies upon the Ocean, between the Rivers Elb and Rhine:  which may be further confirm’d by this Argument.  That the Franks were very well skill’d in maritime affairs, and sail’d far and near all about those Coasts; For so says Eutropius, lib. 9. where he gives a short History of the Emperor Galienus.  “After this time, when Carausius had in charge to scour the Sea-coasts of Belgia and Armorica, then infested by the Franks and Saxons, &c.”  The very same thing Paulus Orosius mentions, lib. 7.  Also what the Panegyrist, before cited, says in a certain Place, has Reference to this.—­“The Franks (says he) are cruel above all others; the tide of whose warlike Fury surmounting that of their very Ocean it self, carried them to the Sea-coasts of Spain, which they very much infested with their Depredations.”  And therefore the Emperor Justinian, when he explains to the General Governor of Africk the duty of his Office, makes mention of those Franks which were seated in a certain part of Gallia, bordering upon Spain.