The like Virtue our Ancestors exerted in the Case of Chilperick their 18th King, whom they forced to abdicate the Kingdom, [Footnote:  Regno se abdicare coegerunt.] and made him a Monk, judging him unworthy to sit at the Helm of so great an Empire, [Footnote:  Propter inertiam.] by reason of his Sloth. Whereof Aimoinus, lib. 4. cap. 61. Sigibertus and Trithemius, anno 750. and Godfrey, Chronic. part. 17. cap. 4. are our Witnesses.

Again, a sixth Example of the like Severity is extant in Charles the Gross their 25th King; who for the like Cowardise, and because he had granted away part of France to the Normans, suffering his Kingdom to be dismembred, was [Footnote:  Ab optimatibus Regni repudiatas.] rejected and turn’d out by the Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdom, as Sigebertus tells us anno 890.  Which same thing Godfridus records, part. 17. But more at large Otto Frising, chron. 6. cap. 9. where he adds this memorable Passage,—­“This Man (says he) who next to Charles the Great, had been the King of greatest Power and Authority of all the Kings of the Franks, was in a short time reduced to so low a Condition, that he wanted Bread to eat, and miserably begged a small Allowance from Arnolphus, who was chosen King in his stead, and thankfully accepted of a poor Pension:  From whence we may observe the uncertain and miserable State of all Human Greatness; that he who had govern’d all the Eastern and Western Kingdoms, together with the Roman Empire, shou’d at last be brought down to such a Degree of Poverty, as to want even Bread.”  A Seventh Instance is Odo the 26th King, who after he had been elected King in the Room of Charles the Son of Lewis the Stammerer, was in the 4th Year of his Reign, by the Franks, banish’d into Aquitain, and commanded to abide there; they replacing in his stead the same Charles the Son of Lewis.  Which Fact is recorded by Sigebertus, sub anno 894. Aimoinus lib. 5. cap. 42. and Godfridus part. 17.

We must add to this Number Charles the 27th King, sirnamed (because of his Dullness) [Footnote:  Propter Stuporem ingenii.] Charles the Simple:  Who having thro’ his Folly suffer’d his Kingdom to run to Decay, and lost Lorrain (which he had before recover’d) was taken and cast into Prison, and Rodolphus was chosen in his place, as Aimoinus, lib. 5. cap. 42. and Sigebertus, anno 926. do testify.

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CHAP.  VII.

    What Rule was observ’d concerning the Inheritance of the
    deceased King, when he left more Children than one.