Also in the same Book, cap. 42. speaking of Charles the Simple:  “Whose Youth (says he) the principal Men of France judging (as it was indeed) very unfit for the exercise of the Government of the Realm, they held a General Council touching these weighty Affairs; and the great Men of the Franks, Burgundians, and Aquitanians being assembled, elected Odo to be Charles’s Tutor and Governor of the Kingdom.”

Now concerning the Power of making Laws and Ordinances, that single Passage in Gaguinus’s Life of St. Lewis is a sufficient Proof.  “As soon (says he) as King Lewis arrived at Paris, he called a General Convention, and therein reformed the Commonwealth; making excellent Statutes relating to the Judges, and against the Venality of Offices, &c.”

Concerning the conferring the great Honours and Employments upon Persons of approved Worth, Aimoinus lib. 5. cap. 36. gives us this Instance; speaking of Charles the Bald, he tells us, “That whereas he began (before his Inauguration) to distribute the Governments and great Offices of the Realm according to his own liking; the Great Men summoned a General Council, and sent Ambassadors to the King; neither would they admit him to be crowned till he had made use of their Advice and Authority in disposing of those great Employments.  The Nobles (says he) being very much displeas’d, because the King conferr’d Honours without their Consent; for that Reason, agreed together against him, and summoned a general Convention in the Town of Witmar, from whence they sent Ambassadors to Lewis, as Lewis likewise sent his Ambassadors to them, &c.”

Also the Appendix to Gregory of Tours, lib. 11. cap. 54. “That same Year (says he) King Clotharius, cum Proceribus & Leudibus, i. e. with the Nobility and free Subjects of Burgundy, met at Troyes, and when he earnestly solicited them to advance another Person to the same Place and Degree of Honour which Warnhar (lately deceased) had enjoy’d, they unanimously refused to do it; and said, they would by no Means have any Mayor of the Palace, earnestly desiring the King to excuse them:”  And thus they gained their Point with the King.

To this Head may be referr’d all the Contentions of such Princes, as were foreseen might be dangerous to the Commonwealth.  These were debated in the General Council.  For Aimoinus, lib. 4 cap.  I. where he speaks of Clotharius, Son of Chilperic, from whom Queen Brunechild demanded the Kingdom of Austratia, says thus:—­“Clotharius made answer, that she ought to call a Convention of the Nobles of the Franks, and there debate (by common Consent) an Affair relating to the