It has been already shewn, that the Kingdom of Francogallia continued in Three Families only, during One Thousand Two Hundred Years.  Whereof the first was called the Merovingian Family.  The second, the Carlovingian, from the Names of their Founders or Beginners.  For altho’ (as we have often told you) the Succession to the Kingdom was not conferred as Hereditary Right, but according to the Appointment of the General Council; yet the Franks were so far willing to retain the Custom of their Progenitors the Germans, (who as Tacitus tells us, chuse their Kings for their Nobility, and their Generals for their Valour) that for the most Part they elected such Kings as were of the Blood Royal, and had been educated in a Regal Manner, whether they were the Children, or some other Degree of Kindred to the Royal Family.

But in the Year 987, after the Death of Lewis the Fifth, who was the 31st King of Francogallia, and the 12th of the Carlovingian Line, there hapned a Migration or Translation of the Royal Scepter, and a Change of the Kingdom.  For when there remained no Person alive of the former Family but Charles Duke of Lorrain, Uncle to the deceased King, to whom the Succession to the Kingdom, by ancient Custom seemed to be due; there arose up one Hugh Capet, Nephew to Hauvida, Sister to the Emperor Otho the First, and Son to Hugh Earl of Paris; a Man of great Reputation for Valour, who alledged, that he being present upon the Place, and having deserved extraordinary well of his Country, ought to be preferred to a Stranger, who was absent.  For there having hapned some Controversies between the Empire of Germany, and the Kingdom of France; Charles upon Occasion had shewn himself partial for the Empire against France, and upon that Score had lost the Affections of most of the French.  Whereupon Charles having raised an Army, made an Irruption into France, and took several Cities by Composition. Capet relying on the Friendship and Favour of the Francogallican Nobles, got together what Forces he cou’d, and went to meet him at Laon, a Town in the Borders of Champagne; and not long after a bloody Battel was fought between them, wherein Capet was routed, and forced to fly into the innermost Parts of France; where he began again to raise Men in Order to renew the War.  In the mean Time Charles having dismiss’d his Army, kept himself quiet in the Town of Laon with his Wife; but in the Year following he was on a sudden surrounded by Capet, who besieged the Town with a great Army.