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[Transcriber's note: The source text contained inconsistencies in
spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and italicization; these
inconsistencies have been retained in this etext.]



Franco-Gallia:
OR, AN
ACCOUNT
OF THE
Ancient Free State
OF
_FRANCE_,
AND
Most other Parts of EUROPE,
before the Loss of their Liberties.

       *       *       *       *       *

_Written Originally in Latin by the Famous Civilian_
FRANCIS HOTOMAN,
In the Year 1574.
_And Translated into_ English _by the Author of the_
Account of DENMARK.

       *       *       *       *       *

The SECOND EDITION, with Additions, and
a _New Preface_ by the Translator.

       *       *       *       *       *

LONDON:

Printed for Edward Valentine, at the Queen's Head
against St. Dunstan's Church, Fleetstreet, 1721.

Translated by
The Author of the _Account
of_ DENMARK.




The BOOKSELLER
TO THE
READER.

_The following Translation of the Famous_ Hotoman's Franco-Gallia _was
written in the Year 1705, and first publish'd in the Year 1711. The
Author was then at a great Distance from_ London, _and the Publisher of
his Work, for Reasons needless to repeat, did not think fit to print the
Prefatory Discourse sent along with the Original. But this Piece being
seasonable at all Times for the Perusal of_ Englishmen _and more
particularly at this Time, I wou'd no longer keep back from the Publick,
what I more than conjecture will be acceptable to all true Lovers of
their Country._




THE
TRANSLATOR's
PREFACE.

Many Books and Papers have been publish'd since the late _Revolution_,
tending to justify the Proceedings of the People of _England_ at that
happy juncture; by setting in a true Light our just Rights and
Liberties, together with the solid Foundations of our _Constitution:_
Which, in truth, is not ours only, but that of almost all _Europe_
besides; so wisely restor'd and establish'd (if not introduced) by the
_Goths_ and _Franks_, whose Descendants we are.

These Books have as constantly had some things, called _Answers_,
written to them, by Persons of different Sentiments; who certainly
either never seriously consider'd, that the were thereby endeavouring to
destroy their own Happiness, and overthrow her Majesty's Title to the
Crown: or (if they knew what they did) presumed upon the _Lenity_ of
that Government they decry'd; which (were there no better Reason) ought
to have recommended it to their Approbation, since it could patiently
bear with such, as were doing all they could to undermine it.

Not to mention the Railing, Virulency, or personal false Reflections in
many of those Answers, (which were always the Signs of a weak Cause, or
a feeble Champion) some of them asserted the _Divine Right_ of an
_Hereditary Monarch_, and the Impiety of _Resistance_ upon any Terms
whatever, notwithstanding any _Authorities_ to the contrary.

Others (and those the more judicious) deny'd positively, that sufficient
_Authorities_ could be produced to prove, that a _free People_ have a
_just Power_ to defend themselves, by opposing their _Prince_, who
endeavours to oppress and enslave them: And alledged, that whatever was
said or done tending that way, proceeded from a Spirit of _Rebellion_,
and _Antimonarchical Principles_.

To confute, or convince this last Sort of Arguers (the first not being
worthy to have Notice taken of them) I set about translating the
_Franco-Gallia_ of that most Learned and Judicious _Civilian_, _Francis
Hotoman_; a Grave, Sincere and Unexceptionable Author, even in the
Opinion of his Adversaries. This Book gives an Account of the Ancient
Free State of above Three Parts in Four of _Europe_; and has of a long
time appeared to me so convincing and instructive in those important
Points he handles, that I could not be idle whilst it remain'd unknown,
in a manner, to _Englishmen_: who, of all People living, have the
greatest Reason and Need to be thoroughly instructed in what it
contains; as having, on the one hand, the most to lose, and on the
other, the least Sense of their Right, to that, which hitherto they seem
(at least in a great measure) to have preserv'd.

It will be obvious to every Reader, that I have taken no great Pains to
write elegantly. What I endeavour at, is as plain a Stile as possible,
which on this Occasion I take to be the best: For since the Instruction
of Mankind ought to be the principal Drift of all Writers (of History
especially); whoever writes to the Capacity of most Readers, in my
Opinion most fully answers the End.

I am not ignorant, how tiresome and difficult a Piece of Work it is to
translate, nor how little valued in the World. My Experience has
convinced me, that 'tis more troublesome and teazing than to write and
invent at once. The Idiom of the Language out of which one translates,
runs so in the Head, that 'tis next to impossible not to fall frequently
into it. And the more bald and incorrect the Stile of the Original is,
the more shall that of the Translation be so too. Many of the Quotations
in this Book are drawn from Priests, Monks, Friars, and Civil Lawyers,
who minded more, in those barbarous Ages, the Substance than the Stile
of their Writings: And I hope those Considerations may atone for several
Faults, which might be found in my Share of this Work.

But I desire not to be misunderstood, as if (whilst I am craving Favour
for my self) I were making any Apology for such a Number of mercenary
Scribblers, Animadverters, and Translators, as pester us in this Age;
who generally spoil the good Books which fall into their Hands, and
hinder others from obliging the Publick, who otherwise would do it to
greater Advantage.

I take this Author to be one of those few, that has had the good Luck to
escape them; and I make use of this Occasion to declare, that the chief
Motive which induces me to send abroad this small Treatise, is a
sincere desire of instructing the only Possessors of true Liberty in the
World, what Right and Title that have to that Liberty; of what a great
Value it is; what Misery follows the Loss of it; how easily, if Care be
taken in time, it may be preserv'd: And if this either opens the Eyes,
or confirms the honourable Resolutions of any of my worthy Countrymen, I
have gained a glorious End; and done that in my Study, which I shou'd
have promoted any other way, had I been called to it. I hope to die with
the Comfort of believing, that _Old England_ will continue to be a free
Country, and _know_ itself to be _such_; that my Friends, Relations and
Children, with their Posterity, will inherit their Share of this
inestimable Blessing, and that I have contributed my Part to it.

But there is one very great Discouragement under which both I, and all
other Writers and Translators of Books tending to the acquiring or
preserving the publick Liberty, do lie; and that is, the heavy Calumny
thrown upon us, that we are all _Commonwealth's-Men_: Which (in the
ordinary Meaning of the Word) amounts to _Haters_ of _Kingly_
Government; now without broad, malicious Insinuations, that we are no
great Friends of the present.

Indeed were the _Laity_ of our Nation (as too many of our _Clergy_
unhappily are) to be guided by the Sense of one of our Universities,
solemnly and publickly declared by the burning of Twenty seven
Propositions (some of them deserving that Censure, but others being the
very Foundation of all our Civil Rights;) I, and many like me, would
appear to be very much in the wrong. But since the _Revolution_ in
Eighty-eight, that we stand upon another and a better Bottom, tho no
other than our own old one, 'tis time that our _Notions_ should be
suited to our _Constitution_. And truly, as Matters stand, I have often
wondred, either how so many of our Gentlemen, educated under such
Prejudices, shou'd retain any Sense at all of Liberty, for _the hardest
Lesson is to unlearn_; [Footnote: St. Chrysostom] or how an Education so
diametrically opposite to our Bill of Rights, shou'd be so long
encouraged.

Methinks a _Civil Test_ might be contrived, and prove very convenient to
distinguish those that own the _Revolution Principles_, from such as
Tooth and Nail oppose them; and at the same time do fatally propagate
Doctrines, which lay too heavy a Load upon _Christianity_ it self, and
make us prove our own Executioners.

The Names of _Whig_ and _Tory_ will, I am afraid, last as long among us,
as those of _Guelf_ and _Ghibelline_ did in _Italy_. I am sorry for it:
but to some they become necessary for Distinction Sake; not so much for
the Principles formerly adapted to each Name, as for particular and
worse Reasons. For there has been such chopping and changing both of
Names and Principles, that we scarce know who is who. I think it
therefore necessary, in order to appear in my own Colours, to make a
publick Profession of my _Political Faith_; not doubting but it may
agree in several Particulars with that of many worthy Persons, who are
as undes