An epitome of all the lives of the kings of France From Pharamond the first, to the now most Christian King Levvis the thirteenth. With a relation of the famous battailes of the two kings of England, who were the first victorious princes that conquered France. Translated out of the French coppy by R.B. Esq.

Pharamond the first King of France. Anno 429.

[illustration] portrait

THE French Nation inhabiting the lower Germany long time before the Reigne of the Va∣lentinians,

Emperours of Rome, whe∣ther they were Originaries there, or Forraigners, they according to the re∣port of Aymoynus, Ado, and other Hi∣storians, had for an intervall of time ceased to be governed by Kings, being contented to be ruled by Dukes, untill such time that they had a desire to re∣turne to their manner and custome, be∣ing incited thereto by the example of other Nations; in so much that upon a mature deliberation, they concluded their Election upon Pharamond for their King, by reason that over and above the vertues resplendent in him, he was the last Sonne of their latest Duke Marco∣mire, who was Duke of Franconia, or East France, whom Stilico had confi∣ned as an Exulant in Tuscany, from the yeare of our Lord 395.

The time of his Election hath not beene precisely recorded by any Histo∣rians; the Moderne Authors also agree not upon the certainty and number of the yeares of his Reigne: For some

German Chronicles accompt but 7, o∣thers 9, Onuphrius 14, but almost all the French Annalists following Sigebert, a∣gree upon 10. or 12. yeares, which they begin at the yeare of Grace, 419, or 420.

The French-men then estated him in the Castle of Dispargun, which was, ac∣cording to Gregory, in Tongry or Turin∣gia, on that side the Rhine, where hee made his residence, or rather in Ger∣many, without an intent of enlarging his command any farther, studying onely to institute and found the King∣dome with good policy, and the Lawes called Ripuary and Salique, by reason the French inhabiting for the most part upon the River of Sals, (which disgor∣geth it selfe into the Mein, a great and famous River of Germany) were called Salians, and their principall City Sel∣gestadt, which peradventure might seeme to derive its nomination from Salagast, who was a chiefe Founder thereof. Pharamond lastly comming to

the period of his life, left the succession to his Son Clodion, Anno Domini 430. His Character of life is drawne in these Lineaments; he made good Lawes, and conformed the French to the obedience of civill government; revived the Sa∣lique Lawes, and was the Founder of the French Monarchy: his Name Wara∣mond or Pharamond, imported a true mouth, Truth being a noble vertue in a Prince. The Church was then happy in those Lights of Religion, Jerome, Chrysostome, Ambrose, and Augustine, shining through the Clouds of Oppres∣sion, wherewith those times were dark∣ned and obscured: And the Papacy was then but weake in power, after∣ward growing strong by the Emperors absence, warring against the Barbari∣ans, and by succouring afflicted Chri∣stians.