however we are to observe, was not in the Power and Arbitriment of the Kings themselves; but done by the Authority of the Publick Council, as we may easily collect from these Words of Aimoinus, lib. 5. cap. 40.  “The Sons (says he) of Lewis, late King of the Franks, met at Amiens, and divided their Father’s Kingdom between them, according to the Direction of their faithful Subjects.”

From all which Arguments ’tis very plain, that anciently there was no certain Law or Right of Francogallia touching this Matter; but the whole Power of disposing of it was lodged in the Publick Council of the Nation.  Indeed afterwards in the Reign of Philip the 3d, (the 41st King) it was ordained, that certain Lordships might be set out and assigned to younger Brothers:  But even of this Law there were various Interpretations, and many Controversies arose concerning Daughters; so that we can deliver nothing for certain in this Affair; only thus much we may truly say, That if the Ancient Institution of our Ancestors ought to be our Rule, the Determination of this whole Matter must be left to the Publick General Council of the Nation: that according to the Number of Children, some particular Lordships or Territories, may (by its Authority) be assigned for their Maintenance.

* * * * *

CHAP.  VIII.

    Of the Salick Law, and what Right Women had in the
    King’s their Father’s Inheritance.

Because we have undertaken to give an Account of the Law and Right of Regal Inheritance, we must not omit making Mention of the Salick Law; which is both daily discours’d of by our Countrymen, and in the Memory of our Forefathers serv’d to appease a great and dangerous Contention, which arose touching the Succession to the Crown.  For when (Anno 1328.) Charles the Fair, Son of Philip the Fair, died, leaving his Wife with Child of a Daughter, (which some Months after was born) Edward King of England (Son of Isabella, the Daughter of Philip the fair, and Sister to Charles lately dead) claimed the Inheritance of his Grandfather’s Kingdom as his Right.  But Philip of Valois, Cousin germain by the Father’s Side to the deceased King, standing up, alledged that there was an ancient Regal Law, called the Salick Law, by which all Women were excluded from the Inheritance of the Crown.  Now this Law both Gaguinus and other Writers of like Stamp tell us, was written by Pharamond; and he calls it a most famous Law, even to his Time.  For in his Life of Philip of Valois; “The Salick Law (says he) was a Bar to Edward’s Title; which Law being first given by Pharamond to the Franks, has been religiously observed,