dead, the Franks having appointed a solemn Convention, constituted both his Sons Kings over them, upon this foregoing condition, that they should divide the whole Kingdom equally between them.”—­And again, after the Death of one of the Brothers—­“But Charles, after his Brother’s Decease, was constituted King by the consent of all the Franks.”  Also, towards the end of his History of Charles the Great, he says, “The Nobility of the Franks being solemnly assembled from all parts of the Kingdom; he, in their presence, called forth to him Lewis King of Aquitain, (the only one of Heldegardis’s Sons then living) and by the advice and consent of them all, constituted him his Associate in the whole Kingdom, and Heir of the Imperial Dignity.”  Thus much out of Aimoinus.

Many Testimonies of the like nature we find in Gregorius Turen whereof we shall cite only these few following, lib. 2. cap. 12.—­“The Franks (says he) having expelled Childeric; unanimously elected Eudo for their King.”—­Also lib. 4. cap. 51.—­“Then the Franks (who once looked towards Childebert the Elder) sent an Embassy to Sigebert, inviting him to leave Chilperic and come to them, that they by their own Authority might make him King.”—­And a little after—­“The whole Army was drawn up before him; and having set him upon a Shield, they appointed him to be their King.”—­And in another place—­“Sigebert agreeing to the Franks Proposals, was placed upon a Shield, according to the Custom of that Nation, and proclaimed King; and so got the Kingdom from his Bother Chilperic”—­And presently after—­“The Burgundians and Austrasians concluded a Peace with the Franks, and made Clotharius King over them in all the three Kingdoms,” Which particular the Abbot of Ursperg confirms.  “The Burgundians (says he) and Austrasians having struck up a Peace with the Franks, advanced Clotharius to be King and sole Ruler of the whole Kingdom.”—­And in another place—­“The Franks appointed one of his Brothers, called Hilderic, who was already King of the Austrasians, to be also their King.”

To this matter belongs what Luitprandus Ticinensis writes, lib. i. cap. 6. “And when he was about to enter into that Francia which is called Roman, (after having cross’d the Countries of the Burgundians) several Ambassadors of the Franks met him, acquainting him that they were returning Home again; because being tired with long expectation of his coming, and not able any longer to be without a King, they had unanimously Chosen Odo or Wido, tho’ ’tis reported the Franks did not take Wido upon this occasion for their King, &c.”