Beginnings, to the
Heighth of chief _Governor_ of the _Palace_. In former Times that
Dignity was a Sort of _Tribunatus Militaris. Ammianus_, lib. 26. has
this Expression where he speaks of _Valentinian_ the Emperor,--"Having
fixed his Stages, or Days Journeys, he at last entred into _Nicomedia_;
and about the Kalends of _March_, appointed his Brother _Valens_ to be
Governor of his Stables, _cum tribunatus dignitate_, with _tribunitial
Dignity_." What Kind of Dignity that was, we may find in the Code of
_Justinian_, lib. 1. Cod. _de comitibus & tribunis Schol._ Where 'tis
reckoned as a great Honour for them to preside over the Emperor's
Banquets, when they might adore his Purple. Also in _lib. 3. Cod.
Theodos. de annon. & tribut, perpensa, 29. Cod. Theod. de equorum
Collatione & lib. 1. Cod. Theod._ wherein we may find a Power allowed
them, of exacting Contribution to a certain Value from the Provincials
who were to furnish War-Horses for the Emperor's Service.

It now remains that we discourse a little of those Magistrates, which
were commonly called _Peers_ of _France_; whereof we can find no Records
or Monuments, tho' our Endeavours have not been wanting. For among so
great a Number of Books, as are called Chronicles and Annals of
_Francogallia_, not one affords us any probable Account of this
Institution. For what _Gaguinus_, and _Paulus AEmilius_ (who was not so
much an Historian of _French_ Affairs, as of the _Pope's_) and other
common Writers do affirm, to wit, That those Magistrates were instituted
by _Pipin_ or _Charlemagn_, appears plainly to be absurd; because not
one of all the _German_ Historians, who wrote during the Reigns of those
Kings, or for some Time after, makes the least Mention of those
Magistrates. _Aimoinus_ himself who wrote a History of the Military
Atchievements and Institutions of the _Franks_, down to the Reign of
_Lewis the Pious_, and the _Appendix_, which reaches as far as the Time
of _Lewis the Younger_, being the 37th King, speak not one Word of these
_Peers_ in any Place of their Histories; so that till I am better
inform'd, I must concur in Opinion with _Gervase_ of _Tilbury_, who (as
_Gaguinus_ says in the Book which he wrote to the Emperor _Otho_ the
IVth, _de otiis imperialibus_) affirms. That this Institution is first
owing to King _Arthur_ of _Britain_, who ruled some time in Part of
_France_.

For I suppose the Original of that Institution to be this; that as in
the _Feudal_