irpe qua prius fuerant_, implies
that the kingdom continued to this new elected family during the reign of
more Kings than one. If you date the years of _Honorius_ from the death of
his father, the reign of _Pharamond_ might begin two years later than is
assigned by _Bucher_. The _Salique_ laws made in his reign, which are yet
extant, shew by their name that it was the kingdom of the _Salii_ over
which he reigned; and, by the pecuniary mulcts in them, that the place
where he reigned abounded much with money, and consequently was within the
Empire; rude _Germany_ knowing not the use of money, till they mixed with
the _Romans_. In the Preface also to the _Salique_ laws, written and
prefixed to them soon after the conversion of the _Franks_ to the Christian
religion, that is, in the end of the reign of _Merovaeus_, or soon after,
the original of this kingdom is thus described: _Haec enim gens, quae fortis
dum esset & robore valida, Romanorum jugum durissimum de suis cervicibus
excussit pugnando_, &c. This kingdom therefore was erected, not by invasion
but by rebellion, as was described above. _Prosper_ in registering their
Kings in order, tells us: _Pharamundus regnat in Francia; Clodio regnat in
Francia; Merovaeus regnat in Francia_: and who can imagine but that in all
these places he meant one and the same _Francia_? And yet 'tis certain that
the _Francia_ of _Merovaeus_ was in _Gallia_.

Yet the father of _Pharamond_, being king of a body of _Franks_ in
_Germany_ in the reign of the Emperor _Theodosius_, as above, _Pharamond_
might reign over the same _Franks_ in _Germany_ before he succeeded
_Theudomir_ in the kingdom of the _Salians_ within the Empire, and even
before _Theudomir_ began his reign; suppose in the first year of
_Honorius_, or when those _Franks_ being repulsed by _Stilico_, lost their
Kings _Marcomir_ and _Suno_, one of which was the father of _Pharamond_:
and the _Roman Franks_, after the death of _Theudomir_, might invite
_Pharamond_ with his people from beyond the _Rhine_. But we are not to
regard the reign of _Pharamond_ in _Germany_: we are to date this kingdom
from its rise within the Empire, and to look upon it as strengthened by the
access of other _Franks_ coming from beyond the _Rhine_, whether in the
reign of this King or in that of his successor _Clodio_. For in the last
year of _Pharamond_'s reign, _AEtius_ took from him a part of his possession
in _Gallia_: but his successor _Clodio_, whom _F