rchbishop of Rheims, reproduced it
almost in its entirety, in the form of a letter of instructions, written
at the request of certain grandees of the kingdom who had asked counsel
of him with respect to the government of Carloman, one of the sons of
Charles the Stutterer. We read therein:

"It was the custom at this time to hold two assemblies every year.... In
both, that they might not seem to have been convoked without motive,
there was submitted to the examination and deliberation of the grandees
... and by virtue of orders from the King, the fragments of law called
_capitula_, which the King himself had drawn up under the inspiration of
God or the necessity for which had been made manifest to him in the
intervals between the meetings."

Two striking facts are to be gathered from these words: the first, that
the majority of the members composing these assemblies probably regarded
as a burden the necessity for being present at them, since Charlemagne
took care to explain their convocation by declaring to them the motive
for it, and by always giving them something to do; the second, that the
proposal of the capitularies, or, in modern phrase, the initiative,
proceeded from the Emperor. The initiative is naturally exercised by him
who wishes to regulate or reform, and, in his time, it was especially
Charlemagne who conceived this design. There is no doubt, however, but
that the members of the assembly might make on their side such proposals
as appeared to them suitable; the constitutional distrusts and artifices
of our time were assuredly unknown to Charlemagne, who saw in these
assemblies a means of government rather than a barrier to his authority.
To resume the text of Hincmar:

"After having received these communications, they deliberated on them
two or three days or more, according to the importance of the business.
Palace messengers, going and coming, took their questions and carried
back the answers. No stranger came near the place of their meeting until
the result of their deliberations had been able to be submitted to the
scrutiny of the great prince, who then, with the wisdom he had received
from God, adopted a resolution which all obeyed."

The definite resolution, therefore, depended upon Charlemagne alone; the
assembly contributed only information and counsel.

Hincmar continues, and supplies details worthy of reproduction, for they
give an insight into the imperial government and the action of
Charlem