_Of the_ Capevingian _Race, and the Manner of its obtaining the Kingdom of_ Francogallia. CHAP. XVII. _Of the_ uninterrupted Authority _of the_ Publick Council, _during the_ Capevingian _Line_. CHAP. XVIII. _Of the Remarkable_ Authority _of the_ Council _against_ Lewis _the Eleventh_. CHAP. XIX. _Of the Authority of the Assembly of the_ States, _concerning the most important Affairs of Religion_. CHAP. XX. _Whether_ Women _are not as much debarr'd by the_ Francogallican _Law from the_ Administration, _as from the_ Inheritance _of the Kingdom_. CHAP. XXI. _Of the_ Juridical Parliaments _in_ France. * * * * * A Short EXTRACT OF THE LIFE OF Francis Hotoman, Taken out of Monsieur _Bayle's_ Hist. Dict. and other Authors. _Francis Hotoman_ (one of the most learned Lawyers of that Age) was Born at _Paris_ the 23d of _August_, 1524. His Family was an Ancient and Noble one, originally of _Breslaw_, the Capital of _Silesia_. _Lambert Hotoman_, his Grandfather, bore Arms in the Service of _Lewis_ the 11th of _France_, and married a rich Heiress at _Paris_, by whom he had 18 Children; the Eldest of which (_John Hotoman_) had so plentiful an Estate, that he laid down the Ransom-Money for King _Francis_ the First, taken at the Battel of _Pavia_: _Summo galliae bono, summa cum sua laude_, says _Neveletus_, _Peter Hotoman_ his 18th Child, and [Footnote: _Maistre des Eaux & Forrests._] _Master of the Waters and Forests_ of _France_ (afterwards a Counsellor in the Parliament of _Paris_) was Father to _Francis_, the _Author_ of this Book. He sent his Son, at 15 Years of Age, to _Orleans_ to study the _Common Law_; which he did with so great Applause, that at Three Years End he merited the Degree of Doctor. His Father designing to surrender to him his Place of Counsellor of _Parliament_, sent for him home: But the young Gentleman was soon tired with the Chicane of the Bar, and plung'd himself deep in the Studies of [Footnote: _Les belles Lettres._] _Humanity_ and the _Roman Laws_; for which he had a wonderful Inclination. He happen'd to be a frequent Spectator of the Protestants Sufferings, who, about that Time, had their Tongues cut out, were otherwise tormented, and burnt for their Religion. This made him curious to dive into those Opinions, which inspired so much Constancy, Resignation and Contempt of Death; which brought him by degrees to a liking of them, so that he turn'd Protestant. And this put him in Disgrace with his father, who thereupon disinherited him; which forced him at last to quit _France_, and to retire to _Lausanne_ in _Swisserland_ by _Calvin_'s and _Beza_'s Advice; where his great Merit and Piety promoted him to the Humanity-Professor's Chair, which he accepted of for a Livelihood, having no Subsistance from his Father. There he married a young _French_ Lady, who had fled her Country upon the Score of Religion: He afterwards remov'd to