Franco-Gallia : $b or, an account of the ancient free state of France, and most other parts of Europe, before the loss of their libertiesHotman, François
History
Franco-Gallia : $b or, an account of the ancient free state of France, and most other parts of Europe, before the loss of their liberties
Hotman, François
Constitutional history -- France; France -- Politics and government
_Gauls_ at that time, that like a Swarm they fill'd all _Asia_. So that
none of the _Eastern_ Kings either ventured to make War without a
mercenary Army of _Gauls_, or fled for Refuge to other than the _Gauls_,
when they were driven out of their Kingdoms." And thus much may suffice
concerning their warlike Praises and Fortitude, which (as _Tacitus_
tells us) was quite _gone, as soon as they lost their Liberty_. Yet some
Cities, or _Commonwealths_, (as _Phnius, lib. 4. cap. 11._ tells us)
were permitted to continue free, after the _Romans_ had reduced _Gallia_
to the Form of a Province. Such were the _Nervii_, _Ulbanesses_,
_Suessiones_ and _Leuci_. Also some of the Confederates: and among these
he reckons the _Lingones_, _Rhemi_, _Carnutes_ and _AEdui_.
But we may easily learn from these Words of _Critegnatus_ the
_Arvernian_, mentioned by _Caesar, lib. 7._ what the Condition was of
those _Commonwealths_, which had the Misfortune to be reduced into the
Form of a _Province_. "If" (says he) "you are ignorant after what manner
far distant Nations are used by the _Romans_, you have no more to do,
but to look at our neighbouring _Gallia_, now reduced into the Form of a
Province: Which having its Laws and Customs chang'd, and being subjected
to the Power of the _Axes_, is oppress'd with perpetual Slavery."
We are to understand, there were three kinds of Servitude, or Slavery.
First, _To have a Garison of Soldiers imposed upon them, to keep them in
Awe_; yet such Provinces as seemed peaceable and quiet, had no great
Armies maintained in them. For _Josephus_ writes in his 2d Book of the
Hist. of the _Jews_, "That in the Emperor _Titus's_ time, the _Romans_
had but 1200 Soldiers in Garison in all _Gaul_, altho'" (says he) "they
had fought with the _Romans_ for their Liberty, almost 800 Years, and
had near as many Cities, as the _Romans_ had Garison-Soldiers." A Second
Sort of Servitude was, when any Province was made Tributary, and
compelled to pay Taxes; and to that End were forced to endure a Number
of Tax-gatherers, that is, _Harpies_ and _Leeches_, which suck'd out the
very Blood of the _Provincials_. _Eutropius_ tells us, in his 6th Book,
That _Caesar_, as soon as he had subdued _Gaul_, impos'd a Tax upon it,
by the Name of a Tribute, which amounted to _H. S. Quadringenties:_
which is about a Million of our Crowns. A Third Sort of Servitude was,
when the Provinces were not permitted to be govern'd by their _own
Laws_; but had Magistrates and Judges, with full Power and Authority
(_cum imperio & securibus_) over Life and Estate, sent them by the
People of _Rome_. This Threefold Slavery not only our _Gallia_, but all
the other Provinces, took most bitterly to heart; and therefore in
_Tiberius's_ Reign, not long after _Caesar's_ Conquest, _Tacitus_ tells
us, That the Cities of _Gaul_ rebell'd, because of the Continuance of
Taxes, the Extortions of Usurers, and Insolence of the Soldiery. And
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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