Again, after the Death of _Clotharius_ the 4th King, the Kingdom was divided among his four Sons. So that _Cherebertus_ had that of _Paris: Guntranus, Orleans: Chilpericus, Soissons:_ and _Sigebertus_ that of _Rheims_--, Greg. _lib. 4. cap. 22._ Aimoinus _lib. 3. cap. 1._ Rhegino _sub anno_ 498. On the other hand, _Otto Frising._ chron. 5. cap. 9. and _God. Viterb._ tell us, That about the Year 630, when _Lotharius_ the 7th King died, _Dagobertus_ his Son reigned _singly_ in _France_, and assigned to his Brother _Heribert_ some Cities and Villages on the River _Loire_, for his Maintenance. For from _Clodoveus_'s Time till now, the Kingdom of the _Franks_ was confusedly subdivided among the Sons, and the Sons Sons, each of which reigned over the part allotted him.--"The Extent of the Kingdom of the _Franks_ reaching now from _Spain_, as far as to _Hungary: Dagobert_ being sole King of all the _Franks_, gave Laws to the _Bavarians_." So says _Godefridus_, not without good Grounds, as many wise Men have thought. For, as _Justin_ tells us, _lib. 21._ "That Kingdom will be much more potent, which remains under the Domination of one Person, than when 'tis divided among many Brothers." But after some Years, when the Kingdom of the _Franks_ was excessively enlarged on all Sides, and King _Pipin_ was dead, the _General Council_ of the _Gauls_ changed this Method again. Which serves to confirm what we said before; _viz._ That the _whole Power_, relating to that Matter, was lodged in that _Council._ For _Eguinarthus_, in his Life of _Charlemagn_, writes thus, "--After King _Pipin'_s Death, the _Franks_ having assembled themselves in a _solemn general Convention_, did there _appoint_ both his Sons to be their Kings, upon this Condition, that they shou'd equally divide the whole body of the Kingdom between them: And that _Charles_ shou'd reign over that part of it, which their Father _Pipin_ enjoy'd; and _Carloman_ over the other Part which their _Uncle_ held."