And thus much may suffice on this Point. From all which we think it appears plainly, that the whole Power of the Administration of the Kingdom was lodg'd in the _Publick Council_, which they called _Placitum_; because according to the Idiom of the _Latin_ Tongue, _that_ is properly termed _Placitum_, which after having been proposed and debated in a Council of many Persons, is at last agreed to, and resolved upon by them. And therefore _Cicero_, with others of the Ancients, were wont to call such-like Determinations, _Placita Philosophorum_. Since therefore the Matter is so, I hope the Opinion which we have formerly given in some of our other Books, will not be esteemed absurd; _viz._ That the common Form used by the King's Secretary in the last Clause of our Ordinances and Edits, _Quia tale est PLACITUM nostrum_, arises from hence: For anciently those Laws were written in the _Latin Tongue_, (as is sufficiently proved by _Aimoinus_, the _Capitulary of Charles the Great_, and many other Records); but afterwards when the King's Secretaries or Clerks began to make Use of the Vulgar Tongue, thro' Ignorance, or rather Malice, they translated it thus,--_Car tel est nostre Plaisir: For such is our Will and Pleasure_. Now as to the _Power_ of the _People_, we have this farther Argument extant in the same Capitulary of _Charles the Great_.--"Let the _People_ (says it) be consulted touching all the Heads of the new Laws, which are to be added to the former; and after they have _all given their Consents_, let them set their Hands and Seals to every Article." From which Words, 'tis apparent that the People of _France_ were wont to be bound by such Laws _only_, as they had publickly agreed to in their _Parliaments_. Also _in fine Leg. Aleman._ we find this Passage.--"This is decreed by the _King_ and his _Nobles_, and all the Christian _People_ which compose the Kingdom of the _Merovingians_." Also _Aimoinus_, lib. 5 cap. 38.--"In this _Placitum_ the Laws which follow were agreed upon, to be observed between them, by the _Consent_ of the faithful _Subjects_.--An Agreement made between the Glorious Kings, &c. by the _Advice_ and _Consent_ of their faithful Commons, &c." Lastly, we cannot omit observing, that so great was the _Reputation_ and _Authority_ of this _General Council_, even among _Strangers_, that _foreign Princes_ submitted to have their Controversies and Differences decided by it. The _Appendix_ to _Greg. Turon._ lib. 11. cap. 37. _Anno_ 12. of _Theodorick_'s Reign, has this Passage in it.--"When _Alsaciones_, [perhaps _Alsatia_] in which Country he had been brought up, and which was left him by his Father _Childebert_, fell nevertheless to _Theodebert_, according to the Custom in Use among the _Barbarians_; the two Kings agreed that their Difference should be decided by the judgment of the _Franks_, (in _Salocissa castro_) in their Camp near the River _Sala_." * * * * * CHAP. XII.