16. Reges 'Crinitos' [super] se creavisse de prima, et ut
ita dicam, nobiliori suorum familia (Greg. Turon. l. ii. c.
9, p. 166, of the second volume of the Historians of
France). Gregory himself does not mention the 'Merovingian'
name, which may be traced, however, to the beginning of the
seventh century, as the distinctive appellation of the royal
family, and even of the French monarchy. An ingenious critic
has deduced the Merovingians from the great Maroboduus; and
he has clearly proved that the prince who gave his name to
the first race was more ancient than the father of
Childeric. See Memoires de l'Academie des Inscriptions, tom.
xx. p. 52-90, tom. xxx. p. 557-587.