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JURISDICTION OF WATERS AND FORESTS. 65 



sations, provided they have been called upon to do so by 

 one or other of the parties, and that they have, in doing 

 so, anticipated the action of officers of the seigneurs. 



'12. In the Jurisdictions in which the seigneurs have a 

 special judge for forest matters, our officials shall not have 

 such right of anticipating them, except they have been 

 required to act in it ; but if there be only an ordinary 

 judge, they shall have this right and the same power, even 

 though they have not been called on to act in it. 



* 13. If, however, the abuses and depredations have been 

 committed by beneficiaries on forests or woods connected 

 with their benefice, or by private persons on those which 

 are held by them, in this case our officials can take cog- 

 nisance ol them without their being called on to do so, 

 and notwithstanding that they may have been anticipated, 

 and this, whether there be a special judge of matters 

 pertaining to Waters and Forests or only an ordinary 

 judge. 



' 14. We expressly inhibit and forbid all our Provosts, 

 Castellians, Baillifs, Seneschals, Presidents, and other ordi- 

 nary Judges, Consuls, and persons belonging to the Court 

 of the Green Cloth, and our Grand Council, and even our 

 Courts of Parliament in first instance, to take cognisance 

 of the cases specified, or of any matter relating to waters, 

 rivers, shrubberies, forest appurtenances and dependences ; 

 and we so inhibit and forbid all communities and private 

 persons, merchants or others, of whatsoever rank and con- 

 dition they may be, to prosecute, reply, or argue on such 

 matters before them, on pain of what may be done being 

 declared null and void, and, of an arbitrary fine against the 

 parties. 



* 15. We also expressly forbid our Courts of Parliament, 

 and of Lords, to certify any letters patent on matters per- 

 taining to our Waters and Forests held in Grurie, Grairie, 

 Tiers et Danger^ appanage, sale contract, usufruct, and 

 co-proprietorship, or of those of prelates, ecclesiastic.*, 

 communities, and holders of mortmain, which have not 

 previously been submitted to the Grand-Master of the 



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