68 THE FORESTS OF FRANCE. 



pretext whatsoever; but they shall, within six months, 

 decide what to do, and on that time having elapsed, we 

 declare their charges vacant and open to others ; and if 

 any be in this position they shall be held as having 

 resigned, and others shall be appointed in their places, six 

 months after the publication of these presents; or other- 

 wise and that time having passed, the situations shall be 

 declared vacant, and requiring to be filled up. 



' 9. Officers in the Maitrises received by commission shall 

 enjoy while in office the same honours, privileges, and 

 exemptions as are accorded to officers by appointment. 



' 10. Papers of process prepared by commission shall not 

 be issued, but shall be reported by the commissioners who 

 have prepared them. 



' 11. Every officer suspended by authority of a Court 

 of Justice from the functions of his office, shall abstain 

 from the exercise of these during the time of appeal 

 or dispute, under pain of their acts being declared imll 

 and void. 



' 1 2. We forbid to all ecclesiastics, and Officers of Parlia- 

 ment, of Grand Council, of the Lords, of Courts des Aydes, 

 and others our Courts, to hold or exercise either by 

 appointment or commission, any charge in the jurisdiction 

 of our waters and forests, under pain of their proceedings 

 being declared void, and a fine of three thousand livres. 



' 13. The Forest- Masters, Lieutenants, King's Attorneys, 

 Gardes-Marteau, Registrars, Surveyors, and Sergeants of the 

 Guard shall be exempted from having soldiers billeted on 

 them, from having to furnish implements, provisions, con- 

 tributions, or subsistence ; or undertaking guardianship, 

 and curatorship, the collecting of our dues and other public 

 burdens; and they shall have their judicial cases, both 

 civil and criminal, decided at the Presidial of the district, 

 and the same as with the towns liable for the land tax, 

 they shall be taxed from the office of the commissioners 

 of distribution, if they do not hold some like privilege 

 elsewhere, so long as they discharge the functions of their 

 office or commission. 



