PREFACE. vii 



judgment ; he, that is fummoned is oblig- 

 ed to appear before the elders. Each lays 

 down his reafons. The men on board the 

 two verTels are called, and interrogated, 

 and en their depofition, judgment is im- 

 mediately pronounced and executed ; for, 

 if he, that has been condemned, refufes to 

 fubmit to what has been adjudged, his 

 boat is feized, and he cannot exercife his 

 trade, until fuch time as he has fubmitted 

 to the fentence ; but the cofts are reduced 

 to the one penny only, which have been 

 given to the luminary of St. Peter. 



It were to be wiihed, that this fubaltern 

 jurifdic~tion was more general, as it appears 

 to be conformable to the fimple law of na- 

 ture. They mould be obliged to fupprefs 

 the abufes, which tend to the deftrudion 

 of fiih, and it appears efiential to prefer ve 

 to the elders the fmall privileges granted 

 them, and which are the only honourable 

 recompence of their toils and labours. 



As the elders at Marfeilles confidered 

 what might render the fifheries more 

 abundant, by preferving the fmall fifh, 

 they judged itneceflary, at certain feafons, 



to 



