BOOK IV. 



95 



as a magistrate, or bids them leave their rights in abeyance, and he deter- 

 mines the pay of persons who hold any post or office. He is present in 

 person when the mine managers present their quarterly accounts of profits 

 and expenses, and generally represents the King or Prince and upholds his 

 dignity. The Athenians in this way set Thucydides, the famous historian, 

 over the mines of Thasos 15 . 



Next in power to the Mining Prefect comes the Bergmeister, since he 

 has jurisdiction over all who are connected with mines, with a few exceptions, 

 which are the Tithe Gatherer, the Cashier, the Silver Refiner, the Master 

 of the Mint, and the Coiners themselves. Fraudulent, negligent, or dissolute 

 men he either throws into prison, or deprives of promotion, or fines ; 

 of these fines, part is given as a tribute to those in power. When the mine 

 owners have a dispute over boundaries he arbitrates it ; or if he cannot 

 settle the dispute, he pronounces judgment jointly with the Jurors; 

 from them, however, an appeal lies to the Mining Prefect. He transcribes 

 his decrees in a book and sets up the records in public. It is also his duty 

 to grant the right over the mines to those who apply, and to confirm their 

 rights ; he also must measure the mines, and fix their boundaries, and see 

 that the mine workings are not allowed to become dangerous. Some of 

 these duties he observes on fixed days ; for on Wednesday in the presence 

 of the Jurors he confirms the rights over the mines which he has granted, 

 settles disputes about boundaries, and pronounces judgments. On Mondays, 

 Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, he rides up to the mines, and dismounting 

 at some of them explains what is required to be done, or considers the 

 boundaries which are under controversy. On Saturday all the mine managers 

 and mine foremen render an account of the money which they have spent 

 on the mines during the preceding week, and the Mining Clerk transcribes 

 this account into the register of expenses. Formerly, for one Principality 

 there was one Bergmeister, who used to create all the judges and exercise 

 jurisdiction and control over them ; for every mine had its own judge, 

 just as to-day each locality has a Bergmeister in his place, the name alone 

 being changed. To this ancient Bergmeister, who used to dwell at Freiberg in 

 Meissen, disputes were referred ; hence right up to the present time the one 

 at Freiberg still has the power of pronouncing judgment when mine owners 

 who are engaged in disputes among themselves appeal to him. The old 

 Bergmeister could try everything which was presented to him hi any mine 

 whatsoever ; whereas the judge could only try the things which were done 

 in his own district, in the same way that every modern Bergmeister can. 



To each Bergmeister is attached a clerk, who writes out a schedule 

 signifying to the applicant for a right over a mine, the day and hour on which 

 the right is granted, the name of the applicant, and the location of the mine. 

 He also affixes at the entrance to the mine, quarterly, at the appointed time, 

 a sheet of paper on which is shown how much contribution must be paid to 

 the manager of the mine. These notices are prepared jointly with the 



15 See Note 29, p. 23. 



