54 THE FORESTS OF FRANCE. 



The Maitrises particulieres des Eaux et Forefs. or Courts of 

 the Maitrise or forest territory placed under the adminis- 

 tration of a Maitre particulier, Special Master, to which 

 designation corresponds the designation, Forst-Meister or 

 Forest-Master, and the designations derived therefrom in use 

 in many countries were j udicatories established near the 

 principal royal forests, to watch over their conservation, 

 and to adjudicate specially, in the first instance, on the 

 petition of the Procureur du Roi } on all matters, civil as well 

 criminal, relating to the Waters and Forests, and also on 

 appeals from sentences passed by the Royal Gruries, &c. 



The Tables de Marbre, and the tribunals representing 

 them, were j udicatories having power to decide appeals from 

 sentences passed by the Maitrises and by Gruries des Seigneurs, 

 with power to take cognisance in the first instance of all 

 suits and disputes in regard to the proprietorships of waters 

 and forests, islands and rivers, belonging to the royal 

 domain, and others in which the sovereign has an 

 interest. 



The Tables de Marbre, or Courts of the Marble Table, 

 were judicial courts established near the Courts of Parlia- 

 ment at Paris, Rouen, Toulouse, Dijou, Bretagne, Metz, 

 v and in other towns of the kingdom. They were abolished 

 in February 1704 by Royal edict, and Chambres Souveraines 

 established in their stead. But they were re-establised as 

 Courts of Appeal in May of the same year. 



By edict of March 1558 they were made Courts of 

 Dernier Ressort, and by this ordinance they were empowered 

 to judge in all civil and criminal cases relating to the 

 property of the Eai-x et Forets by whatever tenure held, 

 but this subject to appeal to Parliament. They were con- 

 tinued as Courts of Appeal by parties from the inferior 

 forest courts, under certain restrictions. And appeals from 

 them by Grand-Masters, Forest-Masters, and other officials 

 of the Forest service were direct to Parliament. The prin- 

 cipal charges of which these courts had to dispose appear 

 to have been such as were classified under one or other of 

 these heads abus, delit, and malversation, 



