84 THE FORESTS OF FRANCE. 



establishment of a servitude on our woods and forests,-^ 

 under pain of nullification of all deeds and contracts 

 which may be executed without this formality, which 

 deeds shall be of no force against us for the establishment 

 of any pretended rights by the private parties, or the pro- 

 prietors of any heritages and their contents, which may 

 be disputed by us ; and if our Attorney give of his own 

 motion any consent, it shall not be available against us, 

 or any of our claims for expenses, damages, and interests. 



' 12. He shall keep one of the keys of the chest in 

 which is deposited the Marteau, serving to mark trees, 

 corner pieces, reserved standards, and others, without 

 permitting use to be made of it but in his presence ; he 

 shall also take in charge that it is redeposited in its place 

 at the end of every expedition on which it is so used. 



CHAPTER VII. Of the Garde-Marteau, or Keeper of the 

 Stamping-Hammer. 



'Art. 1. The Garde-Marteau shall assist at the Auditories 

 and in the Council Chamber, in giving judgment on busi- 

 ness, where he shall, along with the Master and Lieutenant, 

 have a deliberative vote ; and in their absence he shall 

 administer justice, to the exclusion of all advocates and 

 practitioners, if by us, through the Grand-Master, or his 

 Lieutenant at the Marble Table, it have not been ordered 

 otherwise, and if it be not a question of judgment on his 

 own reports. 



' '2, He shall make all martelages or markings of trees in 

 our forests, woods, and shrubberies within the Mattrise, 

 and also in localities where they have Gruyers, to which 

 he shall himself go, being without liberty to commit or 

 intrust the duty to another, save for legitimate hinderance, 

 of which he shall be bound to give notice to the Master 

 and King's Attorney to provide some one in his place. 



' 3. He shall have a particular Marteau to mark wind- 

 falls and stolen trees, which he shall never entrust to 

 another person, because of the inconvenience which might; 



