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Indeed, we wish the statute to be observed under the rubric or chapter beginning, "Lest the incarcerated [be harmed] by the guards, etc.," reformed according to the arrangement formerly established by our most illustrious lord and brother, and the acts done thereby. Declaring further that for the entry of prisons, the castellans, nor their household members, may not and shall not be able to exact from the incarcerated or detained—even if they are detained at the instance of many persons—if they have stayed beyond one day, except three grossi for entry, and just as much for exit, and no more. And if they have stayed for one day only, we wish three grossi to be exacted solely for entry, even if they have been recommended. And if said detained or incarcerated persons, having made an assignment to respond to the process judicially formed against them, shall have appeared, responded, and provided surety, let nothing be received from them by said castellans for entry into and exit from the aforementioned prisons, in any manner. Under the penalty contained in our statutes.
It shall not be lawful for said castellans to seize, arrest, or detain in prisons anyone for their own debts beyond the form of our statutes, nor to exact or recover anything for the entry and exit of such detained persons. Under a penalty of twenty-five librae fortes. And likewise, we prohibit that they have [the right] to ask for or exact, at any time, for grains, wines, and other victuals sold by them in their office, except at the rate of the price at which they were sold at the time of those sales, unless it is lawfully established that the debtors were dunned and placed in default.
We wish the attestations of witnesses, and whatsoever examinations are to be made by the same judges and councils in causes pending before them, to be received and performed respectively by them personally or by suitable, upright, and expert commissioners whom they shall see fit to elect for this purpose. The number of whom, so that it may not be confused in their courtrooms, they shall have the duty to describe, moderate, and restrain. And said commissioners shall be held and bound to perform a due oath regarding these matters before they are admitted.
And because it happens that many causes of wretched persons are treated before our said councils, we prohibit by this edict both the parties and their proctors from making processes and writings concerning similar causes of persons who are actually wretched, but rather [we order] that the produced [evidence], the stated [claims], and the replies of the parties be registered without other solemnities by the secretary, who shall provide proof of them to the same councils through his register in due time, so that they may be cognizantly reviewed summarily and justice administered without further expenses and writings. And we wish the same to be observed likewise in the causes of any other persons not exceeding the sum of ten florins. If, however, any of the proctors shall presume to accept the contrary and cause processes or writings to be made, we decree that such processes shall be of no weight or moment, and we decree that the same proctors shall be held entirely liable for the expenses and interests of the parties.
We wish also to remove the abuses of evildoers, murderers, and other delinquents who, after having committed such homicides and crimes, and desiring to avoid the cognizance and deserved punishment of the ordinaries, obtain from us extraordinary commissioners who are favorable and indulgent to them, and cause investigations to be made by indirect means, contrary to the truth of the matter in their own way, so that we may render ourselves more favorable toward them in grace and concessions; and lest such crimes remain unpunished and it be necessary for them to glory in their malice, we establish this edict also: that if, after said murderers and delinquents—whoever they may be, for whatever crimes and delicts—have obtained letters of indulgence or remission from us, they must, wherever they are, within one month from the date of those [letters], appear before our council of Turin if they are on this side of the mountains, and before the council of Chambéry if they are on the other side, and having called and heard our fiscal proctor and the injured party or the complainant, if there be one, in their own persons, and in the general auditorium of causes, they must humbly present [themselves] and duly justify them, so that it may be understood if they obtained them from us surreptitiously or mendaciously, or by not expressing or by concealing the truth. And until they have justified this as is promised, our aforementioned councils shall then register them and order them to be observed according to their form, having first satisfied the injured party according to the ordinance of our said councils, from which there may be no appeal or supplication. And they shall also publicly and graciously admonish those same delinquents to abstain from such delicts henceforth. And we wish the same to be done and observed if said accused are detained in the place of the delict, from which they should not be released unless they have satisfied the injured party according to the ordinance of the ordinary judge, from which also there may be no appeal, as was said above concerning the councils. If, however, they were obtained otherwise and contrary to the truth of the matter, and the delinquents themselves, having called the aforementioned, could not justify them, then and in that case [we order them to be delivered] to their ordinary judges, to whom they...