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LXXXVIII
- University of Pennsylvania Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
80 THE BURGUNDIAN CODE not be permitted to have the liberty of making sales or bequests beforefifteenyears of age. And if they have been cheated because of their infancy, let none of it be valid. Thus what they have done before the fifteenth year of age, they may have the power of retracting within another fifteenyears if they wish. 2. But if they have not retracted it within the stated time, let it be permanent and remain valid. Since the title of emancipation takes precedence over the law of possession, great care must be exercised in such matters. And therefore it should be observed, that if anyone wishes to manumit a slave, he may do so by giving him his liberty through a legally competent document; or if anyone wishes to give freedom to a bondservant without a written document, let the manumission thus conferred be confirmed with the witness of not less than five or seven native freemen, because it is not fitting to present a smaller number of witnesses than is required when the manumissionis in writtenform. CONTINUATION OF THE BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS 1. Inasmuch as we are concerned with the pursuit and useful purpose of agriculture, a general complaint has been brought to us not only regarding our lands, but also the lands of other proprietors , charging that vineyards are guarded in many places with such negligencethat they are ruined constantly by cattle and other animals. As a result, either the vines themselves are torn and cut off by grazing animals or, trodden and broken from the ground itself, they are pulled up by the roots, whence the edict of our fatherof gloriousmemory was issued in former times regarding the killing of each and every such animal or rendering compensation therefor. However, we recognize that this has not been observed owing to the negligence of all. ...