ANCIENT LAW.
IX. Concerning those who Falsely Write, or Publish, Decrees and Edicts of the King.
The unlawful and wicked conduct of certain persons renders it necessary that laws should be enacted for the restraint of future generations; so that those over whom reproof has no influence, may be amenable to legal censure and coercion. And, for the reason that it is well known that many not only write out royal orders themselves, but also promulgate them, and publish documents confirmed by the signatures of notaries, whereby many things have been introduced into the laws of our kingdom, and many provisions have been written, or attempted to be added, which have not received the sanction of our authority; nor are suitable to our people, not having been dictated by the principles of justice or truth; and, in consequence, our subjects have been greatly vexed by injuries, spoliation, and other annoyances; we therefore promulgate the following edict: that, now and hereafter, no notary whosoever, no matter to what rank or race he may belong, (with the exception of the public notaries, or those attached to the royal service and their sons, and such as have received special commissions from the king, or any orders or appointments issued by the royal authority) shall write or publish any spurious document, purporting to have been issued by the king, or shall attempt to offer any such document to any notary, to be confirmed by his signature; but only the public notaries, and our own notaries, and those of our successors, and such as have been especially appointed by us, shall have authority to write or publish any royal order or edict. Whoever shall be found guilty of violating this law, whether he be freeman or slave, shall receive two hundred lashes, by order of the king or the judge; shall be scalped as a mark of infamy; and have, in addition, the thumb of his right hand cut off; as punishment for having attempted to commit unlawful acts which were contrary to the dignity of the throne.[41]
TITLE VI. CONCERNING COUNTERFEITERS OF METALS.
| I. | Concerning the Torture of Slaves, in Order to Convict their Masters of Counterfeiting Money; and the Reward of Witnesses who have given Information of the Same. |
| II. | Concerning those who Debase Solidi, or Other Coins. |
| III. | Concerning those who Debase Gold by a Mixture of Other Metals. |
| IV. | Where Artificers of Metals are Found to have Abstracted a Portion of what was Entrusted to Them. |
| V. | No One shall Refuse to Accept a Golden Solidus of Legal Weight. |
I. Concerning the Torture of Slaves, in Order to Convict their Masters of Counterfeiting Money; and the Reward of Witnesses who have given Information of the Same.
We do not forbid that slaves should be tortured, in order to convict their master or mistress of counterfeiting; as, by this means, the truth may be the more easily ascertained. If a slave belonging to another person should give information of such a crime, and it should prove to be true, he shall be given his freedom, if his master consents, and the latter shall receive his value from the public treasury; and if he does not consent, the slave shall receive three ounces of gold from the public treasury. Where the informer is a freeman, he shall be entitled to six ounces of gold, on account of the service which he has rendered.
FLAVIUS CHINTASVINTUS, KING
II. Concerning those who Debase Solidi, or Other Coins.
Where anyone debases, pares, or files, solidi, he shall be arrested, as soon as the judge is apprized of the fact; and, if he is a slave, his right hand shall be cut off. If he should be arrested a second time, for the same offence, he shall be brought before the king, to be disposed of at the royal pleasure. Where the judge hesitates to discharge his duty in a case of this kind, he shall forfeit the fourth part of his property, which shall be confiscated for the benefit of the treasury. If the offender is a freeman, he shall forfeit half of his property to the treasury; if he is of inferior rank, he shall lose his freedom, and shall be given up as a slave to whomever the king may select. Whoever shall engrave or make counterfeit money, no matter who he may be, shall undergo a similar sentence and penalty.