Agricola, Georgius, De re metallica, 1912/1950

List of thumbnails

< >
131
131 		132
132
133
133 		134
134
135
135 		136
136
137
137 		138
138
139
139 		140
140
< >
page |< < of 679 > >|
    <archimedes>
      <text>
        <body>
          <chap>
            <p type="main">
              <s>
                <pb pagenum="95"/>
              as a magistrate, or bids them leave their rights in abeyance, and he deter­
                <lb/>
              mines the pay of persons who hold any post or office. </s>
              <s>He is present in
                <lb/>
              person when the mine managers present their quarterly accounts of profits
                <lb/>
              and expenses, and generally represents the King or Prince and upholds his
                <lb/>
              dignity. </s>
              <s>The Athenians in this way set Thucydides, the famous historian,
                <lb/>
              over the mines of Thasos
                <emph type="sup"/>
              15
                <emph.end type="sup"/>
              .</s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>Next in power to the Mining Prefect comes the
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Bergmeíster,
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              since he
                <lb/>
              has jurisdiction over all who are connected with mines, with a few exceptions,
                <lb/>
              which are the Tithe Gatherer, the Cashier, the Silver Refiner, the Master
                <lb/>
              of the Mint, and the Coiners themselves. </s>
              <s>Fraudulent, negligent, or dissolute
                <lb/>
              men he either throws into prison, or deprives of promotion, or fines;
                <lb/>
              of these fines, part is given as a tribute to those in power. </s>
              <s>When the mine
                <lb/>
              owners have a dispute over boundaries he arbitrates it; or if he cannot
                <lb/>
              settle the dispute, he pronounces judgment jointly with the Jurors;
                <lb/>
              from them, however, an appeal lies to the Mining Prefect. </s>
              <s>He transcribes
                <lb/>
              his decrees in a book and sets up the records in public. </s>
              <s>It is also his duty
                <lb/>
              to grant the right over the mines to those who apply, and to confirm their
                <lb/>
              rights; he also must measure the mines, and fix their boundaries, and see
                <lb/>
              that the mine workings are not allowed to become dangerous. </s>
              <s>Some of
                <lb/>
              these duties he observes on fixed days; for on Wednesday in the presence
                <lb/>
              of the Jurors he confirms the rights over the mines which he has granted,
                <lb/>
              settles disputes about boundaries, and pronounces judgments. </s>
              <s>On Mondays,
                <lb/>
              Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, he rides up to the mines, and dismounting
                <lb/>
              at some of them explains what is required to be done, or considers the
                <lb/>
              boundaries which are under controversy. </s>
              <s>On Saturday all the mine managers
                <lb/>
              and mine foremen render an account of the money which they have spent
                <lb/>
              on the mines during the preceding week, and the Mining Clerk transcribes
                <lb/>
              this account into the register of expenses. </s>
              <s>Formerly, for one Principality
                <lb/>
              there was one
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Bergmeister,
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              who used to create all the judges and exercise
                <lb/>
              jurisdiction and control over them; for every mine had its own judge,
                <lb/>
              just as to-day each locality has a
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Bergmeíster
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              in his place, the name alone
                <lb/>
              being changed. </s>
              <s>To this ancient
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Bergmeister,
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              who used to dwell at Freiberg in
                <lb/>
              Meissen, disputes were referred; hence right up to the present time the one
                <lb/>
              at Freiberg still has the power of pronouncing judgment when mine owners
                <lb/>
              who are engaged in disputes among themselves appeal to him. </s>
              <s>The old
                <lb/>
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Bergmeíster
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              could try everything which was presented to him in any mine
                <lb/>
              whatsoever; whereas the judge could only try the things which were done
                <lb/>
              in his own district, in the same way that every modern
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Bergmeíster
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              can.</s>
            </p>
            <p type="main">
              <s>To each
                <emph type="italics"/>
              Bergmeister
                <emph.end type="italics"/>
              is attached a clerk, who writes out a schedule
                <lb/>
              signifying to the applicant for a right over a mine, the day and hour on which
                <lb/>
              the right is granted, the name of the applicant, and the location of the mine.
                <lb/>
              </s>
              <s>He also affixes at the entrance to the mine, quarterly, at the appointed time,
                <lb/>
              a sheet of paper on which is shown how much contribution must be paid to
                <lb/>
              the manager of the mine. </s>
              <s>These notices are prepared jointly with the </s>
            </p>
          </chap>
        </body>
      </text>
    </archimedes>
Impressum