1827 corrupt perjury are liable; and every such person may be tried for any such perjury, either in the place in which the offence was committed, or in any colony or settlement of His Majesty near thereto, in which there is a Court of competent jurisdiction to try any such offence, or in His Majesty's Court of King's Bench in England; and that in case of any prosecution for such offence in His Majesty's said Court of King's Bench, the venue may be laid in the county of Middlesex.

IX. And be it further enacted, that from and after the passing of this Act it shall not be lawful for any person to commence, prosecute, or proceed in any claim, action, or suit whatever in the High Court, of Admiralty, or in any other Court, or before any Judges or persons whomsoever, other than the several Mixed Courts of Justice appointed under and by virtue of the said Treaty and this Act, for the condemnation or restitution of any ship or cargo or slaves, or for any compensation or indemnification, or for any loss or damage, or for any injury sustained by such ship, cargo, or slaves, or by any persons on board any such ship, in consequence of any capture, seizure, or detention under the authority or in pursuance of the provisions of the said Treaty, or of the Instructions and Regulations thereto annexed, or of this Act; and that the pendency of any claim, suit, or proceeding instituted or which may be instituted before any of the said Mixed Courts so to be appointed under the authority of the said Treaty and this Act, for the condemnation or restitution of any ship or cargo or slaves taken, seized, or detained by virtue of the said Treaty, or of the Instructions and Regulations thereto annexed, or for any compensation or indemnification for any loss or damage in consequence of the taking, seizing, or detaining any such ship, or the final adjudication, condemnation, judgment, or determination of any such Mixed Court, as the case shall require, may be pleaded in bar or given in evidence under the general issue; or in case no such claim, suit, or proceeding shall have been instituted before any such Mixed Court, then the said Treaty, Instructions and Regulations, and this Act, may in like manner be pleaded in bar, or given in evidence under the general issue: and

every such plea in bar, or evidence so given under 1827 the general issue, shall be deemed and adjudged to be a good and complete bar to any such claim, action, suit, or proceeding in the said High Court of Admiralty, or in any Court or place other than such Mixed Courts; any thing in any Act or Acts or law or laws to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding.

X. And be it further enacted, that nothing in this Act contained shall be deemed or construed in anywise to alter, suspend, affect, relax, or repeal any of the clauses, penalties forfeitures, or punishments contained and enacted in any Act or Acts made for the suppression or prevention of the Slave Trade; but that all such Acts, and all clauses, regulations, penalties, forfeitures, and punishments therein respectively contained, shall remain in full force and virtue, anything in this Act contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

any

XI. And be it further enacted, that if action or suit shall be commenced, either in Great Britain or elsewhere, against any person or persons, for anything done in pursuance of the said Treaty, or the Instructions or Regulations thereto annexed or of this Act, the defendant or defendants in such action or suit may plead the general issue, and give this Act and the special matter in evidence at any trial to be had thereupon, and that the same was done in persuance and by the authority of the said Treaty, Instructions or Regulations, or of this Act; and if it shall appear so to have been done, the jury shall find for the defendant or defendants; and if the plaintiff shall be nonsuited, or discontinue his action after the defendant or defendants shall have appeared, or if judgement shall be given upon any verdict or demurrer against the plaintiffs, the defendant or defendants shall recover treble costs, and have the like remedy for the same as defendants have in other causes by law.

134.

Bulle, par laquelle S. S. Léon XII approuve définitivement l'accommodement arrêté avec S. M. le Roi de Sardaigne sur les réclamations des Corps Ecclésiastiques du Piémont envers les Finances Royales. *) Signée à Rome, le 14. Mai 1828.

LEO PP. XII.

Ad futuram Rei Memoriam.

Gravissimae calamitates, quibus ob praeteritam temporum perturbationem, tum sacra, tum civilis res in universa Italia vexata est, Pedemontanas praesertim provincias pro ipsa locorum conditione affecerunt. Vix prima tranquillitatis lux affulsit, piissimus Rex Victorius Emmanuel continentalibus suis Dominiis restitutus ad ingentia Ecclesiae damna reparanda, sacrorumque Ministrorum inopiam levandam oculos animumque convertit, Apostolicae Sedis opem, et auctoritatem in eum finem sollicite implorans. Votis eximii Regis obsecundandum censuit felicis recordationis Pius VII praecessor noster, qui datis idcirco in forma Brevis die VI decembris MDCCCXIV Apostolicis litteris indulsit, ut donec temporales Ecclesiarum res rite componerentur, liceret optimo Principi, quem probe noverat nonnisi in bonum Ecclesiae Pontificio indulto fore usurum, omnes quorumcumque tunc vacantium Ecclesiasticorum bonorum fructus et redditus in egenorum Ministrorum Ecclesiae subsidium, aliosque pios misericordiae et charitatis usus impendere, expletis tamen omnibus et singulis oneribus Ecclesiasticae cuique Institutioni adnexis, detractisque quibusdam pecuniarum summis, quae novis Episcopis ad iter in Urbem suscipiendum, atque ad impensas in Ecclesiarum possessione ineunda

*) A cette Bulle sont annexés plusieurs tableaux; nous avons cru inutile de les publier, ne contenant que des dispositions transitoires et d'administration intérieure.

necessarias opportune tribuerentur. Verum nova paullo 1828 post aborta tempestate, reque publica iterum in discrimen deducta, idem Rex Apostolicam Sedem adiit, ut ad maximos sustinendos sumptus pro suorum Principatuum tuitione subsidium ex Ecclesiae censu obtineret. Quibus postulationibus idem Praecessor noster benigne annuens, per alias in forma Brevis litteras die XI augusti MDCCCXV concessit, ut ex sacris quibuscumque bonis stabilibus, et usque non alienatis, segregari ac vendi liceret portio quae centies centena millia librarum Pedemontanae monetae aequaret, ea tamen sub lege, ut quo citius pro temporum circumstantiis fieri posset, atque ad summum intra quinquen nium, totidem montium loca constituerentur in debitam Ecclesiarum piarumque Institutionum redintegrationem, prout religiosissime factum novimus pro ea bonorum quantitate, quae divendita fuit. Praeterea allis litteris datis die XVII iunii MDCCCXVI idem Praecessor noster indulsit, ut certis aliis redditibus fructus quoque Abbatiae a Casa nova nuncupatae adiungerentur ad effectum illos erogandi modo et forma in praefatis litteris expressa, posita tamen conditione, ut cessante causa concessionis omnes Abbatiae fundi Ecclesiae redderentur. Denique ob maximi momenti rationes, quae a memorato Rege expositae fuerant, per Apostolicas litteras diei XX decembris MDCCCXVI ad Pedemontanam et Ianuensem ditionem estensa fuere, quae articulo tertio decimo Conventionis inter Apostolicam Sedem et Gallicanum Gubernium die XV iunii MDCCCI initae circa Ecclesiae bona alienata continentur. Probe autem sentiens laudatus Praecessor noster, se non posse Ecclesiae causam ac temporalia eius iura omnino negligere, imo teneri ad rationes eius protegendas, Regiam aequitatem ac pietatem compellavit, ut Ecclesiis, Monasteriis et piis locis, ad quae bona illa pertinebant, qua meliori fieri posset ratione provideretur. Non defuit quidem egregia memorati Regis religio, et fides, ut res Ecclesiae eo quo par erat modo quam primum componerentur, quod luculentissima monumenta testantur, tum in Episcopalium Sedium, et Capitulorum instauratione ipsius studio ex Apostolicae auctoritatis suffragio peracta, tum in nonnullis sacrarum Virginum ac Religiosorum coenobiis eius ope restitutis, tum in caeteris, quae ad Ecclesiae utilitatem pro tem

1823 porum ratione liberaliter perfecit. Regno autem per ipsum abdicato cum primum avitum solium conscendit charissimus in Christo Filius Noster Rex Carolus Felix impensam Augusti Fratris pietatem ac religionem aemulatus, pari statim studio, et contentione, ad inceptum opus perficiendum incubuit, Sedesque proinde Episcopales Tarantasiensem et Maurianensem restituendas curavit, Monasteria insuper suo aere condidit (quod et Regia Coniux pari pietate et liberalitate praestitit) aliaque plura edidit, quibus constans pro Ecclesia voluntas mirifice commendatur. Tum vero accitis in consilium lectissimis viris, etiam ex Episcopali ordine in id potissimum adnixus est, ut apta bonorum reddituumque Ecclesiasticorum distributio conciliaretur, qua urgentioribus saltem Ecclesiae necessitatibus pro tempore et copia prospectum esset. Universam inde susceptorum consiliorum rationem accurate propositam una cum tabulis, quibus cuncta enucleantur, adferri ad Nos voluit Maiestas Sua per dilectum Filium Equitem Philibertum Avogadro de Colobiano, quem Regiis commendatum litteris Romam misit, ut ipsius nomine de tanto Nobiscum negotio tractaret, quique accurate ac solerter munere suo fructus est. Vix primum delibavimus, quae Nobis ea de re prolata sunt, maximo quidem animi dolore affecti sumus, dum vetus Ecclesiae Patrimonium in Pedemontana et Ianuensi ditione innumeris huc usque iacturis valde imminutum agnovimus: sed haud mediocri simul perfusi. sumus gaudio ex religiosissimis Regis sensibus, qui ex Ecclesiae doctrina probe animadvertens Ecclesiastica bona e procella praeteritarum vicissitudinum erepta ad Ecclesiae patrimonium pertinere, reique sacrae naturam prorsus conservare, Nobis voluntatem suam aperuit, vel ipsis Regni sui primordiis conceptam, velle se omnibus suarum ditionum Ecclesiis restituere quidquid ex earum censu adhuc supererat, quin lucri aliquid caperet ex Ecclesiasticis bonis Demanio addictis, cum malit potius pro eo quo flagrat in Religionem studio e penu suo addere quantum sibi praesto sit ad Ecclesiarum inopiam sublevandam. Itaque quod ipsa rei gravitas ac dignitas maxime postulabat omne illico studium et diligentiam inter assiduas Apostolatus Nostri curas ad tanti operis examen contulimus, selectamque simul Venerabilium Fratrum nostrorum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Car