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EDICT OF NANTES.
477

written and ordered by said Assemblies, shall be inquired into, and those persons who advised, signed, executed, caused to be signed and executed the said Ordinances, Regulations and Resolutions, shall remain undisturbed, as also their widows, children and heirs, now and forever, even if the particulars of the case be not specially provided for herein. We impose perpetual silence on these subjects upon our Attorneys-General, their substitutes, and any others who may be interested therein, in any way whatsoever, notwithstanding all decrees, sentences, judgments, prosecutions or proceedings to the contrary.

78th.—We fully approve, authorize and pronounce to be valid, the accounts which have been audited, closed and examined by the deputies of the said Assembly. We desire that these, together with the receipts and papers which have been presented by the responsible parties, shall be taken to the Court of Exchequer in Paris, three months after the publication of the present Edict, and placed in charge of our Attorney-General, to be delivered to the keeper of the books and registers of our Chamber, to be ready when wanted for reference, at all times, without requiring said accounts to be revised, nor the parties responsible for them being obliged to appear or make correction, unless in the case of any thing received having been omitted, or in that of false receipts having been given. Our said Attorney-General roust not raise any question with regard to deficient surplus, or formalities not carefully attended to. Officers of the Treasury, as well in Paris as in the Provinces where they are settled, are not to take cognizance of any such matters, in any way whatever.

79th.—With regard to accounts not yet given in, we wish them to be audited and closed by Commissioners who will be appointed by us for the purpose, who will make no difficulty in passing and allowing all items, paid by the said responsible parties, in virtue of the Ordinances of the said Assembly, or others possessing power.

80th.—All Collectors, Receivers, Farmers and all others, shall be fully and legally discharged from the payment of all funds of what nature soever, which they paid to the said Clerks of the said Assembly, up to the last day of this month. We wish to have every thing passed and allowed in the accounts presented to our Exchequer, purely and simply in virtue of the receipts which shall be borne upon them. If any shall be afterwards executed and delivered in, they shall be declared null, and persons who shall accept them or