Field Mice on Trial

From E. P. Evans, The Criminal Prosecution and Capital Punishment of Animals, London, William Heinemann, 1906. Appendix C. To read the original German, click 'keep reading' below.

[Stilf, South Tyrol, 1519]

The Allegation

Schwarz... made his allegation against the field mice on the grounds that these harmful animals have brought him great and notable misfortunes, so that if these harmful animals are not chased away, [he] would not be able to pay his annual rent to the feudal manner, and would be forced to move away, since in such circumstances his family would not be able to feed itself.

The Replication

Grienebner prosecuted the matter, and gave this answer and submitted it to the court: he understood [the complaint] against the little animals, but said that it is well known that in general they afford a certain contribution and utility... For their sake, he is hopeful that today their usefulness and their contribution will be recognized, and that there will be no judgment against them. If however the judgment is made that [the mice] must move, he is hopeful that another accommodation and another location will be given to them, in which they will be able to maintain themselves. During this removal they should also be given free passage, safe from their enemies such as dogs, cats, or other enemies. He is also hopeful that, if one of them should be pregnant, she should be allowed to stay until she brings forth her young, and only then should she move out.

The Judgment

In view of the allegation and the replication, the address and the counter-address, and in view of the testimony that has been made and of all that is right, it is by judgment and by rights recognized that the harmful little animals, as the field mice are called, are to vacate the fields and meadows of Stilf within 14 days of the complaint, and are never to return again. If however one or more of the little animals is pregnant, or is unable to be removed because it is too young, these shall be given refuge for 14 [more] days; but those that are able to move must vacate within 14 days. 

*

Klag

Schwarz... hat sein Klag gesetzt wider die Lutmäuse in der Gestalt, dass diese schädliche Tiere ihnen grossen merklichen Schaden tun, so wurde auch erfolgen, wenn diese schädliche Tiere nit weggeschaft werden, dass sie ire Jarszinse der Grundherrschaft nit nur geben könnten und verursacht wurden hinweg zu ziehen, weil sie solcher Gestalten sich nit wüssten zu ernehren.

Antwort

Darauf Grienebner eingedingt, und diese Antwort geben und sein Procurey ins Recht gelegt: er hab diese wider die Tierlein verstanden; es sey aber männiglich bewusst, dass sie allda in gewisser Gewöhr und Nutzen sitzen... Derentwegen er in Hoffnung stehe, man werde ihnen auf heutigen Tage die Nutz und Gewöhr mit keinem Urtel nehmen oder aberkennen. Im Fall aber ein Urtel erging, dass ihnen ein anders Ort und Statt geben soll werden, uf dass sie sich erhalten mögen: es soll ihnen auch bei solchem Abzug ein frei sicher Geleit vor iren Feinden erteilt, es seyn Hund Katzen oder andre ihre Feind: er sey auch in Hoffnung, wenn aine schwanger wäre, dass derselben Ziel und Tag geben werde, dass ir Frucht fürbringen und alsdann auch damit abziehen möge.

Urtel

Auf Klag und Antwort, Red und Widerred, und uf eingelegte Kundschaften und Alles was für Recht kommen, ist mit Urtel und Recht erkennt, dass die schädlichen Tierlein, so man nennt die Lutmäuse, denen von Stilfs in Acker und Wiesmäder nach Laut der Klag in vierzehn  Tagen raumen sollen, da hinweg ziehen und zu ewigen Zeiten dahin nimmer mehr kommen sollen; wo aber ains oder mehr der Tierlein schwanger wär, oder jugendhalber nit hinkommen möchte, dieselben sollen der Zeit von jedermann ain frey sicheres Geleit haben 14 Tage lang; aber die so ziehen mögen, sollen in 14 Tagen wandern.

Comments

[Leon Garcia G.]

Wonderful documents, both this one and the one about the pig trial. Are these trials a phenomenon of the early modern period? I wonder if there is anything comparable in Spain. I love the fact that the court treats the mice here as moral persons, and even grants a compassionate extension of stay to pregnant mice.

[John Ballard]

Reminds me of an Asian problem I never know about until lately. Bamboo forests apparently replicate twice a century, putting out so many seeds the rodent population gets out of control.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9198000/9198744.stm

http://velociraptoronzebra.blogspot.com/2010/11/twice-century-india-is-attacked-by-huge.html

http://irri.org/our-partners/networks/irrigated-rice-research-consortium/rodents/feature-articles/impacts-of-rodent-outbreaks-on-food-security-in-asia

From that last link...

South Asian bamboo masting story

Happens once every 48 years simultaneously over large tracts of bamboo forest

* 30-80 tonnes of bamboo seed per hectare
* Flowering and seed masting began in 2004 in Mizoram and moved southwards, reaching the CHT and Myanmar in 2007.

* Rat outbreaks in these upland habitats near bamboo are still happening in Bangladesh and Myanmar this year and next (new flowering has recently been observed).
* Many farmers loose 100% of their crops
* In some areas all the bamboo masts in one year, in other years the masting event takes 2-3 years to complete, prolonging the famine. It is not clear whether this difference in synchrony is related to different strains of the same bamboo species.
* Although flowering in patches of forest is synchronous, seed maturation may be variable, earlier seed fall may result in larger rat outbreaks.
* The rodent species involved in the outbreaks have been identified. There are still many gaps in our knowledge of the breeding biology and dynamics of these species.
* We know precious little of their movement patterns and over what scale they can move.

[John Ballard]

Another historic problem involving mice has vexed Roman Catholic theologians for years: What happens to the Eucharist (the transubstantiated body of Christ) if a mouse eats it by accident? (The accident, of course, would be that of the cleric. The mouse would be eating it deliberately.)