From E. P. Evans, The Criminal Prosecution and Capital Punishment of Animals, London, William Heinemann, 1906. Appendix N. To read the original French, click 'keep reading' below.
Monday, 18 April, 1499
In view of the criminal trial conducted before us at the request of the prosecutor on behalf of the abbey Jehosephat, against Jean Delalande and his wife, prisoners of the local prison, by reason of the death that came to the person of a young girl, named Gilon, of the age of one and a half years or thereabouts, which child was entrusted by her mother to a nursemaid; the said murder was brought about and committed by a pig, aged three months or thereabouts and belonging to said Delalande and his wife; in view of the confessions of said Delalande and his wife, and of the investigations made by us and by the court clerk of the said jurisdiction at the request of the prosecutor, and on the basis of wise counsel, we condemn the said Jean Delalande and his wife to pay a debt to Justice in the amount of eighteen francs, as it is right and fitting, and they are to be kept in prison until the full payment and satisfaction of this amount, or at least until they have made a good and certain deposit towards the payment of this amount.
And as concerns the said pig, for the reasons given and established in the said trial, we condemn it to be hanged and executed by Justice, in the jurisdiction of my said lords, by our definitive sentence, and by rights.
Signed,
C. Briseg.
