Charles VIII. had designed to cause the editing and pub-
lication of the customary law of each province, in order to
release auitors from the danger of arbitrary decisions on the
part of the judges. He published seven of them. Under
King Louis, between 1505 and 1514, twenty other cuitoms
were reduced to writing by experts, after mature delibera-
tion, and printed. This publication was the most important
legislative work of the old monarchy, down to the time of
Louis XIV., for it was not so much an editing as a reformar
tion of the customary law, effected in accordance with the
anti-feudal spirit which prevailed among the legists and in
the Parliament.
Judicial AdminlBtration ; Offices. — An ordinance of 1510
substituted French for Latin in criminal procedure, in order
that witnesses might hear their own depositions read, and
the accused might hear the charges which were preferred
against them. French was already employed for the acts
of the civil authorities. Louis attempted to diminish the
extortions practised by the courts. The baillis, who were
all noblemen and soldiers, were obliged to be graduated at
universities, or to leave the administration of justice t(v
lieutenants chosen from among the lawyers. Similar regu-
lations were made for the manorial courts of lords.
Louis XII. sold certain public oifices in order to procure
Qione^ ; but they were mostly finanuial offices, and it was



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LOUIS XII. 297

at any rate a very ancient practice. An ordinance of 1506
authorized private individuals to use the relays of post-
horses established by Louis XI.
