602
The Green Bag.
Vol. IV. (1892) of the "Green Bag," hand somely bound in half morocco, is now ready. Price $5.00 delivered. The following letter from Eugene F. Ware, Esq., of Fort Scott, Kansas, will be read with interest : — London, Sept. 5, 1892. Editor the " Green Bag " : Having passed a little time in examining the As syrian and Babylonian tablets in the British Museum in this city, it occurred to me to send you a memo randum list of several that to me as a lawyer ap peared to be interesting. I take the tablets as translated by the scholars, and as I find the tablets and translations in the Museum. 1 assume the translations to be correct. There are a very great number, and I only give the substance of a few. To me they were of great interest, as showing the then condition of society, business, and general civilization. The list is of such matters as seem to have special interest to lawyers, and as such I send it to you for publication if you see fit. The tablets so selected are respectively as fol lows: — ' A letter from a prisoner to the King of Assyria declar ing the innocence of the former of the crime charged. A petition to the King of five inhabitants of the city of Darata. An interpretation of a part of the Assyrian code A deed of a field by Titi to Addunaid, giving price (half a mana and four shekels in silver). On the edge is the seizin, "the giving up of the field." A despatch where the writer sends 237 horses to Salimn. The will of Sennacherib, the King. A contract for seventy-five oxen. Sale of three slaves for one mana each. Many sales of land, houses, plantation, and grain. Sale of house in Hama for one mana. Sale of house in Nineveh for one mana, 692 B.C. A six year's lease of a plantation. A contract for loan of eight manas and three shekels of silver at half a shekel interest for six months. A loan of nine mana and fifteen shekels at twenty-five per cent per annum. Many other loans running from i per cent to twentyfive per cent per annum. A joint deed for a house by two brothers. A conveyance of seven slaves for three manas; one of the slaves had two wives, who were also slaves. A mortgage of four slaves for 210 mana of copper. An arbitration and award that Salmu-aki shall pay Assur-sallim manas of silver. A recorded gift by four inhabitants of Calah to the temple of Ninip. A judicial decision as to the ownership of a female slave, named Salmanu-naid.
An explanation of legal terms. A record of the judgment of a court in favor of Nabushar-usur. A loan of money "at the customary rate of interest." A proclamation concerning the royal estates. A lot of various boundary stones, engraved with the deed and title of the owner. A royal grant by Nebuchadnezzar. A written statement regarding the abstraction of various articles from the royal treasury. A list of things supplied to the crew of a boat. The record of the payment of a fee. Record of payment of tithes, first year of Cambyses. A chattel mortgage on a door to secure the loan of one mana of silver. Concerning the dowry of (Miss) Kibitum Kisat. A sale of land by one brother to another, 2120 B. c. A money judgment for a debt by a Babylon court in 677 B. c. Satisfaction of a mortgage by a swap of land. An account of the litigation in which (Mrs.) Bunanitu won her husband's estate from his brother after long con tention. A tablet showing the purchase and conveyance to a man and his wife, jointly, of seven canes, five cubits and eighteen fingers of land situated in Borsippa, for 11 J manas of silver, including the house. A declaration of a right of way in favor of another. An acknowledgment of the payment of the first instal ment of interest on a mortgage. A summons in an action of debt for the nonpayment of price of slave. An award of one mana of silver for killing the servant of another. Deed of partnership between Sininana and Iribamsin, 2400 B. c. Record of borrowing a quantity of grain. A woman's record of her borrowing four measures of grain. A bequest by a son to his father. A renunciation by a father of his minor son, accom panied by the adoption of the son by another man. A declaration of trust by Sini concerning certain pro perty bought and held by him, 2120 B. c. Record of a loan made for the purpose of paying the interest on another outstanding loan. An apprenticing by Nubta of Attan to Beledir for five years. A deed, in sixth year of Cyrus, of real estate in the ward of Suanna in the city of Babylon, giving dimen sion and abutting owners, signed by seller and witnesses. An order for straw for workmen on canal. A tablet concerning the rations of workingmen. An order on another for five manas of iron; for work done. A power of attorney from one brother to another to sell a quantity of grain. A lease of a house by the agent of a woman, she being the owner. Slave having been sold when title was in dispute, the tablet shows the matter now all settled, the title perfect, and the money paid.