From book entitle Credulities Pat And Present by W Jones, London 1880


Jim Carroll
Extracts of chapter 7 - 'Trials, excorcising and blessing of animals'
"The execution of these animals was public and solemn; sometimes they were clothed like men. In 1386, the judge of Falaise condemned a sow to be mutilated in the leg and head, and afterwards to be hung, for having torn the face and arm, and then killing a child. This was a Draconian infliction of punishment. This sow was executed in the public square, clothed in a man's dress. The execution cost ten sous, six deniers tournois, besides a new glove for the executioner.
Bulls shared with swine the same mode of trial and punish¬ment for homicide. M. Carlier, in his " Histoire du Duche de Valois," relates that a farmer of the village of Moisy allowed an untamed bull to escape; the consequence was the death of a man, pierced by his horns. Charles, Count of Valois, having heard of this, gave orders that the bull should be seized and proceedings taken against the animal. This was done; the officers of justice examined witnesses who had seen the, man killed. The bull was eventually sentenced and hung. But this did not terminate the affair; an appeal was made against the incompatibility of the retainers of the count to perforin the execution, to the parliament of the Chandeleur of 1314. After a long discussion it was decided that the bull deserved death, but the Count de Valois had no justiciary rights on the territory of Moisy. In 1499 a bull was hung for having "par furiosité occis un joine ills de quatorze ou quinze ans," in the lordship of Cauroy, which belonged to the Abbey of Beaupre.
Horses were also judged in the criminal courts. The registers of Dijon record that in 1389 one was condemned to death for having killed a man.
In the year 1403, Simon de Baudemont, Lieutenant at Meulan, Jhean, Lord of Maintenon, the Bailiff of Mantes an i Meulan, signed an attestation making known the expenses which had been incurred in order to execute justice on a sow that had eaten a child : " For expenses within the jail, the charge was 6 sols.* Item, to the executioner who came from Paris to Meulan, to put the sentence in execution by the comand of our Lord the Bailiff, and of the King's Attorney. 54 sols. Item, for the carriage that conveyed her to execution. 6 sols. Item, for ropes to tie and haul her up, 2 sols 8 denurs. Item, for gloves 12 deniers; amounting in the whole to 69 sols 8 deniers." The item for gloves has puzzled some persons. Southey suggests that they were insisted upon by the execu¬tioner, as a point of honour, that no one might reproach him with having soiled his hands by performing on such a subject.
The summonses were served by an officer of the court, read¬ing them at the places which the animals frequented. These citations were written out with all technical formality, and, that there might be no mistake, contained a description of the animals. Thus, in a process against rats in the diocese c: Autun, the defendants were described as dirty animals in the form of rats, of a greyish colour, living in holes. This trial is famous in the annals of French law, for it was then that Chasse-neuz, the famous advocate, won his first laurels. The rats not appearing on the first citation, Chasseneuz, their counsel argued that the summons was of a too local and individual character; that as all the rats in the diocese were interested, all should be summoned"