PRUD'FIOMMES. Prudentes Homines, ex perienced men. This name relates to a re markable kind of commercial or manufacturing council, well known in France, but to which we have nothing exactly parallel in England. In 1452, King Rene established at Marseille a council of Prud'Hommes, with summary juris diction in disputes between the fishermen of that port: this institution has since been fre quently confirmed, and still exists. In 1464, Louis XI. granted power to the citizens of Lyon to appoint a Prud'Homme to decide summarily upon disputes that might arise between merchants attending the fair. By a decree of Napoleon, dated March 18, 1806, a council of Prud'Hommes, consisting of nine members (five manufacturers and four master weavers), elected annually, was established in Lyon to settle disputes between manufacturers and their workmen, and between masters and apprentices. The council acted chiefly as a court of conciliation, but was also vested with power to decide, without appeal or expense, cases involving an amount not exceeding 80 francs. This institution has been recog
nised and confirmed by succeeding govern ments. Councils of Prud'Hommes with in creased numbers, with powers of summons, seizure, and imprisonment not exceeding three days, and with summary jurisdiction to the amount of 100 francs, are now established in all the great manufacturing towns of France, with the exception, we believe, of Paris. If the amount exceeds 100 francs, an appeal lies to the Tribunal of Commerce. The sittings of theso councils are held in the evening, when the workmen have given over their labour for the day. Lawyers are not suffered to plead in their courts. The council of Prud'Hommes is perhaps the most extensively-useful insti tution in France ; in Lyon alone, the cases decided annually exceed 5000; appeals are rare, and a reversal of the decree of the council very much rarer still.