THE BOND.

Be it known to every one, that the men of the Dale of Uri, the Community of Schwytz, as also the men of the mountains of Unterwald, in consideration of the evil times, have full confidently bound themselves, and sworn to help each other with all their power and might, property and people, against all who shall do violence to them, or any of them.  That is our Ancient Bond.

Whoever hath a Seignior, let him obey according to the conditions of his service.

We are agreed to receive into these dales no Judge, who is not a countryman and indweller, or who hath bought his place.

Every controversy amongst the sworn confederates shall be determined by some of the sagest of their number, and if any one shall challenge their judgment, then shall he be constrained to obey it by the rest.

Whoever intentionally or deceitfully kills another, shall be executed, and whoever shelters him shall be banished.

Whoever burns the property of another shall no longer be regarded as a countryman, and whoever shelters him shall make good the damage done.

Whoever injures another, or robs him, and hath property in our country, shall make satisfaction out of the same.

No one shall distrain a debtor without a judge, nor any one who is not his debtor, or the surety for such debtor.

Every one in these dales shall submit to the judge, or we, the sworn confederates, all will take satisfaction for all the injury occasioned by his contumacy.  And if in any internal division the one party will not accept justice, all the rest shall help the other party.  These decrees shall, God willing, endure eternally for our general advantage.]

[Footnote 45:  The Austrian knights were in the habit of wearing a plum of peacocks’ feathers in their helmets.  After the overthrow of the Austrian dominion in Switzerland, it was made highly penal to wear the peacock’s feather at any public assembly there.]

[Footnote 46:  The bench reserved for the nobility.]

[Footnote 47:  The Landamman was an officer chosen by the Swiss Gemeinde, or Diet, to preside over them.  The Banneret was an officer intrusted with the keeping of the State Banner and such others as were taken in battle.]

[Footnote 48:  According to the custom by which, when the last male descendent of a noble family died, his sword, helmet, and shield, were buried with him.]

[Footnote 49:  This frequently occurred.  But in the event of an imperial city being mortgaged for the purpose of raising money, it lost its freedom, and was considered as put out of the realm.]

[Footnote 50:  An allusion to the circumstance of the Imperial Crown not being hereditary, but conferred by election on one of the Counts of the Empire.]

[Footnote 51:  These are the cots, or shealings, erected by the herdsmen for shelter while pasturing their herds on the mountains during the summer.  These are left deserted in winter, during which period Melchthal’s journey was taken.]