CONSPIRACIES.
We reprobate, condemn, and declare void all detestable and illegal
conspiracies, confederations, and societies, which are or shall be made
by cities or by persons of any rank or station, under color of any
pretext whatever, inside or outside of cities, between city and city,
person and person, or city and person, without the consent of the lords
of the persons or territories; for it is well known that such
conspiracies are declared illegal and void by the laws of our
predecessors, the august emperors. We except from this condemnation such
confederations and leagues as are entered into by princes, cities, and
others for the preservation of the peace of their lands; these shall
remain in force until we have decreed otherwise. If any person shall
violate this decree and the ancient laws against conspiracies, besides
incurring the regular penalties he shall be branded with infamy and
shall be fined ten pounds of gold; cities and corporations guilty of a
similar crime shall be fined 100 pounds of gold, half of which shall go
to the imperial treasury, and half to the lord of the district, and they
shall be deprived of the liberties and privileges which they have
received from the empire.