entangled in insolvency – jussi sallila 275 by the town authorities were met with obstruction, as persons of standing invoked their privileges.769 In response, a new ordinance was drafted, presented at the Diet of 1668 and enacted in 1669.770 In the first section, it was stressed that old Swedish laws were not changed through the new ordinance. Instead, the royal officials were instructed to uphold the laws. The respect for ancient Swedish law was typical of the time, but it is obvious that the ordinance led to changes in the law in action. According to section 15 of the ordinance, noblemen were in principle not subject to the threat of imprisonment for debt as a preventive measure. The rules concerning imprisonment for debt in section 14 were primarily concerned with debtors who were suspected of fleeing or concealing assets, particularly those not resident in the realm.771 However, as far as the assets of the debtor were concerned, there was no difference based on status. Noblemen were subject to the same rules as others. Indebtedness was also viewed from a moral perspective.Where the debtor had no assets, the courts should inquire into the reasons for his poverty. If the poverty was caused by some calamity beyond the control of the debtor, he was entitled to personal freedom and could pay when he had acquired more means. However, if the indebtedness had been caused by improper lifestyle or profligacy, there was no room for compassion, and the judge could reprimand them by imprisonment.772 769 Resolution på Städernes Beswär 1664, I (1 Sept. 1664): “[…] Magistraten i Städerne sig beklagar/huruledes när een eller annan af den samma warder anmanter till deß skuldz afbetalning och contenterade, eller och han nödgas någors godz arrestera och antasta/somblige derföre tilfoga honom i sidowyrdnadh/ocjh förebära exceptioner af ståndh/privilegier, tjenster/dependence och annat slijkt/hwarigenom executionem märkeligen hindras/och Borgerskapet i deß nähring skada tilfogas […],” StiernmanII, pp. 1512-1513. 770 Kongl. May:tz Stadga, öfwer alla Executioner i gemeen (10 July, 1669), Kongl. stadgar, ed. Schmedeman, pp. 593-602. 771 “Then är skiäligen mißtänckt om flyckten/somwiull resa bort/och icke är boofast i Landet: Therföre må ock ingen bijsätias/then Godz hafwer i Rijket/eller theß tilhörige Landskaper7 at ther af giäldas och rätt giöras kan.” 772 “Skulle ock någon i synnerhet finnas/som intet hade at wederwåga och gälda af/tåå skal Rätten pröfwa huru skulf och fattigdom hans tilkommen är/och om then finnes utom hans wållande af någon wådelig händelse eller rätta nöd härflyta/niute tå Leyde på sin person/och betale sedan efter ty Egendom hans bättras kan; men hafwer han förmedelst ett odygdigt och slösachtigt lefwerne stört sig sielf ther uti/och så wijda wansläcktat/tå wari ey eller någon miskundsamhet wärd/utan ligge under Domarens stränge näpst med bijsättning eller häckte/som saken är til.”
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