from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
RESCRIPTS, civ. law. The answers of the prince at the request of the parties
respecting some matter in dispute between them, or to magistrates in
relation to some doubtful matter submitted to him.
2. The rescript was differently denominated, according to the character
of those who sought it. They were called annotations or subnotations, when
the answer was given at the request of private citizens; letters or
epistles, when he answered the consultation of magistrates; pragmatic
sanctions, when he answered a corporation, the citizens of a province, or a
municipality. Lecons El. du Dr. Rom. Sec. 53; Code, 1, 14, 3.