CHAP.

IX.

'shall be stripped of all their possessions; and, if their offence was premeditated, shall be corporally, or ' even capitally, punished, according to circumstances. 243. LET no virtuous prince appropriate the wealth of a criminal in the highest degree; for he, who ap"propriates it through covetousness, is contaminated with the same guilt:

244.

Having thrown such a fine into the waters, let him offer it to VARUNA; or let him bestow it on some priest of eminent learning in the scriptures: 245. ‹ Varuna is the lord of punishment; he holds a rod even over kings; and a priest who has gone through the whole Veda, is equal to a sovereign of all the world.

246.

Where the king abstains from receiving to his own use the wealth of such offenders, there children are born in due season and enjoy long lives;

247. 'There the grain of husbandmen rises abundantly, as it was respectively sown; there no younglings die, nor is one deformed animal born.

248. SHOULD a man of the basest class, with pre' conceived malice, give pain to Bráhmens, let the prince corporally punish him by various modes, that may raise terrour.

249. A king is pronounced equally unjust in releasing the man who deserves punishment, and in punishing the man who deserves it not: he is just, 'who always inflicts the punishment ordained by law. 6 250. These

250. These established rules for administering jus- CHAP. 'tice between two litigant parties, have been pro- IX. pounded at length under eighteen heads.

251. THUS fully performing all duties required by law, let a king seek with justice to possess regions ' yet unpossessed, and, when they are in his posses'sion, let him govern them well.

252. His realm being completely arranged and his fortresses amply provided, let him ever apply the 'most diligent care to eradicate bad men resembling thorny weeds, as the law directs.

253. By protecting such as live virtuously, and by rooting up such as live wickedly, those kings, whose hearts are intent on the security of their people, 'shall rise to heaven.

254. Of that prince, who takes a revenue, without restraining rogues, the dominions are thrown into disorder, and himself shall be precluded from 'celestial abode;

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255. But of him, whose realm, by the strength of his arm, is defended and free from terrour, the dominions continually flourish, like trees duly watered.

256. LET the king, whose emissaries are his eyes, discern well the two sorts of rogues, the open and 'the concealed, who deprive other men of their

' wealth:

257. Open rogues are they, who subsist by cheat

IX.

CHAP. ing in various marketable commodities; and con'cealed rogues are they, who steal and rob in forests ' and the like secret places.

258. Receivers of bribes, extorters of money by threats, debasers of metals, gamesters, fortune-tellers, imposters, and professors of palmistry;

259. 6

Elephant-breakers, and quacks, not performing 'what they engage to perform, pretended artists, and subtil harlots;

260.

These and the like thorny weeds, overspreading the world, let the king discover with a quick sight, and others, who act ill in secret; worthless men, yet bearing the outward signs of the worthy. 261. ' Having detected them, by means of trusty persons disguised, who pretend to have the same occupation with them, and of spies placed in several stations, let him bring them by artifice into his

power;

262. Then, having fully proclaimed their respective 'criminal acts, let the king inflict punishment legally, according to the crimes proved;

263. Since, without certain punishment, it is impossible to restrain the delinquency of scoundrels with depraved souls, who secretly prowl over this earth.

264. Much-frequented places, cisterns of water, 'bake-houses, the lodgings of harlots, taverns and

victualling-shops, squares where four ways meet, large CHAP. well known trees, assemblies, and publick spectacles;

265. Old court-yards, thickets, the houses of artists, empty mansions, groves, and gardens;

266. These and the like places let the king guard, for the prevention of robberies, with soldiers, both stationary and patroling, as well as with secret watchmen.

267. By the means of able spies, once thieves, but reformed, who, well knowing the various machinations of rogues, associate with them and follow them, let the king detect and draw them forth :

268. 6

On pretexts of dainty food and gratifications, or of seeing some wise priest, who could ensure their success, or on pretence of mock battles and the like feats of strength, let the spies procure an assembly of those men.

269. Such as refuse to go forth on those occasions, deterred by former punishments, which the king had inflicted, let him seize by force, and put to death, on proof of their guilt, with their friends and kinsmen, paternal and maternal, if proved to be • their confederates.

270.

Let not a just prince kill a man convicted of simple theft, unless taken with the mainer or ' with implements of robbery; but any thief, taken ' with the mainer, or with such implements, let him destroy without hesitation;

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IX.

CHAP.

IX.

271. And let them slay all those, who give robbers 'food in towns, or supply them with implements, or 'afford them shelter.

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272. Should those men, who were appointed to guard any districts, or those of the vicinity, who were employed for that purpose, be neutral in attacks by robbers and inactive in seizing them, let 'him instantly punish them as thieves.

273. Him, who lives apparently by the rules of ' his class, but really departs from those rules, let 'the king severely punish by fine, as a wretch, who 'violates his duty.

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274. They, who give no assistance on the plundering of a town, on the forcible breaking of a dike, or on seeing a robbery on the highway, shall be 'banished with their cattle and utensils.

275. Men, who rob the king's treasure, or obstinately oppose his commands, let him destroy by ' various modes of just punishment; and those, who encourage his enemies.

276. Of robbers, who break a wall or partition, and commit theft in the night, let the prince order 'the hands to be lopped off, and themselves to be 'fixed on a sharp stake.

277. Two fingers of a cutpurse, the thumb and the index, let him cause to be amputated on his first 'conviction; on the second, one hand and one foot; on the third, he shall suffer death.

278. Such