226. THIS perfect fyftem of rules let a king, free from illness, obferve; but, when really afflicted with disease, he may intrust all thefe affairs to his officers.'

CHAPTER THE EIGHTH.

On Judicature; and on Law, Private and
Criminal.

I.

1. A KING, defirous of infpecting judi'cial proceedings, must enter his court of juftice, compofed and fedate in his demeanour, 'together with Bráhmens and counsellors, who 'know how to give him advice:

2. There, either fitting or ftanding, holding ⚫ forth his right arm, without oftentation in his • dress and ornaments, let him examine the af• fairs of litigant parties.

3. Each day let him decide caufes, one after another, under the eighteen principal titles of law, by arguments and rules drawn from local usages, and from written codes:

4. "Of thofe titles, the firft is debt, on loans 'for confumption; the fecond, depofits, and loans for ufe; the third, fale without owner

fhip; the fourth, concerns among partners; the • fifth, subtraction of what has been given ;

5.

The fixth, nonpayment of wages or hire;

the feventh, nonperformance of agreements; the eighth, refciffion of fale and purchase; the ninth, disputes between master and fervant;

6. The tenth, contefts on boundaries; the "eleventh and twelfth, affault and flander; the thirteenth, larceny; the fourteenth, robbery and ⚫ other violence; the fifteenth, adultery;

7. The fixteenth, altercation between man and wife, and their feveral duties; the feventeenth, the law of inheritance; the eighteenth, gaming with dice and with living creatures: these eighteen titles of law are fettled as the groundwork of all judicial procedure in this • world.

8. Among men, who contend for the moft part on the titles just mentioned, and on a few • mifcellaneous beads not comprifed under them, let the king decide caufes juftly, obferving primeval law;

9. But, when he cannot inspect fuch affairs in perfon, let him appoint, for the inspection of ' them, a Bráhmen of eminent learning:

10. Let that chief judge, accompanied by 'three affeffors, fully confider all caufes brought ' before the king, and having entered the courtroom, let him fit or ftand, but not move back•wards and forwards.

II. In whatever country three Brahmens, particularly skilled in the three feveral Védas,

fit together with the very learned Brahmen ap'pointed by the king, the wife call that affembly the court of BRAHMA' with four faces.

12. WHEN justice, having been wounded by iniquity, approaches the court, and the judges • extract not the dart, they also fhall be wounded " by it.

13.

Either the court must not be entered

judges, parties, and witneffes, or law and truth • must be openly declared: that man is criminal, who either fays nothing, or fays what is • false or unjust.

14.

Where justice is deftroyed by iniquity, and truth by false evidence, the judges, who bafely look on without giving redress, shall also be deftroyed.

15. Juftice, being deftroyed, will deftroy; being preferved, will preferve: it must never, therefore, be violated. "Beware, O judge, left juftice, being overturned, overturn both us " and thy felf."

16. The divine form of juftice is reprefented as Vrisba, or a bull, and the gods confider him, who violates juftice, as a Vrifhala, or one who · flays a bull: let the king, therefore, and his judges beware of violating juftice.

17. The only firm friend, who follows men

even after death, is juftice: all others are ex<tinct with the body.

18. Of injuftice in decifions, one quarter falls on the party in the caufe; one quarter, on his witneffes; one quarter, on all the judges; and one quarter on the king;

19. 'But where he, who deferves condemnation, shall be condemned, the king is guiltless, and the judges free from blame: an evil deed < fhall recoil on him, who committed it.

20. A Brábmen fupported only by his class, ' and one barely reputed a Bráhmen, but without 'performing any facerdotal acts, may, at the 'king's pleasure, interpret the law to him: fo may the two middle claffes; but a Súdra, in no • cafe whatever.

21. Of that king, who ftupidly looks on, while a Súdra decides caufes, the kingdom it• self shall be embarrassed, like a cow in deep

'mire.

22. The whole territory, which is inhabited by a number of Súdras, overwhelmed with atheists, and deprived of Bráhmens, muft fpeedily perish afflicted with dearth and dif• ease.

33. LET the king or his judge, having feat⚫ed himself on the bench, his body properly

clothed and his mind attentively fixed, begin ' with doing reverence to the deities, who guard 'the world; and then let him enter on the trial ' of causes: