172 Mr. CoLEHROOKE on Hindu Courts of Justice. 



1. The requisite qualifications of the accountant are skill in computation, 

 and a thorougli acquaintance with every branch of mathematical knowledge, 

 including astronomy (and even astrology), grammar, and other sciences, as 

 well as sacred studies, and familiar knowledge of various modes of writing. 

 He must be pure in conduct, and clearly deserving of trust. 



2. The like qualifications are required of the scribe. His diction must 

 be unambiguous ; his hand- writing fair : he must be honest, placid, disin- 

 terested, and veracious. 



Botli these officers should be of a regenerate tribe. 



3. The enforcer of judgment, and guardian of things claimed, maybe a 

 siiclra. He should be one who has been uniformly employed in the king's 

 service ; firm in conduct, but strictly obedient to the judges of the court. 

 His functions are, the custody of things in dispute during the pendency of 

 the cause, and the giving effect to the court's judgment. 



4. The messenger, or king's own officer, is one who has been long in his 

 service, but is placed by him under the control of the judges, for the duty 

 of summoning parties, holding them in custody, and seeking and calling 

 their witnesses. 



5. Another officer is noticed, under the designation of moderator of the 

 court, but with no other functions assigned to him besides the delivery of 

 discourses on morality for the edification of the parties in suits, the judges, 

 and the officers of the court. 



§ 8. Conduct of Judges. 



Passages relative to the conduct of judges, their functions and duties, 

 are very numerous in the institutes of Hindu law. These may not be with- 

 out interest, collected and exhibited together for reciprocal illustration. 



It will be obvious, from the frequent notice of the direct part taken by 

 the sovereign in the administration of justice, and the manner in which this 

 topic is weighed upon, that both when the institutes were written in the 

 names of ancient sages, and when compilations were made from .them by 

 later authors, whose names are attached to works received as authority in 

 divers countries of India, the Hindu sovereigns were accustomed to preside 

 in their own tribunals, and take a personal and active share in the discharge 

 of judicial duties. 



The obligation of impartial justice incumbent on the sovereign and the 

 judges, is earnestly inculcated, in language forcible and impressive. Careful 



