402 THE INDIAN LAW OF ORDEAL, 



THE 



INDIAN LAW OF ORDEAL, 



Verbally tranjlated from Yagyawalcya. 



I. r I 'HE balance, fire, water, poifon, the idol — 



■*■ Thefe are the ordeals ufed below for the proof 



of innocence, when the accufations are heavy, and when 



the accufer offers to hazard a mulct, (if he mould fail.) 



2. Or one party may be tried, if he pleafe, by ordea), 

 and the other mull then rifque an amercement. But 

 the trial may take place even without any wager, if the 

 crime committed be injurious to the prince. 



3. The fovereign, having fummoned the accufed, 

 while his clothes are yet moift from bathing, at funrife, 

 before he has brcken his faft, mail caufe all trials by 

 ordeal to be conducted in the prefence of Brdhmans. 



4. The balance is for women, children, old men, the 

 blind, the lame, Brahmans, and the fick; for the $iidra 9 

 fire or water, or feven barley-corns of poifon. 



5. Unlefs the lofs of the accufer amount to a thou- 

 fand pieces of filver, the accufed muft not be tried by 

 the red-hot ball, nor by poifon, nor by the fcales; but, 

 if the offence be againft the king, or if the crime be 

 heinous, he mult acquit himfelf by one of thofe trials 

 in ail cafes. 



6. He 



