MADRAS IN 1714. 



9 



village was at liberty to appeal to the Mcmiyakaran or inten- 

 dant of a group of villages. And a further appeal lay to the 

 " immediate officers of the Prince who judge in the last 

 resort," that is to say, I presume, to any powerful favorite 

 who could be induced by a sufficient bribe to move in the 

 matter. For, in the inscriptions and historic records of 

 Madura, I have been unable to find any the slightest trace of 

 the existence of a Nydyddhipati or judge. And the Mission 

 du Mad ure, whilst it gives accounts of various disputes being 

 brought up to nobles and courtiers for settlement, nowhere 

 speaks of the existence of an established legal tribunal. The 

 Maniyahdran took a fee for judging, and some judges of this 

 class took as much as 10 per centum on the amount claimed. 

 Ordinarily the successful party paid the costs, on the principle 

 that he was in a better position than his opponent to meet 

 the charge. 



Speaking of loans, which occasioned the majority of the 

 disputes brought before the judges, Father Bouchet observes 

 that three rates of interest were commonly charged, namely, 

 of 12, 24 and 48 per centum. The first of these three was 

 known as the * virtue ' rate, and the last the 'sin/ the 

 middle being regarded as indifferent. When the 'virtue' rate 

 was agreed to, it was usual for the creditor to remit the 

 interest due for the first month and for that of payment. 



Altercations about matters of caste were disposed of by the 

 heads of castes. The gurus (priests) decided disputes arising 

 between their disciples. Family quarrels about money and 

 other things were arranged by family councils. And in some 

 instances disputants referred matters to arbitration. The 

 gurus, it is incidentally remarked, took much larger fees 

 than the Maniyakdrans, 



So much for the administration of civil justice : that of 

 criminal was even less satisfactory. In cases of theft and 

 the like the accused or suspected person was subjected to an 



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