I will add more。 Both when it is new moon and full moon they
call a council after a sacrifice。 To this all from twenty years
upward are admitted； and each one is asked separately to say
what is wanting in the State； and which of the magistrates have
discharged their duties rightly and which wrongly。 Then
after eight days all the magistrates assemble； to wit； Hoh first；
and with him Power； Wisdom； and Love。 Each one of the
three last has three magistrates under him； making in all thir…
teen； and they consider the affairs of the arts pertaining to each
one of them： Power； of war； Wisdom； of the sciences； Love；
of food； clothing； education； and breeding。 The masters of all
the bands； who are captains of tens； of fifties； of hundreds； also
assemble； the women first and then the men。 They argue about
those things which are for the welfare of the State； and they
choose the magistrates from among those who have already
been named in the great Council。 In this manner they assemble
daily； Hoh and his three princes； and they correct； confirm； and
execute the matters passing to them； as decisions in the elec…
tions； other necessary questions they provide of themselves。
They do not use lots unless when they are altogether doubtful
how to decide。 The eight magistrates under Hoh； Power；
Wisdom； and Love are changed according to the wish of the
people； but the first four are never changed； unless they； tak…
ing counsel with themselves； give up the dignity of one to an…
other； whom among them they know to be wiser； more re…
nowned； and more nearly perfect。 And then they are obedient
and honorable； since they yield willingly to the wiser man and
are taught by him。 This； however； rarely happens。 The prin…
cipals of the sciences； except Metaphysic； who is Hoh himself；
and is； as it were； the architect of all science； having rule over
all； are attached to Wisdom。 Hoh is ashamed to be ignorant
of any possible thing。 Under Wisdom therefore are Grammar；
Logic； Physics； Medicine； Astrology； Astronomy； Geometry；
Cosmography； Music； Perspective； Arithmetic； Poetry； Rhet…
oric； Painting； Sculpture。 Under the triumvir Love are Breed…
ing； Agriculture； Education； Medicine； Clothing； Pasturage；
Coining。
G。M。 What about their judges？
Capt。 This is the point I was just thinking of explaining。
Everyone is judged by the first master of his trade； and thus
all the head artificers are judges。 They punish with exile； with
flogging； with blame； with deprivation of the common table；
with exclusion from the church and from the company of
women。 When there is a case in which great injury has been
done； it is punished with death； and they repay an eye with an
eye； a nose for a nose； a tooth for a tooth； and so on； according
to the law of retaliation。 If the offence is wilful the Council
decides。 When there is strife and it takes place undesignedly；
the sentence is mitigated； nevertheless； not by the judge but by
the triumvirate； from whom even it may be referred to Hoh； not
on account of justice but of mercy； for Hoh is able to pardon。
They have no prisons； except one tower for shutting up rebel…
lious enemies； and there is no written statement of a case； which
we commonly call a lawsuit。 But the accusation and witnesses
are produced in the presence of the judge and Power； the ac…
cused person makes his defence； and he is immediately acquit…
ted or condemned by the judge； and if he appeals to the trium…
virate； on the following day he is acquitted or condemned。 On
the third day he is dismissed through the mercy and clemency
of Hoh； or receives the inviolable rigor of his sentence。 An
accused person is reconciled to his accuser and to his witnesses；
as it were； with the medicine of his complaint； that is； with em…
bracing and kissing。
No one is killed or stoned unless by the hands of the people；
the accuser and the witnesses beginning first。 For they have
no executioners and lictors； lest the State should sink into ruin。
The choice of death is given to the rest of the people； who en…
close the lifeless remains in little bags and burn them by the
application of fire； while exhorters are present for the purpose
of advising concerning a good death。 Nevertheless； the whole
nation laments and beseeches God that his anger may be ap…
peased； being in grief that it should； as it were； have to cut off
a rotten member of the State。 Certain officers talk to and con…
vince the accused man by means of arguments until he him…
self acquiesces in the sentence of death passed upon him； or else
he does not die。 But if a crime has been committed against
the liberty of the republic； or against God； or against the su…
preme magistrates； there is immediate censure without pity。
These only are punished with death。 He who is about to
die is compelled to state in the presence of the people and with
religious scrupulousness the reasons for which he does not de…
serve death； and also the sins of the others who ought to die
instead of him； and further the mistakes of the magistrates。
If； moreover； it should seem right to the person thus asserting；
he must say why the accused ones are deserving of less punish…
ment than he。 And if by his arguments he gains the victory he
is sent into exile； and appeases the State by means of prayers
and sacrifices and good life ensuing。 They do not torture those
named by the accused person； but they warn them。 Sins of
frailty and ignorance are punished only with blaming； and with
compulsory continuation as learners under the law and disci…
pline of those sciences or arts against which they have sinned。
And all these things they have mutually among themselves；
since they seem to be in very truth members of the same body；
and one of another。
This further I would have you know； that if a transgressor；
without waiting to be accused； goes of his own accord before
a magistrate； accusing himself and seeking to make amends；
that one is liberated from the punishment of a secret crime； and
since he has not been accused of such a crime； his punishment
is changed into another。 They take special care that no one
should invent slander； and if this should happen they meet the
offence with the punishment of retaliation。 Since they always
walk about and work in crowds； five witnesses are required for
the conviction of a transgressor。 If the case is otherwise； after
having threatened him； he is released after he has sworn an oath
as the warrant of good conduct。 Or if he is accused a second
or third time； his increased punishment rests on the testimony
of three or two witnesses。 They have but few laws； and these
short and plain； and written upon a flat table and hanging to
the doors of the temple； that is between the columns。 And on
single columns can be seen the essences of things described in
the very terse style of Metaphysic viz。； the essences of God； of
the angels； of the world； of the stars； of man； of fate； of virtue； all
done with great wisdom。 The definitions of all the virtues are
also delineated here； and here is the tribunal； where the judges
of all the virtues have their seat。 The definition of a certain
virtue is written under that column where the judges for the
aforesaid virtue sit； and when a judge gives judgment he sits
and speaks thus： O son； thou hast sinned against this sacred
definition of beneficence； or of magnanimity； or of another vir…
tue； as the case may be。 And after discussion the judge legally
condemns him to the punishment for the crime of which he is
accused viz。； for injury； for despondency； for pride； for in…
gratitude； for sloth； etc。 But the sentences are certain and true
correctives； savoring more of clemency than of actual punish…
ment。
G。M。 Now you ought to tell me about their priests； their
sacrifices； their religion； and their belief。
Capt。 The chief priest is Hoh； and it is the duty of all the
superior magistrates to pardon sins。 Therefore the whole
State by secret confession； which we also use； tell their sins to
the magistrates； who at once purge their souls and teach those
that are inimical to the people。 Then the sacred magistrates
themselves confess their own sinfulness to the three supreme
chiefs； and together they confess the faults of one another；
though no special one is named； and they confess especially the
heavier faults and those harmful to the State。 At length the
triumvirs confess their sinfulness to Hoh himself； who forth…
with recognizes the kinds of sins that are harmful to the State；
and succors with timely remedies。 Then he offers sacrifices
and prayers to God。 And before this he confesses the sins of
the whole people； in the presence of God； and publicly in the
temple； above the altar； as often as it had been necessary that
the fault should be corrected。 Nevertheless； no transgressor
is spoken of by his name。 In this manner he absolves the peo…
ple by advising them that they should beware of sins of the
aforesaid kind。 Afterward he offers sacrifice to God； that he
should pardon the State and absolve it of its sins； and to teach
and defend it。 Once in every year the chief priests of each
separate subordina